ferguson_tom Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Hi Everyone Just looking for some advice, we are looking to modify the front tow bar on my Kia Sorento (older 2.5CRD) so that we can fit the A-frame and tow it with our steam roller. We currently do it with my brothers land rover discovery but always good to have another car we can do it with. However.... My kia is automatic and has an electronic 4x4 system thingy. There are plenty of opinions on line about towing an auto for recovery and general opinion its is fine as long as you dont do it for long and keep below a certain speed. We normally go about 25 miles in a day on the roller with an average speed of 4mph sometimes up to 6mph...I know really motoring. I am pretty sure it will be fine but just looking for other peoples opinions. Many thanks, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 From what I have read you should be ok, i believe it's a maximum of 30 miles at 10mph which is because the gearbox pump doesn't work with the engine not running, not sure if towing it in neutral with the. Engine on tickover would be a sensible or really stupid suggestion to make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sx3 clay breaker Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I think there's a fuse to pull to disable the 4x4 whenever we have to recover 4x4s at work it either full lift or prop,off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I was always told never to tow an automatic, let alone a permanent 4 wheel drive one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carman06 Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I thought towing privately with those a-frames was not legal unless for recovery purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I thought towing privately with those a-frames was not legal unless for recovery purposes. You can tow with them legally but, if it isn't a breakdown then the towed vehicle counts as a trailer and needs to be braked. This is expensive to do and alot of hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the advice, the 4x4 system isn't too much of a worry as the car will be being towed with the engine off so the electronics shouldnt be on. At such low speeds I dont think there should be a problem, when we stop for lunch etc i will start the engine to pump oil about a bit. Supposedly all our trailers should have overrun brakes but this is not practical or required due to the weight and age of the roller, it is a somewhat grey area as laws have been made without steam engines in mind (surprising i know) and no one is willing to give a definitive answer however the general advice from the powers that be is use a bit of common sense and have a secondary coupling should the main one fail which all our trailers do have in the form of either a chain or similar. Edited June 30, 2015 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wouldn't it just be easier to buy/hire a suitably sized trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Can you fit ABS to the steam engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Can you fit free wheeling hubs, that would stop it turning the drive shafts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 The bloke who lives in our street tows a small car behind his motorhome.(he is the MD of armitage trailers) He also sells the "A" frames and when he sold one to my mate he gave him a load of leaflets in different languages because the police in this country and abroad don't know the rules. The "A" frame is connected to the cars breaking system and lights so you don't use a trailer board. I would say a large trailer as someone has suggested would be the way to go with a 4x4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Thanks for the ideas gents but we are already towing my brothers landrover on the a frame and all works well. My question was about being automatic and towing it. Not looking at trailers etc as we know this works with minimal aggregation as for going on braking system etc not a problem for us as do not need the brakes to slow us down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I thought towing an auto over couple of miles ******* it up. As mentioned before might be worth checking out some free wheeling hubs to save winding the transmission up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marki Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Ask Kia? http://www.kia.co.uk/owners/customer-services.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Marki thanks for pointing out the obvious which I didn't think about, I got a very nice response back from Kia and have confirmed all should be fine for towing behind the roller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted July 6, 2015 Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 You would probably be able to buy a used car trailer for less than the cost of repairing the 4x4 Auto should the hunch prove to be wrong. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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