[Healeys] Towing a Healey flat

[Kees Oudesluijs]

A car with a manual gearbox can be towed over ant distance without any 
problems. Gears spin so oil is splashed about in the box, same for the 
rear axle. The problem lies with conventional automatic boxes which 
generally cannot be towed over any distance. Other automatic gearboxes 
may (e.g. variomatic) or may not be towed.

Kees Oudesluijs


Op 9-6-2019 om 23:19 schreef Robert Begani:
>
> I am considering towing my BJ8 with a tow bar attached to the front of 
> the frame.  The problem I find is that on most sites I have searched, 
>  listeners say you have to disconnect the propeller/driveshaft because 
> the transmission will not be lubricating the gears.  As our Healey’s 
> are not automatic transmissions I do not see the why not.  Another 
> group of comment is that the manual trans gears would not be 
> lubricated. Although I am not expert in the transmission it seems to 
> me that with all the oil we put in the Healey trans all the gears must 
> be at least half immersed and well lubricated.
>
> I have spoken to several Healey drivers at Conclave and shows over the 
> past few years who have towed their Healey flat to the show and all 
> have said “works great without any problems with the trans 
> connected”.  My own experience was with my girlfriends soon to become 
> wife in 1968 to get her TR3 to Phoenix. I got a driveaway deal 
> (remember those?) from Budget Chicago to take a car to Phoenix. I 
> rented a bumper hitch from Uhaul with clamps to the bumper of her 1962 
> TR3. Remember big bumpers on American Cars! I drove it via US 66 all 
> the way to Phoenix through a rain and sleet storm in November.  It 
> followed me very nicely.  We drove it for 2 years around AZ until I 
> finished my MBA and never had a transmission problem.
>
> Oh yes, back in the day, we were told that British Cars were designed 
> to have a person in the drivers seat so if you tow one you should put 
> a weight in the drivers seat otherwise the car will want to lean or 
> list to starboard. Never understood that comment.  Nevertheless, I put 
> a duffel bag of clothes just in case.  Again, it followed me very nicely.
>
> So I want to use my 3.8 V6 Chrysler Pacifica 2005 SUV which can handle 
> 3500 lbs up to 5000 lbs. if you are pulling flat with very little load 
> on the tongue. So it can handle the load. I have pictures of a tow bar 
> made for the BJ8 which bolts to the front of the frame my friend can 
> fabricate.   I seek comments from the list.
>
> Who has experience with Towing Flat?
>
> Regards,
>
> Bob Begani
>
>
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