Towing with a Toyota Supra (scorpion stepped hull owner)

gtflash · 19 June 2006, 21:31

saw a scorpion stepped hull rib down lymington couple of weeks ago, i believe its owned by family member of will nurse?? (called slipstream i believe)

Anyway the guy tows it with a toyota supra and i cant find any tow data for it, so wondered if it was a home made towbar and if so the legalities of it!!!

I Looked at nice car other day but cant find any tow data for it so presumed it would be illegal to with it. It would pull an average boat no trouble.

Anyone know him or the law? (not pc plod)!

Ta gt

Roy Smith · 19 June 2006, 22:38

We have a 8.1 Scorpion and on any thing other than a dry slip i cant think that you would have enough grip with a car, we launch at Northney and i need to use low range on our 4X4.

ADS · 20 June 2006, 13:18

I would think you can have a towbar made up for most things. Watch out for cars like the Mini Cooper S and the new Astra VXR both have centre exit exhausts, not sure where the towbar would go!
Those Supras are highly tuneable, I confess to having read Max Power on the odd occasion and theres some putting out over 700bhp

Could pull the wight link out with that!

codprawn · 20 June 2006, 13:36

Had a really big fright in a Supra. Mate of mine is a pretty good driver and has done some drag racing - only he's not used to turbocharged autos. Turned off traction control and did a standing start burnout in a 500bhp Supra. We were fine until the 2nd turbo kicked in - the back end came around so quick we ended up heading backwards towards a lorry trailer - at about 70mph. Stopped about 10" away - not funny!!! A manual would have been ok - he could have just dipped the clutch but no chance in an auto - he should have locked it into gear to stop kickdown.

tcwozere · 20 June 2006, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

I would think you can have a towbar made up for most things. Watch out for cars like the Mini Cooper S and the new Astra VXR both have centre exit exhausts, not sure where the towbar would go!

The best place for a towbar on any Astra, is at the front.. Would make recovering them when they have broken down a lot easier..

Matt · 20 June 2006, 14:49

Joking aside, on a fwd car a front towbar gives you loads more grip for launching/recovering.

Hugh Jardon · 20 June 2006, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

he should have locked it into gear to stop kickdown.

on all the autos i have had the "locking in gear" stops it going above that gear but will still kick down, i believe it is like that as a safety feature

Andy_Rs600 · 20 June 2006, 16:18

Be carefull about the whole "home made towbar" thing. The current law, as i understand it from my sister who's in the police, is that the only legal towbars are those certified for the car. Legal means legal to have fitted, so you can't argue that you just aren't using it! Thus every vehicle has a list of towbars that can be fitted, and if you have anything other attached to the vehilce you're breaking the law.

Having said that, it is highly unlikely anyone (in the police) would ever check, or know what they were looking for (my sis had to look up the information, she didn't know it!). However, there are apparently some cars that have NO listed towbars, making any tow hitch of any kind illegal on them. She did know these off by heart, although the only one i can remeber was the Audi TT.

p.s. if you want a sports/tow car, buy a Subaru Legacy 3.0Rn Auto or a Forester 2.5 XT Auto. Both 0-60 in about 6 seconds, both legal to tow 2000kgs, but will pull much more. Both 4wd with limited slip read diff. Seen a 2.5 Legacy, (owned by above metioned traffic policewoman) pull a 7.5tonne horsebox across a field.

Mark Halliday · 20 June 2006, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_Rs600

Be carefull about the whole "home made towbar" thing. The current law, as i understand it from my sister who's in the police, is that the only legal towbars are those certified for the car. Legal means legal to have fitted, so you can't argue that you just aren't using it! Thus every vehicle has a list of towbars that can be fitted, and if you have anything other attached to the vehilce you're breaking the law.

Is this for all ageed vehicles or just post 2002 (?) or when ever it was that you had to have some fancy removeable Eurocrat approved hitch?
Interested because I am just about to stick my old home made hitch from my Rangy onto the front of my '96 Disco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_Rs600

Seen a 2.5 Legacy, (owned by above metioned traffic policewoman) pull a 7.5tonne horsebox across a field.

Was it speeding or summut? Some coppers will go to any lengths to pull somebody.

Rogue Wave · 21 June 2006, 10:03

I hate auto's

codprawn · 21 June 2006, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I hate auto's

They are fine as long as matched to the right engine - don't tend to suit older diesels.

They are horrible if you just leave them in D - drive them like a clutchless manual and they are fine.

Nick Hearne · 21 June 2006, 13:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I hate auto's

I love my auto, just stick it in drive put your foot on the gas & off you go!

No need to play around with the hand brake!

Andy_Rs600 · 21 June 2006, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Halliday

Is this for all ageed vehicles or just post 2002 (?) or when ever it was that you had to have some fancy removeable Eurocrat approved hitch?

Good question, i'd ask VOSA.