izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Anyone know of a tow bar that will fit on the 521s? I know I will have to do some drilling in the frame to bolt it up, but hoping someone knows of one that is the right width frame wise. Frame the same width as the hardbody, maybe an old toyota one would work? Quote Link to comment
datto510 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 I cut one off of my 521.... Chucked it though... :( Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 I cut one off of my 521.... Chucked it though... :( :rofl: Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 You can buy the heavy steel bumpers that have the hole for a ball. That's how I hooked the dolly up to mine. What are you planning on towing? Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 You can buy the heavy steel bumpers that have the hole for a ball. That's how I hooked the dolly up to mine. What are you planning on towing? Tossing around the idea of a small trailer, hauling my quad around stuff like that. But i wanted it to be a good heavy duty tow package. I see on portland CL sometimes, datsun bed trailers popping up. So it'd have to be able to handle that weight, plus another ~400 lbs of quad. The 521 has overload springs on it also So you got one of those giant bumpers with a tow ball eh, and you hooked a dolly up? Didn't you tow a Z with it or something? Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yeah, a 280zx. I wouldn't recommend that to ANYONE, it was white-knuckle driving the whole way, and very foolish of me. Regardless, the 521 is a very impressive machine. But yeah, I think with one of those heavy duty 521 bumpers that you can find just about anywhere(they seem to be more common than the bumperettes for some reason), you can hook a ball of your choosing(they sell em for about $11 at parts stores), and I have no doubts that towing one of those converted Datsun beds should be a snap. If you're going to be doing alot of towing on hills or at higher speeds, I would definitely look into doing a front disc brake swap. That's just my take on it. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yeah, a 280zx. I wouldn't recommend that to ANYONE, it was white-knuckle driving the whole way, and very foolish of me. Regardless, the 521 is a very impressive machine. But yeah, I think with one of those heavy duty 521 bumpers that you can find just about anywhere(they seem to be more common than the bumperettes for some reason), you can hook a ball of your choosing(they sell em for about $11 at parts stores), and I have no doubts that towing one of those converted Datsun beds should be a snap. If you're going to be doing alot of towing on hills or at higher speeds, I would definitely look into doing a front disc brake swap. That's just my take on it. Cool man, i may look into that! The Z is heavier then the 510s and say 521s/620s etc? Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Here is an old picture of the bumper that is on the back of one of my 521 pickups. Seriously consider upgrading the brakes. Put in a 2000 roadster clutch pressure plate, if you still have a L-16/L-18 engine with the 200MM clutch. A five speed swap would be a good idea, also, but if you do that, you will go from a 3.6 first gear in the transmission to a 3.3 first gear. In the mid 1970's I towed a two horse trailer, with two horses pretty much all over the Pacific Northwest. Quote Link to comment
datto510 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Soooooo...... you want a tow package to tow around an old Datsun trailer bed? Whats so wrong with the bed that already on your truck? Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Two beds, twice as much stuff. Quote Link to comment
datto510 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Two beds, twice as much stuff. Oh yeah. I need another cup of coffee. :huh: Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Here is an old picture of the bumper that is on the back of one of my 521 pickups. Seriously consider upgrading the brakes. Put in a 2000 roadster clutch pressure plate, if you still have a L-16/L-18 engine with the 200MM clutch. A five speed swap would be a good idea, also, but if you do that, you will go from a 3.6 first gear in the transmission to a 3.3 first gear. In the mid 1970's I towed a two horse trailer, with two horses pretty much all over the Pacific Northwest. You towed it with the same kind of bumper? Soooooo...... you want a tow package to tow around an old Datsun trailer bed? Whats so wrong with the bed that already on your truck? Nothing, and thats why i don't really want to use it. Such a cool little pickup and so original, id hate to dent/ding up the bed. Rather a trailer take the abuse. If i get one of those datsun trailer conversions, if its a 521 bed i might keep it as is, if its something else i will probably end up scrapping the bed part and making a flatbed. To early to tell, just gathering information and thoughts right now :D Two beds, twice as much stuff. Exactly! Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes, that is the actual bumper I used. It is attached with four 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts, the bolts with the flanged head on the bolt and nut. The bolts are torqued around 100 foot ponnds, I believe. There are also two smaller bolts, (5/16) where the bumper goes forward to the rear wheelwells. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes, that is the actual bumper I used. It is attached with four 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts, the bolts with the flanged head on the bolt and nut. The bolts are torqued around 100 foot ponnds, I believe. There are also two smaller bolts, (5/16) where the bumper goes forward to the rear wheelwells. Alright, thanks Daniel. Maybe i can find a big ol bumper like that and modify it (to damn big and ugly) or come up with something for whats already on there. I haven't seen how this guy built this bumper quite yet. Quote Link to comment
jay520 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 This is what is on mine (freaky510's picture): It almost looks like it uses the bumper bracket holes. I haven't looked too closely at it. If I can find a camera, I'll take some more pictures of how it's mounted. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 you gonna be using that? Quote Link to comment
jefe de jefes Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Use your mad skills and make one yo. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Frame the same width as the hardbody, maybe an old toyota one would work? Toyota are wider frame rails than 521/620/720 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 One more thing I did to my 521. I had a 2" exhaust system put on it, but I used the stock L-16 exhaust manifold. I also used a 2" inlet, and outlet "turbo" type muffler. Quote Link to comment
jay520 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 you gonna be using that? More than likely. I need something to haul more Datsuns! It doesn't look custom, and there is a label on it. So, who knows, you might be able to get one of your own! I'll do my best to get some more info on it and pictures of it. Quote Link to comment
izzo Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 One more thing I did to my 521. I had a 2" exhaust system put on it, but I used the stock L-16 exhaust manifold. I also used a 2" inlet, and outlet "turbo" type muffler. Running L16 with A87 head, all rebuild, L16 manifold, 2" or better exhaust with no cat and a turbo muffler :D Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Doesnt U-Haul sell tow packages? I think they have multiple sizes and they either weld on or bolt on to the frame. Quote Link to comment
Ken_B Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I vote scrap the towing idea and get a beater Datsun p/u for your haluing needs :D Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 IMO you should buy a heavy duty tow package/hitch if you go the towing route, and it needs to be mounted solidly, bolting it to the bottom of the frame is not solid, it needs to be bolted to the bottom and the side, or at the very least the side. The frame is very thin back there, I should know as I have been towing trailers for over ten years with my frankinstein 521 work horse. Another thing to keep in mind is that it has a L16 engine, if your towing the backend of another 521 loaded up behind you, when you come to a hill, you will be droping gears(plural), and when you go down the other side you will feel a big bully pushing you around back there. I have electric brakes on my utility trailer, I got tired of being pushed around. wayno Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 "In the mid 1970's I towed a two horse trailer, with two horses pretty much all over the Pacific Northwest." Let me elaborate on this last statement a little bit. When I was towing horse trailers with this truck, I was showing horses. I live in Portland, Oregon. I have been as far North as North Vancouver, BC. As far south as Medford, OR. As far East as Enterprise, Oregon, or Colfax Washington, as far West as Seaside Oregon. Trust me, there are hills between PDX, and these other places. With a two horse trailer, the top speed was pretty much 60 to 62 MPH, on level ground. Climbing a 6% grade, I was in second gear, doing about 35 MPH, around 5000 RPM, if I recall correctly. This sounds slow, but it is still faster than a lot of semis, on the 6% grade. The truck and horse trainer was surprisingly solid in crosswinds. Portland, to points east you are in the Columbia gorge. Windsurfing capitol of the USA. Going down a 6% grade, by running third gear, the speed was pretty much kept in check. I did have to use the brakes occasionally, but not ride then constantly. The trailer did have electric brakes. Having done that, I will tell you flat out, towing that much is not a safe thing to do with today's traffic. I also used a Ford F-250 pickup to tow to some horse shows during this time. The Datsun had fewer breakdowns than the Ford. Quote Link to comment
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