Well aground

oldharry said:
Just cos you can drive it at 70 doesnt mean you can tow it at 70. Seen that too often in the caravan world too. Once the tail starts to wag the dog you really do have to know what you are doing....
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I have not yet towed our DF920. We had a Corsair F27 before, and did maybe 3 or 4000 miles with it behind our LR discovery and a Subaru Legacy. Never went over about 55, we knew where the limit was. Though we picked the F27 up from a shed on a chicken farm in Northamtonshire. Bought it from a guy who towed it with a Chrysler Jeep. He looked at my Legacy and actually said ‘seriously?’ In a sneering tone. One of the farm hands spoke up, saying ‘the Mistress took 4 cows to market with hers last week’. The tow home was incident free.
How about this one.
IMG_4091.jpeg
Doing about 75mph. Outside lane, seemingly not a care in the world. Towed by a medium size people carrier. An F150 would have been more the mark. Photo by Mrs Chiara in the passenger seat.
 
I've towed things a good few times, and had a bit of oscillation that I controlled by the simple expedient of slowing down and holding everything straight. It's when you try to control it with the steering wheel that things get exciting.

I find that a well-developed sense of cowardice and one's own mortality is a major contributor to one's safety on the road as well as on the water
 
I was towing an empty E boat trailer on a dual carriage way when a Volvo pulled out behind me and not seeing the trailer clipped it sending the whole rig weaving down the road. I tell you my sphincter gripped the car seat so hard I shook for a good while afterwards.

Pulled over, no real damage done thankfully just embarrassment and new pants
 
boomerangben said:
I was towing an empty E boat trailer on a dual carriage way when a Volvo pulled out behind me and not seeing the trailer clipped it sending the whole rig weaving down the road. I tell you my sphincter gripped the car seat so hard I shook for a good while afterwards.

Pulled over, no real damage done thankfully just embarrassment and new pants
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I had something similar happen to me with an empty Mirror trailer, fortunately at fairly low speed. The miscreant disappeared PDQ, and I had no serious damage.

After that, I rigged a way of raising the light board a couple of feet.
 
Towing a Fairey Atalanta back from St Tropez a long time ago, We worked out that the safe speed was about 55mpg. The guy in the front passenger seat was supposed to keep an eye on the speed. we rotated drivers every two hours. So. The driver let it go over the limit and, a bit late the 'co driver' pointed it out... so he lifted off. It started a wag that used up the whole autoroute, including the hard shoulder...
Wagging the steering wheel canceled out the problem.. but, it was close to a roll over...and we were in an Austin Champ. So no chance...
I found out later, that while we were trying to get to the the ferry on time, in the Brittany hills, as long as you kept the power on, you could exceed the 'wag' speed .. But loose it on the uphill bits.. Ups and downs.
Interesting trip...
 
zoidberg said:
54340490625_809e2040ab_c.jpg


Our friends at National Highways have recoverd the boat. I understand they're preparing a claim for salvage...
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Quite impressed how well they strapped the mast on
 
It makes you realise why new drivers have to take another test to tow bigger loads. Us old gits have grandfather rights. Best make sure we don’t abuse them or we’ll be needing to take that test too.
 
Chiara’s slave said:
It makes you realise why new drivers have to take another test to tow bigger loads. Us old gits have grandfather rights. Best make sure we don’t abuse them or we’ll be needing to take that test too.
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Since 2021 trailer test no longer required unless towing over 3500kg MAM.
 
DownWest said:
Towing a Fairey Atalanta back from St Tropez a long time ago, We worked out that the safe speed was about 55mpg. The guy in the front passenger seat was supposed to keep an eye on the speed. we rotated drivers every two hours. So. The driver let it go over the limit and, a bit late the 'co driver' pointed it out... so he lifted off. It started a wag that used up the whole autoroute, including the hard shoulder...
Wagging the steering wheel canceled out the problem.. but, it was close to a roll over...and we were in an Austin Champ. So no chance...
I found out later, that while we were trying to get to the the ferry on time, in the Brittany hills, as long as you kept the power on, you could exceed the 'wag' speed .. But loose it on the uphill bits.. Ups and downs.
Interesting trip...
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Austin Champ: I have told similar tales, but in my case of the MODs black museum of dead landrovers that have been rolled in the Falklands.
Once you have seen several parked up in a line, at best crushed flat with the doors/tub/bulkhead, you won't be bragging about your supposed 3.5T towing limit quite so loudly. No roll over protection whatsoever.
The multinational quarry company near here nowadays fit "exoskelton" type roll bars to the few Landies that have not been replaced by Hiluxes.
 
seeSimon said:
Austin Champ: I have told similar tales, but in my case of the MODs black museum of dead landrovers that have been rolled in the Falklands.
Once you have seen several parked up in a line, at best crushed flat with the doors/tub/bulkhead, you won't be bragging about your supposed 3.5T towing limit quite so loudly. No roll over protection whatsoever.
The multinational quarry company near here nowadays fit "exoskelton" type roll bars to the few Landies that have not been replaced by Hiluxes.
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Fast jet RAF friend told me that they used Champs for rallys, but gave up due to them being prone to roll-overs.
Unlike a Land Rover, they had a bit of poke, independant suspension all round and rack and pinion steering, so were good fun to drive. Five gears with a F-N-R lever between the seats. So as fast backwards as forwards. I put the screen down one time just to see how quick and managed a bit over 90 mph. Wasn't dumb enough to try that in reverse... Driving in London, even the taxis steered clear...
Bought it just for the towing trip. 14mpg in normal driving wasn't sustainable, even on 2 star. Sold it on for twice what I paid after the trip. That sounds good..but £45 (out of a farmers field) and £90 after. 1969.. Happy memories..
 
seeSimon said:
Austin Champ: I have told similar tales, but in my case of the MODs black museum of dead landrovers that have been rolled in the Falklands.
Once you have seen several parked up in a line, at best crushed flat with the doors/tub/bulkhead, you won't be bragging about your supposed 3.5T towing limit quite so loudly. No roll over protection whatsoever.
The multinational quarry company near here nowadays fit "exoskelton" type roll bars to the few Landies that have not been replaced by Hiluxes.
Click to expand...
You didn’t mention the oversize gully’s either side of some of the roads that the army engineers mistakenly built. Oversize gully’s plus squaddy drivers pratting about equals rolled lightweight Landrover Wolf.

I’ve towed several tonnes with my (sadly now sold) Landrover Defender 90 and it was steady as can be.
 
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