Cheap plane tug
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,876
Likes: 1
From: Here
Cheap plane tug
So, finally figured it made sense to get one of these - but perhaps not at the full price.
Secondhand is rare, which got me thinking - there must be non-aviation machines that are both more available and cheaper (no longer the 'exotic' aviation item).
Anyone found something that does the same job more cheaply?
Thanks, Sam.
Secondhand is rare, which got me thinking - there must be non-aviation machines that are both more available and cheaper (no longer the 'exotic' aviation item).
Anyone found something that does the same job more cheaply?
Thanks, Sam.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 159
Likes: 1
From: France
Way back, a group at Thetford used an old milk float. The batteries were shot for road use, so cheap, but they kept it on trickle charge and was enough for hauling the Commanche in and out of the hangar.
DW
DW
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: Midlands
I converted a Mobility Scooter to pull my aircraft up a seriously sloping floor hangar. The scooter cost me £20 and a couple of hours with a welder making suitable bracketry, also altered a towbar to fit and hey ho it works brilliantly and has done for the last 5years.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 924
Likes: 1
From: Australia
Some have converted a snow blower.
The below is from a well known Van’s RV forum.
Tip: Build Your Own Tug - VAF Forums
”The RV-10 turned out to be a little challenging to push back into the hangar by myself, especially when the ramp has snow and ice. The latest discussion about pushing by the propeller on a CS prop convince me I needed to come up with a tug fast and I did not like the idea of using an electric winch. I found a snow blower at Lowe's.com that would work. 208 cc electric start engine with 4 forward and 2 reverse speeds. It was on sale for only $499.00 with free shipping to the store. 4 bolts removed the auger assembly as a unit and I had some scrap steel from other projects to fabricate the arms and pins. It is built wide enough to allow use with or without wheel fairings. The arms bolt onto the frame with 5/16" bolts. The forward bolts are threaded into a 1" round aluminum rod that fits between the frame sides and provides rigidity to the arms. I had some scrap sheet aluminum that I cut, fit, bent, and painted to finish off the drive belt guard exposed since the auger assembly was removed. I already tested it on snow and it works great getting the RV-10 up the grade and over the concrete 1" lips.”
The below is from a well known Van’s RV forum.
Tip: Build Your Own Tug - VAF Forums
”The RV-10 turned out to be a little challenging to push back into the hangar by myself, especially when the ramp has snow and ice. The latest discussion about pushing by the propeller on a CS prop convince me I needed to come up with a tug fast and I did not like the idea of using an electric winch. I found a snow blower at Lowe's.com that would work. 208 cc electric start engine with 4 forward and 2 reverse speeds. It was on sale for only $499.00 with free shipping to the store. 4 bolts removed the auger assembly as a unit and I had some scrap steel from other projects to fabricate the arms and pins. It is built wide enough to allow use with or without wheel fairings. The arms bolt onto the frame with 5/16" bolts. The forward bolts are threaded into a 1" round aluminum rod that fits between the frame sides and provides rigidity to the arms. I had some scrap sheet aluminum that I cut, fit, bent, and painted to finish off the drive belt guard exposed since the auger assembly was removed. I already tested it on snow and it works great getting the RV-10 up the grade and over the concrete 1" lips.”
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 3,378
Likes: 315
From: near an aeroplane
Another vote for a lawn tractor. We used one at a flying school with a regular ball-type tow hitch at the back. The other piece of kit was a sturdy towbar that fitted that tow ball. We did find that the towbar connections on the C172 nose gear sometimes got damaged due to carelessness. Keep in mind that you can easily overstress things this way.
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
From: The World
Tow ball, a piece of old heating line, an unused old tow bar for the plane and couple of screws to put it together ... tow it with the car - no need for a separate vehicle. Yes, you best need a reduction gear as in a real all-terrain vehicle.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 755
Likes: 400
From: not where I want to be
B2N2 tops all the suggestions so far 
However, FWIW, we used my old Fordson Major for the bigger machine(s), and a quadbike for anything smaller.
Noting Shoestring's post - I did try a mobility scooter on the C47 but that didn't work too well:
However, FWIW, we used my old Fordson Major for the bigger machine(s), and a quadbike for anything smaller.
Noting Shoestring's post - I did try a mobility scooter on the C47 but that didn't work too well:
Last edited by First_Principal; 27th March 2019 at 09:43.
Joined: Jul 2016
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 226
Likes: 25
From: Broughton, UK
Quote... Mobility scooter will move a rolling load of 2000kgs? As long as it is slightly downhill. It would never climb a 1:10 slope.
Just wondering how that Snowblower turns with all the wheels pointing in the same direction. Does it require the front wheel to be lifted..?
Just wondering how that Snowblower turns with all the wheels pointing in the same direction. Does it require the front wheel to be lifted..?
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 924
Likes: 1
From: Australia
Quote... Mobility scooter will move a rolling load of 2000kgs? As long as it is slightly downhill. It would never climb a 1:10 slope.
Just wondering how that Snowblower turns with all the wheels pointing in the same direction. Does it require the front wheel to be lifted..?
Just wondering how that Snowblower turns with all the wheels pointing in the same direction. Does it require the front wheel to be lifted..?