DIY car transporter plans?
Tony Tynan
small/medium cars only. Preferably 4-wheled for
comfort but not lifeordeath, and using readily-available s/h
wheels/suspensions eg. Fiesta/Escort
Any pointers much appreciated
TT
Guy King
from "Tony Tynan" <tty...@iol.ie> contains these words:
> Anyone know a source for a set of plans to build a DIY car transporter for
> small/medium cars only. Preferably 4-wheled for
> comfort but not lifeordeath, and using readily-available s/h
> wheels/suspensions eg. Fiesta/Escort
I'm fairly sure that you're not allowed to use braking component from
donor vehicles on trailers anymore. Not dead certain, you understand,
just reasonably.
Also, don't forget that since that railcrash the dibbles are busy
looking at car transporters, and whether the vehicle towing it is
working within its Gross Train Weight.
--
Skipweasel...
You may admire the dust, but please don't write in it.
SimonJ
"Tony Tynan" <tty...@iol.ie> wrote in message
news:jzU27.873$N97....@news.iol.ie...
J.L.E
Guy King <guy....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:200107111...@zetnet.co.uk...
>
<snip>
> Also, don't forget that since that railcrash the dibbles are busy
> looking at car transporters, and whether the vehicle towing it is
> working within its Gross Train Weight.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
I assume the pun wasn't intended Guy ?!...
ITEC Multimedia Solutions
> looking at car transporters, and whether the vehicle towing it is
> working within its Gross Train Weight.
A Landrover defender 110 has to be one of the best towing vehicles you can
buy (some would say that's all they're good for!). A diesel Defender should
easily pull and adequatly stop that Renault 21 that was on that trailer at
the time of the train crash. I'd say it was driver error/inadequately
maintained braking system or something like that on the Landrover.
Yours,
Bryan Lurring
________________________________________________
ITEC Multimedia Solutions | Welcome to the information age
Tel: +44 (0) 7799 500 555 | Fax: +44 (0) 7092 253 254
www.interxpress.net
Mark Schofield
Indispension is full of information on trailer building, legislation etc. -
well worth the few quid it costs. Personally, I find Indispension's prices a
bit on the high side, so shop around.
Mark
"SimonJ" <m...@mine.com> wrote in message
news:9ihupl$td$1...@uranium.btinternet.com...
> Get an indispension catalouge
Tony Tynan
Very many thanks.
The Induspension cat. is on the way. I was hoping not to have to buy ALL
the bits from them. Current plan is to use an old Landrover for the towing.
Intended to stick to the old rule that the towed load must not exceed 75% of
the ULW of the towing vehicle, but it's early days.
Cheers
Guy King
from "J.L.E" <sca...@mapson.madasafish.com> contains these words:
> I assume the pun wasn't intended Guy ?!...
Would have been if I'd thought of it!
Is there any evidence yet of the dibbles looking long and hard at car trailers?
J.L.E
ITEC Multimedia Solutions <ite...@europe.com> wrote in message
news:9ii5di$qe0$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > Also, don't forget that since that railcrash the dibbles are busy
> > looking at car transporters, and whether the vehicle towing it is
> > working within its Gross Train Weight.
>
> A Landrover defender 110 has to be one of the best towing vehicles
you can
> buy (some would say that's all they're good for!). A diesel Defender
should
Do please remember that this case has now gone to court.
rugid
Tony Tynan wrote in message
> Intended to stick to the old rule that the towed load must not exceed 75%
of
> the ULW of the towing vehicle, but it's early days.
>
According to my Indespension catalogue, a few years old admitadley, the
towing limit for my 1040kg Citroen BX is 1400kg. It also quotes a Land
Rover at 4 tonne.
Can anyone explain this?
--
r
ITEC Multimedia Solutions
> towing limit for my 1040kg Citroen BX is 1400kg. It also quotes a Land
> Rover at 4 tonne.
>
> Can anyone explain this?
I'm no expert but I'd put it down to the size and power of the engine in the
vehicle. A Land Rover Diesel engine will have a high torque rating at a low
RPM value and would be capable of pulling much heavier loads than itself, a
bit like a snail LOL
Yours,
Bryan Lurring
PS - I'm sure someone else will give you a better reason.
Guy King
from "Tony Tynan" <tty...@iol.ie> contains these words:
> Intended to stick to the old rule that the towed load must not exceed 75% of
> the ULW of the towing vehicle, but it's early days.
The handbook (or even dataplate, depending on vehicle type and age)
will show you the maximum weights. May be more or less than 75%, and
this is what the dibbles would be interested in.
Guy King
from "ITEC Multimedia Solutions" <ite...@europe.com> contains these words:
> A Landrover defender 110 has to be one of the best towing vehicles you can
> buy (some would say that's all they're good for!). A diesel Defender should
> easily pull and adequatly stop that Renault 21 that was on that trailer at
> the time of the train crash. I'd say it was driver error/inadequately
> maintained braking system or something like that on the Landrover.
Quite possibly, but there are loadsa trailers out there with very
dodgy brakes. Two yellow ones belonging to Hounslow Youth Service,
for a start! I refused to take one out once it was so bad.
Nick Finnigan
> > According to my Indespension catalogue, a few years old admittedly, the
> > towing limit for my 1040kg Citroen BX is 1400kg. It also quotes a Land
> > Rover at 4 tonne.
> >
> > Can anyone explain this?
>
> I'm no expert but I'd put it down to the size and power of the engine in the
> vehicle. A Land Rover Diesel engine will have a high torque rating at a low
> RPM value and would be capable of pulling much heavier loads than itself, a
> bit like a snail LOL
The high torque at low revs is proably less useful
than having 10 gear ratios and a lowish top speed.
4WD (or at least RWD) also helps when going up a
1 in 7 hill in the rain with 2 tons hanging off a towbar.
J.L.E
> The message <9ii5di$qe0$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>
> from "ITEC Multimedia Solutions" <ite...@europe.com> contains
these words:
>
>
>
> Quite possibly, but there are loadsa trailers out there with very
> dodgy brakes. Two yellow ones belonging to Hounslow Youth Service,
> for a start! I refused to take one out once it was so bad.
>
Whats this Guy, a 'name and shame' campain ?! :~)
Autolycus
ITEC Multimedia Solutions <ite...@europe.com> wrote in message
news:9iijfu$fn1$1...@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
(quoting, without attribution "rugid")
> > According to my Indespension catalogue, a few years old admitadley,
the
> > towing limit for my 1040kg Citroen BX is 1400kg. It also quotes a
Land
> > Rover at 4 tonne.
> >
> > Can anyone explain this?
>
> I'm no expert but I'd put it down to the size and power of the engine
in the
> vehicle. A Land Rover Diesel engine will have a high torque rating at
a low
> RPM value and would be capable of pulling much heavier loads than
itself, a
> bit like a snail LOL
>
Land Rover 2286cc diesel: 103lbf ft at 1750rpm
Land Rover 2286 petrol: 124lbf ft at 2500rpm
Peugeot 1.9 n/a diesel: 87lbf ft at 2000rpm
Range Rover 3.5 petrol (9.35 CR, Carb) 194lbf ft at 2500rpm
So there's more to it than maximum engine torque. IMHO there are two
main factors; the ability of the towing vehicle to restart on steep
gradients, and its dynamic behaviour when substantial vertical and
lateral forces are being applied at the tow hitch. For the first one,
it's obvious why Land and Range Rovers do well - stick the thing in low
ratio first and you're looking at around 2mph per 1000 engine rpm. I do
wonder how much effort goes into modelling the dynamics of towing, and
suspect it may be very little, so that manufacturers simply quote an
ultra-cautious figure, knowing that ultimate towing ability rarely sells
new cars. A further warning, that I've made in the similar thread on
uk.rec.cars.classic (why on earth did he start it as two threads instead
of cross-posting?) is that the 4 tonne figure quoted for Range Rovers
(I'm not sure about Landies) only relates to trailers with coupled
brakes, not the over-run brakes that are actually available to ordinary
mortals, where the limit is only 2 tonnes.
--
Kevin Poole
Guy King
from "J.L.E" <sca...@mapson.madasafish.com> contains these words:
> Whats this Guy, a 'name and shame' campain ?! :~)
No, I fixed the bloody things myself in the end and even got paid for it!
ITEC Multimedia Solutions
> you can
> > buy (some would say that's all they're good for!). A diesel Defender
> should
> > easily pull and adequ.................. <snip>
>
> Do please remember that this case has now gone to court.
Should be interesting to hear the outcome. Is the Land Rover driver being
charged or is the investigation ongoing? I personally think that it was a
freak accident and unless there is solid proof against the driver of the
Land Rover he should not be charged because it was reported that he did all
he could to stop the train beforehand.
But that's just my opinion.
J.L.E
> > > A Landrover defender 110 has to be one of the best towing
vehicles
> > you can
> > > buy (some would say that's all they're good for!). A diesel
Defender
> > should
> > > easily pull and adequ.................. <snip>
> >
> > Do please remember that this case has now gone to court.
>
> Should be interesting to hear the outcome. Is the Land Rover driver
being
IIRC the driver has been charged and has had a primarily appearance in
court.
rugid
Autolycus wrote in message
>
> Land Rover 2286cc diesel: 103lbf ft at 1750rpm
>
> Land Rover 2286 petrol: 124lbf ft at 2500rpm
>
> Peugeot 1.9 n/a diesel: 87lbf ft at 2000rpm
>
> Range Rover 3.5 petrol (9.35 CR, Carb) 194lbf ft at 2500rpm
>
window :-)
I was asking more about the "can't tow more than 3/4 the towing vehicles
weight" argument, or is this for unbraked trailers?
--
r
Mark Schofield
> weight" argument, or is this for unbraked trailers?
I think this is a 'recommendation' only - handed out by the motoring
associations and possibly trailer manufacturers. In the former case,
probably because they are fed up with rescuing grossly overloaded caravans
towed by poorly prepared vehicles. Witness some of the guys who only tow a
caravan once a year for the family holiday - front in the air, rear on the
bump stops. Unfortunately 'recommendations handed out by the self appointed
great and good have an unfortunate habit of turning into law.
A 4 wheel car transporter trailer will weigh between 400 and 600 kg
depending on size and capacity (my 2600kg gross weighs 600kg unladen). It
will be immediately obvious that unless you have one of the handful of very
big estate cars (Volvo, Merc, etc.) there is no way you are going to put a
car on a transporter behind an ordinary saloon car and stick within the 75%
recommendation. That said, go to a car race meeting and look at the tow
vehicles - you will see plenty of medium sized saloons and estates towing
trailers carrying single-seater or hatchback size cars. I previously used a
Mk2 Jetta to tow a Mk1 Golf on the above trailer - that's about 1100kg :
1400kg. I never got stopped but I'm not sure where I would have stood in the
event of an accident
According to my (old) Indispension catalogue:
50% of kerb weight of towing vehicle or 750kg, whichever is less for
unbraked trailers (by law)
85% of kerb weight of towing vehicle for braked trailers (National Caravan
Council)
100% of kerb weight of towing vehicle for braked trailers as an absolute
maximum (Indispension).
Goes on to make the point that whilst historically the weight pulled was
down to the ability of the towing vehicle to pull away up hill, with modern
power outputs its more a case of whether the hole combination handles
safely. That said, front wheel drive can be a bit of a giggle pulling out of
somewhere like Lydden Hill......
HTH
Mark