Snapping the medium towbars and towbar availability

[maddawg308]

Here's one for all of us. Just putting 2 and 2 together and making a question out of a couple facts:

1. It is hard for guys like us to find surplus towbars. They aren't rare, by any stretch of the imagination, but uncommon. When found, they are relatively expensive for us, running $200 up to $500 a towbar. But the issue is lack of availability. Most MV dealers have sold out of them, and few are forthcoming.

2. According to one of the PM Magazines we have on this site, January 1988 to be precise, we had 1,000 towbars breaking every MONTH due to towing problems, mostly associated with flat towing over rough terrain and improper towing hookups. That's correct - 1,000 PER MONTH.

THEREFORE:

If our military were breaking 1,000 towbars a month, and given that Uncle Sam would no doubt be buying MORE towbars to replace them, WHY do we have such a problem finding them out in the surplus world?

Just curious...

 

[Recovry4x4]

Ever notice the beltfed on Ebay always seems to have one for sale? Broken towbars that aren't tossed in a dumpster aren't sold as a lot, they are sold to scrap dealers like beltfed. Most do exactly that, scrap them. Luckily, there are a few scrappers that have the good sense to sell them. Prices are largely effected by demand but towbars rarely sell for less than $200. When I bought mine in 2000 I paid $200 and another $125 to ship it. Thought I was paying too much but looking back on what it's saved me, it would be worth a grand easy to me. I would never pass up an opportunity to get one if I were without.

 

[emmado22]

GOVT cost on them is $1800 and change... The surplus prices are cheap.

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

I have been tooling around with the idea of making one out of I beams and the lunette from one of the parts dollys I have. They are not too much of a rocket science project and since I always over build not being an engineer I think it will work any thoughts?

 

[citizensoldier]

cheap

GOVT cost on them is $1800 and change... The surplus prices are cheap.

I would just say the scrapper paid less than a $1.00 for it so thats kind of a high markup dont you think? Check the government price on a deuce! Does not mean its worth it.. Hell they paid thousands for toilet seats in the 80's.. Alway inflated prices..

 

[rdixiemiller]

In defense of the scrap dealers........
They are required to place the rolloff dumpsters at the scrap location. They must own a truck to transport said dumpsters. They have to keep the scrap area at the base clean, and handle any oil and fluid spills at their own expense. they have to take this scrap to a location where they can dump it out and sort it. They are liable for the disposal costs of and garbage that ends up in the scrap (which can be a lot). In their defense, if I was getting good stuff in the scrap, I would sell it on E-Bay to the highest bidder.
I looked into bidding the scrap contract at Anniston Army depot, just couldn't afford it. I would have needed a rolloff transporter, 4 rolloffs, a big scrap sorting area, a Bobcat or other loader, and 2 employees.
It sounds like they are getting rich doing this, but I think most of them are just trying to make a living, just like the rest of us. I do appreciate scrap dealers who will let you prowl the yard and buy stuff by the pound. Unfortunately, with the current insurance costs, most yards cannot allow that anymore. I spent many an hour prowling the scrap yards over the years. Found some neat stuff!!

 

[emmado22]

The $1800 cost is the cost for a brand new one, with a full set of feet, and TM from the manufacturer.... Perhpas it's the cost of the TM that is the big expense...

 

[citizensoldier]

In defense of the scrapper too.. The ones I know are far from poor! I would love to find a yard that would sell stuff to me by the pound!! That would just be awsome.. Many are selling stuff on ebay to the highest bidder now that they know there is a market for the stuff that pays more than the scrap price.. By the way its very high right now.. This summer cast was 300 dollars a ton!!
I totaly understand your info on insurance,labor cost, and just general overhead.. Ran a construction company for 15 years.. I know it all to well.. But,, I still would not sell a homeowner a piece of wood for $50 bucks that cost me 5 cents.. Greed works in strange ways..
Even if they were willing to pay that much to me.. I guess its the old moral compass issue + supply and demand = ????