Towing a 1988 240 5 speed manual

  • Thread starter Thread starter Larry Brockman
  • Start date Start date
L

Larry Brockman

I know this question has probably been asked 1000 times, but I need to tow
an 88 240 5-speed manual about 80 miles. I have two questions:

1. Can I leave the drive shaft connected and tow it with all 4 wheels on the
ground?

2. What kind of tow bar would I need?

3. Other considerations?

Thanks, in advance.
 
Larry Brockman said:
I know this question has probably been asked 1000 times, but I need to tow
an 88 240 5-speed manual about 80 miles. I have two questions:

1. Can I leave the drive shaft connected and tow it with all 4 wheels on the
ground?

2. What kind of tow bar would I need?

3. Other considerations?

Thanks, in advance.
Click to expand...

What country are you in?In the UK it's a surprisingly complex issue, as I
found out myself recently when I needed to do something similar.

Graham W
 
Put it in neutral and tow it. I had a hard time finding a tow bar the last
time I moved a car and we had to rent a car trailer.
 
Graham said:
The main problem he faces, if he's in the UK, is that towing a vehicle any
distance with one of those dolly's is illegal. They are strictly for
removing a stricken vehicle to a place of safety. ie, if it breaks down on
the motorway, you can use it to take the car to the next exit out of harms
way. Unfortunately even by stretching what you consider a safe place, he'd
be hard pressed to justify 80 miles ;-)

In the UK, it is a similar story with rigid towbars, A-frames, etc etc. The
only legal anser here is a proper car trailer. Even then there are
regulations on towing weights, braked and unbraked trailers, when you got
your licence and so on and so on! In the end I just hired a guy with a car
transporter for half a day. Expensive, but very very convenient.

Graham W
Click to expand...

If he's in North America, he faces no such legal problems. Anybody can
hook just about anything to any vehicle and start towing. The police do
frown on trailers with lights that don't work and missing safety chains,
and around here they do look a little closer at the general safety of
both vehicles than those without trailers.
 
Stewart Hargrave said:
From a point at sea, to the circles of your mind, this is Graham W:


I'd be very surprised if this is reality. There are no end of myths
and pub-stories about what 'the law' is, and the above certainly
wasn't true a few years ago. I've done a quick check at
www.hmso.gov.uk and can't find any Statutory Instruments enacting
these prohibitions. But maybe you can point me to them.

You *might* be prosecuted for not being in proper control of a
vehicle; you *might* be prosecuted for driving without due care and
attention, or even for having an unsafe load, etc. etc., but I do not
believe it is specifically illegal to use any of the above towing
devices. Nor even to use a simple tow-rope.
Click to expand...
When my 740 broke down (wire gave way in the Hall effect sensor in the
dist.) the AA van used a tow rope to drag me home. Was fun with the power
steering and brakes out !!! If it's good enough for them ?

Stuart.
 
If it is OK for UK garages to tow cars for considerable distances using an
"ambulance" (what you called a dolly) and tow frames which operate the steering
as well, or even rigid towbars, then it must be OK for the ordinary person to
use the same methods. I know of no law that forbids their use in the UK.

Cheers, Peter.

: Graham W wrote:
: >
: > The main problem he faces, if he's in the UK, is that towing a vehicle any
: > distance with one of those dolly's is illegal. They are strictly for
: > removing a stricken vehicle to a place of safety. ie, if it breaks down on
: > the motorway, you can use it to take the car to the next exit out of harms
: > way. Unfortunately even by stretching what you consider a safe place, he'd
: > be hard pressed to justify 80 miles ;-)
: >
: > In the UK, it is a similar story with rigid towbars, A-frames, etc etc. The
: > only legal anser here is a proper car trailer. Even then there are
: > regulations on towing weights, braked and unbraked trailers, when you got
: > your licence and so on and so on! In the end I just hired a guy with a car
: > transporter for half a day. Expensive, but very very convenient.
: >
: > Graham W
:
: If he's in North America, he faces no such legal problems. Anybody can
: hook just about anything to any vehicle and start towing. The police do
: frown on trailers with lights that don't work and missing safety chains,
: and around here they do look a little closer at the general safety of
: both vehicles than those without trailers.
:
: --
: Mike F.
: Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
:
: Change cant to ca and remove parentheses to email me directly.
 
Peter Milnes said:
If it is OK for UK garages to tow cars for considerable distances using an
"ambulance" (what you called a dolly) and tow frames which operate the steering
as well, or even rigid towbars, then it must be OK for the ordinary person to
use the same methods. I know of no law that forbids their use in the UK.

Cheers, Peter.

: Graham W wrote:
Click to expand...

Because you don't know of such a law, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Check
it out for yourself. it exists.

Graham W
 
Peter Milnes said:
If it is OK for UK garages to tow cars for considerable distances using an
"ambulance" (what you called a dolly) and tow frames which operate the steering
as well, or even rigid towbars, then it must be OK for the ordinary person to
use the same methods. I know of no law that forbids their use in the UK.
Click to expand...

For the benefit of anyone int he UK considering this, I believe it will
answer most questions, and also the point raised further downt he thread
about how come the AA/RAC etc are allowed to use them. This snippet from the
TTAS (the Trailer & Towing Advisory Service int he UK)...

Quote:
There was evidence of much confusion concerning the recovery, as opposed to
transportation, of cars.

The law considers any towed vehicle to be a "trailer". Thus a vehicle being
towed with the aid of either an "A" frame or a towing dolly, is considered
to be a trailer unit.

If the weight of the trailer unit exceeds either 750 kg, or ½ the weight of
the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle manufacturers stated unbraked
towing capacity, whichever is least; then it is required to be fitted with
brakes that operate on all wheels.

TTAS is not aware of an "A" frame unit that is able to effectively apply the
brakes of the towed vehicle.

A towing dolly may be equipped with brakes, but only on it's own wheels, the
other axle of the vehicle mounted on it will not have operable brakes - so
by definition it is not a braked trailer - and should never exceed either
750 kg, or ½ the weight of the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle
manufacturers stated unbraked towing capacity, whichever is least.

Legislation does allow for the recovery of a vehicle, from a position where
it constitutes a hazard, to a safe-haven. However, to proceed beyond the
first safe-haven becomes transport, as opposed to recovery. In this instance
a car transporter trailer is required, whereby the entire vehicle is carried
upon the trailer (or towed vehicle) the trailers axle(s) being equipped with
the requisite brakes.

There is an exception to the foregoing in relation to the legitimate use of
recovery equipment by recognised Vehicle Recovery Operators, whose vehicles
will usually be taxed accordingly.
Unquote.

Graham W
 
Graham W said:
person

For the benefit of anyone int he UK considering this, I believe it will
answer most questions, and also the point raised further downt he thread
about how come the AA/RAC etc are allowed to use them. This snippet from the
TTAS (the Trailer & Towing Advisory Service int he UK)...

Quote:
There was evidence of much confusion concerning the recovery, as opposed to
transportation, of cars.

The law considers any towed vehicle to be a "trailer". Thus a vehicle being
towed with the aid of either an "A" frame or a towing dolly, is considered
to be a trailer unit.

If the weight of the trailer unit exceeds either 750 kg, or ½ the weight of
the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle manufacturers stated unbraked
towing capacity, whichever is least; then it is required to be fitted with
brakes that operate on all wheels.

TTAS is not aware of an "A" frame unit that is able to effectively apply the
brakes of the towed vehicle.

A towing dolly may be equipped with brakes, but only on it's own wheels, the
other axle of the vehicle mounted on it will not have operable brakes - so
by definition it is not a braked trailer - and should never exceed either
750 kg, or ½ the weight of the towing vehicle, or the towing vehicle
manufacturers stated unbraked towing capacity, whichever is least.

Legislation does allow for the recovery of a vehicle, from a position where
it constitutes a hazard, to a safe-haven. However, to proceed beyond the
first safe-haven becomes transport, as opposed to recovery. In this instance
a car transporter trailer is required, whereby the entire vehicle is carried
upon the trailer (or towed vehicle) the trailers axle(s) being equipped with
the requisite brakes.

There is an exception to the foregoing in relation to the legitimate use of
recovery equipment by recognised Vehicle Recovery Operators, whose vehicles
will usually be taxed accordingly.
Unquote.

Graham W
Click to expand...
Quite an eye opener that Graham. Must be a lot of illegal "trailers" in the
UK eh?

Stuart
 
From a point at sea, to the circles of your mind, this is Graham W:
For the benefit of anyone int he UK considering this, I believe it will
answer most questions, and also the point raised further downt he thread
about how come the AA/RAC etc are allowed to use them. This snippet from the
TTAS (the Trailer & Towing Advisory Service int he UK)...
Click to expand...
<snip>

Well, dammit, it seems you may be right. At least the National Trailer
and Towing Association agree with you.

Still, the situation with a tow rope is not clear. It seems more
subtle, because the vehicle behind has it own steering, brakes and
even driver.


--

Stewart Hargrave

Faster than public transport


For email, replace 'SpamOnlyToHere' with my name
 
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