Flat tow equipment needed to flat tow the 2021 Bronco?

[grtharris]

Always turn the AC/Heater off before putting it in Tow Mode. Then leave it off for a few minutes after you start driving. It's called road crud and gets on the exhaust and burns off when the engine heats up.

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[GunninGopher]

Someone is selling a like new ready brake tow bar for $800 on Facebook. It has jeep bumper tabs, that will probably work with a custom bumper. They look a little thin to make fit the modular bumper.

It is in a group called Rv Motorhome Toad / Dinghy. Lots of stuff comes up for sale there. If you are looking for flat towing equipment it is one of the places to sign up.

 

[Jmor]

Got some strange messages when switching out of Tow Mode today. Have been on the road for two days, spending one night at Walmart without disconnecting. I opened the door at Walmart's just to check. Got the In Tow Mode message. When I arrived at my current location the first thing I noticed was I did not get any message when I opened the door. When I pressed the start button without pressing the brake it did show the In Tow Mode message. Pressed the brake pedal for 7 seconds then shifted from Neutral to Park. The 4H light came on in the dash and on the GOAT Mode control knob, the wrench symbol come on and got the message need service soon. Started it up and drove it around a bit and everything cleared up. Any one else seen this?
Just looked at my Ford Pass Account and I just started getting REMOTE FEATURES DISABLED has entered deep sleep mode messages.

Never heard of that, the wrench and ford pass remote disable, could ford have sent an update OTA

 

[mini4mw]

Anyone have a place to put the safety chain connection besides an eye bolt in the crash bar? That m12 bolt should only hold ~ 600lbs or less at a 90 degree angle (if the chains actually get used which hopefully they never will). I don't believe having the chains there will actually do anything. The bolt should be at least 3/4" to handle 5200lbs vs m12 which is .4". That is also with no angle force, which is present because the eye bolt is vertical so the actual weight it can handle is significantly less, up to 80% less... You could use an eye bolt, but it would need to face forward towards the pulling force instead of down. Looking at using hoist ring which are stronger, but they still couldn't face down/perpendicular to the pulling vehicle. I'm thinking of drilling through the crash bar horizontally and using a long 1" bolt with a hoist ring. Making the pull force horizontal removes shearing force and significantly increases bolt integrity. Just curious if anyone has done something like this and a heads up if you are using those eyebolts.

 

[Tilzbow]

Anyone have a place to put the safety chain connection besides an eye bolt in the crash bar? That m12 bolt should only hold ~ 600lbs or less at a 90 degree angle (if the chains actually get used which hopefully they never will). I don't believe having the chains there will actually do anything. The bolt should be at least 3/4" to handle 5200lbs vs m12 which is .4". That is also with no angle force, which is present because the eye bolt is vertical so the actual weight it can handle is significantly less, up to 80% less... You could use an eye bolt, but it would need to face forward towards the pulling force instead of down. Looking at using hoist ring which are stronger, but they still couldn't face down/perpendicular to the pulling vehicle. I'm thinking of drilling through the crash bar horizontally and using a long 1" bolt with a hoist ring. Making the pull force horizontal removes shearing force and significantly increases bolt integrity. Just curious if anyone has done something like this and a heads up if you are using those eyebolts.

See posts 361 - 383, or so, on this thread for an option if you haven’t already seen that.

 

[mini4mw]

Thanks! I read through all the pages before posting and saw that section but missed the extra loop for a safety chain. I might have been skimming too fast after 20+ pages ..

Has anyone mounted the LOD brackets and determined if a cut needs to be made or if you can just add a few washers to push the skid down a little to get around it?

 

[Jmor]

Thanks! I read through all the pages before posting and saw that section but missed the extra loop for a safety chain. I might have been skimming too fast after 20+ pages ..

Has anyone mounted the LOD brackets and determined if a cut needs to be made or if you can just add a few washers to push the skid down a little to get around it?

Good question.. I haven't seen an update on that.
Happy, you got an update of your fit to modular bumper

 

[Jmor]

Thank you!! I appreciate your posting this.
I will try to get back here and report if how it fits on modular bumper and factory metal skid.

Happy, any update yet?

 

[Happy]

I'm pretty slow about all this. But, the tow hooks fit just fine. Very straight forward procedure. One side view and one front view posted. Still have the bumper and the front bash plate off. Will get back after that is completed.

 

[Jmor]

I'm pretty slow about all this. But, the tow hooks fit just fine. Very straight forward procedure. One side view and one front view posted. Still have the bumper and the front bash plate off. Will get back after that is completed.

Thanks for the pics n update.
Does the bash plate need trimmed or notched to fit with the tow hook?

 

[Happy]

I think so.
We took off the front bash/skid for some other work and because of being busy I've not yet put it back on. I will post back here. At least I really do plan to.

 

[beerme1986]

yes they fit fine. no trim required, installed them last week.

 

[beerme1986]

Got some strange messages when switching out of Tow Mode today. Have been on the road for two days, spending one night at Walmart without disconnecting. I opened the door at Walmart's just to check. Got the In Tow Mode message. When I arrived at my current location the first thing I noticed was I did not get any message when I opened the door. When I pressed the start button without pressing the brake it did show the In Tow Mode message. Pressed the brake pedal for 7 seconds then shifted from Neutral to Park. The 4H light came on in the dash and on the GOAT Mode control knob, the wrench symbol come on and got the message need service soon. Started it up and drove it around a bit and everything cleared up. Any one else seen this?
Just looked at my Ford Pass Account and I just started getting REMOTE FEATURES DISABLED has entered deep sleep mode messages.

hi grant. yep this happened to me also. towed the bronco behind my truck to check out the RVI shadow system. it worked great. but when i switched out of tow mode it was stuck in 4H and with the same warnings. switched back to tow mode and then back to normal and everything cleared out. not sure what step i messed up but back to OK now.

 

[Jmor]

yes they fit fine. no trim required, installed them last week.

Which model bronco do you have? And do you have the heavey duty modular bumper as well.
The gap between the plate and bumper doesnt look like the tow hooks will fit

 

[grtharris]

hi grant. yep this happened to me also. towed the bronco behind my truck to check out the RVI shadow system. it worked great. but when i switched out of tow mode it was stuck in 4H and with the same warnings. switched back to tow mode and then back to normal and everything cleared out. not sure what step i messed up but back to OK now.

Just stopped in Southern Michigan and disconnected. Used my check sheet to make sure I din't miss something and all went well. Thanks!

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