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MG TD TF 1500 - Hauling a TD/TF

Hi all

We are planning a move from So Oregon to No Oregon.
I will probably carry my TF on a trailer.
Has anyone used the "auto transporter" rented by U Haul?
Does a TF track width fit the carrier rails?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

I towed my TD from California to Eugene, Oregon on a dolly towed by a U Haul. Towed fine at about 55 MPH for the 541 miles. Intended to disconnect the speedo cable at the speedo but mistakenly did the tach one instead so the car got and extra 541 miles recorded.


John Quilter (TD8986)

I strongly recommend NOT towing a British rear-wheel drive car using a towing dolly. The reason is that the center needle bearing in the transmission can be damaged. Here's why...

The spinning of the input shaft (and gear) causes lubricating oil to be forced into the center needle bearing (between the input shaft and the output/main shaft), since there are small holes in the troughs of the input gear which lead directly to the bearing. Essentially, that gear is also an oil pump. When the engine is running in neutral with the clutch released, the oil is forced up into that needle bearing and all is right with the world.

However, when the car is being towed, the input shaft is NOT turning, therefore no oil is being forced into that bearing. However, the output/main shaft is turning since it is directly connected to the rear wheels by virtue of the drive shaft. With the output/main shaft turning at road speed, that little needle bearing will be turning like mad given the input gear will be remaining still, and without any oil being applied to it. It will wear rapidly and eventually gall the shaft race and the inside bearing race on the input gear.

So.. my advice.. if you're going to tow a rear wheel drive LBC using a dolly, disconnect the drive shaft.
Kevin McLemore

Here's a TD input shaft. Note the tiny holes in the gear (one circled in yellow)... by being in mesh with the idler gears, these holes force oil into the bearing inside this gear. That bearing is the only bearing between the input and output shafts.


Kevin McLemore

Here's the needle bearing inside that gear that has the strong probability of becoming damaged by towing without disconnecting the drive shaft:




Kevin McLemore

Right

I do not plan to use the towing dolly.

I'm asking about experience using the U Haul car trailer. Is it too wide for a TD/TF?
Are there any other issues?

Tom
T Norby

The technical warning may have merit but my gearbox has been working fine with no issues for 9 years since that trip on the dolly.
John Quilter (TD8986)

I just picked up a BGT using the UHaul car trailer. It just barely fit on the trailer. The tires were on the inside edge of both ramps.
Rick

When I tow my TD I use a tow dolly.
I back on to the dolly and tow it backwards.
I tie the steering wheel loosely to the brake peddle.
“I take the rope and loop it around the brake peddle and then tie it to the bottom on the outside hoop of the steeering wheel.”
The rope is loose enough that the front wheel can move back and forth two or three inches but not so loose that the front end can get out of alignment.

When you watch the car it tracks perfectly and you can see the front tires turn just a bit when making a tight turn.

If there is a reason that the car should not be towed this way please post, I don’t want to damage anything.
G D

Fine with steel wheels on a TD, but not with wires.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I see nothing inherently wrong with towing it backwards on a dolly, so long as the car’s front toe-in is within spec and the movement of the steering is restricted.

It think it might be just as easy to disconnect the drive shaft and tie it securely to the body. Indeed, one might install a metal eye to which to tie it and make the job a cinch.

(Sorry, bad pun)
Kevin McLemore

(Re towing backwards, you might, however, get some odd questions about how you got bugs 🕷 🐜 🐛 splattered all over the back of your car!)
Kevin McLemore

Tom,
What are you going to tow the trailwer with??? I tried to rent a trailer out here in CT to tow a car, but the Local U Haul wouldn't rent the trailer unless it was being towed by a truck !!
Steve
SPW Wincze

Steve
In Oregon at least, U Haul will allow you to rent their trailer and tow with an appropriate vehicle. Budget will not.
My son has a GMC Yukon with 10 ton towing capacity. That will do it.
I just looked at a trailer. The TF will fit well on the trailer rails. The ramp is wider and she has the bare minimum track width to make it.

Rick, can you give me a measurement on your BGT of width between tires, inner wall to inner wall?

Thanks.

Tom
T Norby

Do not tow your TF backwards! Strong possibility that the knocks will loosen and come off along with a wheel.
L E D LaVerne

I used a UHaul auto trailer to tow a TF from Massachusetts to Maine and it did just fine, no problems.
J K Barter

Thanks JK. That is what I hoped to hear. I inspected a U Haul trailer and did some measurements today. It seems that my TF do fine.
T Norby

It could be dangerous to tow a T type backwards. As our cars have rear wheel drive, the king pins are given a positive caster angle, so that the front wheels 'trail' behind. Towing a car backwards will result in the front wheels trying to spin round to trail the other way. Obviously they cannot do that, so they will 'shimmy' - and the car will move from side to side, and scrub the tyres. Tightly clamping the steering wheel central will help slightly (not loosly tying), but it is much better and safer to tow forwards.
R WILSON

Tom, I will keep it short and sweet. Yes it will work fine. I use the Uhaul car trailer several times before purchasing a car hauler.
TRH Hammond

I've done quite a bit of TD moving via tow-bar. See http://www.ttalk.info/towbar.htm for a bit more on the concept. TD tracks very well behind the tow vehicle. Perhaps I've just been lucky, but towing with the driveshaft in place has not caused me any noticeable grief in the gearbox. If you disconnect the driveshaft, be certain to dog down the front of the differential so that it can not rotate and lose the fluid. Bud


Bud Krueger

This time of year, I would drive the car and let someone else drive the truck.
Michael Grogan TD23816

All right;

She does fit. The track was just wide enough for the ramps.
Off tomorrow to become Northern Oregonians!

Cheers

Tom
'54 TF


T Norby

Sorry to be the fly in the ointment, but only today, I towed my TF about 45 Kms on my trusty A-Frame tow bar. I have a manual gearbox Kia. In fact, I towed it for over 10 years behind my Maxima also a manual gearbox, and did no damage to either the tow car(s), or my TF transmission, which is original and with at least 350,000 miles on it.

I don't doubt you are all right in your opinions. All I can tell you, is that my system still works well with no signs to the contrary.

However, I do have a spare, freshly built TF transmission, ready to go, if the moment should arise.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

If you have a full tonneau Tom, I would drop the top and fold the windscreen flat and put the tonneau on. Less chance of catching a rock in the windscreen which is no fun what so ever to change in a TF.
L E D LaVerne

Tom, I've been contemplating renting a trailer to get the TD to places farther away than I'm willing to drive (following some surgery I have only about a one hour butt) so I'm pleased to see your success. It's probably well documents from the rental company but please tell me how you secured tour TF to the trailer.

Thanks.

Jud
J. K. Chapin

LaVerne - that's the ONLY way I have towed the TF.

Gord Cl;ark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

The U haul car trailer works just fine for the TD, so I assume it should work fine for the TF.

I towed my TD from California to Wisconsin on one and then towed it back from Wisconsin to California on another. They work great.
Bruce Cunha

Jud
To answer your question.....The U Haul car trailer has a ratchet driven strap system to tie down the front wheels.
My son and I then added some of our own straps at the rear, but these were probably not necessary.

We had not had any rain here for over 100 days. Until the day of the journey. We dodged some showers with the top and the side curtains on. Very little moisture inside. But, the TF got more dirty than ever due to road mist.

Nonetheless, up north safe and sound.

Tom
T Norby

This might have been a freak occurrence. I towed my TD from Chicago to Wilmington, NC. ( a little over 1,000 miles). I put it on a U-Haul car hauler trailer and strapped it down. I also set the parking brake. When I arrived the parking would no longer work. The semi circular part that the paul engages had a missing tooth. Could the back and forth surging of crossing the mountains caused to the shear off?
Bob McLeod TD 5618

Tom,

The rear straps you used were necessary, believe me. Years ago I had my wife's 280 zx on a U-Hual trailer and the rear was just loosely secured with chains. When I had a flat in rural Nevada, the rear almost bounced off the trailer. Was able to get back the 280 zx off the trailer and drive it back on securely.

Charlie Duffy
Charles Duffy

Thanks Tom and Charlie. Jud
J. K. Chapin

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2019 and 14/08/2019

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