auto gearbox
 

Hi
I have just bought a 144 with auto gearbox
its 250 miles from me
and might run and breakdown on the way back
can it be towed on A frame rear wheels turning
or will it kill the gearbox

is this a BW 35

Thanks

Towing auto's ruins the gearbox . Either trailer it or unbolt prop from the diff & you could tow on A frame . Beware though A frames must be braked for towing anything heavier than 750Kg & Plod are enjoying enforcing the rules .

A frames ar meant to be used ONLY to remove a stricken vehicle to a place of safety , not cover half the country . This is why recovery firms now used towing dolly's that lift a pair of wheel from the ground .

Also "technically " the towed vehicle should have mot /tax & insurance to be on the road , claiming it is a trailer will not work

Good luck

Hi
just as i thort

Thanks

'dingov70' is spot on, 'grumpydad'. For that distance, I'd definitely use a trailer.

In extremis, I believe you could tow a 140 for up to 20 miles at no more than 20 MPH, but that was obviously as a last resort to either move the car out of danger or get it a very short distance home. More than that and removal of the propshaft was recommended - but that was 40 years ago!

Another option today might be a suspended tow, with the rear wheels suspended, but mindful of any legal restrictions that may apply as 'dingov70' advises.

Regards, John.

Some BW35 boxes had a rear pump, and could be towed, and even tow started, but with the age of the cars now there's no way of knowing by looking if it has one or not. It would still need to be road legal to be towed that way anyway. Short distance towing was OK but you were supposed to add fluid when doing so. As said above, trailering is the way to go.