Towing autos...

[autofive]

unless ive missed something, all this is irrelevant, as the drive wheels will be lifted off the ground on an A-frame

[M'coli]

the drive wheels will be lifted off the ground on an A-frame

Towing dolly yes, A-frame no.

[eddyramrod]

Having owned many elderly automatics, my opinion is: buy, hire or borrow a trailer or recovery truck.

[M'coli]

Don't remove driveshafts, the outer CV joint is what keeps the wheel bearing at the correct "tighntess". You will need two hubs and knuckles and bearings if you do. You have been warned.

The outer CV joint would still be present in the hub, but the driveshaft wouldn't be connected to it.

[Albert Ross]

So the plan is to unbolt the inner joint from the box, and split the shaft at the outer boot, and spray CV Grease all over the underside? They only bolt up at the inner you know.

[M'coli]

So the plan is to unbolt the inner joint from the box, and split the shaft at the outer boot, and spray CV Grease all over the underside? They only bolt up at the inner you know.

It was just a suggestion, FFS. If you want to spray CV grease all over the underside, be my guest - it's a Maestro, so any extra underbody protection will help - but I'd prefer to cover the CV innards to stop dirt getting in.

[Albert Ross]

Far less fucking about to just rent a bloody trailer. CV grease is possibly the worst substance known to man for just getting on EVERYTHING you don't want it to.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Its a maestro auto, I'd just ignore the whole thread, do it, and if its fooked afterwards repair it or chuck it away depending on random factors.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

The only way to move an inoperable automatic car safely is via a helicopter airlift I'm afraid, at £10,000 it may wipe out any potential profit on your Maestro automatic.

[trigger]

I seem to remember being towed in a customers Vauxhall Belmont automatic many years ago across Colchester without any incident.

[Lankytim]

I suppose I could disconnect one inner CV joint and secure the shaft out of the way, hoping it wont fall out or flail about. Theres no need to disconnect both shafts as the diff will simply spin the movement of the other shaft away. Or I could just risk it.

 

The helicopter lift sounds interesting but the price tag puts me off. A Chinook or similar would be ideal and the Maestro could travel as an underslung load. I'd get the pilot to drop me off round the corner from my house and then i'd quickly drive off without paying.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

not with no compression on two pots you wont!!!! The Chinook guy will park up and run after you demanding payment.

[Lankytim]

Or he may pick the Maestro up again and drop me into a river from a great height, like in that James Bond film.

[Pillock]

I've seen the same line about "no further than 60 miles and no more than 50mph" in a Polo owners handbook regarding towing an automatic, I'm sure it'll be fine. I would perhaps stop and turn the engine over every so often if you can though just to be on the safe side.

[Lankytim]

Stopping after 30 miles or so sounds like a good excuse for a cheeseburger or two, so I think thats what i'll be doing. If it damages the gearbox then its not the end of the world really. I'd imagine the worst it will do is shorten the life of the box meaning that it will break at 150,000 miles. Most maestros are dead after 80k anyway!

[Angrydicky]

Most maestros are dead after 80k anyway!

 

I don't think I've ever seen one with more than 60k on! Most are rotted away long before then.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

It's the Lada syndrome, where the only cars left are sub-30k giffer specials.

[red5]

Just about describes every Lada sold...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just make sure you keep below 120mph and do less than 18,000 miles and it will be fine.