Flat towing a Land Rover

Hi

My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the lumenition
ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending on
whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on the
ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which is
duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if so
why?

Regards

Neil

Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who MoT's it.
Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**


"Neil Cummins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the
lumenition
> ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending on
> whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
> that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
> stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on
the
> ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which is
> duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if
so
> why?
>
> Regards
>
> Neil
>
>

He is right IMHO I am led to believe that towing one for more than a short
distance
or at speed can bugger up either the center differential or one of the
gearboxes.

someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....

Ah cheers for the confidence boost )


> someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....

WEll it used to be said you could not tow an auto, but that is bollox,
because all you have to do is tow it back to front as I found out, when they
could not get anything to load a limo onto, one Christmas.

There ain't nothing you can't tow if you have a mind to figure out a way,
after all it is easy enough to disconnect the propshaft on a landie.

I mean if you was that worried, you cold tow it back to front with the FW
hubs disengaged and what is that going to knacker ?


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes

"Shayne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:NJjHc.15342$I%[email protected]...
> He is right IMHO I am led to believe that towing one for more than a short
> distance
> or at speed can bugger up either the center differential or one of the
> gearboxes.
>
> someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....

Stupid me, should have read flat tow four wheels on the ground, I was
thinking of two wheels on the ground only, but honestly if they cant get two
of the wheels up what the **** are they playing at ?

Larry

1 personally I would NEVER tow an auto with its driven wheels on the ground
for more then a few miles and only below 30 mph unless the transfer box
is in neutral
otherwise expensive damage WILL be done to the main box "lack of lube" &
torque converter
"lack of cooling" .

2 true and true

3 any kind of tow should be fine with a series as long as its in 2wd

but defenders, discos, freelanders 101's and range rovers need a prop
removing regardless
of whether a flat tow or suspended due to being full time 4x4..


I think!!

anytime

>
> My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the
lumenition
> ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending on
> whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
> that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
> stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on
the
> ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which is
> duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if
so
> why?
>
The AA man is not right, it can be flat towed no problem. Even if it is an
auto, it can still be flat towed, as long as you put the transfer box into
neutral.

It can also be suspended towed, but that involves removing a propshaft or
halfshaft, which most roadside repair mechanics are too lazy to do!

In article <[email protected]>, Hirsty's
<[email protected]> writes
>Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who MoT's it.
>Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**


Rubbish.

a four wheel tow is the perfect way to tow his vehicle. A two wheel tow
should be avoided on all LRs with permanent four wheel drive unless a
propshaft is removed.

As far as the MOT is concerned......

I put a hundred + Landrovers through the MOT every year and always use
the rolling road, (unless it has a viscous transfer box or ETC
(DiscoII))

The speeds involved when using a rolling road brake tester are no way
high enough to damage the centre diff on a LR. That coupled with there
is no power transmitted through the diff while being tested means that
they will never be damaged.


--
Marc Draper

Forsale

Landrover Defender 90 300tdi county hardtop 1996 72K
Landrover Discovery comercial 300tdi S reg 70k
Landrover Discovery Comercial 300tdi R reg 62k
Toyota Hilux surf 2.4 AW/AC/EW/SR

Super winch X9 + genuine Landrover fitting kits for 200 Disco.

On or around Thu, 8 Jul 2004 22:54:49 +0100, "Neil Cummins"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Hi
>
>My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the lumenition
>ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending on
>whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
>that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
>stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on the
>ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which is
>duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if so
>why?

yes, if you have an LT77 or R380 or auto box. Not quite sure about an LT95.

The LT77, et al, rely on the engine-side of the gearbox rotating (i.e. the
engine running) for lubrication.

However...

there's no reason I can see why you shouldn't tow it with the *transfer* box
in neutral; in this situation, the main gearbox will not rotate. I guess to
be really sure, you could put the main box in gear.

The transfer box is splash lubricated like an old-fashioned gearbox, more;s
the pity as this is how the oil manages not to get into the gearbox output
shaft splines and thus they wear.


You can also suspended-tow with the T-box in neutral, or by removing the
rear propshaft.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
In Touch: Get in touch with yourself by touching yourself.
If somebody is watching, stop touching yourself.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

On or around Thu, 08 Jul 2004 23:06:37 GMT, "Hirsty's"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who MoT's it.
>Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**

only applies to ones with a centre difflock and with same engaged, which
you'd not be likely to do while brake testing, unless you're a complete
****.

I've had the BW-type transfer box with the viscous coupling on the MOT rig,
I think, and that doesn't come to any harm.

might give false readings, mind


--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
In Touch: Get in touch with yourself by touching yourself.
If somebody is watching, stop touching yourself.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> >My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the
lumenition
> >ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending
on
> >whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
> >that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
> >stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on
the
> >ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which
is
> >duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if
so
> >why?
>
> yes, if you have an LT77 or R380 or auto box. Not quite sure about an
LT95.

I *have* flat-towed a 110V8 on an LT95, in fact we towed one for several
hundred miles in Iceland. But the gearbox was donald ducked to start with,
so any damage was largely academic.

David

In <[email protected]> Austin Shackles wrote:
> On or around Thu, 08 Jul 2004 23:06:37 GMT, "Hirsty's"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who
>>MoT's it. Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**
>
> only applies to ones with a centre difflock and with same engaged,
> which you'd not be likely to do while brake testing, unless you're a
> complete ****.
>
> I've had the BW-type transfer box with the viscous coupling on the MOT
> rig, I think, and that doesn't come to any harm.

It might be faulty then....

The viscous box, on a 2 wheel brake tester, will make the vehicle climb
out of the tester as soon as they start spinning the rollers. The front
and rear props are permanently linked together so as soon as the two
rear wheels start spinning, the front wheels (not in the rollers) start
moving and pull you out of the rollers. There isn't enough difference in
torque to cause the viscous diff to slip.

It shouldn't damage the transmission but does pose the risk of the
vehicle hitting something when it comes out of the rollers In my
case (classic RR) the front wing missed the leg of the four poster in
front by about an inch. The tester suggested that the brakes must be OK
as, had they not been, I'd have hit the four poster

cheers

Dave W.
http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/

In message <[email protected]>, Shayne
<[email protected]> writes
>1 personally I would NEVER tow an auto with its driven wheels on the ground
> for more then a few miles and only below 30 mph unless the transfer box
> is in neutral
> otherwise expensive damage WILL be done to the main box "lack of lube" &
> torque converter
> "lack of cooling" .
>
>2 true and true
>
>3 any kind of tow should be fine with a series as long as its in 2wd
>
>but defenders, discos, freelanders 101's and range rovers need a prop
>removing regardless
>of whether a flat tow or suspended due to being full time 4x4..
>
>
>I think!!
From my 90 handbook (Auto)

All 4 wheels on the ground - main gearbox and transfer box in neutral.
Diff unlocked.

Suspended tow - remove prop shaft

All 4 wheels off the ground - no problem


--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

In message <[email protected]>, Dave White
<[email protected]> writes
>In <[email protected]> Austin Shackles wrote:
>> On or around Thu, 08 Jul 2004 23:06:37 GMT, "Hirsty's"
>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who
>>>MoT's it. Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**
>>
>> only applies to ones with a centre difflock and with same engaged,
>> which you'd not be likely to do while brake testing, unless you're a
>> complete ****.
>>
>> I've had the BW-type transfer box with the viscous coupling on the MOT
>> rig, I think, and that doesn't come to any harm.
>
>It might be faulty then....
>
>The viscous box, on a 2 wheel brake tester, will make the vehicle climb
>out of the tester as soon as they start spinning the rollers. The front
>and rear props are permanently linked together so as soon as the two
>rear wheels start spinning, the front wheels (not in the rollers) start
>moving and pull you out of the rollers. There isn't enough difference in
>torque to cause the viscous diff to slip.
>
>It shouldn't damage the transmission but does pose the risk of the
>vehicle hitting something when it comes out of the rollers In my
>case (classic RR) the front wing missed the leg of the four poster in
>front by about an inch. The tester suggested that the brakes must be OK
>as, had they not been, I'd have hit the four poster
>
>cheers
>
>Dave W.
>http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net/
What better way to test your brakes!!
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

Knackers transmission, same reason you should be careful about who MoT's it.
Wrong method of testing brakes and oops that'll be ... £ #@?**


"Neil Cummins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> My 1983 110V8 died the other day. As far as I can tell it is the
lumenition
> ignition module - the output to the coil is either 0 or 0.7v, depending on
> whether the light beam is interupted. Anyway, the point of this post is
> that when the AA arrived and concurred with my diagnosis, the mechanic
> stated that the Land Rover could not be flat towed - ie all 4 wheels on
the
> ground - and would have to be transported on the back of a truck, which is
> duly was, albeit after a delay. Question is, is the AA man right, and if
so
> why?
>
> Regards
>
> Neil
>
>

He is right IMHO I am led to believe that towing one for more than a short
distance
or at speed can bugger up either the center differential or one of the
gearboxes.

someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....

Ah cheers for the confidence boost )


> someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....

WEll it used to be said you could not tow an auto, but that is bollox,
because all you have to do is tow it back to front as I found out, when they
could not get anything to load a limo onto, one Christmas.

There ain't nothing you can't tow if you have a mind to figure out a way,
after all it is easy enough to disconnect the propshaft on a landie.

I mean if you was that worried, you cold tow it back to front with the FW
hubs disengaged and what is that going to knacker ?


--
Larry
Series 3 rust and holes

"Shayne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:NJjHc.15342$I%[email protected]...
> He is right IMHO I am led to believe that towing one for more than a short
> distance
> or at speed can bugger up either the center differential or one of the
> gearboxes.
>
> someone who knows wot he's on about will be along shortly....