towing

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Nothing to do with a Marlin, but can you tow a rear engine car with the back wheels turning ??? The engine is Rover K series.

[greyV8pete]

Re: towing

Hi Lee. Check if the gearbox has its own oil pump. If it does the the answer is NO. My Hunter has the Rover V8 mated to the R380 gearbox. This has an integral oil pump which is driven off the layshaft, not the output shaft, so if the engine isn\'t running the pump isn\'t running either. Worse still, if the vehicle is being towed with the rear wheels turning the gearbox rear output shaft and bearings will be turning as well, minus the oil supply! There is a post somewhere from Derek Jones about this from some while ago. It was quite a long tow and apparently it cooked the gearbox. Before I knew about this I had a front suspended tow but thankfully it was only 5 miles at 30mph max and no problem to date. Yours is not the same engine / gearbox I know but worth considering. Safest thing is to disconnect the propshaft at the rear and tie it up securely well clear of things and so that the splines don\'t pull out or you will be minus a propshaft! Peter.

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: towing

Hi Peter its a mid engined car with a std frontwheel drive gearbox.

[copperleaves11]

Re: towing

Hi Lee.I can\'t see it being any different to towing a standard front wheel drive vehicle with all wheels turning, so yes I would think it\'s O.K.Regards.

[arthur_clark]

Re: towing

i would think that it will be very difficult to tow a car with out the rear wheels turning.!!!

[stevejgreen]

Re: towing

Are you talking an MGF??
Owners club might help.

[danny_nelson]

Re: towing

Yes, you can tow as far as you wish.
Danny.

[b_caswell]

Re: towing

If you are towing a vehicle other than for immediate recovery on its own wheels its deemed to be a braked trailer so you need an A bar or specs system that applies the trailer brakes. As per last Pit Stop if you use a car trailer be careful that its Plated Gross weight does not exceed the towing vehicles towing weight limit.

[stevejgreen]

Re: towing

This is a thorny question and lots of urban myths seem to exist.
Interestingly the only statement I can find in the Highway code is \"In the event of a breakdown, be aware that towing a vehicle on a tow rope is potentially dangerous. You should consider professional recovery.\"

If stopped by the police, you would have to argue that you considered professional recovery, and why you decided against it and adopted a dangerous alternative. Not easy.

There are other limitations in the Highway code but these seem to be with regard to trailers, that have a fixed tow and do not require a licenced driver for the towed vehicle.

It gets more interesting when you are required to carry a tow rope when driving in some european counries. Given the discussion on towing trailer weights and the law in another thread, could it be deemed illegal to carry a tow rope in your car, in the UK, even if you had no intention of using it.

[CosworthCabrioLee]

Re: towing

I tow with a braked towing dolly, very simlair to what AA and RAC use. With a full trailer board that plugs into the dolly so I have lights on the dolly as well as the trailer board. It is the best piece of kit I got, never had any trouble off the police or Vosa.
Anyway got the car home fine and loving it......

[b_caswell]

Re: towing


Watch that head gasket!!

[dogoncrazy]

Re: towing

Shouldn\'t think he\'ll have it that long Ben!