Towing frame ?

Used to use an older version when I worked at my Dads garage many moons ago. It worked fine on most cars except for P5s with power steering. If the engine wouldn't run the wheels would not follow the lead car. Just being on tickover was good enough for them. Can't remember about P6s with PAS.
Presumably the car must be fully legal and have a lightboard etc as it's still on the road?
 
pilkie said:
Needless to say that if the car being towed is an auto,the rear wheels need to be off the ground,or the prop disconnected/removed when towing!
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Also goes for the LT77 I am told.

Richard
 
pilkie said:
Needless to say that if the car being towed is an auto,the rear wheels need to be off the ground,or the prop disconnected/removed when towing!
I know your is a manual,but if anyone is contemplating towing an auto,you would be better off getting something like this and putting the rear onto it!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOWING-RECOVERY-D ... 2a04ff558b
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I was looking at buying a towing dolly but decided against it, because of the mileage I will be doing, and the lack of space to store it.
One of the first rally I will be going to is the beamish museum at Durham .I feel happier towing on all four wheels considering the distance from Wales, so I am thinking the towing A frame would be ideal. I see what advice I will get off the forum.
 
Another alternative would be to get a period wood slat type trailer!
I have even seen them of a type that can be folded down to almost flat!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Small-Box-Car-Tra ... 35a744dd6a
Can always be stored up on end in the garage,plenty of space then!!!
And you can enjoy driving the car to shows as it should be rather than almost joining the ranks of the trailer queen brigade! :LOL:
 
2453kevinowen said:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200440457765&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Has anybody used a towing frame
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I borrowed one like that once to move a 3 Series BMW. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite grasped the instructions so fitted it wrong - those hook shaped things need to be in front of a component pushing backwards when you try to corner, whereas the chains go around the component for pulling the vehicle forwards. First test corner (off road, luckily) almost resulted in a tyre being ripped off as the car was dragged sideways instead of steering. Once fitted correctly, it worked fine, though was rather disconcerting whenever I looked in the mirror.
 
pilkie said:
Another alternative would be to get a period wood slat type trailer!
I have even seen them of a type that can be folded down to almost flat!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Small-Box-Car-Tra ... 35a744dd6a
Can always be stored up on end in the garage,plenty of space then!!!
And you can enjoy driving the car to shows as it should be rather than almost joining the ranks of the trailer queen brigade! :LOL:
Click to expand...
Thanks pilkie,
The fold up trailer with a retraceable towing hitch is a great idea I can just about fit my wife’s luggage in that :LOL:
 
I use an A frame made by solomatic all the time. I tow using an escort diesel van. I have to say it is excellent.

I do however use it 90% of the time for Minis. What you have to bear in mind, is that if the vehicle being towed is over the weight of the vehicle pulling you are in bother.

When I towed my P6 when I bought it a couple of years back, I knew it was on the back and would not have liked to have gone long distance. Also, it damages the front valence (mine was rotten so I didnt care). Had other heavier modern cars on the back and it can be a bit naughty!

If you have a large van, then the a frame is fine. You would need to look up kerb weight and towing regulations.

In short A frames are excellent, but the solomatic (as used by the RAC) fouls the P6 front valence and you will need a heavy vehicle to tow with. My P6 has power steering and I had no trouble with dragging it around corners. As I say I use it to ferry about Minis all over the country ... very pleased with it.
 
Someone who writes for Practical Classics has had a towing accident - towing a Daihatsu 4x4 behind a SWB Land Rover - another contributor did similar a few years back . You have to question their competence sometimes
 
DaveHerns said:
Someone who writes for Practical Classics has had a towing accident - towing a Daihatsu 4x4 behind a SWB Land Rover - another contributor did similar a few years back . You have to question their competence sometimes
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I sold a Land Rover Stage 1 (LWB V8) on eBay a couple of years ago. It was a complete wreck, but the buyer towed it away with an A-frame behind his SWB Series 2. I wouldn't have risked that for 5 miles, but he had around 150 to do, at night. I didn't spot any bits on the road the next morning, so he must have managed at least the first 15 without major incident.
 
I sold an Alfa 156 last year, and the guy picked it up with a Jeep and a trailer which was made from an old caravan frame, with the car on, the frame bent significantly at each end, the tyres needed about 50psi to stop them looking completely flat, and the nose of the car was about 2 feet from the back of the jeep, in a sharp turn it I'm sure it would have hit it. There is no way I would have attempted to tow it past the end of the street.

Didn't hear any reported crashes on the motorway.... :LOL:
 
I sold a trailer to a man in the early 80s his son jumped in the boot of the car and held onto the trailer to take it home about 5 miles away they did not have a tow hitch :shock:
 
I sold a V6 Vectra B that wasn't running last year and the guy turned up with a towing frame he'd bought from eBay and just picked up that day. Never used it before and took a couple of attempts to fit it. Towed it with a Renault Espace and managed to get away ok. Couple of days later I got a phone call from a recovery company asking when I was coming to pick up my car following it's involvement in an RTA? I politely informed them that the car was no longer mine and they could do what they liked with it. I also contacted DVLA to make sure they'd received my notification of change of owner. They had, but suggested I send a letter explaning what had happened.

I reckon the guys who towed it away had got into a bit of bother and abandoned it.

Dave
 
Place the L shaped swivels over the tie bars and wrap the chains around. Tighten the wratchet straps as tight as you can. Make sure both cars are directly behind each other, dead straight and the steering is dead straight. Put on towing board and off you go. I get to the top of the road and check all is ok and then go. Recently towed a Mini traveller from the Malvern Hills to Romford with no troubles.

All you have to make sure of is that you know the weight restriction legislation for towing and use some common sence. I have to say though, I do not like using it very much, you are limitred to 50mph on the motorway, but mine has paid for itself many times over.
I hate towing full stop, but it is better than a rope, and less space is needed than a dolly.
 
I hate being towed on a rope . Must be impossible with a modern car if the engine won't run - no power steering and next to no brakes
 
DaveHerns said:
I hate being towed on a rope . Must be impossible with a modern car if the engine won't run - no power steering and next to no brakes
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Used to tow back non-running P5B's on a rope from all over the place, often right across London, and that was really hard work!
 
harveyp6 said:
DaveHerns said:
I hate being towed on a rope . Must be impossible with a modern car if the engine won't run - no power steering and next to no brakes
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Used to tow back non-running P5B's on a rope from all over the place, often right across London, and that was really hard work!
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My Dad had this thing about only using a chain to tow :roll: taught me to be ultra smooth. He said you can hear the chain tinkle on the road if it goes slack, not like a rope :LOL:
 
GrimV8 said:
harveyp6 said:
DaveHerns said:
I hate being towed on a rope . Must be impossible with a modern car if the engine won't run - no power steering and next to no brakes
Click to expand...


Used to tow back non-running P5B's on a rope from all over the place, often right across London, and that was really hard work!
Click to expand...
My Dad had this thing about only using a chain to tow :roll: taught me to be ultra smooth. He said you can hear the chain tinkle on the road if it goes slack, not like a rope :LOL:
Click to expand...

Got to be smooth with a chain, as there's no "give" in it. Another advantage with a chain is that you can always get it unknotted, unlike a rope which once it's knotted ends up having to be cut off. Towing with ropes/chains is a skill that's well worth having
 
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