How do you tow a Westfield

[Rory's Dad]

As above really.  Needed a tow home after chamfering my oil filter     .  Thus far, just £20 quid for a new filter and 5L of oil from Halfords.  Took the nose off and tied the tow rope in a loop from OSF of chassis through the tow hook on the tintop back to the NSF.  

On going round a steepish corner one rope was pulled onto the radiator which lost its plastic mounts and dropped all the coolant - that's going to be £50 extra to replace the rad I expect.    

So, how do you tow your Westy??

Rory's Dad

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I've fixed a lifting eye bolt through the nose cone bracket.  I've not had to tow with it yet but It's worked ok for winching the Westie on and off the trailer and clears the nose ok so I don't have to strip the front end apart every time.

[BigDaveUK]

From the cage.  only really any use if you have a cage though i guess!!  

[Tim Reid]

I've fixed a lifting eye bolt through the nose cone bracket.  I've not had to tow with it yet but It's worked ok for winching the Westie on and off the trailer and clears the nose ok so I don't have to strip the front end apart every time.

An interesting option. I would have thought it would be fine for winching but won't want the risk of towing. There are much higher stresses and if that lets go it will take the nose (or part of it) off too! IMHO

I have been winched using straps on both bottom wish bones connected together. Personally I wouldn't tow without a cage and so find a local car transporter. I paid £70 for a 2 hour round trip and no worry about causing damage.

[Rory's Dad]

I think Smokey's Idea is fine for winching but not for towing.  Bolting an angle under the front cross member with a towing eye might be better  

Rory's Dad

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I've fixed a lifting eye bolt through the nose cone bracket.  I've not had to tow with it yet but It's worked ok for winching the Westie on and off the trailer and clears the nose ok so I don't have to strip the front end apart every time.

An interesting option. I would have thought it would be fine for winching but won't want the risk of towing. There are much higher stresses and if that lets go it will take the nose (or part of it) off too! IMHO

the two bolts holding the nose cone bracket on are M6 and these pass through sleeves which are welded into the front lower cross member to stop the box tube from being crushed, the nose cone bracket itself is 3mm steel.  

Whist towing the bolts would be acting in shear, and doing a quick calculation taking account of any snatch loads for the rope, the 2-bolts are still more than capable of moving a load of up to 2000kg from rest.  If any failure of the set-up were to occur thus would more likely be to the chassis tube and no different to if a single rope were looped around the tube in the centre.

The towing eye on my tin-top is only a loop of 6mm steel and probably of a much lower tensile strength than an 8.8 grade bolt.  

[Rory's Dad]

I stand corrected  

Rory's Dad

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I stand corrected  

Rory's Dad

No worries   I studied Mechanical Engineering at univeristy and used to design equiptment for high-G shock , It's suprising how much we (myself included) overdesign because something doesn't look man enough for the job.

Theres nothing wrong with your idea though.  Indeed a short piece of steel angle attached to the front chassis rail would assist in spreading any load to the node points of the chassis, this would then remove any risk of bending the rail, which in an extreme case could happen with my arrangement of towing from the centre bracket.

[The Seer]

When towing the rope doesn't foul the underside of the nose cone when taught?

Thinking about this mod myself, I've a ducted nose cone. Don't like the idea of removing it for towing purposes.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

When towing the rope doesn't foul the underside of the nose cone when taught?

Thinking about this mod myself, I've a ducted nose cone. Don't like the idea of removing it for towing purposes.

No, I checked that for clearance but because I have the number plate under my nose that is a potential issue but easy to remove.  

I also only ever fix the rope to the tow bar on by tin-top for towing which probably helps a little.

With resonable breakdown cover I hopefully would never have to tow the car too far, the loop is intended more for winching a broken down car onto the back of the AA/RAC''s recovery truck or a trailer.