[TR] Info. on Towing a Spitfire

[Dave1massey at cs.com]

I wonder how many of these success stories were cars equipped with 
overdrive. The problem with flat towing is the oil doesn't get distributed if the 
gears are not turning but if the transmission is equipped with an overdrive 
the planetary gear assembly turns and will fling oil about and perhaps a 
sufficient amount will find its way into the main gear cluster thus saving it 
from self destruction.

Just a hypothesis.

Dave

In a message dated 11/27/2013 11:47:52 AM Central Standard Time, 
levilevi at comcast.net writes: 
> This was somewhat of a mixed bag.
> The majority said the transmission would suffer if oil wasn't being  
> flung onto the gears.
> I got no reports of anyone having an actual problem with a  
> transmission not being lubricated when flat towing. But maybe I just  
> haven't heard from those folks.
> I had some folks say they'd flat towed British cars many miles without  
> an issue. In some cases they'd flat towed all over the country.
> Some said that since the gears weren't under load that the lubrication  
> from the oil sloshing around in the case was enough.
> Some recommended a Remco driveshaft disconnect coupling (there are  
> very few others out there). The cost of one including modifying the  
> driveshaft would be much more than a replacement Spit tranny.
> Many said just trailer it or use a car dolly with the car backwards  
> and the steering wheel strapped down. But I'm lazy and looking for the  
> quick easy way of just  reducing the process to hooking/unhooking the  
> two bolts on the tow bar at the car.
> My idea of locking the clutch in the disengaged position with the  
> gearbox in 4th gear was met with distain and suspicion.  Too many  
> things (clutch MC or slave) could fail and cause problems.