RV towing a 928
02-05-2010, 06:46 PM
#16
Nordschleife Master
George,
An Al trailer for $950 is a SMOKIN' deal! I thought I got a good deal on my Big Tex...It was LIKE NEW for $1500 or something like that...the guys bought it to bring an airplane from WA to TX and that was IT...I paid like 1/2 of what they paid for it and it had what 2500 miles use on it?! NICE!
An Al trailer for $950 is a SMOKIN' deal! I thought I got a good deal on my Big Tex...It was LIKE NEW for $1500 or something like that...the guys bought it to bring an airplane from WA to TX and that was IT...I paid like 1/2 of what they paid for it and it had what 2500 miles use on it?! NICE!
02-05-2010, 09:42 PM
#17
Peter
I "A" frame flat tow a Suzuki SX4 manual behind my motorhome RV.
There are three basic towing arrangements currently available that maybe suitable for a manual 928:
1. "A" frame flat tow
2. Trailer, fixed or tilting, enclosed or open
3. Dolly Trailer, where front wheel are off the grouind on a swivel bed two wheel trailer.
1.I personally support the "A" frame flat towage option for a manual 928. If you go down this route you would need brackets to attach to the sub-frame of the 928, this could possibly be done by utilising the the towing stud receptical on the RHS front and manufacturing a similar receptical and welding it to the LHS. The towing brackets would need to be manufactured and could be screwed into either side and attached to a Roadmaster "A" frame or a Blue Ox "A" frame and this attached to the tow bar on your RV.
As these towing brackets would be connected to the "A" frame they would not have to be locked into the sub-frame towing recepticals. If you go this route then you may have to get an engineering approved certificate to state that the connections etc., meet the required towing standards. and your rig does not exceed the gross combined vehicle mass.
A braking system may have to be fitted to the 928 that is attached to the RV. My system uses a mechanical overide system (simple and effective), as the RV can tow a certain mass relative to the truck chassis. In my case my chassis is an ISUZU 7 ton truck chassis and the manufacture says that I can tow 2 tons unbraked, however one state authority has stated that towing over 750kg, gross vehicle mass I must have an breaking system.
The braking system , if required, can be mechanical, hydraulic or pnumatic. If you go for the air system, an air compressor need to be mounted in your RV. Roadmaster and Blue Ox sell overiding and pnumatic systems. Have a look at their web sites for more information.
You need to connect your electrics from the RV to the 928, so that the parking light, the stop lights, rear number plate lights and and your turn signal lights operate in conjunction with the RV. This can usually be achieved via the trailer electrical connector plug on the loom on the 928. If none is available on your car then you would have to splice into the electrical loom at a convenient place to connect. Some administrations require the reversing light to be connected, however, with flat tows you cannot reverse unless you disconnect the towed vehicle (when you reverse the front wheel will turn to full lock left or right). As you cannot reverse I did not fit reversing lights connections to the towed vehicle.
Some RVs are 24 volts, if yours is then you will need to fit a 24V to 12V converter, these are available especially in the truck industry as many trailers are 12V with the tractors 24V. You can make your own 24V to 12V by using relays, however you would have to attach it to your 928 12V system, but when you are towing you have not charge into the 928s battery - flat battery especially at night or fit a 24V to 12V converter to the truck and feed this power source into the relays.
My Suzuki, when being towed, the steering must be unlocked and this is achieved by turning the ignition key into the aux position, ensuring that all equipment is turned off. In this position the front wheel track behind the RV - simple. The Suzuki is designed for recreational towage and when the ignition is in the aux position the ODO meter does not register the distance travelled. I not sure that the 928 will do this, but a simple solution is disconnect the negative lead from the battery if the ODO meter is electronically driven. If it is mechanical then you can disconnect the bowden cable from the speedo, as the only moving mechanical parts are the wheels, drive shafts the transaxle and the output drive shaft in the manual box. When you are towing the manual box must be put in neutral.
Unfortunatetly the auto 928 or most auto boxes cannot be towed, however there are a few 4X4s that can be towed with auto boxes namely Suzukis and Jeeps fitted with a transfer case that can be put into neutral.
If you select the flat tow method then you can install a protection screen onto the "A" frame that will protect the 928 from stones etc. Some towing mechanisms fit a horizontal skirt under the "A" frame.
Imagine a 928 being flat towed - cool!
2. I don't like the fixed trailers or the tilting trailers as you have another piece of kit to take care of, registration/tax and to park when you get to you destination. If I went for a trailer, I would go for a tilt trailer fitted with boggies (4 wheels), but as we know there is not too much room the get the front onto the trailer table, so I could be a matter of reversing on. This could be the way also if you elected to go for a fixed trailer. Covered to open is your choice.
3. I do not like the dolly, however you could tow an auto if you towed the 928 with the back wheels on the dolly with the front wheel locked in the centre position. I have seen some damage done with dolly trailers when they have made a sharp turn, forward and reverse, as the swivel can allow the car to come into contact with the dolly trailer. Again as in 2 above the dolly trailer is another piece of kit.
I hope this helps.
Tails 1990 928S4 Auto
I "A" frame flat tow a Suzuki SX4 manual behind my motorhome RV.
There are three basic towing arrangements currently available that maybe suitable for a manual 928:
1. "A" frame flat tow
2. Trailer, fixed or tilting, enclosed or open
3. Dolly Trailer, where front wheel are off the grouind on a swivel bed two wheel trailer.
1.I personally support the "A" frame flat towage option for a manual 928. If you go down this route you would need brackets to attach to the sub-frame of the 928, this could possibly be done by utilising the the towing stud receptical on the RHS front and manufacturing a similar receptical and welding it to the LHS. The towing brackets would need to be manufactured and could be screwed into either side and attached to a Roadmaster "A" frame or a Blue Ox "A" frame and this attached to the tow bar on your RV.
As these towing brackets would be connected to the "A" frame they would not have to be locked into the sub-frame towing recepticals. If you go this route then you may have to get an engineering approved certificate to state that the connections etc., meet the required towing standards. and your rig does not exceed the gross combined vehicle mass.
A braking system may have to be fitted to the 928 that is attached to the RV. My system uses a mechanical overide system (simple and effective), as the RV can tow a certain mass relative to the truck chassis. In my case my chassis is an ISUZU 7 ton truck chassis and the manufacture says that I can tow 2 tons unbraked, however one state authority has stated that towing over 750kg, gross vehicle mass I must have an breaking system.
The braking system , if required, can be mechanical, hydraulic or pnumatic. If you go for the air system, an air compressor need to be mounted in your RV. Roadmaster and Blue Ox sell overiding and pnumatic systems. Have a look at their web sites for more information.
You need to connect your electrics from the RV to the 928, so that the parking light, the stop lights, rear number plate lights and and your turn signal lights operate in conjunction with the RV. This can usually be achieved via the trailer electrical connector plug on the loom on the 928. If none is available on your car then you would have to splice into the electrical loom at a convenient place to connect. Some administrations require the reversing light to be connected, however, with flat tows you cannot reverse unless you disconnect the towed vehicle (when you reverse the front wheel will turn to full lock left or right). As you cannot reverse I did not fit reversing lights connections to the towed vehicle.
Some RVs are 24 volts, if yours is then you will need to fit a 24V to 12V converter, these are available especially in the truck industry as many trailers are 12V with the tractors 24V. You can make your own 24V to 12V by using relays, however you would have to attach it to your 928 12V system, but when you are towing you have not charge into the 928s battery - flat battery especially at night or fit a 24V to 12V converter to the truck and feed this power source into the relays.
My Suzuki, when being towed, the steering must be unlocked and this is achieved by turning the ignition key into the aux position, ensuring that all equipment is turned off. In this position the front wheel track behind the RV - simple. The Suzuki is designed for recreational towage and when the ignition is in the aux position the ODO meter does not register the distance travelled. I not sure that the 928 will do this, but a simple solution is disconnect the negative lead from the battery if the ODO meter is electronically driven. If it is mechanical then you can disconnect the bowden cable from the speedo, as the only moving mechanical parts are the wheels, drive shafts the transaxle and the output drive shaft in the manual box. When you are towing the manual box must be put in neutral.
Unfortunatetly the auto 928 or most auto boxes cannot be towed, however there are a few 4X4s that can be towed with auto boxes namely Suzukis and Jeeps fitted with a transfer case that can be put into neutral.
If you select the flat tow method then you can install a protection screen onto the "A" frame that will protect the 928 from stones etc. Some towing mechanisms fit a horizontal skirt under the "A" frame.
Imagine a 928 being flat towed - cool!
2. I don't like the fixed trailers or the tilting trailers as you have another piece of kit to take care of, registration/tax and to park when you get to you destination. If I went for a trailer, I would go for a tilt trailer fitted with boggies (4 wheels), but as we know there is not too much room the get the front onto the trailer table, so I could be a matter of reversing on. This could be the way also if you elected to go for a fixed trailer. Covered to open is your choice.
3. I do not like the dolly, however you could tow an auto if you towed the 928 with the back wheels on the dolly with the front wheel locked in the centre position. I have seen some damage done with dolly trailers when they have made a sharp turn, forward and reverse, as the swivel can allow the car to come into contact with the dolly trailer. Again as in 2 above the dolly trailer is another piece of kit.
I hope this helps.
Tails 1990 928S4 Auto
02-05-2010, 10:02 PM
#18
I've towed a 928 for some distance on a car dolly. You need to back the rear wheels on the dolly so the front wheels are on the ground. Make sure the steering wheels is locked in place and the steering wheel is tied down so it can't move. I used some independently wired brake/turn signal indicators and attached them to the front of the car so it would be nice and legal going down the interstate.
