Toad steerable? (steerable towed vehicle)

[coachgeo]

just seems it would make jockying around off road, backing up etc when you have a car your towing behind you, soooo much easier. In my case the Toad is a Jeep.

simplest would be a bar * from truck to toad's tie rod or Pittman arm that moves the wheels of toad a little based on what direction the ass end of the truck is going.... end result steering the toad.. and it would pull /push the wheels back to center when your straight traveling. Kinda like an Old Red Flyer wagon (but just wheels turn not whole axle). Ohhh and the towing forces would NOT be that steer rod between rigs. that would be separate tow bar. Guess this also similar to how front wheel steer of farm trailers work too.

more complicated would be to put hydro or electronic assist steer on the Toad and some gizmo device on steering wheel (steering shaft) of truck that is used to tell the steer assist on the toad to turn its wheels. Example if assist on Toad was hydraulic you would use an Orbital valve inline of the truck steering shaft and install a hydraulic pump.

one version of farm trailer....

 

[serpico760]

Toad? ( Ribbit...) Or towed?

 

[Ohiobenz]

My TOAD is a Samurai. Simply unhook and drive it if you're in a location requiring backing up.
Ive been on plenty trails where backing up with anything hitched to the rear isnot advisable, hence my choice of a driveable TOAD.

 

[coachgeo]

Toad? ( Ribbit...) Or towed?

RV world calls the one "towed" a TOAD

 

[sue]

just seems it would make jockying around off road, backing up etc when you have a car your towing behind you, soooo much easier. In my case the Toad is a Jeep.

simplest would be a bar * from truck to toad's tie rod or Pittman arm that moves the wheels of toad a little based on what direction the ass end of the truck is going.... end result steering the toad.. and it would pull /push the wheels back to center when your straight traveling. Kinda like an Old Red Flyer wagon (but just wheels turn not whole axle). Ohhh and the towing forces would NOT be that steer rod between rigs. that would be separate tow bar. Guess this also similar to how front wheel steer of farm trailers work too.

more complicated would be to put hydro or electronic assist steer on the Toad and some gizmo device on steering wheel (steering shaft) of truck that is used to tell the steer assist on the toad to turn its wheels. Example if assist on Toad was hydraulic you would use an Orbital valve inline of the truck steering shaft and install a hydraulic pump.

one version of farm trailer....

Or a trailer?

 

[chucky]

Toad? ( Ribbit...) Or towed?

TOE like i got TOE DOWN friday night at the beer joint ! Or some say TOE UP !

 

[serpico760]

My TOAD is a Samurai. Simply unhook and drive it if you're in a location requiring backing up.
Ive been on plenty trails where backing up with anything hitched to the rear isnot advisable, hence my choice of a driveable TOAD.

Nice well I've been eyeing the possibility of a samurai as my tow vehicle! Love the name it fits

 

[coachgeo]

Or a trailer?

their is a reason RV-ers use toads not cars on trailers..

 

[Third From Texas]

Toad
Towed

Tow'd

 

[coachgeo]

Toad
Towed

Tow'd




View attachment 920414

(and other pics)

What are we looking at? a Dub with integrated tow dolly feature (pic above) - other Towd's seem to have standard tow bar... orrrr? Beside the name dont see yet the relevance.. (did search this rig...didn't find any info on it beeing steered though. )

 

[Third From Texas]

What are we looking at? a Dub with integrated tow dolly feature (pic above) - other Towd's seem to have standard tow bar... orrrr? Beside the name dont see yet the relevance.. (did search this rig...didn't find any info on it beeing steered though. )

Yep, they were a VW kit car from Meyers (Meyers Manx fame). It was a little short range dune hopper you towed to the beach. One person could extend the tow bar and lift the car onto the hitch. The tow bar telescoped up and into the main center tube that led up to the a-pillar (if you can call it that). Bruce Meyers actually ran one in the Baja 500 one year (and broke his back).




There were several "knockoff' clones and those are more common finds these days. Meyers did a repro-run of the kit back abound 2015 iirc. So there are some newer ones out there. But a badged and certified original Tow'd fetches a decent price still.

I always wanted to build one up like the orange one with the black canvas doors and top. Make a proper little desert car. Just have too many projects.

 

[coachgeo]

Yep, they were a VW kit car from Meyers (Meyers Manx fame). It was a little short range dune hopper you towed to the beach. One person could extend the tow bar and lift the car onto the hitch. The tow bar telescoped up and into the main center tube that led up to the a-pillar (if you can call it that). Bruce Meyers actually ran one in the Baja 500 one year (and broke his back).


View attachment 920828

There were several "knockoff' clones and those are more common finds these days. Meyers did a repro-run of the kit back abound 2015 iirc. So there are some newer ones out there. But a badged and certified original Tow'd fetches a decent price still.

I always wanted to build one up like the orange one with the black canvas doors and top. Make a proper little desert car. Just have too many projects.

ok.. so it lifts front tires..... appears to not actually "steer it ".. .. did come across one pic of it mounted and like you say; "front tires lifted off ground". Found nothing in info or pics that I could find, whic seemed to point to front tires being down and they got steered by the tow rig. iI looks like it is essentially a tow dolly -ish thing but front tires just hang out above the ground. Read about his back too.... tuff dude.