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stuck towbar tongue

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 6:57 pm
by chops
I have a hayman reece towbar in the back of my GQ, but I'm having a bit of trouble getting the tongue out.. it's jammed in there tight with dirt/rust/god knows what

What's the best way to get it out? swinging a sledgehammer only seems to be knocking all the dirt off my chassis :lol:

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:16 pm
by not not
Unbolt it all and take it to a good enginer shop and they will press it out. I had to do this on an old one of mine a few years ago and only cost $10 and after it was free the fella cleaned and lubed it all up like new. So i felt obliged to Give him $20 as he saved me the cost of a new one.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:21 pm
by kinglakekustoms
i sopose u could try spraying a shit load of crc in there leave it over night aply agian and so forth it might loosen it abit.but if all else fails press it out.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:23 pm
by nads
get the pin out. then strap yourself to a tree and hit the go pedal.

i have the same problem.

make sure there's nothing too close behind the tree though.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:32 pm
by dogbreath_48
My brother had the same problem. After countless hours of sledgehammer abuse from all angles and liters of WD40, we cut the bastard out! At least then we could get a snatch strap in.

Out of interest how much is a tongue worth? We need two :oops:

-Stu :)

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:41 pm
by chops
Thanks guys, looks like I'll be removing the whole thing and having the bugger pressed out


nads : you first :lol:

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:45 pm
by nads
I have done it. But mine is just a tight fit in general. (i have to hammer it in) tying to a tree is easy for me, but I suppose if it was rusted in there solid you'd break a few straps before it came out.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:47 pm
by kinglakekustoms
it could be a bit funny whatching him try though :armsup: :lol:

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:52 pm
by Spimon_NH
If all else fails, use a bigger hammer.
(not necessarily related to this problem, just advice for life ;) )

and "It was like that when I got here"

Edit: mudmacaca is obviously a firm beliver in this one

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 7:59 pm
by mudmacaca
Im with nads snatch it out.
Just make sure the neighbours that live behind you aint home or your dogs/kids aint in the yard.
If you damage somthing denie it

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:18 pm
by not not
Wouldnt recommend snatching it out. Really it is not much effort to have it pressed out and no one could get hurt either.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:20 pm
by Ezookiel
Taking it to have it pressed out wouldn't be half as much fun as watching it getting snatched out - from a great distance of course.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:24 pm
by chops
I'd need a rig that drives to snatch it out, haha

entire interior/dash of ute are out in the shed, and the wiring is still in my chopped up wagon body.. so might pose as a challenge.. and no way in hell am I sitting in the cab with my foot on the brake while someone else tries to yank it out :rofl:

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:39 pm
by Ezookiel
Simple, snatch your rig with another vehicle, so your rig can then snatch the towbar ;)

Kiddies (and adults) don't try this at home

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:58 pm
by mudmacaca
Im not going to be in the rig that snaches it out :lol:
A tow ball coming at you at 1000kph does'nt sound like to much fun.
Good to watch though when we doing it i'll bring a case and a first aid kit

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:11 pm
by not not
And put the coroner on stand by :armsup:

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:18 pm
by mudmacaca
How about we put a 10mm steel plate behind the driver and fill him full of piss might just wind him then

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:38 pm
by just cruizin'
Had mine stuck in once, went to the local park found the biggest tree I could find, drag chain around that and onto the hitch. Then I just gradually bumped foward, the chain doesn't store any energy thus by just bumping it when it came out it didn't fly out, just dropped straight down, chain was still at full reach.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:42 pm
by pongo
All these methods seem to dangerous, even for a bushy like me.

If you have a winch, unwind it and whook it over the top to your tow bar tounge.

this method has to be the safest as its a graduall pull rather than a yank.



mmmm, vodka

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:17 pm
by kinglakekustoms
:rofl: i like all the dangerous ones better lol

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:27 pm
by DamTriton
Could you make up some sort of slide hammer to bolt to the tongue, using the weights to pound the tongue out rather than in?

Or remove the bar and use youtr BFH/sledgie to bash it out from the "opposite" end of the tongue?

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:32 pm
by mudmacaca
Spimon_NH wrote:If all else fails, use a bigger hammer.
(not necessarily related to this problem, just advice for life ;) )

and "It was like that when I got here"

Edit: mudmacaca is obviously a firm beliver in this one
Spimon_NH you obviously know how I fitted the 35s under a stock 4runner they aint scrubed yet.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:54 am
by Ruggers
ive tried snatch was lifting the car off the ground and didnt think it was to good for the wheels going forward car going back wards so its till stuck in there i had mate cut open the bar under the tounge pry it apart then pull out the tougne then weld it back together has worked purfect ever since

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:47 pm
by Shadow
I rekon a chain would be alright, i dont think theres much danger in that, unless your tear the tree down.

safest bet get it pressed out.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:23 pm
by GRINCH
i hooked a drag chain on the ball and used it like a slide hammer, plenty of slack then give it a big heave. worked on mine but it wasnt badly rusted in.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 6:01 pm
by BOGAN V8
dogbreath_48 wrote:My brother had the same problem. After countless hours of sledgehammer abuse from all angles and liters of WD40, we cut the bastard out! At least then we could get a snatch strap in.

Out of interest how much is a tongue worth? We need two :oops:

-Stu :)

I pretty sure they range from $80- $130 for all kinds of different ones

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 6:09 pm
by chimpboy
I wouldn't do the tie-to-a-tree-and-snatch thing.

I would keep bashing it a bit longer. In, out, whatever, even if you are bashing it further in you will be breaking the corrosion down.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:59 pm
by I.M.P.O.S.E
Witnessed the "tie-to-a-tree-and-snatch thing". Was funny cause the truck and towbar, or the tree wasnt mine...

Ended with the tree on the ground.... but with lots more hammering (I mean HEAPS - and had the same abuse before being tied to the tree) and few cold beers, the tongue did come out! :D

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:09 am
by TRobbo
I've used the tree method a few times before, but just ease on the power - no need to snatch it. Then it usually just pops out and falls to the ground. If not then it is more stuck than mine ever have been.

Dont encourage a full on snatch or needing to lift wheels to get it out.

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:46 am
by toaddog
Drag chain around a tree, get someone to drive forward slowly till the pressure is on and then get out and smack the tongue with a hammer to loosen it. A few hits should be enuf for it to come loose and fall down when the car goes forward.