Trailering a new XM home!

[ash2020]

Bugger, I've just found this, from the Trailer and Towing Association:

"An A-frame or dolly can only be used to recover a broken down vehicle to a place of safety. Transporting a car is, therefore, illegal. A-frames may be offered with a braking system that applies the car's brakes. These do not conform to the law as the car then becomes a "braked trailer" and has to conform to European Directives contained within the Construction and Use Regulations. It does not conform to the European Directive 71/320/EEC and amendments regarding braking requirements in any way. The use of this A-frame for transportation is illegal. It is still OK for use to recover a vehicle to a place of safety."

That's out then. North London to Wiltshire's not exactly "a place of safety"

[citroenxm]

Leave the towed car in gear, P or drive etc and the handbrake WELL ON.


Andrew

andrew,

Just a quick point, whats the point of leaving an Auto in Drive, while the engine is stopped theres go gearbox pressure and so no connection between the wheels and box... it WILL roll... With an auto you can only leave it in P to lock the diff....

I have very successfully passed a few police cars towed a V6 XM with a V6 XM... as long as the load is secure and you are being VERY sensible with speed and care, you should be ok, unless they really have had a boring day and had nothing else to do, or got anything else to do...

Paul

[citroenxm]

Bugger, I've just found this, from the Trailer and Towing Association:

"An A-frame or dolly can only be used to recover a broken down vehicle to a place of safety. Transporting a car is, therefore, illegal. A-frames may be offered with a braking system that applies the car's brakes. These do not conform to the law as the car then becomes a "braked trailer" and has to conform to European Directives contained within the Construction and Use Regulations. It does not conform to the European Directive 71/320/EEC and amendments regarding braking requirements in any way. The use of this A-frame for transportation is illegal. It is still OK for use to recover a vehicle to a place of safety."

That's out then. North London to Wiltshire's not exactly "a place of safety"

I probably wrong here, but that looks crap to me!! Ive done loads of towing past cops too, and see LOADS of people towing!! We've a local guy who offers car collection with a 4x4 and trailer... so Im a bit unsure of that...

Paul

[Dieselman]

I probably wrong here, but that looks crap to me!! Ive done loads of towing past cops too, and see LOADS of people towing!! We've a local guy who offers car collection with a 4x4 and trailer... so Im a bit unsure of that...

Paul

I think we all need to be aware of towing regulations as VOSA have now hotted up their campaign on towing regulations. The Police now stop people to decide whether they are professional towers as they should now fall under Tachograph regulation, I believe.

[xmexclusive]

When towing a car on a trailer do not forget to remove or tape over both of its number plates.
Particularly important if the car lacks tax, MoT or insurance.
ANPR cameras analyse every number plate seen whatever its position.
So displaying a plate the records show as not road legal could just target you for being stopped and checked.

John

[andmcit]

TBH Paul, I was making a general point of locking the gearbox in gear and in this case I believe
Andrew is getting another 2.5 so it'd be a manual anyway but auto P will work nicely; "drive" is
effectively 'in-gear' so I must've been tired. Anyhow, what folk do with your auto's is of no
remote interest to me as you know how much I 'love' automatic gearboxes...

yep, I've passed and been overtaken by loads of Police traffic cars and until my third lane
chennanigans never had any problems. I also forgot to mention they do like to see the big
hydraulic Cits towing as they know these have bloody good brakes and a stable level suspension.

Andrew

[andmcit]

Well, any news then? I haven't seen any breaking news stories on BBC 24...

[ash2020]

I've completed the pick up. I decided to go in my Merc. Vito van, which I'm just about to sell. I insured it this morning for two days, it's got a new MOT but when I tried to tax it online, was informed that it took 24 hours for the insurance details to reach DVLA for checking. So, I went anyway and what was the first thing I saw when I hit the A303? Road Tax checking car, pointing straight at me! I'll have to hope that if I tax it tomorrow morning, backdated to Sept 1 it'll be OK.
The trailer I hired turned out to be huge, weighed 750 kg. That made an all up weight of around 2350 so the XM would have been well under spec. Uneventful journey, 250 miles there and back.

However, the car is excellent. Much too good to break, everything works! Oh, except the engine! Their diagnosis is head gasket and they do up DSes so I think they know. So it looks like my evenings are now booked well into the future!

Are there any good step by step instructions around here for a gasket change on a 2.5TD manual without aircon? And, when the head's off is it much easier to do a cambelt change at the same time?

Once again, thanks for all the towing advice. It all went well and now I've got a pair of identical green XM estates!
Andrew

[Peter.N.]

Hi Andrew

The only thing I can tell you is that its supposed to be easier than a 2.1. I will be interested to know how you get on - just in case there are no more 2.1s left

Peter

[Dieselman]

Are there any good step by step instructions around here for a gasket change on a 2.5TD manual without aircon? And, when the head's off is it much easier to do a cambelt change at the same time?

2.5 are meant to be easy...just start by removing the car rear lights and working forwards...