| Author | Message | ||
     ross kowalski Experienced User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 26 Registered: 11-2015 |
The people who trasnported my car when I bought it hooked to the rear subframe (and it failed later with no rust) There is not anything normal to hook to when getting towed so I added a 5/8 lifting eye to the rear passengers bumper mounting bracket. That way if I ever get towed again, parts won't get torn off of the car. It is ugly, but hidden under the rear valance.  | ||
| Bob Reynolds Grand Master Username: bobreynolds Post Number: 412 Registered: 8-2012 |
You tow your car backwards? | ||
| ross kowalski Experienced User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 27 Registered: 11-2015 |
It's so the flatbed guy doesn't attach his j hook to the subframe. The guy who towed it to my house when I bought it put the j hook into the rear subframe hole, damaged the mount and it failed. That mount is attached with two 1/4-28 bolts so if you live where there is corrosion, be SURE to check that. I also have two hooks up front as well. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 2013 Registered: 6-2009 |
These cars really do call for flatbed service if at all possible. It's easy to pull the car on to the truck using the same spot at the front where you lift it if you're using a jack to lift the front end. They should always be tied down using "over the wheel" tie down nets or, if that's not available, I prefer removing the wheel covers and threading the tie down straps through the wheels. Brian | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Grand Master Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 325 Registered: 4-2015 |
Brian is absolutely correct. Basket straps over wheels. Never forget that these are uniquely designed cars. Be very cautious who you let near them. More damage is caused by those who are unfamiliar with their eccentricities than by any other source. His inexperience became evident the minute he touched a J hook. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 569 Registered: 4-2012 |
Ross An extra tow eye or two wont go amiss it might stop some other mindless tow truck driver from pulling your car asunder. Richard. | ||
| ross kowalski Experienced User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 30 Registered: 11-2015 |
I never looked under an RR when he loaded it so I didn't think anything of it. He winched it onto the flatbed OK hooking to an A arm I think. Then to satisfy the DOT he hooked to the rear (the rear subframe) and pulled it tight with the front winch. I can't blame the tow truck guy too much because he probably never saw the underside of a RR. But while there are a lot of really solid anchor points down there, the rear subframe is not on that list. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 2015 Registered: 6-2009 |
This is one of the perils of owning any low-production-numbers vehicle that doesn't do things in "the typical way." It's not impossible, or even difficult, to have these cars towed safely. It is incumbent on the owner to know what that involves and to be able to communicate that, clearly and unequivocally, to anyone who arrives to pick up a car after a Failure To Proceed. If the person doing the towing starts to do anything other than what you tell them is safe you have to stop them, and immediately, before forces are applied that cause damage that cannot be undone. It just goes with the territory. I've posted it before, and here it is again: Jacking and Tie-Down Points for SY and SZ cars Jacking and Tie-Down Points Brian | ||
| ross kowalski Experienced User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 32 Registered: 11-2015 |
Brian, Is that from the little red glove box book? Looking at that diagram, I bet someone put a hook on the spare tire frame. That would be hard to watch! | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 2016 Registered: 6-2009 |
Ross, No, this is out of one of the Workshop Manuals, though I can't seem to recall which version it came from at the moment. I extracted this from Tee-One Topics, Issue 38. Brian | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1046 Registered: 5-2015 |
I always insist that cars are moved with a slide and tilt flat bed recovery truck. I have seen some serious cock ups by using inferior equipment. I remember a Jag XJ6 on a Harvey frost A frame. The jag stepped out and hit a line of parked cars. I had never noticed that the rear of the Shadow has no tow point. The front is good though with the forging at the front behind the bumper. The spare wheel carrier is not strong enough and the final drive isn't mounted to take horizontal loads only twisting loads. Best place is a trailing arm which pushes the car, but there's a tank or spare wheel in the way. To much risk of bending something. I am in the AA or AAA as the yanks call it. They use proper recovery equipment. And proper insurance. A few classic cars have been ruined by falling off trailers etc. Often the insurance is lacking and they don't get paid. A RR weighs 2300 kg and trailer 500 kg. 2800 kg. My jeep weighs 1800 kg. This is typical weight for 4 x 4. To tow 2800 kg one really needs a truck with a weight of at least 4000 kg. This is overweight for a 50 mm ball hitch and a frog coupling is needed. So it's cheaper to just put the car on a flat bed. Then there's the width of the trailer and the cut in on bends. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1320 Registered: 5-2012 |
I've recently had my car transported. I requested covered transport from the relo company. I had assumed I would get a classic car specialist but in the event got a standard company. The difference really showed. They turned up with a slide and tilt flatbed to transport the Rolls to the local depot where it would be loaded onto covered transport. This would have defeated the object, had it been raining. Fortunately it wasn't, but the driver obviously knew nothing about Rolls's. He drove it up the steep slope of the tilted flatbed and used the gearbox P position to hold it. I should have told him to apply the handbrake first to take some of the load off the parking pawl, but didn't think to at the time. Since the car was then leveled on the flatbed I figured the solenoid would be ok to move the gear change lever, since the pressure was now off the pawl. The car waited a week at the depot before they found a specialist who could transport the car. Thankfully it arrived ok. I'm mentioning this to re-iterate Brian's advice to be prepared and ready to instruct a tow-truck driver. I wasn't, but will be in future. Geoff | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 570 Registered: 4-2012 |
Geoff this all highlights the fact that a lot of people that you trust with servicing and transporting and cleaning your cars just don't give a monkeys, In 1985 we bought a new Volvo 760 Turbo metallic grey re leather seats red carpet lovely car part of the extras was a set of fitted snow or mu trays to keep the carpet clean he first time I took them out to clean them and discovered that the person that had put them in the car had put them in on top of the leaves that had somehow gotten in to a brand new car they have this them and us attitude that I cant stand. Richard. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1049 Registered: 5-2015 |
The worst is the services that employ work experience young people. Putting car mats in is a typical youth job. Most don't want the job and are just marking time. Even worse is the cable guys who left badly fixed cables to the side of my home, it was a real mess. I put the whole lot in plastic electrical trunking which is what they should have done useless lot of couldn't care less cable guys. Even worse was a youth on work experience who stole a V8 Volvo from work and wrote it off. The dealer tried to hide the details from the owner by saying the body shell was defective and would be changed under warrantee. The dealer ended up giving the owner a new car. Not as bad. A resprayed car where the door gaps weren't masked resulting in overspray on the door shuts and wiring to the doors all over greased hinges etc. I went to inspect this car and the spray shop said it didn't matter. Well it does and putting it right costs money and time and the risk of damaging stuff. And then we come to the pretend motor mechanics. Who charge money and cock the job up. How tight are the wheel nuts meant to be -- as tight as possible according to some judging by the two foot breaker bar and steel toe cap boots jumping on the bar. Whilst working for the cops a police mechanic changed the steering box on a Land Rover . It has a master spline. He forced the pitman arm on with the splines out of alignment. Later the Land Rover fell over because the pitman arm cracked and fell off at 30 mph. He got sacked fast. Then promoted to coroners assistant. !!!!!!!! The cause of this is shear lack of training and garages taking on guys who think they are mechanics despite no formal training. Ask them to make a bracket for something and it will be a mess. Bench fitting skills are an important part of a good mechanics skills set. |
