trimster

This style works pretty good I have found (In other cars).

https://hidheadlight.com/products/2013-smart-fortwo-led-low-beam-bulb-h7?variant=32628974387275&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjo2JBhCRARIsAFG667XIhdzKk9E6cRO7PdA-kUV48nsTjhN9H8Ow2nBW_jtafFAwPb3xJZQaAtVNEALw_wcB

https://hidheadlight.com/products/h7-led-headlight-conversion-kit-1

I'm going to put them in my 2013 Smart when I get time.

I've got this posted in the marketplace but I know there's a lot of Smart car owners here.

This rack is for the 451 model version of the Smart Fortwo .

They're well over $300 with the double bike rails and mount kit.

Asking $100. If you can arrange for shipping (UPS I would imagine) I'll drop it off for boxing at the UPS store.

Message me if interested. If you're coming thru Salt Lake City, you can drop by and pick it up.

Nice.

I have the winch on the truck-side. I pull up a Can Am trike as well. Need to build a pull-bar across the fender/frame pull points. Fortunately my Smart has front and read pull points exposed. Should be easy. Just need to get some steel tubing like you show in your setup.

I'm imagining that you have those eye bolts thru a slot in the back of the tubing? I think I will just bolt the tubing right to the pull points and call it good. Extra crash protection 🤔

5 hours ago, Star Dreamer said:

This site might help explain it better. Hone Eagle is correct that by using the pulley, the winch only sees half the load, the other half of the load is handle by the winch hook and the spot you hook it to on your truck. The vehicle will also go up at half the speed. 

I used this type of stuff almost everyday in my work as an engineer for an elevator company to determine what size our equipment needed to be.

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-electric-winch.aspx

 

Thanks.  Helpful. 

1 minute ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Use the buttons on the front of the radio. I'd have to Google it myself. Your manual should have a section with it, assuming you got a manual. Without the code, you're boned. anyway. 9999 possible codes to guess your way through.

So the radio is dead. No power. Does not fire up. I'm thinking it's toast. But I will pull it out and check for power to the connector...if I can find the right pin.

3 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Factory ICE head units have a theft prevention security code. If you're not careful, changing the battery can trigger the theft prevention. If your car didn't come with a 4 digit PIN, time to replace it. Look for a business card sized piece of cardstock, with a Mercedes logo on it. 

Okay. Battery was replaced a short while ago. Maybe that triggered it.

Where does one enter the code? This unit does not come on at all.

So, here in Utah and the region, the gas versions are still holding higher prices. Electrics...not so much.

We bought the one I listed. Paid too much probably. Having the front and rear tow bar mounts already done is valuable for us.

I now have the really cool bike rack and the StowMaster 5000 tow bar for sale.

The only big surprise is that the radio head unit does not work. I think it can be replaced with something better. Researching this now.

So, I guess I could put just the aluminum rims (without tires) on the inside to preserve total width.

Think we have found a good 2013 Smart locally. $9600  

https://cars.ksl.com/listing/7336841

It's in super shape. One owner. It has comes with the bike rack shown in the listing (which is tied to the rear two bumper tow bolts). Downside is no turbo and automatic, which is kinda gutless. First time I have driven one of these. Roomy inside but no really getup and go. Tires are close to the wear bars.

It was a toad for a while. So it has the tow kit attachments in the front, wiring, and the tow bars included. I'll probably sell the tow bar.

Thoughts on this one, welcome.

1 minute ago, Wrknrvr said:

You could go to the outlaw tire scenario.

 

 Just saying,    Vern in a T-shirt 

Outlaw tire scenario?

The other question...can the Smart hitch handle it's own weight? Hook to the hitch and pull it up on the bed.

32 minutes ago, Star Dreamer said:

Yep you misread. Direct from winch to car is 1:1, from winch to car around pulley and back is 2:1.

We do the 2:1 using a harbor freight 2500# winch and we use 16' ramps. I do drive the car up onto the ramps and then hook up the cable. I use the single tow hook as my winch is in line with it. I got my pulley from Tractor Supply as they had a 8000# one.

I have a video on my Facebook group showing it being winched up.

Not doubting your 1:1 with a snatch block. But online sites about this stuff shows the following: 

If load N=100

The rope to the block 'sees' N=100

The rope returning to the tie-off point also sees N=100. That's 1:1 in my mind. Again. Not a mechanical lever wizard here. Just trying to figure it out. 

28 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

2:1 is only double line. You're describing triple. From the winch, to a pulley, back to the winch (or it's mounting surface).

Looking up block n tackle ratios. ... 

Winch to load (direct),  and winch to pully on load back to winch support is 1:1.

Maybe I've misread the drawings/tutorials.

12 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

12' of rope, plus 8'6" for the bed width, add 1 full wrap for proper winch safety, and you're still well short of 50'. Just sayin'.

2:1 ratio requires out-back-out. Just out-back is still 1:1 I think.

So 60' min.

12' ramps kinda fix that distance. 

Just now, GlennWest said:

If you double the cable be much smoother and less stress on winch.

So 2:1 ratio. Have to check if the winch drum will handle that much line. 50' has it about 90% full now. I'd need 75' to do the 2:1 ratio. 

Having NOT personally moved a Smart onto the bed of the truck, there's two options: Drive it or winch it on. I'm setup for the winch option now.

The question(s)...

1) is the tow package installed on the Smarts strong enough to support the weight of the car while being winched aboard?

2) is a 3000# winch enough to pull it up? It currently works pretty hard pulling our 1000# Spyder up, but it does so without a glitch. The Smart tips the scales around 2000#. Not sure how to calculate the 'load' with it going up the ramps. 12' ramps, 47" rise.

 I'm considering moving both axles to super-singles. Right now I have a mix of previously owned virgin and recaps that came with the truck. 4 and 4 to be exact.

I'm thinking of moving to super-singles on both axles. However, budgets won't allow for a full change-over. I'd like to do one axle at a time.

I understand that there will be a difference in tire diameter so running with the axles locked is not a good thing. I only lock the axles when I am on rough, gravel, or uneven terrain where it might lift and axle and lose power to the ground. Otherwise, they are unlocked.

Thoughts welcome. Please, this is not a discussion about super singles vs duels. I think I have a good grasp on that issue and have pretty much made a decision.

I put a Champion generator in a custom enclosure behind the rear axles. Had a local fab shop create an enclosure with a slide out tray (to service the generator) and holes for airflow, a radiator fan to suck air through the cabinet, etc. 

Now, after a few months on the road, I've leaned a ton. The up and down forces on the generator are massive. The generator jumps up and down (90lbs) and ends up sideways in the cabinet.

I strapped it down with trucker strength bungies and that didn't stop the movement. I now have it strapped in with webbing. If the truck were singled, I would have mounted the genny and cabinet in front of the axles. More like where an APU is typically mounted.

The generator cabinet is beefy steel with fish-plated top section. The cabinet is basically hung in place with additional supports down the front side to stop any swinging movement. It has help up very well under some brutal roads.

I would like a diesel generator, but that was not in the budget. I added a 7 gal gas tank above the cabinet (under the bed deck) for additional run time.

34 minutes ago, geodog said:

The 453 has Only one bolt boss on both the front and back.

 

ShortyO

Bolt boss... that's a mounting point on the metal bumper? 

5 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

Our 453 only has 1 bolt hole.

Apparently there's a second one on the right side. Just not cut out of the body work.

So looking at the UK Smart forum, newer (451) models,  they have 2 tow bolt attachments on the front bumper. UK version has only one. They swapp out the bumper under the body. 

I think they are the same bolt size as the rear tow attachment points. Seems one could just purchase the 3rd party bolts,  fab up a square tube cross bar and hook point. 

Spendy mount... Blue Ox BX2004 Baseplate for Smart Car https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0197YIR2C/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TFQ2B8Y50ZABRWX22VS1

I think there's a company in calif that makes an adapter of some kind. I'll research.

This thread comes at a perfect time for us. We too are getting ready to park a Smart on the truck.

Want to winch it up on the truck.  Where/how do I connect to it?

Following with keen interest.

9 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

Bob,

As suggested above, the drive past Telluride down to Dolores/Cortez is a good bit easier, but a little longer, and absolutely beautiful.  Take that road in the "rig", then do CO550 on the Spyder.

Thanks.

We'll be in that area because of a big spyder ride for a week.  40 trikes so far, out of Delta. Last weekend of Sept.