Towing

Author
Discussion

drivingfroggy

Original Poster:

455 posts

206 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
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I Had a breakdown recently with a knackered alternator. The AA man said he couldn't tow me, something to do with the way the propshaft/ axle was set up. Is this true? Sounds crazy to me.

ackbullchang

270 posts

224 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
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It is crazy. There is a towing eye on the front chassis rail immediately behind the cheese grater grill. It faces forwards as far as I can remember. If you put you ear to the floor under the front of the car, you should see it welded on there.

I've had to be recovered when the clutch went, and the only potential issue is the tow rope potentially rubbing against the underside of the grill depending on the towing angle.

drivingfroggy

Original Poster:

455 posts

206 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Is it something to do with the LSD maybe?

ackbullchang

270 posts

224 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
The lsd is at the rear of the car. The towing eye is in front of the engine, on the front chassis rail.
Were the AA trying to tow it backwards?

ackbullchang

270 posts

224 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
I'm sure someone more informed than me will be along, but if you are referring to towing and the potential impact on the diff, I cant personally see what the difference is to coasting along in neutral?

I've heard threads about people questioning the impact on LSDs when cars are on the brake rollers for the mot, but the mot presents a different scenario, where each individual wheel can be braked individually on the brake test. This is not analogous to towing in my limited view.

Edited by ackbullchang on Wednesday 23 September 17:14

drivingfroggy

Original Poster:

455 posts

206 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
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Didn't make sense to me at the time. Maybe he just didn't want to tow me because he was near the end of his shift.

Mr.T

390 posts

267 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
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For what it's worth - and i'm NO expert, I wouldn't want my Tuscan towed.
The only time I've required the trusty AA in 13 years of Tuscan ownership, was 18 months ago when the slave cylinder went, and as soon as the initial assessment was made and confirmed, the AA man had no hesitation in ordering a low loader, as he said "it's what's instructed when we have to recover one of these".
If you're going to be towed by raising the front of the car, you also have to think about the rear of the exhaust clearance from the road?. If they don't raise the front of the car, really not sure there's the clearance to install the metalwork seen when towing a more conventional vehicle "driverless" ??, or without taking the chesse-grater off completely ........but I'm sure someone will have have differing thoughts.