Towing capacity for '73 vert

[mbrew2]

Anyone happen to to what the towing capacity/max tongue weight is for a 73 convertible. Thinking about a lightweight teardrop style camper for an upcoming extended road trip. H code 351, FMX.

 

[kcmash]

Wow, that is a risky question!

What type of hitch do you have?  The only ones I have seen on our cars are the ones that fasten to the rear bumper and the underside of the car.  I wouldn't trust that to tow more than a canoe.

kcmash

 

[rackerm]

I don't think this applies to a convertible....

 

[rackerm]

 

[jpaz]

There’s a member on here who goes by spike morelli. He uses his 72 Mach to pull his jet boat.

 

[rackerm]

When I bought my 70 Mach 1, It had a tow hitch on it...

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Maybe it would be easier and possibly cheaper to just Fed Ex your luggage.....

Thanks, Jay

 

[Hemikiller]

Ford offered an optional hitch that attached to the rear bumper and IIRC, went under the tank and bolted to the front tank crossmember. It's a reasonably sturdy hitch. There's actually one on eBay right now.

https://www.ebay.com/p/1971-1972-1973-Ford-Mustang-NOS-Trailer-Hitch-Factory-Accesorie-Kit/23011553794?iid=282775649749&chn=ps

You could increase the strength a bit if you made a crossbar that bolted between the bumper brackets and was sandwiched by the bolts through the bumper itself.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I have two Mustangs that had trailer hitches on them. The one on ebay is not like what is on mine. They do bolt to the bumper but also has a cross bar welded to the tow hitch that goes to each side where the shipping tie down brackets use to be. Also had a Maverick with hitch to pull camper.

The 72 Mach 1 T-5 that I have use to pull a big ski boat. The crashed 72 vert I have also had a Ford hitch on it. The PO had a boat shop.

The towing is not the issue it is the stopping, lol. You have to take that into consideration. If you get a camper make sure it has surge brakes on it. The tongue will have a master cylinder on it and when you apply your brakes the weight of the camper shifts forward and applies the brakes on the camper. This works much better than the electric because it sort of self adjusts. As the stopping forces drop the brakes back off on their own. I have a camper that has that brake system and also a car dolly. You feel no difference when pulling and stopping with the brakes working on the trailer. Most of the rental trailers and dollies have them also.

I will get couple pics of the hitch today and post up. The 71 - 72 should be different due to the 73 bumper being moved back for the crash requirements.

I would also go inside the bumper and add another piece of angle iron to spread out the force farther.

I towed trailer with my 85 SVO for years. I worked at a lawn equipment plant and would go to employee sales and buy couple garden tractors and take from Orangeburg, SC to Hendersonville, NC and my mom would sell. Also pulled the trailer to haul racing kart to the track when me and son raced.

I use to pull car trailer with a 69 Ford Econoline van with a 240 6 cylinder and also a camper with it. You just have to use common sense and not tailgate and not let the trailer drop off the shoulder of the road.

In Africa most of the cars are small and most of them have trailer hitches on them. They pull caravans, campers, and also small trailers to put baggage and stuff in. If you have a family no way to haul them and stuff in the car, lol.

I have the back end of a 72 Mustang vert I was going to make into a trailer for one of mine.

I wanted to put hitch on my 73 vert but the PO put an exhaust system on the blocks getting it in there.

I got some pictures while down at garage. This is obviously not a Ford part or would have the Ford logo on it. It is built pretty beefy. Two 7/16" bolts in bumper and two in the frame rail I think are 3/8" or 7/16". Also a picture of a tow dolly with the brakes on it. You can see stamped into the hitch 71 - 72 Mustang. It came off a 72 one owner car. Would be easy enough to make one if you can get the heavy metal bent. Best to bend and not weld much stronger.

 

[mbrew2]

Anyone happen to to what the towing capacity/max tongue weight is for a 73 convertible. Thinking about a lightweight teardrop style camper for an upcoming extended road trip. H code 351, FMX.

Just for information, looked in my original 73 mustang owners manual  and there was a "towing" section that says max towing capacity of 800# with a max tongue weight or 100#. Guess that excludes my idea of a small teardrop-style camper since most I have found are 1100 to 1500# with tongue weights of from 150 to 200#.  These Ford ratings were with the factory hitch option.

 

[rackerm]

Ford offered an optional hitch that attached to the rear bumper and IIRC, went under the tank and bolted to the front tank crossmember. It's a reasonably sturdy hitch. There's actually one on eBay right now.

https://www.ebay.com/p/1971-1972-1973-Ford-Mustang-NOS-Trailer-Hitch-Factory-Accesorie-Kit/23011553794?iid=282775649749&chn=ps

You could increase the strength a bit if you made a crossbar that bolted between the bumper brackets and was sandwiched by the bolts through the bumper itself.

The one I have and posted earlier i believe was a dealer installed unit. It attached to the bumper and to the front tank crossmember. But i.t's not a Ford unit.

 

[Spike Morelli]

There’s a member on here who goes by spike morelli. He uses his 72 Mach to pull his jet boat.

JPAZ! How Dare You!!!!!!  I know you didn't mean it on purpose, but us boat types definitely have a pecking order. I do indeed pull boats with my 1971 Mach 1 Mustang....…..but calling either my legitimate 1965 drag boats a "jet" boat, is like referring to Dolly Parton as "flat chested". My drag boats are all prop driven v-drives.

     My Mach 1 trailer hitch was installed professionally by Eckhart Trailer Hitches at their shop. It can handle 3500 pounds, it is bracketed and welded up to the underbody frame rails at 5 points, and is either a class II, or class III. I had it installed in 1990 when I got the car ( 29 years ago ), and I've not had a lick of problems towing a handful of different boats. The car has enough power, but the biggest issue, Mustang or not, is to be sure that your trailer has brakes as well, ( all of my trailers do have brakes ), and you'll stop like you're not towing anything. The Mach has an FMX ( shift kitted) automatic, 3.50 Trac-Loc rear end, aftermarket trans cooler added, heavy duty springs and shocks, and passes Dually Crew Cabs pulling hills with a 351C . It is my only transportation car , driven to and from work everyday, aside from being used to tow the dragboats.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I see you say they welded the hitch to the frame. That is a NO NO on any type of vehicle. Bolted or riveted will result in a much longer stress free life. Take a look at a heavy truck no welded frame just bolts or hot rivets.

I would caution anyone to weld brackets to the frame and then bolt the hitch to them that gives a place for the stress to dissipate and not go into the metal and cause cracks and failures.

As I stated before I would not see an issue pulling a small camper with a mustang with proper hitch and of course brakes on the camper. I see camper crashes with big SUV so anything can happen.

 

[Pegleg]

Anyone happen to to what the towing capacity/max tongue weight is for a 73 convertible. Thinking about a lightweight teardrop style camper for an upcoming extended road trip. H code 351, FMX.

Just for information, looked in my original 73 mustang owners manual  and there was a "towing" section that says max towing capacity of 800# with a max tongue weight or 100#. Guess that excludes my idea of a small teardrop-style camper since most I have found are 1100 to 1500# with tongue weights of from 150 to 200#.  These Ford ratings were with the factory hitch option.

Tow hitches like cars have come a long way since 1973. Here in the UK i could go to a hitch specialist that make hitches from scratch. Tell them what you want to tow and they will make it to your specification

 

[Spike Morelli]

I see you say they welded the hitch to the frame. That is a NO NO on any type of vehicle. Bolted or riveted will result in a much longer stress free life. Take a look at a heavy truck no welded frame just bolts or hot rivets.

I would caution anyone to weld brackets to the frame and then bolt the hitch to them that gives a place for the stress to dissipate and not go into the metal and cause cracks and failures.

As I stated before I would not see an issue pulling a small camper with a mustang with proper hitch and of course brakes on the camper. I see camper crashes with big SUV so anything can happen.

What you have stated here, I also have read many years ago. It's probably true in a general statement. However,.....the entire hitch set up on my Mach was designed and fabricated custom, to do exactly what I use it for, by the Company itself. Yes, the mounting points ARE bolted through, but are welded as well. This custom hitch is now part of the car. The gas tank is held captured within the mounting of the hitch surrounding it, and should I need to remove the gas tank, I'd have to take the car back to Eckhart to have them do the surgery of removing the hitch.

     Make no mistake....this hitch is no afterthought, or a store bought bolt on. I took the Mach 1 to professionals, told them what I intended to do with it, and they designed, installed, wired in the electrics ( including electric brake system for one of my trailers ), and warranty the entire deal. It is not a hitch as has been posted here by a few......AND.....just as a precaution, because you just never know, I have Eckhart inspect the hitch at the beginning of every season in the spring. It's been 22 years and zero problems. To add, Eckhart does really clean work, as reinforced as the piece is. it's appearance is minimal. Here's the rear view....

 

[Don C]

I was looking at the shop tips posted on MustangTek, this morning, and came across one on towing recommendations

http://www.mustangtek.com/Library6/ShopTips9-10.html

 

[donkost]

Spike- the Mach 1 and the boats you are towing are awesome. That car has been your daily driver since 1990? I had musclecars as daily drivers beginning in 1980 for a number of years, but it was more of a hassle in the northeast due to winter, extreme cold, snow, salt on the roads, etc. I know very little about boats in general, but they look like you are basically riding a very powerful engine. Kind of like piloting a 427 Cobra would be on the streets. lol

 

[Spike Morelli]

DonKost,

Yes, just as with a 427 Cobra, or whatever powerfull car you might compare them to, the drag boats DO take off. Picture a rail in the sixties, my blown hydro is putting out the same power EXCEPT...…..In the sixties, with dragboats, there's no roll cage, there's no seat belt or shoulder harnesses, there's no firesuit, no fire retardant system onboard, and nothing whatsoever keeping you in the seat ( which only comes up to the small of your back ) all you have is both hands in a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, and your entire body from the waist-up is exposed to the air blast. The human body, I'm told, when skydiving, will freefall at around 120 mph, and both of my dragboats can eclipse that number in the quarter mile, so imagine how that wind blast feels, even though it only lasts a matter of seconds.

But.....even though I've restored these, their racing days are behind them, and I've been fortunate enough to live to a ripe age where I realize my mortality, and I don't drag them anymore. They've also become too valuable to flip, sink, or blow up. Like a classic car, there are only so many of these rare examples left.

Sorry....enough about the boats...I'm forgetting this is a Mustang Site. Towing with the Mach 1 is definitely a crowd pleaser....I've heard even Chevy guys say outloud "That's Nice!", when they see the car pull into the pits. I used to tow the dragboats with a 1970 442 W-30 Olds, which was cherry, but the Mustang strikes a chord with more people as it turns out.

 

[Spike Morelli]

Two other shots towing. The one backing up to the water on the gravel is the legendary Long Beach Marine Stadium.