2007 V8 Vantage 4.3
Discussion
Hi All,
I’ve recently bought a 2007 V8 Vantage 4.3
Getting it into my garage I’ve got to reverse up a 45ft drive, which has a steep slope. My drive is quite narrow so can’t get fast enough to disengage the clutch. By the time it’s at the top it’s stinking of clutch. Haven’t got the option to drive up the drive way. In the last 1000 miles it’s had an AMR twin plate clutch so don’t really want to burn it out.
I’ve been thinking of bolting a winch into the garage to pull it up. Is there anywhere on the rear to connect a winch line?
Thanks
James
I’ve recently bought a 2007 V8 Vantage 4.3
Getting it into my garage I’ve got to reverse up a 45ft drive, which has a steep slope. My drive is quite narrow so can’t get fast enough to disengage the clutch. By the time it’s at the top it’s stinking of clutch. Haven’t got the option to drive up the drive way. In the last 1000 miles it’s had an AMR twin plate clutch so don’t really want to burn it out.
I’ve been thinking of bolting a winch into the garage to pull it up. Is there anywhere on the rear to connect a winch line?
Thanks
James
What you describe is the worst case scenario for these cars - and have correctly identified that you are going to destroy your clutch - if you are smelling it, damage is already being done. Is it a full manual or SS?
Why can't you drive up and reverse back down using gravity and the brakes ?
On the use of a winch, anything is possible, but what a hassle that would be not only to fit a hook or towbar to the rear of the car, then buy and install a winch and mess around using it every time you want to put the car away. You'd likely soon get sick of that.
Though no AM other than DBX is engineered to be fitted with a towbar and tow anything, some have fitted towbars to AM cars, and even towed caravans, even the Vantage, as evidenced here:
https://youtu.be/Co-NRcJ_NmI?si=6a3_Nk78_XZ1MrqL
There's other online stuff you can find where even AM themselves have done it as a publicity stunt, with a Rapide IIRC.
Others have fitted towbars purely for more light duties, as bike rack mounting points, there was a chap on PH called Maverick who used his DB9 this way some years back.
So while all is possible (and will cost), if it's not factory an insurance company is likely to take a dim view of anything affecting structural integrity even if it's only used to winch a car up a drive.
IMHO money would be better spent widening the drive if that's the only reason you can't drive up and reverse down.
Why can't you drive up and reverse back down using gravity and the brakes ?
On the use of a winch, anything is possible, but what a hassle that would be not only to fit a hook or towbar to the rear of the car, then buy and install a winch and mess around using it every time you want to put the car away. You'd likely soon get sick of that.
Though no AM other than DBX is engineered to be fitted with a towbar and tow anything, some have fitted towbars to AM cars, and even towed caravans, even the Vantage, as evidenced here:
https://youtu.be/Co-NRcJ_NmI?si=6a3_Nk78_XZ1MrqL
There's other online stuff you can find where even AM themselves have done it as a publicity stunt, with a Rapide IIRC.
Others have fitted towbars purely for more light duties, as bike rack mounting points, there was a chap on PH called Maverick who used his DB9 this way some years back.
So while all is possible (and will cost), if it's not factory an insurance company is likely to take a dim view of anything affecting structural integrity even if it's only used to winch a car up a drive.
IMHO money would be better spent widening the drive if that's the only reason you can't drive up and reverse down.
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 10th November 11:19
Calinours said:
What you describe is the worst case scenario for these cars - and have correctly identified that you are going to destroy your clutch - if you are smelling it, damage is already being done. Is it a full manual or SS?
Why can't you drive up and reverse back down using gravity and the brakes ?
I agree completely with Calinours. Why can't you drive up and reverse back down using gravity and the brakes ?
If my college Physics courses meant anything, and depending on the slope of the driveway, the impact on the clutch disc, if you do this even occasionally, you will quickly destroy it. Without seeing the actual driveway, and if it were mine, I would be looking at any options to driving it in that way; and even going forward, depending on how you have to control or feather the throttle, could be almost as bad as backing it in.
It is an interesting challenge from what you describe.
I thought about if it was possible to make a rig using wheel skates, the ones that fit round the wheel then have hydraulic jack to lift them off ground.
I have to be honest this led me to think what a hassle each and every time you wanted to take your Aston out, but it’d be the almost same hassle if just winching.
It also led me to consider what would happen if the winch chain /rope failed, my guess is it wouldn’t be good news as you’d have to have car in neutral with handbrake off to winch.
My V8V N400 manual hates reversing, and hates any turning with reversing even more, it’ll often stall as an example unless you put more power which runs risk of burning clutch. It’s much more controllable going forward, guess it depends on the incline of course.
I agree with others, would be better to drive forwards into garage and reverse out and down or modify drive at top to suit better and allow turning to reverse there.
I have to be honest this led me to think what a hassle each and every time you wanted to take your Aston out, but it’d be the almost same hassle if just winching.
It also led me to consider what would happen if the winch chain /rope failed, my guess is it wouldn’t be good news as you’d have to have car in neutral with handbrake off to winch.
My V8V N400 manual hates reversing, and hates any turning with reversing even more, it’ll often stall as an example unless you put more power which runs risk of burning clutch. It’s much more controllable going forward, guess it depends on the incline of course.
I agree with others, would be better to drive forwards into garage and reverse out and down or modify drive at top to suit better and allow turning to reverse there.
Edited by Apollya on Sunday 10th November 12:05
Hi All,
Thanks for the reply’s
It’s a manual gear box. There’s not enough room at the entrance of the drive way to drive it up. It’s not an option to modify the entrance or width of my driveway either.
I know it’s going to be a hassle winching it into the garage, 1.4 meters a minute is about as fast as the can go. I can get a wireless remote winch, so can sit in the car as it goes up the driveway just in case the line breaks.
I was hoping there was a section behind the rear number plate to screw a toeing eye into. I can fabricate a base plate and install the winch into the garage, that sounds like it’s going to be the easy part.
Thanks for the reply’s
It’s a manual gear box. There’s not enough room at the entrance of the drive way to drive it up. It’s not an option to modify the entrance or width of my driveway either.
I know it’s going to be a hassle winching it into the garage, 1.4 meters a minute is about as fast as the can go. I can get a wireless remote winch, so can sit in the car as it goes up the driveway just in case the line breaks.
I was hoping there was a section behind the rear number plate to screw a toeing eye into. I can fabricate a base plate and install the winch into the garage, that sounds like it’s going to be the easy part.
WelshJames said:
I’ve recently bought a 2007 V8 Vantage 4.3
Getting it into my garage I’ve got to reverse up a 45ft drive, which has a steep slope. My drive is quite narrow so can’t get fast enough to disengage the clutch. By the time it’s at the top it’s stinking of clutch. Haven’t got the option to drive up the drive way. In the last 1000 miles it’s had an AMR twin plate clutch so don’t really want to burn it out. ...
Getting it into my garage I’ve got to reverse up a 45ft drive, which has a steep slope. My drive is quite narrow so can’t get fast enough to disengage the clutch. By the time it’s at the top it’s stinking of clutch. Haven’t got the option to drive up the drive way. In the last 1000 miles it’s had an AMR twin plate clutch so don’t really want to burn it out. ...
I have a solution that will completely solve your difficulty.
Buy a used Tesla. They are very cheap now.
Cut away most of the body, to create a flatbed.
Attach temporary ramps
Drive your Vantage forwards on to the flat bed.
Then just follow the instructions as shown in this video.
Simple.
Your twin plate clutch will then the last for many thousands of miles.
https://youtu.be/nh4nOSPBtNA?si=sPBuoczhfJ589pEx
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