[TR] Towing a TR3A without a trailer/dolly

[John Wise]

WHIW, that 58 MGA as my daily driver for about 8-9 years through hot summers
and the cold & snow in both St Louis & Pittsburgh AFTER those tows.  I had all
the typical LBC problems with that little car; but the tranny I sold it with
was exactly the same tranny I bought it with!  Not one repair!  Being an over
educated professor, I know that anything mechanical can happen or not happen
at anytime.  But it is too good of a LBC story not to share!  :-)

John


On  15 May, 2012, at 10:45 AM, amcewen2 at cogeco.ca wrote:

> Thanks John (and others),
>
> I sort of wondered if where the bumper attachs to the outriggers was strong
enough but thought the frame would be even
> stronger.
>
> However the lack of lubrication to the gearbox is sort of turning me off the
idea.  I could disconnect the driveshaft,
> but then I'd have to carry a jack, jackstands, coveralls etc.. and it starts
to defeat the relaxation & fun elements I
> was hoping for. ;)
>
> It's too bad the track is too narrow for Uhaul trailers....
>
> Art
>
>
>>
>> A long, long time ago (1972) in a place far far away, I towed my 58 MGA
from Webb AFB, Texas to Pittsburg PA when I
>> left the USAF to start grad school.  I used a one-off rig that attached to
the front bumper bolts that was designed &
>> built by a local welding shop bakin Big Spring, TX.  Four years later I
used the same rig to tow the MGA from
>> Pittsburgh to St Louis (first job after grad school).  No problems...
>>
>> John
>>
>> On  14 May, 2012, at 1:19 PM, amcewen2 at cogeco.ca wrote:
>>
>>> Hi listers,
>>>
>>> Not sure if this is a good idea or not but Im thinking of rigging my
(daily
>>> driver) TR3A to tow behind an RV without
>>> a trailer or dolly (4 down in RV parlance).   Obviously I cant phone up
the
>>> tow bar people and get an off the
>>> shelf mounting bracket for a TR so I was looking at having one
fabricated.
>>>
>>> My goal is to not reduce the ground clearance any more then is already
there
>>> so Id thought of using the 4 bolts that
>>> go through the frame to hold the front bumper outriggers on.   If I use
the
>>> inner side of the bolt (between the frame
>>> rails) it wont change the placement of the outriggers.  (I dont have a
>>> rad/sump guard to get in the way).
>>>
>>> I was thinking of a couple of 18 4-6mm flat steel sections shaped sort
of
>>> like Js (or flat field hockey stick)
>>> lying on its back with a piece of say 2 box steel across the crook of
the
>>> J section to act as the mounting
>>> point for the tow bar pins.   That way the bar angle wont interfere with
the
>>> bumper and it raises the mounting point
>>> slightly and the pulling stress will be on the steel and not the welds.
Id
>>> put the mounting pins a couple of inches
>>> to the outside of the "J" to make the tow bar resemble a triangle a bit
more
>>> in the hops of improving stability.
>>> Safety chains would attach behind the suspension uprights.
>>>
>>> Ive seen MGBs and even a 356 towed like this so Im probably not the
first TR
>>> owner to try this,  any idea what the
>>> thickness required for the J or the cross piece?  Am I nuts?  ;)
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Art.
>>>
>>> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
>>>
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>>
>> John A. Wise
>> Ormond Beach, FL
>>
>> 1960 Triumph TR3A
>> Commission No: TS80422L
>> http://members.cox.net/60tr3a/
>> http://www.triumphowners.com/876
>>
>> 1977 Porsche 911S
>> http://members.cox.net/porsche911s/
>>
>>

John A. Wise
Ormond Beach, FL

1960 Triumph TR3A
Commission No: TS80422L
http://members.cox.net/60tr3a/
http://www.triumphowners.com/876

1977 Porsche 911S
http://members.cox.net/porsche911s/