Good towing device...

[Duncan Grimmond]

I have to agree that that tow vehicle fixing looks lethal. As I was once told by a client "You'd look bl**dy stupid in court"
Get an A frame!

[Charles P]

Not sure what purpose the welded on washer serves. The D shackle could be hooked directly through the pressed steel exhaust clamp.

Charles

[Austin Carr]

Not sure what purpose the welded on washer serves. The D shackle could be hooked directly through the pressed steel exhaust clamp.

Charles

Or the pole directly to the washer, either way will reduce the number of pivot points from the current setup of pole to shackle and shackle to washer.

[Dave Mann]

That looks a bit dodgy, what you need is something like this, which appears to be a professionally made rig I acquired 20 odd years ago. Where I go my little car follows with no driver, I drop the drag link off for peace of mind, it's probably the fastest acceleration our RN has experienced. I have a long cable to connect the Seven's rear light board to the towing car, an advantage of a 12 volt Seven.

[James Anderson]

Now that the mudslinging has settled down a bit, I will address some of the issues. Firstly, the condemned bracket was fabricated by a professional and expert welder to attach mainly to back or front axles in order to winch either end of my heavier cars on to a trailer. The solid bar was mainly purchased to successfully pull and push my 2 Ton 1969 428ci 4-wheel drive Prototype Ford Mustang in and out of my garage using the criticised tow hooks on my Ford Focus. This is to avoid unnecessary pollution and fuel waste by starting it in the course of its long restoration. The 'string' which is multi-corded nylon rope has been used to tow any number of cars on its own over the last few years, admittedly slowly over short distances and the 'U' Bolt of the exhaust bracket is too short to accommodate the hook of the official tow bar. Incidentally, I have a life outside A7s but keep quiet about it for now quite obvious reasons and wonder if 'friends' would be so vitriolic if their actual names were posted like I and most others do.

[Colin Reed]

HI James,
The FWD does that have the Ferguson unit, when I was working in Coventry in the 70s they were developing fords for the US army .
Cheers Colin
NZ

[Pricey]

James,

Personally I think it is a good idea. I was only thinking the other day about where would I attached my solid tow pole if my Ruby conked out. Thank you for showing me.

Your design is a bit rough around the edges but looks strong enough to me though I'm sure should it ever fail your R&D department will produce versions 2, 3 & 4 that will be an improvement on the first one. You just need to register the patent.

At least you are not falling foul of legislation governing the use of an A Frame as pictured above as according to our dearly beloved government, when a vehicle is being towed using an A-frame, it effectively becomes a trailer, and is therefore viewed under the same legislation. Under these rules, the ‘trailer’ can have a mass of up to 750kg before requiring brakes. However, the rules also state that when a trailer is fitted with brakes, they must be functional, i.e. the towed cars brakes should activate when the tow car is slowing. All very subjective though.

Cheers

Dave

[Viteran]

Hi
I have been following the conversation with interest as I recently got a solid bar for towing when I realised that my wife had not had a misspent youth driving cars and tractors around fields and farms and would not have acquired the skills needed to tow with a rope. My intention was to attach with a simple D shackle on the axle when required.
I would much prefer an A rig like David’s but thought it would need some form of attachment to the steering arm but from the pictures it is just clamped to the axle and the car will follow,or am I missing something?
Could you confirm that this arrangement results in the Austin following the tow car without a driver needed, if so I will see about fabricating one as it would be far better than a bar for towing
Ian

[Geoff Halstead]

Ian,
I towed my racing 105E using a DIY A-bracket and had absolutely no problem at all.
That form of link means that the towed vehicle is 'forced' to follow the direction of the towing vehicle and cannot deviate in any way, bar mechanical failure of front suspension, so no driver needed in the towed vehicle.
Behaves like a caravan as far as following the towing vehicle.
Did 50/60mph with ease to and from Kyalami.

Geoff - Those where the days.

[James Anderson]

Hi
I have been following the conversation with interest as I recently got a solid bar for towing when I realised that my wife had not had a misspent youth driving cars and tractors around fields and farms and would not have acquired the skills needed to tow with a rope. My intention was to attach with a simple D shackle on the axle when required.
I would much prefer an A rig like David’s but thought it would need some form of attachment to the steering arm but from the pictures it is just clamped to the axle and the car will follow,or am I missing something?
Could you confirm that this arrangement results in the Austin following the tow car without a driver needed, if so I will see about fabricating one as it would be far better than a bar for towing
Ian

Obviously, my device needs a driver in the towed vehicle, as would any device that does not lift the front wheels off the ground or in some way steered them. One modification I would make if I was developing the idea would be a longitudinal spring mounted damper to reduce the shocks of stopping and starting but as this was a semi-urgent 'help' effected at one of the quietest time of local driving conditions, I think we both thought that it was reasonable. From many years of experience of towing and being towed it was also the least traumatic especially as we successfully negotiated one of the steepest hills in West Sussex, 'Bury Hill'.