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Will my escort tow a car on a trailer?

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Old 06-03-2011, 03:07 PM
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C.J.Hillman
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Default Will my escort tow a car on a trailer?

I've got a 1.4 1995 escort with a tow bar on. I might be buying a car that i will need to trailer away. Do you think it'll pull it all? Im doing it on a tight budget. I want to spend money on the car and not getting the car to me kinda thing. Im dubious if it'll have the torque required though.
Old 06-03-2011, 03:12 PM
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Jay,
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no and you will get fisted by vosa if caught
Old 06-03-2011, 03:14 PM
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on a 1.4 ? lol...... as jay said, big big NONO !!
Old 06-03-2011, 03:15 PM
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james kiely
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can you not tow it mate ?
Old 06-03-2011, 03:22 PM
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i wouldnt tow with anything less than a 1600, and then not towing a car that is bigger or heavier than the one you are towing with, i recently towed with a sierra 1.6 with a 2.0 mondeo on the back, not a brilliant idea as the mondeo is heavier, it towed and steered ok, but the sierra was under powered for the weight of the mondeo, but the journey home was mainly motorway, and i didnt try to break any speed records
Old 06-03-2011, 03:45 PM
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C.J.Hillman
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Yeah i didnt think it was a good idea. It would be a mk3 escort.
Old 06-03-2011, 03:50 PM
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C.J.Hillman
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would tow it but its not gonna have any tax, Mot and it would be miles away.
Old 06-03-2011, 06:01 PM
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The car that you are towing with has to weigh more than the car and the weight of the trailer.
Old 06-03-2011, 06:29 PM
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tabetha
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Originally Posted by C.J.Hillman
would tow it but its not gonna have any tax, Mot and it would be miles away.
Does it drive ok ?, book in for mot near you then after it passes/fails drive from there to your house, 100% legal as well.
tabetha
Old 06-03-2011, 07:06 PM
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Use an 'A' frame. I towed a Mk3 from Norwich to yorkshire using a Mk6 1.6, wasnt a problem.
Old 06-03-2011, 07:22 PM
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tabetha
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Originally Posted by Cozziekid
Use an 'A' frame. I towed a Mk3 from Norwich to yorkshire using a Mk6 1.6, wasnt a problem.
Unless 2 wheels are off the floor it still needs tax/mot etc, with a dolly and two wheels off road it is classed as a trailer.
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Old 06-03-2011, 07:50 PM
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Didnt seem to bother the 3 police cars that passed me, one was having a right old nosey
Old 06-03-2011, 08:44 PM
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"Recommended" save towing weight is 85% of the towing vehicle weight. I've towed the Cossie on a trailer with the Mondeo estate and it didn't feel happy at all, used the Smax a few time s now and it felt a lot better (both cars 2.0 diesel). A lot of it depends on how you load the trailer.

As said, if you get pulled doing this and you're illegal you can get in a lot of bother.
Old 06-03-2011, 08:58 PM
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my old 1.3 mk4 escort wouldnt even pull my mates old matra bagera up a hill at his workshop, just killed the clutch
Old 06-03-2011, 10:11 PM
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tabetha
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I wouldn't risk it these days, insurance might rape you if you got caught being naughty.
I've done some bloody stupid things in my earlier times, such as towing a range rover on a 2 axle trailer from east anglia to scotland, with a METRO!!
Nigh on killed my poor little metro, shitting myself all the way, didn't go much above 30, even managed to get up the steep hill by the cathedral in Lincoln, just flat out in 1st gear had visions of it all going wrong, was real lucky with traffic in my favour!!
tabetha
Old 07-03-2011, 12:21 PM
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in my experience witht those 1400 cvh engines, it'd struggle to pull an empty trailer mate!
Old 07-03-2011, 12:41 PM
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C.J.Hillman
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fair enough. i was looking into getting someone to tow it like a firm and they want about £220. i dont think this project will happen. they car is gonna go for way more than its worth in my opinion and i don't think it'll be able to get it.

I'll just have to look for a closer mk3
Old 07-03-2011, 01:03 PM
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Jimmyc
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Originally Posted by tabetha
I wouldn't risk it these days, insurance might rape you if you got caught being naughty.
I've done some bloody stupid things in my earlier times, such as towing a range rover on a 2 axle trailer from east anglia to scotland, with a METRO!!
Nigh on killed my poor little metro, shitting myself all the way, didn't go much above 30, even managed to get up the steep hill by the cathedral in Lincoln, just flat out in 1st gear had visions of it all going wrong, was real lucky with traffic in my favour!!
tabetha
You sir are mad, metros have a hard enough time getting up that hill on a good day let alone towing a bloody range rover!
Old 07-03-2011, 01:10 PM
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Chip
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Will it physically tow a trailer with a car on it:
Yes


Will it be legal:
No


Will A-framing it be legal with no mot and tax:
No


Will A-framing it be legal with mot and tax:
No




up to you if you want to take the risk, but you are going to be breaking the law whatever way it goes.
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