° Advice on Towing & being Towed Please °

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
cheesesliceking

° Advice on Towing & being Towed Please °

Post by cheesesliceking »

Hello,
I'll shortly be having my car towed by another car using a tow rope. As i have never been towed before can anyone please give me any advice?
I've got checklist at the moment but its quit short.. and obvious.
1. Steering lock off.[:I]
Cheers
Antony.[;)]
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10814
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 984

Post by RichardW »

Antony,
If you can, have the engine running, as this will provide vacuum for the brake servo - otherwise you will need new underpants the first time you try to stop!!
Now, you (the rear car) need to provide most of the braking for the train - so you might need to arrange a signal with your mate he can give you when he wants you to slow down - I usually use hand waving out the window. You need to keep the rope taught at all times if you can. I think there is a limit to the rope length (4.5m springs to mind) before it needs a 'flag' in the middle saying "This is a tow rope" or some such bureaucratic words!
Plan your route ahead - think if there are any difficult junctions (eg uphill / limited visibility) - if so make sure that when you get to them you get your car hanging on the tow rope, so that it makes pulling away easier.
On the whole just take it steady, and try and avoid emergency stops!
RichardW
reffro
Posts: 127
Joined: 01 Jul 2002, 15:24
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by reffro »

It might be better if we have an idea of what car is going to be towed. There are different rules for different car. Rather than type them all out, if you give the Make/Model and version we can tailor our responses.
cheesesliceking

Post by cheesesliceking »

Cheers Richard[:D]
And its a AX GT, which is being towed, bye either a Vauxhall Senator, or a Transit van. depends which available.
Cheers
Antony[:)][:)]
VisaGTi16v
Posts: 829
Joined: 27 Sep 2002, 21:39
Location:
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by VisaGTi16v »

What you want is one of those stretchy tow ropes where its all wound around itself, far better than rigid ropes. Halfords probably stock them.
As for being towed with no brake servo on argh, did it in my zx 16v, both feet on the pedal and my legs were knackered after 3 miles. I had dinged the front on a track so couldnt have the engine running
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

Even better -
Use a rigid towbar - with as little as possible slack in attachments on boths cars.
Once had to pick up a dead BX (for free) - using my CX as the towING car - my wife being the towED driver in the BX.
Before leaving home I prepared a 1.5m length of 2" waterpipe - with holes drilled at ends for thru bolts - then made myself attachments brackets using the cars in my yard as models.
Took an extra battery to supply power for driving/brakes/indicators light in the towED car.
Could have used my towbar socket - but was deemed too fiddly hooking on to the wiring in the towED car.
Knowing the BX would be jumping all over the road w/ no suspension - speed was kept at/below 20mph.
Only problem we had was that my wife was very anxious when cornering - which one time pulled the rear of the CX sidewards [:D][:D]
Stopped to tell my wife she should try steer on keeping the bar in the same position related to both cars - then the rest of the trip was no problem.
Driving the towING car (CX) was no problem - had the feeling of a loaded trailer on the hook - especially while braking.
Wife had lots of fun - never been shaked that much before in a flat BX[:p][:p]
cheesesliceking

Post by cheesesliceking »

Thanks for your advice people, its greatly appreciated.
Although, its now not needed, sorry!
It turns out the mate who was supposed to be giving me a tow has "Forgotten"[:(!][:(!] so I thought sod it,[:0] i'll just pay the garage a bit extra & they can tow it themselves.
Furthermore, I'm getting waaaay pissed off with having to rely on other people in regards to fixing my car, so ive been out & bought some axle stands, & i'm shortly about to purchase a large selection of tools.. all i need now is a brain.. thats where you all come in!!
anyway, rant over..[:I]
Cheers people
Antony[:D]
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

Anders,
mate, you gotta pull out the glow plugs/spark plugs, then after a mile or so with it in top gear, the hydraulics will be pressurised and the Mrs will have nice cozy suspension and more importantly brakes & steering [:D]
Guys, get yourself a trailer, CX's make exception tow cars, and you don't need to worry about someone driving up the bum of the tow car!!.
If the car runs so you can use the brake assistance DRIVE IT !!!! I'd ALWAYS drive a car as opposed to tow it if possible. Can't you get a permit that allows you to drive an unregistered car on the road (so you can get it home).
seeya,
Shane L (who's towed countless dead Cits [8D] ).
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

Shane -
I know [8D]
Removing the plugs - putting in the top gear - from start - and possibly a couple of times during the towing - gives suspension & brakes pressure.
IF THE DARNED HYDRAULICS WORKS [}:)]
- there definately was a reason why I could pick the car for free [:D][:D][:D]
- remember the extensive usage of wintersalt up here on the Northern Hemisphere [;)][B)]
Also in DK regulations an grossweights prohibits using a standard (sedan) CX as a car (or horse) trailer tower [:(]
These regulations does NOT solely follow the manufacturers spec on the cars grossweights - but are limited due to other road safety regulations.
In fact these regulations are so complicated - that pure logic on vehicle & trailers loaded weights (factual grossweight on the actual towing event) do not apply - making for quite a few frustrated drivers catched by the police.
A couple of y's ago these regulations were changed - such that with a standard utility van max grossweight 3500kg (limit on the standard drivers license) - you can not tow a trailer without having a license for trailers also.
I guess the plot is to have even regulations within the EU community - but that does NOT mean the regulations are logic - but instead bureaucratic.
Still - it's legal here to tow anything sanely on wheels with a max speed approx 20mph - which also means non-registered trailers in adequate safe towable condition.
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

Hi Anders,
yeah, it's very borderline subject here, can I legally tow another car with my CX??? Yes, but also no ... You see the mass being towed by the tow car must not be any greater than the tow car (This may well now be wrong, they change the rules all the time). This also only works for old cars like my CX & D's. You see new cars have 'permissable weights' stamped on the towbars. To get into the 'Permissable weight' range to tow a car with you'd probably need a 3tonne 4wd.
Now if I tow a CX behind my CX on a car trailer, it is blatantly obvious I'm overweight, the trailer will weight 700+kgs, and the car on it obviously weighs as much as the tow car(even a mentaly defecient cop will realise two cars that look identical will more than likely weigh the same amount !!). The answer is obviously:
1: Whenever you tow a CX, you must use a DS as the tow car.
2: Whenever you tow a DS, you must use a CX as a tow car.
3: A CX or DS will tow any car that isn't a CX or DS ie: BX, GS, 2cv, Traction etc....
Borderline... Yeah very... But I've got away with it to date [:D]
seeya,
Shane L.
Post Reply