Flat towing a Land Rover

In message <[email protected]>, SimonJ <[email protected]>
writes
>> >Maybe the point the AA man was trying to make was that his vehicle was
>> >not capable of pulling OR stopping it? Depends on what 'tow pole' he
>> >had with him.
>>
>> ah, now that's a good point. I've never really understood the idea that
>you
>> don't touch the brakes when they're towing you. so the AA's escort van
>has
>> enough spare brake capacity to stop an extra ton-plus of my Audi behind
>it?
>> I doubt it.
>>
>The whole point of towing someone, is that the driver of the towing vehicle
>is in control.
>
>Unfortunately, some prats always think they know better, and have to keep
>stabbing the brakes every two minutes, normally when you are coming to a
>junction, have seen that it is clear, and are trying to pull out!
>
>
Maybe it's a hangover from the days when all towing was done with ropes.
Have you never seen what happens to front brake pipes if the towed
vehicle runs over the rope when the towing vehicle slows down?

Of course we still use ropes off-road.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

In message <[email protected]>, Austin Shackles
<[email protected]> writes
>On or around Mon, 12 Jul 2004 21:44:56 +0100, hugh <hugh@[127.0.0.1]>
>enlightened us thusly:
>
>>>
>>Maybe it's a hangover from the days when all towing was done with ropes.
>>Have you never seen what happens to front brake pipes if the towed
>>vehicle runs over the rope when the towing vehicle slows down?
>
>doesn't usually improve the towrope, either
>
>but in rope, chain or cable towing, it's generally the job of the pilot in
>the towed vehicle to keep the rope tight. Obviously, this requires a bit of
>attention and ability, which might be beyond the average eejit. Having said
>that, I've been towed a fair few times, and have yet to run over a rope,
>without the benefit of specific training.

Which is the point I was making in the bit you have snipped.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

>Maybe the point the AA man was trying to make was that his vehicle was
>not capable of pulling OR stopping it? Depends on what 'tow pole' he
>had with him.

apropro of nothing, I was once refused a tow in my late and unlamented
Alfa Romeo. The official AA reason was that they had too many tow
eyes come adrift from Alfa's, leaving the rigid bar attached to not
very much at all. They made me wait for a flatbed. I left the car
where it was, but sadly nobody stole it or set fire to it.




--

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 88" aka "Stig"
'77 101FC Ambulance aka "Burrt"
'95 Discovery V8i aka "The Disco" (FOR SALE)
'03 Volvo V70

My Landies? http://www.seriesii.co.uk
Barcoding? http://www.bartec-systems.com
Tony Luckwill web archive at http://www.luckwill.com

On or around Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:42:35 +0100, hugh <hugh@[127.0.0.1]>
enlightened us thusly:

>
>Which is the point I was making in the bit you have snipped.

the only bit of yours I snipped was the comment about using ropes off-road.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero" (sieze today, and put
as little trust as you can in tomorrow) Horace (65 - 8 BC) Odes, I.xi.8

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]>, Austin Shackles
<[email protected]> writes
>On or around Mon, 12 Jul 2004 21:44:56 +0100, hugh <hugh@[127.0.0.1]>
>enlightened us thusly:
>
>>>
>>Maybe it's a hangover from the days when all towing was done with ropes.
>>Have you never seen what happens to front brake pipes if the towed
>>vehicle runs over the rope when the towing vehicle slows down?
>
>doesn't usually improve the towrope, either
>
>but in rope, chain or cable towing, it's generally the job of the pilot in
>the towed vehicle to keep the rope tight. Obviously, this requires a bit of
>attention and ability, which might be beyond the average eejit. Having said
>that, I've been towed a fair few times, and have yet to run over a rope,
>without the benefit of specific training.

Which is the point I was making in the bit you have snipped.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

In message <[email protected]>, Tim Hobbs
<[email protected]> writes
>
>>Maybe the point the AA man was trying to make was that his vehicle was
>>not capable of pulling OR stopping it? Depends on what 'tow pole' he
>>had with him.
>
>apropro of nothing, I was once refused a tow in my late and unlamented
>Alfa Romeo. The official AA reason was that they had too many tow
>eyes come adrift from Alfa's, leaving the rigid bar attached to not
>very much at all. They made me wait for a flatbed. I left the car
>where it was, but sadly nobody stole it or set fire to it.

That is through the towing (removable) eye not being fully wound home
and tightened with a long bar and the 'Grand Prix' starts of the tower.
Plus some try in vain for about half an hour only to realise it's a left
hand thread!


--
Regards
Graham Jones

In message <[email protected]>, Tim Hobbs
<[email protected]> writes
>
>>Maybe the point the AA man was trying to make was that his vehicle was
>>not capable of pulling OR stopping it? Depends on what 'tow pole' he
>>had with him.
>
>apropro of nothing, I was once refused a tow in my late and unlamented
>Alfa Romeo. The official AA reason was that they had too many tow
>eyes come adrift from Alfa's, leaving the rigid bar attached to not
>very much at all. They made me wait for a flatbed. I left the car
>where it was, but sadly nobody stole it or set fire to it.

That is through the towing (removable) eye not being fully wound home
and tightened with a long bar and the 'Grand Prix' starts of the tower.
Plus some try in vain for about half an hour only to realise it's a left
hand thread!


--
Regards
Graham Jones