I'm looking for a vehicle under 750kg to tow behind my motorhome. Question: can I tow a Suzuki Alto on an A frame without damaging it? The one I'm looking at is manual and non air bagged. Thanks
toyboy3,
May 24, 6:55pm
Only if the engine is running otherwise save up for a new gearbox
pettal,
May 24, 7:24pm
why would towing a manual stuff the gearbox ? .
raf4,
May 24, 7:30pm
I understand that if its manual and in neutral it would be ok to tow. It is that I would like to have confirmed. Cheers
toyboy3,
May 24, 7:34pm
How are the bearings going to get lubrication if the gears aren't turning to lubricate the bearings that is why I mentioned keep the engine running
slarty45,
May 24, 8:26pm
I would have no worries towing an Alto in neutral with motor off. The diff and output shaft rotating will splash the lube around inside the small case.
msigg,
May 24, 8:26pm
Check on the motor home sites as these guys are in the know and do have suzuki's with A frames, not sure which model, i think the 4x4. google is your friend.
toyboy3,
May 24, 8:30pm
The gears are not turning when towed just the shafts are turning , until the engine is running
msigg,
May 24, 8:38pm
I have seen myself a gearbox that was stuffed from A framing, It does happen, as said ask the motor home people, they are in the no, there is also regulation that stipulate the ages of the vehicles that you can and cannot put a a frame attatchment on, in the states they use jeeps, here i don't think so.
tweake,
May 24, 9:48pm
i don't know with alto gearbox but ones i know of half of the gearbox still spins when towed, even in neutral. also did i read somewhere some front wheel drive gearboxes use engine oil for the gearbox and require engine running to pump oil through the gearbox. something to check.
those little Suzuki 4x4's are a hot favorite for being towed. they have transfer box which has a proper neutral position so gearbox doesn't get turned at all when being towed.
slarty45,
May 24, 9:59pm
that be because gears are part of both the input & output shafts the sliding of the floating gears one way or the other is how the ratios are selected
on my 3 cylinder 2009-2014 model Alto, the gearbag shares oil with diff
201,
May 24, 10:15pm
I see dozens of vehicles getting towed past my workplace each year behind buses, etc and know of owners who have towed utes behind their heavy trucks every week. If its a manual no problem, automatic - definitely a no-no!
raf4,
May 24, 11:31pm
Refresh
frank1,
May 25, 12:44am
No problem with towing manual in neutral,the gearbox spigot shaft is still turning and in turn is driving the cluster gear,so oil is still being thrown around in the gearbox to lubricate gears,regardless of being FWD
toyboy3,
May 25, 1:06am
I think you have never looked in a gearbox with that last comment. Could you explain how the bearing number 457 and the bushes 466, 468 are lubricated when the car is being towed and the engine isn't running and the main shaft is turning and all gears stationary and oil sitting at the bottom of the box https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/385489143.jpg
aj254,
May 25, 1:18am
https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/385491854.jpg I have heard people saying you should stop and run your car's engine to splash oil all through the gearbox. (Not my pic, I just googled "can I tow a suzuki alto on an a-frame")
slarty45,
May 25, 1:22am
lubricated with oil being splashed around?
I started my mechanical trade end of 75 ($26 a week) had a few clusters out too, mcycle car tractor truck
aj254,
May 25, 1:28am
Um isn't that a rear wheel drive gearbox? So it won't have a diff spinning in the housing like a fwd gearbox.
jmma,
May 25, 1:40am
Constant mesh gearbox, nothing more to say (o:
slarty45,
May 25, 2:10am
the output shaft has gears from large to small just like input shaft if the output shaft was just a bare shaft the car would have NO drive
tony9,
May 25, 2:24am
A key requirement is that any frontal impact protection is not impacted by the addition of the towing points. Unless you get an LVV cert for the modifications it means the towed vehicle will be first registered before 1999.
tony9,
May 25, 2:29am
Yes, In pretty much all manual gearboxes OP would consider, either the layshaft and/or the larger gear in the final drive is going to be pulling oil up and throwing it around. In both cases these gears will be turning if the vehicle in moving. If the vehicle is out of gear and the engine not running, only the input shaft will not be turning (and maybe the reverse idler). The input shaft will have no impact on oil distribution.
raf4,
May 26, 4:23am
Lots of good info here but so conflicting I'm hesitant to make a decision as I can't differentiate those who know from those with an u knowledgable opinion. Thankyou all so much for your input. Tony
toyboy3,
Sep 11, 5:28am
Have a look at the picture I put up note that the cluster gear is in constant mesh with the input shaft which is driven by the engine if it isn't turning The gears are not turning just the main shaft is turning and the oil is sitting in the bottom of the box . Now see that the bearing 457 isn't getting any lubrication = hot bearing
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