Towing bracket for 350Z

[ATTAK Z]

Poking around at the back of my car on the ramp yesterday, I saw the thread in the bumper strut for the tow hook (common to both the 350's and 370's). Given that is strong enough for the car to be pulled backwards (in the same way the front towing eye is used on that bumper strut) got me wondering why a 350z tow hook could not be adapted to include a ball hitch - welded on at a height suitable for the trailer. And easily unscrewed when not in use and the blanking piece re-inserted?

 

I would have thought that would have been fine for a small trialer and means no alterations to the bumper and given the electrics (if necessary) can be fed from connections within the boot.

 

Unless I have missed something very obvious

 

But no good for those with rear cameras in that blanking plate though and , I have no plans to do any towing :lol:

 

The loads that are exerted on a tow hook are different from those exerted on a towing eye ...... a towing eye has to be strong enough to take a direct tensile load only whereas a towing hook will have to take the same tensile load plus the vertical load that the trailer exerts (unless the trailer's perfectly balanced of course) .........this additional vertical load will translate into a moment caused by the lever arm length of the tow hook which in turn will cause flexure at the point where it's fixed to the bumper strut ......the result ....failure at the point where the towing arm fixes to the bumper strut, damaging the strut and allowing the trailer to become detached from the car..............so you and the Z could end up at your destination, however, the tow hook, trailer and anything that was on the trailer will definitely not

 

Right.............................and you think what the OP wanted to do: "It's for towing a small trailer carrying a racing Kart or Motorcycle to and from the race track" would result in such a failure?.................only asking

 

I don't think any tow bar manufacturer would take the chance of someone overloading even a small trailer with say, a pack of bricks or something heavy like a piano. I was just trying to explain the difference in the loads exerted on the car and pointing out the considerations that any DIYer would need to take into account when trying to fabricate a solution. The consequences of failure could be catastrophic so any advice given in good faith, especially if that advice is given by an expert in the given field, (not saying that I am but I do know a bit about structural design) should be guarded, otherwise you'll maybe end up giving evidence in a court of law and the excuse "Husky told me to do it" when all your lights fuse at 140 mph, will not stand up

 

I'm getting all serious now aren't I ...... I've turned into El Bisque ....... sorry about that .... let's gat back to Zedding

[givememorepower]

[ATTAK Z]

[R35LEE]

[andlid]

So how do you find out how much the z would be able to tow?

 

A

[ATTAK Z]

So how do you find out how much the z would be able to tow?

 

A

 

350Z Roadster - Vehicle not homologated for towing

[andlid]

So how do you find out how much the z would be able to tow?

 

A

 

350Z Roadster - Vehicle not homologated for towing

[Husky]

reading what attak has put i would agree entirely, from an engineering perspective the towing eye structure wont be designed for it whatsoever. the route to persue would involve welding a mount directly to the chassis.....