tici

iTrader: (1)

My car is sitting on a parking lot - I think the clutch hydraulics are gone.
How can I tow it?
Over here (Switzerland) we don't have the same towing trucks as in North America. Usually we tow the cars using an elastic rope. Here cars usually have a hook or something in the front for this kind of jobs.

GM says to use T-Hooks. Can I use them to tow the car orthey are just to pull the car on a trailer?

Thanks!

Stefano

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

If you're not towing a long distance, you could wrap your tow strap around the front lower control arm. That's not the best way, but would help you for a short tow.

Thule

i know your pane.. us cars never have the tow hooks whe are used to,

i just hook around the sway bar,

tici

iTrader: (1)

I can fabricate something like the T-hooks GM is talking about.
Is that a good idea to use them?
The problem is that the slots for those hooks are located pretty far away from the front of the car

Thule

i've seen those on few F-boddys here at iceland, its fine, and best of all, the car is able to be towed

8a8mfh

iTrader: (3)

I wouldn't use a T-hook because the hole for it is too far back.
Best to use a rope or strap around the sway bar, and maybe take the air dam off.

tici

iTrader: (1)

Yep, the air dam is too low... I'll have to remove it. Thak you for the hint!
The car is parked outside and here is raining - what for a nice job!!!

The sway bar looks pretty practical for this job, I just wonder if it's strong enough. Well, the bar itself is strong, but it hangs on few small bolts.

OK guys, let me try and I'll let you know how it worked out.

Towing is just the 1st problem: I then have to remove the tranny, clutch, hydraulics... rebuild the tranny (that was planned but not for now)... WTF!

Greetings fron Switzerland - to US, Iceland and all the other nations present on the forum

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Right back at you! Good luck with your towing and mechanical work.

alexc

u dont have to tow your car if you have no hydraulics. i've done it a couple times, you just have to syncro mesh the gears and no clutch needed.

8a8mfh

iTrader: (3)

I did that way back in '89 with an old '75 nova, the Z-bar broke, thats what I get for using a pressure plate out of a 2 ton BBC dump truck.

It works, maybe tough on the starter and city driving was a pain in the ***.
I've known at least one guy though that had a hydraulic clutch fail, it got stuck with the clutch disengaged somehow.

tici

iTrader: (1)

How do you start from a stop? 1st gear engaged, then start the car?
How risky is that for the tranny? How easy is that to guess the rpm whil shifting without clutch?

8a8mfh

iTrader: (3)

To start from a stop with no clutch operation you would need to push the pedal down to operate the neutral safety switch, or just find the switch and find a way to keep it depressed.

Then with the engine off put it in first gear, turn the key. Hopefully your starter and battery are good enough to move the car enough to where it'll start in gear and go.

When driving look way ahead and try not to stop so you don't have to start it like this again.

To shift you just need to get the rpm of the engine to match the rpm of the trans, when you take it out of gear it should be easy-no force required. Then you can press very lightly into the next gear and feel the teeth on the synchros, you feel it though the shifter. You can usually adjust throttle/rpm to allow it to engage. You will fell the shifter moving faster or slower, if you've ever been into a manual trans you can picture whats taking place.
All shifting should be done while the car is right between acceleration and deceleration.
The trans should be safe as long as you don't force the shifter out of gear or into gear.

It might help if you have another manual trans vehicle to practice on first.

SizzlR239

tow strap