Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 1966 Volvo 122S Wagon Behind a 2017 Honda Ridgeline

Question

Question:

Flat Towing 1966 Volvo 122S Wagon Behind 2017 Honda Ridgeline I have an old Volvo I wish to tow behind a new Honda Ridgeline that has a tow kit, including a 2 inch ball. The journey is about 1000 miles with a vertical climb of nearly 9000 feet. Route is well paved except for the last mile, which is a dirt road and a bit rough 4WD or AWD sometimes required depending upon the weather. I understand that your Roadmaster Stowmaster might work as part of the kit required to make this tow. Can you please confirm this will work, tell me what else might be needed, and where I might find any other such pieces of kit? The Volvo has been towed by other vehicles in the past using a towing dolly, but Id prefer to tow on four wheels, if at all possible. Thanks.

asked by: Philip

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

Normally the first thing you would do is consult the vehicle owner's manual on whether or not your 1966 Volvo 122 can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground. But I doubt they covered that back in 1966.

The curb weight of your Volvo is approximately 5,300 pounds so the Stowmaster's 6,000 pound rating can handle that. However there aren't any custom fit base plates to attach to the front of the Volvo. I would usually recommend going with Blue Ox universal base plates, # BX88266, but they will require drilling into and reinforcing the front bumper on the vehicle. On an antique vehicle that probably isn't something you want to do.

But if you want to go ahead anyway then instead of the Stowmaster you would need to use a Blue Ox tow bar such as # BX7380. This is the least costly tow bar that also has a higher enough capacity for the vehicle. It also comes with safety cables.

For lighting I recommend using a magnetic light kit such as # RM-2120 because it bypasses the vehicle wiring and because with it you will not have to worry about splicing into the vehicle wiring.

You may also need a high/low adapter to keep the tow bar level. I have linked a help article showing how to measure and a link to the high/low adapters we carry.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking on the vehicle being flat towed. I recommend the Patriot proportional system, # BLU37TR. It will apply the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Be sure to consult your vehicle owners manual for specific information on flat towing the vehicle. I have also included some helpful links to our series of help articles on flat towing for you.