Re: [A/S] Vintage towing

[Airstream12557@xxxxxxx]

> A question for folks that tow with Vintage vehicles. I am wondering 
> what setup you use for towing your rig? 

My first equalizing hitch only transferred the tongue weight of the trailer 
to the back axle of the tow vehicle.  It was a "hand me down hitch" that was 
given to me in the 1960s.  It was shaped like a chicken's wish bone.  The two 
legs had U bolts on the end that connected around the rear axle of the tow 
vehicle.  The single end had a square receiver for the hitch head.  The hitch head 
looked very much like the new (1999) Reese set up I use now. Just behind the 
square receiver was two light chains that attached to the tow vehicle bumper or 
frame.  These were not designed for "load bearing", they were only to support 
the receiver end of the hitch when it was not attached to the trailer.  The 
trailer was attached to the hitch head with two equalizing arms, but since the 
hitch only attached to the rear axle and not the vehicle frame, weight was 
only transferred to the rear axle.  I used it some when we had a tent camper, but 
when we got our first Airstream in the late 60s, I had a hitch fabricated to 
fit the frame of my Suburban.  BTW, that first Suburban had three doors, two  
doors on one side (front seat passanger and middle and rear seat passengers) 
and one on the other (driver's door).

Sam
WBCCI 12557