Rennenmetal.com 8103 Wateka Drive Houston, TX

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1 Product Instructions Item #1475 Description: Miata NA tow bar brackets While there is at least one supplier who manufactures tow bar interface brackets for the Miata, they are very costly and when left on the car, are very conspicuous.. This prompted me to design and build my own retrofit bracket for my cars and due to popular demand; I will make it available to others. First off, can you flat tow a Miata without doing any damage? Those with automatic Miatas, should not utilize this bar unless they have removed their drive shaft. Towing an automatic, without the engine running will damage the automatic transmission. Those with manual transmission equipped Miatas are good to go. Despite the mixed opinions you read on the forums, there is very little evidence to show that flat towing a manual transmission equipped Miata does any harm to the car. There are many RVs pulling Miatas around the country that have thousands of miles of towing under their belt, with no issues. There have been statements that flat towing the car will damage transmission bearings as the first motion shaft is not spinning and not circulating (splashing) oil in the transmission, but this has not been shown to be the case. If you are concerned you may

2 disconnect your driveshaft from the differential and wire it up out of the way. The beauty of this product though is the fact that after initial installation of the interface bar, attachment and removal of a tow bar takes only minutes if not seconds! The basis for the bracket is the Spec Miata racing tow eye, which has been significantly strengthened to handle both tension and compression during towing. This bracket has been modified slightly and a connection bar is added for increased rigidity. The components are now built of 3/8 A36 steel and mig welded in a jig to provide accuracy and repeatability. Why 3/8 rather than thinner steel? Because no one wants a Miata coming loose on the highway. NOTE: This bracket is not to be used in cars that are too rusty to provide a secure anchor point for attachment. If you bought a rust bucket, please use a trailer to transport it home. The most popular bar is by Reese or sometimes labeled as Draw-Tite. It is an adjustable bar with 5,000 lbs capacity. The Reese product carries #R74950 and retails for $150. (Check your FLAP friendly-local-auto-parts store) This price includes some universal brackets that may help you attach the bar to flat bumpered cars such as a Jeep or VW Thing. I have seen knock-offs sell on Ebay

3 for $25 to $50, but beware of the freight on this animal. It is a beefy bar with ½ diameter hitch pins. Recently we have seen the addition of a Chinese knock off of this item at our local Harbor Freight for a cost in or around $50 and this bar includes safety chains. Not bad if you wait for it to go on sale! This bar has some different dimensions than the Reese/Draw-Tite unit. The attachment pins are also only 7/16 in diameter. Many RV pilots prefer the Raodmaster Falcon 5250 and derivatives. This unit is rated up to 10,000 lbs, folds flat against the tow vehicle when not in use, and attaches directly to the receiver hitch. No draw bar needed! This unit uses ¾ detent pins for attachment to the plates on the towed vehicle. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SELECT THE PROPER INTERFACE BRACKET FROM RENNENMETAL FOR YOUR APPLICATION. THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGABLE! I do not manufacture or provide these tow bars and have no intension of competing with these companies. I am merely providing a means for Miata owners to utilize these products safely in transporting their cars. Which brings up my next point.. Safety chains..neither of the above mentioned manufactures provides a safety chain kit with their tow bars. Reese does provide one as a separate billable item #R74954 for $ It is my recommendation that if you are utilizing one of these towing products, you should also utilize a pair of safety

4 chains that run from your tow vehicle hitch to the Miata you are towing. Check your local laws before towing for the details. My bracket has a very convenient crossbar of 3/8 by 1 ½ steel that provides a good mounting point for your chains. Please don t skimp on safety. Your life and other lives are at stake. Lights are also necessary when towing a vehicle. While there may be a Miata electrical guru out there that will show you how to tap into your Mazda lighting system, I prefer a set of stand alone tow lights. The Haul Master # VGA, sold by Harbor Freight seems to work well. At $24.95 list and $19.95 on sale, they are a deal. These have a magnetic base and will do the trick. I ve had some customers suggest that they have seen some scuffing of the paint where these mount and they now use a small piece of felt under the light base magnet. You might also watch where you route the wiring, as on longer trips, vibrations can cause it to rub the paint. 12 VOLT, MAGNETIC TOWING LIGHT KIT What I Provide: -Bracket to retrofit a Reese/DrawTite, Harbor Freight TowMaster or RV type Roadmaster Falcon 5250 type tow bar (please specify) Bracket for Reese/Draw-Tite bar weighs 7.75 lbs -Zinc plated hardware to attach to front baby teeth mounts(replaces existing hardware) 6 pieces -Zinc plated hardware to attach the RennenMetal crossbar to the side plates. 4 pieces -Instructions and support

5 Cost $ plus UPS to your door (roughly $10-15) For a freight quote please use the dimensions and weights listed below. I can also provide the quote for you. Please use the UPS freight calculator provided on (I do not tack on handling charges.) As an example: Houston, TX to San Diego, CA 12 lbs Box 36 x6 x6 UPS Ground $10.77 I accept Paypal to payment@rennenmetal.com. Please provide your full shipping address and the style bracket you need to match your bar. Thank you. There is also a race eye option with these bars. For an additional $7.50 I will supply a bolt on a NASA, PCA and SCCA compliant tow eye. This eye is powdercoated in a bright red color for identification. RennenMetal #1478 What you must also source at a minimum to safely tow your vehicle: -Reese/Drawtite, Harbor Freight Towmaster or Roadmaster Falcon #5250 tow bar -Safety chain set -DOT approved Light set -Vehicle capable off towing a Miata -DOT approved trailer hitch with 2 ball -Structurally sound Miata!!!

6 Instructions for mounting the bracket to the car (Step by Step printed pictures with instructions are provided when a bar is purchased) Position your Miata on a level concrete surface. Set the handbrake and chock the rear wheels. Jack up the front of the car and secure safely on jack-stands. It may be possible to complete the install with your car on the ground, but it depends on your age, athletic ability and general demeanor. Remove your front belly pan if so equipped. This is held to the body with a number of 10mm headed bolts. The next piece to remove is the black plastic air guide that mounts between the radiator and the mouth of the front bumper. The attaches with bolts with 10mm heads and some Phillips headed expansion clips.

7 From under the nose of the car use a 14mm socket on an extension to remove the six bolts (three on each side) securing the stock tie down eye brackets also known in the Miata community as baby teeth. Offer up the new bracket to each side and secure with the three bolts, flat washers and lock washers provided (17mm). Do not fully tighten yet, snug the fasteners by hand only. Note: My airguide above has been cut for intercooler piping!

8 The next step is to offer up the crossbar that connects the two outboard brackets. This bar is attached with four bolts (two on each side) along with nuts, flat washers and lock washers (17mm ). The reason we have not yet fully tightened the outboard brackets is that you may need to move them slightly to find the perfect fit. Each bar is built on a jig made from the front end of a straight Miata (it was rear ended), but each car is a bit different. Once all bolts are lined up, torque all bolts to 22 ft/lbs.

9 You may now reattach your air guide and then your belly pan. For those Miata owners interested in keeping a low profile look while not towing, it is possible to leave the outboard brackets in position, but remove the crossbar. Just remove the four bolts and stow the crossbar safely. (Remember that the early Miata trunk is not lined or double wall and this bar sliding around may do damage to the sheet metal. Stow it carefully.) For those who tow to track events that require a front race recovery eye, an optional bolt on eye is available in red powdercoat. This may be used with the crossbar in place or removed. Your choice. RM #1478

10 You are now ready to attach you Reese, Draw-Tite or Harbor Freight tow bar, tow chains and lights. Don t forget to turn you key to unlock the steering column so that your car follows you. Do not tie off your steering wheel. It needs to turn freely when you are towing. A word of warning.do NOT REVERSE WHILE TOWING WITH A TOW BAR! You will bend the bar and possibly damage your car. Please read and comply with the manufacturers instructions provided by the manufacturer for utilizing their product. Many weekend racers have found that the flat tow is a great way to get their car to the track without having to provide storage for a trailer. Many Miata owners like to tow their car to events (Miata World II?) so that they have a comfortable and air conditioned ride to and from the event. My wife loves to drive the Miata once we get there, but would arrive in a very bad mood if we had driven the Turbo Miata five hours to get there. I ve found that even if you don t keep the bracket attached to your car, it is a handy unit to keep just in case. Happy towing.