A framing

[Station]

i have just bought another car. It has tax, MOT and is insured. However, it has not engine. It also has half a driveshaft in the wheel (seller couldn't remove it). I'm not sure what he thinking considering how we were transporting it home, but there you go.

He has also taken the battery terminals, I think he just had a bit of a grab at parts he may need as it wasn't 'as described', a bit like a scrapyard car.

After ten miles of rigid poling behind a Volvo with the driveshaft bodged up on a bungee cord, we dumped it at Oswestry services at 11 pm and left it to another day.

 

I have had an a frame for six months, but too terrified to use it. I've seen little cars being towed by big RVs and it doesn't look that hard, and I've done the same in the past, towing with a Land Rover, and cars on trailers behind other cars.

 

What is the worst that can happen with these? I'm planned on collecting it tomorrow morning at 7am, it's a 40 mile drive, on a straight A road and then a 20 motorway drive. Any tips to reassure me?

[MrDuke]

Mr_Bllx to the front desk, please.

[Station]

Btw, I framed my Starion five miles to the exhaust place, and the Justy four miles to my ma's. I can't help thinking something horrible is going to go wrong.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just make sure all the straps are super tight. This half a driveshaft business sounds a bit sus, isn't it going to be flailing about in the engine bay??

[billyboy406v6]

Pretend its broke down and ring AA/RAC ? 

[skattrd]

Mr_Bickle & Bollox A-frame all over the place and swear by it, and the Yorkshire double act of Joe & Will also A-frame without too much issue.

I can't comment personally as I've never done it, but from the pictures I've seen, it's fine as long as you're not driving a Samara pulling an Escort on a steep hill

[Station]

The half a driveshaft isn't so much of a problem, the rubber gaiter is suspended by the bungee cord and spins freely. Until it burns through it again and lodges into the lower arm. It only has the 'knuckle' on the end, which could probably be freed with a carefully aimed hammer (it's held on with circlips).

 

Is there any chance of bouncing causing the car behind to lurch to the side?

 

Believe it or not, we thought about ringing the AA, but were instantly reminded of there being no engine.

[JohnK]

From a professional* recovery point of view it's a no no.

 

From my Shiters points of view I've done it, still do it if we are stuck and never been pulled or had problems. As mentioned above make sure it's secured and just wing it really.

[purplebargeken]

Yep, done it myself and just winged it. Sadly I sold my A frame a couple of years ago. Very handy things. 

[garbaldy]

don't try to A frame a vitara though as you cant get chains around wishbones, I connected them further up and it tried to pull the two ton hippo off the road with its swaying, scariest tow ive ever done.

cars never had a problem with even on a 260 mile tow.

[catsinthewelder]

It might be worth disconnecting some part of the bonnet release cable in case the plod want to check that it's 'broken down'.  That said any copper that knows the a-framing rules would probably spot the lack of engine.

[Dead_E23]

The half a driveshaft isn't so much of a problem, the rubber gaiter is suspended by the bungee cord and spins freely. Until it burns through it again and lodges into the lower arm. It only has the 'knuckle' on the end, which could probably be freed with a carefully aimed hammer (it's held on with circlips).

 

Do you think it would be possible to suspend it from a wire coathanger twisted into a loop?  It wouldn't burn through that in a hurry.

[Station]

It has bonnet catches.

 

Coat hanger is a great idea. Bungee cord was all we had at the time.

[Station]

BTW the rules are in black and white on VOSA website, aframe is treated as a trailer, as long as it has light board.

I would think the car is less than 650kg as it only has a seat inside. Not wanting to turn this into a right/wrong thing though.

[dave21478]

Fit the straps/chains properly and away you go - its no harder that towing a trailer. FFS remember to leave the key in the ignition so the steering lock doesnt come on. Take it easy and get your braking done before you enter a corner so its not trying to push the back of your towcar round mid bend.

Low speed maneuvering puts a lot of force on things, so try to hitch it all up aligned with your route...ie not having to pull a tight u-turn or anything. If you do have to do tight maneuvers in a carpark or whatever it helps to have someone in the towed car helping the steering round. Once moving above jogging speed its not an issue and the car will follow nicely.

I like to hitch it up, roll a mile or two and stop to re-check strap tightness etc before continuing.

[Station]

That's what I did, check after a couple of miles - it's a ratchet strap type.

 

SOD IT, I'm going to get down there for 6.30am, and DO IT!

[red5]

I'll wave as I go past - will be there about 7.30....^^

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I would srsly do something about the driveshaft, if its not actually 'held' at the inner end it will flail about and cause havoc at anything above 2mph. I would try to pull the shaft out of the outer CV joint, leaving the CV in place.

[cort1977]

I would srsly do something about the driveshaft, if its not actually 'held' at the inner end it will flail about and cause havoc at anything above 2mph. I would try to pull the shaft out of the outer CV joint, leaving the CV in place.

Strongly agree with this, also coat hanger etc. is not a bad idea but it will burn through that pretty quickly at a reasonable towing speed much better to get rid.

[Station]

Drive shaft is an 'equal length' type. It's about 10 inches long, and seriously doesn't cause much bother if it is suspended. But I'm thinking I'm going to get it recovered by the local garage owner with a trailer, I don't want any extra worries with that spinning round like a minigun of bad luck in an empty engine bay.

 

The outer shaft is held in with a circlip which is a bast to get out with the shaft out of the car, it is impossible I reckon with it on the car.

[nigel bickle]

Nothing to add, to what gas already been said.

 

Good luck

[nigel bickle]

Nothing to add, to what has already been said.

 

Good luck

[KruJoe]

The outer end of the driveshaft needs to remain in place with the hub nut to hold the bub/bearings together. I may not last long without.

Remember the inner end needs to be held roughly where it would sit in the gearbox - if the angle is too great, it may flail about in a most alarming manner.

 

To avoid a repeat of your disastrous (Micra?) experience, don't forget to place the rigid "hooks" in front of the lower arms, pointing over and backwards, with the chains going over the top, then around the bottom, and forward to the ratchets.

Once hooked up, fit the locking bar between the arms to prevent doing the splits under braking.

Try to set off in a straight line, if not possible, set the wheels of the towed car to the same direction you'll pull away.

HTH.

[explosive-cabbage]

A trimmed off length of brake pipe makes a brilliant hook for a wild driveshaft.

[KruJoe]

Aye, the brake pipes had been cut on this, and were in the right place to hold the shafts.

 

[DVee8]

What is it that you are A framing?

[Station]

Will try the brake pipe method, the shaft is about ten inches long and no longer interferes (I removed the knuckle on the end). I did venture down today but chickened out as it was too busy, will sort it out later.

I'm towing an Astra GSi:

 

[Rusty_Rocket]

That GSi is identical to mine, bar the 5-stud conversion.. I assume it used to have an LET & F28 that has since been removed?  What's your plans?

[Lankytim]

Suspend the shaft on a wire coathanger, I've done similar and it was fine.

 

I did some framing today, as it happens.

[nigel bickle]

So did I. But I do most weekends. And weekdays. In fact any day ending in Y.