Maybe I'm crazy... My daily driver is a 2006 Ford Focus Wagon with a 136 hp 2.0. It's curb weight is around 3200lbs. the Pinto Runabout weighs in around 2200lbs I think. Unfortunately, the only hitch available for the Focus is a class 1, 2000lb receiver hitch, which I already have on the Focus. I was tossing up whether or not the Focus/hitch would handle pulling the Pinto on a car dolly. I realize that I'm just over the rated weight for the hitch, but over the years I've towed stuff with cars that weren't really rated for what I was towing with no problems. I actually hauled a full cement trailer with a 1993 Aerostar about 10 miles to my house. When I was in my teens, we welded up a 1/2" metal bar to replace the rear bumper on a 1961 Econoline (with a 200 six cylinder engine) then welded a tab on the bar for the hitch ball and I towed a 1966 Chrysler station wagon from New York State all the way to Northern N.J. with that little van!! definitely upside down as far as the vehicle weights go. Remember those bolt on bumper hitches they used to rent at U-Haul? I towed a 66 T-Bird with one of those. Anyway, just a thought.
Towing is not the problem! Stoping is the BIG problem when you tow something big. I towed a 63 Ford 427 all over the us in the 60's. Tow car? A 51 Ford flathead. Go for it!!!
don't mean to hijack the thread but here goes.
dick my dad used to have a '62 t-bird that (i swear it's true) a 401 with 3 dueces and cast iron headers hooked up to an automatic massaged for police use.
son of a gun hauled the mail that's for sure.
he used to man the timing tower occassionally for the auto club way back then and he had a slip he showed me that had the car timed at 121 mph
thing is he started the run about 1500ft or so past the start line and it was just starting to settle down!!!
ahhhh,,,memories
Remember that the tow dolly's going to add about 800lbs to the weight, so you're considerably over the limit. I'd say you could get away with it for a one-shot, short-distance tow, but doing it regularly is asking for trouble.
I once towed a Volvo 240 wagon on a dolly using a Volvo 740 wagon. The weight was about equal between the two cars, and that trip was kind of dicey at times. When the vehicle you're towing is close to the tow vehicle's weight, the tail will wag the dog if you have to make emergency maneuvers. Because your Focus is a smallish car, expect it to be unstable. I can recall another Volvo being towed and pushing an '05 Toyota Land Cruiser around on the freeway, because of the LC's short wheelbase.
In '89 I towed my 72 racer to Oregon and had to deal with no less then 4 mountain passes of at least 1800 ft, one was 4000ft. I was using my 4.0L 5 speed '88 jeep cherokee. A stripper model with 177 Hp and the lightest model. My Trailer was a last minute rental equipment trailer dual axle with surge brakes. It had diamond plate deck and was over 2500 lbs empty.
I was in second gear with the trucks on the way up each grade, and holding on for dear life on the way down trying to not blow the engine with comp braking. It was too much trailer, the combined weight was over my vehicles tow rating. I warped the front rotors after the first downhill 3 miles of the 4000ft pass and smelled and saw the smoke under my front fenders.
All went well after the race , and I was dealt another reminder, as a tractor/trailer passed me in the flatlands outside Eugene , OR, I noticed a Diesel Smell. Suddenly my windshield was coated with a fine mist of Fuel, and trailer tried to move off center 3 feet each way. I had to go clutch in , Neutral, and no brakes with veerrry minor steering input for a half mile to the shoulder.
Long story short lesson, Don't risk it! I probably lost 3 years of lifespan on that trip. I came back with a lighter trailer, electric brakes, and more control in the following years.
What I needed was more truck, more brakes, and wheelbase!
Even My Dodge Dakota 4.7l V8 is not really enough truck with a 6500 lb tow rating.
Love your Pinto, Love your Life!
Pintosopher
Great stories you guys!! I was just thinking about towing it to LA, about 6 hours from me for the Knotts show to save some wear and tear on the Pinto. 90% of the trip would be on I-5 and the only hill would be that big grade before you hit LA, up and down. The car is more than drivable enough to make it there with no problems and I'll probably just drive it. Worse case scenario, I can rent a dolly and try it out locally.
Keep those hair-raisng stories coming!!
Joe
A tow bar will work just fine, and be much cheaper. Just make sure its at least 5 foot long and you woun.t even know the Pinto is back there. Take the drive shaft loose from the rear end too as the tranie cluster gear does not rotate when towed, and can run dry.
Stay with in the ratings of your car. I towed a Ford Contour with my regular cab Nissan Hardbody for a friend and had a pucker moment on the way back with the car. The truck got pushed going around the first corner. Only option to save it was to accelerate. After that first turn all braking was done in the straight with slight acceleration to pull it through the corner. Now have a Nissan Titan to tow with.