Towing

[greg.harvey]

Hi all,

A common topic, I know! I'm tired of being "over a barrel", so to speak, when my little +2S has a senior moment and needs towing to complete a journey - seldom happens, but has recently and the towing costs made my eyes water (should've been paid by my breakdown cover, but small print allowed the b*ggers to wriggle out of it! But that's a different story...)

Anyway, I'm looking at car dollies. Check out this one on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-RECOVERY-A-FR ... dZViewItem

Question is, would this be ok. The following made me nervous:

...attached to towed vehicle using 8mm chains (no ratchet straps) that wrap around the wishbone...

Given the infamous delicacy of Lotus Elan suspension, I found this description a little off-putting. Any comments?

Cheers,

G

[bcmc33]

I am more interested in knowing how the recovery company got out of what was obviously thought to be the point of having insurance.
My Sprint insurance includes breakdown recovery as a mandatory part of the cover. What do I, and everyone else, have to check to ensure not falling into the same "trap"?


Brian Clarke

[greg.harvey]

Hi,

The "complication" arose because the car was kept in one place (Nottinghamshire), I live in another (Essex). The breakdown cover company (AXA) had Essex on file as the "home address" for the vehicle and so refused to tow it for free back to Nottinghamshire when it broke, even though the insurer (Footman James) had that as the address where the vehicle is kept. Everyone was very helpful, but no one would budge an inch so I had to foot the bill. I suppose I could (should?) kick up a stink with Footman James and AXA, but I've probably left it too long now. I tried at the time and hit a brick wall. AXA said my home address is Essex, so tough. Footman James said they passed my details to AXA so it's out of their hands.

G

[john.p.clegg]

Greg
Have been thinking about one of these myself recently,but I can't figure out how they steer the front wheels?

John

[greg.harvey]

Hi John,

Indeed - my father and I were wondering just that the other day (while wandering around the Classic Car Show at the NEC, which was good, btw - except no +2 on the Club Lotus stand - booooo! )

Might go for a more trailer-esque approach where you lift the front wheels of the car off the road entirely? I've seen those on eBay too. Seem to fetch similar money, if you don't buy a new one.

G

[sk178ta]

I bought one of those dollies that you drive the front wheels of the car up ramps into squares on a "T" shaped frame supported on trailer wheels. We use it take a Westfield to track days and it`s really stable. There`s even less to strap a Westfield down with but ties around the front cross member on an Elan would easily secure it.
I think I paid around ?190 second hand on e-bay and it takes up little space when not in use.
Jim

[richboyd]

re: steering the front wheels.
I think the answer is: you steer the chassis (with the tow bar) and the front wheels follow the chassis (because they have caster).

[chrishewett]

If I were you I would ditch Footman James asap. I did and saved ?115 per annum and I have an agreed value with the new company without going through the farce of having it valued by club lotus.
?115 more than covers the cost of proper recovery membership with the RAC.
Chris

[types26/36]

I used to "A Frame" my Seven to race tracks, shows and where ever, they are a usefull divice BUT they have there drawbacks (no pun intended)
They just follower the tow vehicle and by virtue of the castor action of the car being towed. The steering must be left unlocked (yes, I have a steering lock on my Seven)
You MUST NEVER try to reverse with a car on an A Frame....it will tie you in knots as the castor action trys to act the oppersite way.
Some gearboxes are not lubricated enough when only the output shaft is being driven (towed) and a friend of mine siezed the g/box due to this. It was also a Seven (Ford g/box) but to be fair I dont think the oil level was high enough.
I kept my gear oil full and if I was going a long way I would stop and feel if the g/box was getting hot.......I had no problems in that respect even though I A Framed it several hundred kilometers.
Following so close to the tow car stones can get thrown up and damage the car behind. Obviously your braking distence increase's due to the weight of the car being towed.
I never A Framed the Elan mainly because I could never figure out a way of making the attachment brackets as the Elan bodywork covers any easy access to the chassis or suspension points, the Seven was easy to get to.
This was all in South Africa and I believe some traffic departments do not approve of A Frames......I do not know about the U.K.
I also got into some "difficult situations" A Frameing and did a great deal of damage to the tow car but thats another story.

[greg.harvey]

Excellent advice! Thanks!