On 08/10/2011 13:19, NT wrote:
On Oct 8, 11:25 am, wrote:
On Fri, 7 Oct 2011 11:37:11 -0700 (PDT)



wrote:
On Oct 7, 4:24 pm, wrote:
In ,
The Natural wrote:

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article
o.uk, Dave
wrote:
The big snag is most vehicles have both power steering and
brakes. One being towed with the engine stopped will have
neither.

Well it will, I don't think a vechicle that had absolutely no
steering or brakes without the engine running would be allowed
on the road.

Neither *power* steering or brakes. Didn't say no steering or
brakes *at all* Although to some it might appear just like that.

and worse, after an hour, in fog, no lights either...

It depends on what the fault is. Possibly the engine/alternator
still works.

but, strickly speaking, the towed vehicle is a trailer and would
need a "trailer" lighting bar at the back - powered from the towing
one.

If you put the engine in high gear, with ignition switched off, you
get power brakes and electricity.

NT

That depends on why the tow is taking place. If most towing is done
because of engine or gearbox failure, this could cause a lot more
damage. If it is because of anything to do with most other
mechanicals, you shouldn't be towing it.

I dont know what percentage of tows are due to spark or fuel mix
failure, but I expect its not far off 100%.

I've been towed three times (a fair few more as a passenger), have been
in the tow car many more times and have been driving the tow car a
couple of times. Once was due to electrical failure, once was due to a
fuel problem (blocked jet) and the rest were a whole variety, including:
stripped cam-belts, con-rod through the crank-case, clutch slave
cylinder failure, fan failure (putting a blade through the radiator) and
even stripping the threads on the cylinder head studs!

Mechanical failures seem to result in towing, electrical and fuel can
often be fixed at the roadside.

SteveW