nevillen · Oct 20, 2023

So, on Sunday I have promised to help tow my friend's old bentley from where it has been stored (in a shipping container) about one mile to where his house is. I have told him to use massive amounts of penetrating fluid on the brakes ahead of attempting the tow. My question is, will my L322 2006 3.0 Tdi have enough grunt to pull what is a heavy vehicle out of where it is resting? We have a 'proper' tow bar, so that part should be OK, I am not accustomed to low ratio gearbox settings, but I assume it would be best to select low ratio for the short journey, would this be the best option? I know there are many of you who are extremely knowledgeable about towing and would greatly appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance for your help.

kermit_rr · Oct 20, 2023

You won't have a problem, plus if the brakes are well stuck on, most container floors are very smooth, it will slide out easy enough on low range. Then you've got more room to look at brakes to free them off. You won't need low then.
I'd use rope or strap with some give in it to get it out of the container, will make the process a bit more forgiving

marjon · Oct 20, 2023

With any luck it was stored in park without handbrake

.

pics will be required now you have mentioned the vehicle

.

J

300bhp/ton · Oct 20, 2023

nevillen said:
So, on Sunday I have promised to help tow my friend's old bentley from where it has been stored (in a shipping container) about one mile to where his house is. I have told him to use massive amounts of penetrating fluid on the brakes ahead of attempting the tow. My question is, will my L322 2006 3.0 Tdi have enough grunt to pull what is a heavy vehicle out of where it is resting? We have a 'proper' tow bar, so that part should be OK, I am not accustomed to low ratio gearbox settings, but I assume it would be best to select low ratio for the short journey, would this be the best option? I know there are many of you who are extremely knowledgeable about towing and would greatly appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance for your help.

If you have no clue what your vehicle is capable of towing, maybe the safest option for all would be to tow nothing. FFS.....

kermit_rr · Oct 20, 2023

True but brakes have a tendency to creep over time as bits corrode and brake fluid goes bad

Mark Piercy · Oct 20, 2023

Rtfm @nevillen

stuu · Oct 20, 2023

My td6 had enough grunt to pull an ml270 like it was a tonka toy in a tug of war if that helps?

tom1979 · Oct 21, 2023

300bhp/ton said:
If you have no clue what your vehicle is capable of towing, maybe the safest option for all would be to tow nothing. FFS.....

It's only a mile, we all had to start somewhere

nevillen · Oct 21, 2023

300bhp/ton said:
If you have no clue what your vehicle is capable of towing, maybe the safest option for all would be to tow nothing. FFS.....

I have towed stuff all over Africa back in the day using a land cruiser...was just making sure that there were no weird RR anomolies to deal with, all info I read says 3.5 tonnes limit

nevillen · Oct 21, 2023

marjon said:
With any luck it was stored in park without handbrake .

pics will be required now you have mentioned the vehicle .

J

Fortunately it has been stored in park with no hand brake on, my friend will have a newly charged battery on hand in order to be able to select neutral.

RangeRoller dt · Oct 21, 2023

If your RR is half healthy you should be fine. It’s what they do

If not … you’ll soon find out what’s amiss

Messerschmitt · Oct 21, 2023

let me also say a few words (advice) it would be good if you both have walkie-talkies or simply agree on conventional signs (flashing lights, signal, etc.). note that the car on the "tie" will not have a brake booster (when the engine is not started), and the driver of this car must also make sure that the ignition (or ACC) is turned on and the steering wheel does not blocked. Drive slowly. You drive more quietly - you will be further. And so - your "car train" is slowed down by the car driving behind. The car in front only indicates the need to brake by lightly pressing the pedal (to turn on the rear lights). this is done so that the towing cable (tie) is always taut. this will help you in the future from the place. Good luck!

Datatek · Oct 21, 2023

Low range to pull it out of the container but I would have thought high range for the rest of the journey.
Personally, I would use a solid tow bar, then you are not reliant on the towed vehicle brakes working.

Rubberknees · Oct 21, 2023

Datatek said:
Low range to pull it out of the container but I would have thought high range for the rest of the journey.
Personally, I would use a solid tow bar, then you are not reliant on the towed vehicle brakes working.

Hasn't a solid bar become law or set to be?

kermit_rr · Oct 21, 2023

Rubberknees said:
Hasn't a solid bar become law or set to be?

Not in UK. At least not for members of the public.
AA RAC etc probably have policies which forbid ropes and if asked they probably tell you you're not allowed to use a rope.
A bar makes sense for towing, but ropes/chains/strops etc are fine for recovery.
When you tow a mate etc you're not doing it commercially/for profit so the same rules don't apply

marjon · Oct 21, 2023

nevillen said:
Fortunately it has been stored in park with no hand brake on, my friend will have a newly charged battery on hand in order to be able to select neutral.

Take some fuel maybe it would start?

. He could drive home

.

But at the end of the day take it slow cos you will probably need to be popeye to steer that without any power steering.

You will easy tow a rolling car above the wt in the manual without issue, those numbers are for trailers, I doubt the Bentley weighs over 3.5 ton anyway. I wouldn't worry about the towing it, but ensure the tow e can stop and steer.

J

gstuart · Oct 21, 2023

Also assume the Bentley will have mot, tax and insurance for it to be towed ,

if not could u hire a trailor as if the Bentley doesn’t start I wonder if it has an automatic gearbox could it be damaged seeing the gearbox oil pump won’t be working

Shippers · Oct 21, 2023

Datatek said:
Low range to pull it out of the container but I would have thought high range for the rest of the journey.
Personally, I would use a solid tow bar, then you are not reliant on the towed vehicle brakes working.

I would book an uplift save all the worry and hasle...we can not tow here has to be trailered so its not that expensive as there are loads of them...

Datatek · Oct 21, 2023

Shippers said:
I would book an uplift save all the worry and hasle...we can not tow here has to be trailered so its not that expensive as there are loads of them...

Or hire a trailer.
Thinking about it, if it has been stood for a long time and you plan to tow without the engine running, it mat well damage the gearbox unless you remove the propshaft.

Messerschmitt · Oct 21, 2023

I think the old Bentley is already in place by now

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