Towing an Artic...

[Arif110]

Hi all,

I'm after any informed opinions out there - and before anyone alludes to my possible ignorance - yes I have seen how big the prop shaft of an articulated lorry's tractor part is!

Would a Toyota Landcruiser 120-Series be able to tow an artic with trailer, a short distance - both unladen, and fully loaded? Via the tow-ball.

Although this might on the one hand seem 'obviously no' - not so obvious when a man can pull a tractor part on his own (all be it in the World's Strongest Man contests).

Something wheeled, and on level ground - surely shouldn't pose any major risks if pulling away slowly in Low-First?

Also - in your opinion, would the transmission (on good, dry tarmac) - simply cause the wheels to skid (slowly, I add!) - if the car has in effect been tethered to something that might not want to move? Or would tyre traction pose enough resistance to cause damage to transmission, before they skidded?

I ask because I've passed a few lorries stuck and blocking the road, often causing massive tailbacks - when only a short distance away is somewhere they could have safely pulled over. If it was a car doing this, I'd offer a tow or push.

'Towing capacity' figures I'm completely disregarding here, as this would be a 'recovery' situation, and towing rates take brakes, clutch, practicality of actual journeying, and other things into account.


Arif

[Jem0911]

Have you seen the V10 Towrag pulling the 747 Jumbo.
I think they had to put five or so tonnes in the back to stop the wheels spinning.
Off to YouTube to watch it.

[Eggman]

A friend of mine once towed a fully laden artic off a roundabout with a 110 in low first, so I would have thought a Land Cruiser should be able to do the same. I have a feeling he used a kinetic rope to get it moving (or maybe just the stretch in a nylon recovery rope). I wouldn't trust one of those bits of blue string they sell as tow ropes, though.

[Arif110]

No! But that kind of confirms to me the 'ease' with which anything on wheels and good bearings should be able to be towed slowly.

With a V10 diesel in there, I'm sure the transmission is pretty heavy-duty - I'd like to think that a 120-Series Landcruiser's transmission would be just as hardy?

More input...!

[Arif110]

Sorry Eggman - your comment wasn't there when I posted! That's a brilliant anecdote, and exactly the kind of real-world confirmation I was after, that these sorts of things are possible, and are not necessarily putting the towing vehicle at any major risk of snapping anything. I know exactly what you mean about those Halfords towropes, though. Do you think a proper steel towing-bar would be up to the job? Here of course tonnage rating becomes extremely relevant, & I certainly wouldn't mind breaking one if it was a successful mission at the end. Their technical rating counts them out - but, come on - in this sort of situation - would pretty heavy-gauge metal really tear?

[scdan4]

have seen traffic plod towing artics clear on a motorway using a merc ML, so I say its bound to be fine.

Probably easier with someone elses vehicle than your own though!

[Arif110]

Brilliant Dan! I'm basically assured now. Just wait for my 'Toyota Landcruiser half-shafts - HOW MUCH?!?' thread now.

Does anyone know where I could go for decent towing equipment, better suited to this kind of thing? Even if it's just a decent grade of rope with two shackles.

I'm aware that if using the wrong sort of thing - something could ping off fast enough to hurt badly at a distance (if it was metal)

[Eggman]

I would go for a proper nylon recovery rope like you would use off road - something like this, and a pair of rated shackles. A bar, or one of those towing strap things isn't going to have the stretch you would need to overcome the inertia of a heavy vehicle.

You also need to take proper care of a rope if it's not to lose its strength and become unsafe; that means not using it for normal on-road recoveries where it'll drag on the road as it goes slack (get a strap for that kind of thing), keeping it clean and washing it when it gets muddy (the mud abrades it) and limiting its exposure to UV light, which will degrade it (mine lives in a zipped up toolbag).

Personally, I wouldn't pull an artic even though I occasionally carry the right stuff to have a go at it. I don't particularly want to risk finding the weakest link in my drivetrain to benefit a load of people I don't even know, so once I'm at the front of the queue that's me gone!

[JVaughan]

helped a 7tonne lorry with the jimny in the snow ... slight incline and the lorry just couldnt get traction.
small tug from the pint sized offroader in low ratio was just enough to keep it rolling ok.

[anonymous-user]

They can be towed fully loaded on the level or a slight gradient. But never on camera or whilst following 'procedures'

Edit. But if the brakes are locked on or the air is down it is neigh on impossible. Unless you know how the shunt button system works ?

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 26th January 23:25

[Arif110]

Eggman said:

...I don't particularly want to risk finding the weakest link in my drivetrain to benefit a load of people I don't even know, so once I'm at the front of the queue that's me gone!

LOL!! A very pragmatic approach, and that's where my mind is buddy - but my heart's back there - oh and actually - my ego, too!

[Arif110]

speedyguy said:

They can be towed fully loaded on the level or a slight gradient. But never on camera or whilst following 'procedures'

Edit. But if the brakes are locked on or the air is down it is neigh on impossible. Unless you know how the shunt button system works ?

Edited by speedyguy on Wednesday 26th January 23:25

Hmm - if his or her brakes were locked on - I'd offer to cut his lines for him, free of charge.

[Eggman]

Arif110 said:

LOL!! A very pragmatic approach, and that's where my mind is buddy - but my heart's back there - oh and actually - my ego, too!

I wouldn't be so bad if the weak point was a drive flange or a UJ; a little embarassing, maybe, but what if it turns out to be the input shaft splines of your gearbox or a diff? Nope - those suckers can sit in traffic all morning for all I care.

[anonymous-user]

Arif110 said:

speedyguy said:

They can be towed fully loaded on the level or a slight gradient. But never on camera or whilst following 'procedures'

Edit. But if the brakes are locked on or the air is down it is neigh on impossible. Unless you know how the shunt button system works ?

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 26th January 23:25

Hmm - if his or her brakes were locked on - I'd offer to cut his lines for him, free of charge.

Interesting .

As they are usually all air brakes and 'failsafe' to on. The handbrake won't even come off until the air is up .

You could offer to go under the trailer with a spanner and 'wind' them off if your that keen

[tb1880]

Interesting video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jhuKLrjJLg

This was using a tow rope rated to 12 tonnes and on a gravel surface.

[Lionsden]

There's a post about a Delica L300 towing a big truck up a hill in the snow on the owners club site... http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=171...
Biggest I've recovered is a LWB Transit Completely dug in, and that felt a breeze.

[twiglove]

As echoed above I think you will be fine. I have towed a curtain sided 53ft truck and trailer with 16tonnes on board (Don't know total combined weight) straight from my tow eyes I didn't get any footage of it unfortunately, as I forgot my video camera was in my pocket

[Sarge 4x4]

Pulled over 30 Artic's up the long off slip at J8 M25 in Surrey in my 110 with a full set of Pewag chains fitted, Highways Agency boys just sat and watched in their 120 Cruiser.

You are not pulling 40+ tons, you are just helping it along, if you know what I mean.

Andy.

[bigblock]

F = (CrrNff) where F is the rolling resistance force.


So the force required to move a static 40ton artic on a horizontal tarmac surface is 874ft/lbs.

[anonymous-user]

Sarge 4x4 said:

You are not pulling 40+ tons, you are just helping it along, if you know what I mean.

Many of us know what you mean

Sarge 4x4 said:

Pulled over 30 Artic's up the long off slip at J8 M25 in Surrey in my 110 with a full set of Pewag chains fitted, Highways Agency boys just sat and watched in their 120 Cruiser. Andy.

You will/get threatened with the bullet for such actions don't forget the office bods made up the 'procedures'

And the strap is rated at 3.5T as is the 'screw' Shackle (yes we have asked for quick release Karabiner's to enable quicker hook up and shifting on many occasions but they are not NM stamped even though the majority of pulling is cars).

Don't forget recovery bods/passing motorists and other staff members are quite happy to pass by and report you for clearing the carriageway 'outside' procedures .