The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tow Bar Towing

Anybody know the basic laws regarding towing with a tow bar ?

Specifically, I'm in California. I'd be towing with a 2004 Chevy Avalanche 1500. It has the Z71 4wd package with Towing package.

I've used my Avalanche to pull a trailer loaded with my Stovebolt '4up' on top of it, as well as other vehicles. The trailer did not have it's own brakes and I did just fine. I'd just like to know if it's safe to tow other trucks '4down' with a tow bar and the laws pertaining to it. I did some googling but came up empty. (Of course, there's the driveline issues, tire conditions, as well as lighting/brake lighting.)

I built my own tow bar to drag home a '65 c20 minus the front clip with my '90Gmc k10, so I know it can be done. I would try it. The only laws we need to know are the laws of physics!

I don't know about California, but in Washington if the wheels are on the ground it needs current tabs.

Tow dolly or tow bar either one the rules here say you have to have a current license plate on the vehicle. I've gotten away with ignoring that a number of times, but its also why when the time came I bought a trailer.

In California, it needs current tags if any wheels are down and the speed limit is 55, same as a trailer, with the same lighting requirements.

Not quite a year ago in Nebraska, I towed a 1942 1 1/2 ton with my '02 Silverado 3/4 ton over 300 miles one way with a tow bar. I checked with the NE State Patrol and was told it was OK. I had the brake lights and turn signals wired to my trailer light connection.
My Silverado provided all the braking. I didn't have any problems, but I always tried to maintain a safe stopping distance.

John

Laws vary from state to state, sometimes drastically.. and are subject to change without much if any notice, so the safe bet is just to call your local Highway Patrol and tell them what you got, where you're going with it, and if that's cool.

Just because some other guy didn't get popped doing the same thing doesn't mean it's legal in your state.. it just means a cop didn't catch him doing it, or had better things to do than hassle him about it.

Also keep in mind some things that are legal on a state highway, are illegal on county or city maintained roads or vice versa.

I would imagine California will have a whole book of laws pertaining to said subject, you are best to call your local CHIPS or DMV and get it from the horses mouth. I found the experience of tow baring a truck to be very taxing on my stock brakes, keep a cushion in front of ya if you do it.

Baldy has it right, I read the Vehicle Code Book, but you have to have a sturdy safety chain attached to the frame of both vehicles.