ghworker2010 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Apologies in advance for this random thread but I was thinking of installing a tow bar on the back of my pickup. Once a month I might be towing my inlaws boat. If I have the tow bar on the back (but not towing anything) and if another vehicle runs up the back of me, will the tow bar provide extra protection from the crush impact of another cars impact. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 The good thing about a tow bar is that folk who can't park properly hit that instead of damaging the bumper, but you must remember it's there when your parking. A "substantial" tow bar setup will have a cross member between the two chassis rails which the hook is bolted too, which will make the back end a bit stronger, as for high impact stuff I doubt much difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pomthai Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Might help you a little. Almost certainly do more damage to the car that hits you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Might help you a little. Almost certainly do more damage to the car that hits you. And potentially bend whatever it's attached to on yours. ........................................ You sit so far forward in a pick up, rear protection isn't really a worry. What is of much more concern to the driver of a pick up (or anything for that matter) is a seat belt and air bags. People die a lot in pick ups here mainly because they are drunk and not wearing seat belts, lack of air bags and the body of a pick up and ladder based chassis SUVS being weak. Ok and incredibly bad driving, poor handling and poor braking also play big parts and increased impact due to weight. A tow bar on the rear isn't really anything of any significance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Don Mega Posted May 1, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted May 1, 2015 double edge sword they are. They will do more damage to the vehicle that runs into it but if the impact is decent it will also do a lot more damage to your chassis. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBJ Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) Definitely make it stronger. When i had my pajero a guy in his BMW smacked my back-end. Unfortunately for him he came in contact with the towing eye. Made a right mess of his car. Marks on mine where from his paintwork which rubbed off. Edited May 1, 2015 by BBJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteCadillac Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Tow bars in general cause a lot more neck injuries. The reason for this is that because they are directly connected to the chassis, there is no bumper slowing down the impact, and your neck will receive the full impact. I would not keep a tow bar in my car at times I am not using it. Thus removable tow bars. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteCadillac Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10688475 = tow bar = neck injuries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace of Pop Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Definitely make it stronger. When i had my pajero a guy in his BMW smacked my back-end. Unfortunately for him he came in contact with the towing eye. Made a right mess of his car. Marks on mine where from his paintwork which rubbed off. Oh no , another Smartypants.!!. Happy Now ?. Why is it always a B.M.. never the average Joe,go rub off that. m m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm jeff Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 A tow bar , solidly bolted onto the chassis , will remove much of the " crumple zone " of the bumper / tailgate / bed floor . In the higher "G" force accidents , this will have a varying degree of detrimental effect , such as higher whiplash . Ensure your ( ALL ) headrests are in the correct positions to lessen the effect . Removeable "swan-neck" tow bars still have all the remaining metalwork left in place , so same-same . I have a bar on my Jeep . Risk assesement verses convienience . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSJ Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I've got an agricultural hitch which is good for hauling the farm trailer but I can't take it off, it's welded to the support bar. Hope I don't get rear ended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technologybytes Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 The bumper and rear of a modern pickup is designed to absorb some of the energy in an impact, the tow bar is not. In a small impact the tow bar will protect you. But in a bigger impact the force will be directed straight to the chassis in one one point rather then spread over the rear, but honestly in a bad impact it probably won't matter to you so much. Of course, if you hit something when reversing you are likely to do a lot more damage with a tow bar attached. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGX Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Tow bar is great addition will help you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICECOOL Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I put one on for 2 reasons. I may want to tow something and in car parks etc a tow bar may provide that alert to some careless driver before they hit me. I have a reversing camera so unlikely I will back into something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Definitely make it stronger. When i had my pajero a guy in his BMW smacked my back-end. Unfortunately for him he came in contact with the towing eye. Made a right mess of his car. Marks on mine where from his paintwork which rubbed off. Oh no , another Smartypants.!!. Happy Now ?. Why is it always a B.M.. never the average Joe,go rub off that. I assume everyone on this forum knows "pajero" is Spanish for <deleted>. m m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiturkey Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Little effect on a Land Rover. Land Rover Owners' Club motto...."the other car is the crumple zone", including the Mitsu "Ham Shanker" and shoddy Jeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMHO Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 double edge sword they are. They will do more damage to the vehicle that runs into it but if the impact is decent it will also do a lot more damage to your chassis. Correct answer The guy behind always loses, at carpark speeds you win, anything faster and you both lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddinChonburi Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 YES, it helps to destroy the cars radiator that just rear ended you !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddinChonburi Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Pickups are the worst crash test vehicles in America. They do not have to meet the same standards as cars. Good luck with that in Thailand !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake Monster Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 A few years ago in the UK, I owned a Nissan Navara D22 pickup that was rear ended at speed ( about 50/60 Kmh ( Police ) by a bimbo who was texting on her phone ( phone found in floor well of her car by extraction team with half finished text to BF ). The damage to her car was extensive, with the whole engine block pushed back, and major frontal damage. The Nissan you ask ? . Was taken to an Insurance registered body shop for full chassis inpection after the accident Damage equalled Zero - just a new rear crash bar because of the ( slight damage ) on it and the paint removed at the impact point. This should answer your question 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghworker2010 Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 A few years ago in the UK, I owned a Nissan Navara D22 pickup that was rear ended at speed ( about 50/60 Kmh ( Police ) by a bimbo who was texting on her phone ( phone found in floor well of her car by extraction team with half finished text to BF ). The damage to her car was extensive, with the whole engine block pushed back, and major frontal damage. The Nissan you ask ? . Was taken to an Insurance registered body shop for full chassis inpection after the accident Damage equalled Zero - just a new rear crash bar because of the ( slight damage ) on it and the paint removed at the impact point. This should answer your question CM: did your nissan have a tow bar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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