Short drive with only one driveshaft?

[Spyder fan]

with reference to towing a +2, the problem is where do you attach the tow rope.

If you have a Spyder chassis, then there is a tow loop on the underside leading edge of the front crossmember/vacuum tank, this allows a rope to be attached that with care won't damage the underside of the nose/front valance.

The original pattern chassis doesn't have this, but maybe you could attach the tow rope to a block of timber then tie this to the crossmember so that the tow rope stays as low as possible.

[Magnus+2]

Absolutely, gather some people and push it is absolutely a way to do it.

[Lotusian]

If you don’t have enough strong neighbours, get a cheap hand-operated winch (eBay UK has them for £30 max - must be something similar where you are), bolt it low down on the garage wall or on the floor, attach ropes to each anti-roll bar front mounting so as to clear the underside of the nose, and haul it in.
Essential to get a helper to sit in the car ready to apply the brakes in case of some unforeseen disaster.
Ian

[Magnus+2]

Again, good advice. Thanks a lot. It is an original chassies so I dont have any loop to fasten a rope. Timber is a good idea, it might work. I have come to the conclusion that it is probably best if the car is picked up by a workshop with a trailer. Well, I will not have the rotoflexes ever again. Regards Magnus

[billwill]

The differential gear at the back will simply let the unconnected stub output spin without allowing any power to the wheel that still has a drive shaft.

If you could somehow prevent the 'free' shaft from spinning you might be able to move the car slowly, but it would be very dangerous.

Or as mentioned above with acronyms, if you had a limited slip differential gear iin the rear box you could probably move it slowly, but such diffs are not normally fitted on road-going cars.

[MarkDa]

Going back to your original post of 10m up a steep drive as a temporary measure before trailering for repair.
Manpower is the way forward but with no gears or handbrake to hold it in place it might not be so easy.
So I agree with your decision to get it trailered from where it stands.

[Quart Meg Miles]

Mangus:
Would love to know how old the Rotoflex coupling that failed was if you know. I just put in new ones from R Dent a couple years ago on my 67 FHC, and they are so far holding up well with 2,000 miles on them.

I bet the one that failed was quite old?

I fitted my present set in 2014 and they've done 22,000 miles, the previous set 23,000 and that's been pretty regular so I'd better have a close look at them!

"..so far holding up well with 2000 miles on them" sounds pessimistic, what were you expecting?

[alan.barker]

with reference to towing a +2, the problem is where do you attach the tow rope.

If you have a Spyder chassis, then there is a tow loop on the underside leading edge of the front crossmember/vacuum tank, this allows a rope to be attached that with care won't damage the underside of the nose/front valance.

2021-05-20 13.55.19.jpg

The original pattern chassis doesn't have this, but maybe you could attach the tow rope to a block of timber then tie this to the crossmember so that the tow rope stays as low as possible.

I don't know the Legal position in UK but in France it's not permited to Tow with a Rope only a Towing bar.
With Brexit maybe you can tow with a Rope
Alan

[englishmaninwales]

EU precautionary principle at work, no tow ropes

[gjz30075]

No problem if you don't have the loop welded to the front chassis member. I use one of
these wrapped around the front chassis member. Get the 36 inch length. They are all
over Ebay searching on 'tow strap', In fact, I carry one in the car all the time, ,,,,,just in case.

[MarkDa]

I like the idea of a strap being flat it will reduce pressure on the nose and a few layers of soft rag should prevent any rubbing on the paint - which would be my main concern.
I have a 3m loop ended strap and shackle in all my cars - yet to use any of them for myself or others tho

[billwill]

Looks like it is still legal to tow with a rope in the UK.

https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/tips-and-adv ... -tow-a-car