[GhostyDog]

Hi,

I'm going to be doing the Alfaholics track day in a couple of weeks and I need to get a towing eye/strap fitted.

Which type would be most appropriate for my car and where can it be hooked up to?

On the picture attached there are a couple of threaded bits in the lower of the two openings in the front valance, I think these may have been part of the original mounting for the front bumper, the main ones have been smoothed and flatted.

they don't look particularly strong though so looking for alternatives.

Cheers

Sean

 

[rgwm]

No way would those be strong enough, Sean. Ideally a bracket/towing eye would be screwed into the original chassis-leg bumper-mount - have they just been filled with "filler" or have they been plated over?

Just done a trawl of pics of race cars, and they all seem to use those points eg http://www.alfaholics.com/cars-for-sale/race-trackday-cars/

 

[GhostyDog]

No way would those be strong enough, Sean. Ideally a bracket/towing eye would be screwed into the original chassis-leg bumper-mount - have they just been filled with "filler" or have they been plated over?

Just done a trawl of pics of race cars, and they all seem to use those points eg http://www.alfaholics.com/cars-for-sale/race-trackday-cars/

I hink they've been filled and painted over, so probably need to look at a solution with a strap, not sure where to fix it though

 

[GTA R]

Find where the hole is, drill through the filler and use a large eyebolt with a big washer either side. Its the only part of the panel that's strong enough to resist bending when towing.
Steve

 

[GhostyDog]

Find where the hole is, drill through the filler and use a large eyebolt with a big washer either side. Its the only part of the panel that's strong enough to resist bending when towing.
Steve

That seems a bit drastic, I don't plan to push it so hard that I

a. Crash
b. Have a mechanical failure

Is there not a subframe I can attach a canvas tow strap to?

 

[spiderserie4]

sure you could, but as the body hangs rather low, if you were towed out of gravel or something, you'd probably bend the lower valance.

A neat tow eye in one of those bumper mount holes is the way to go (not sure of trackday regs, but generally the toe hook, I believe, has to be painted yellow and have a certain inner diameter hole)
Alfa Romeo Bulletin Board & Forums - View Single Post - No bumpers? Anyone doing it?

 

[scrab]

That seems a bit drastic, I don't plan to push it so hard that I

a. Crash
b. Have a mechanical failure

Is there not a subframe I can attach a canvas tow strap to?

If you are confident of the above you don't need a towing eye

 

[Dave Brand]

A neat tow eye in one of those bumper mount holes is the way to go (not sure of trackday regs, but generally the toe hook, I believe, has to be painted yellow and have a certain inner diameter hole)

For MSA-approved events the minimum internal diameter must be 60mm. The "Blue Book" specifies Dayglo red, orange or yellow.

If you are confident of the above you don't need a towing eye

It's a requirement for track days.

 

[VeloceMitch]

I don't think even the proper Bumper mounts are really strong enough for a Towing Eye, even in good condition (and they often aren't) they are just a pressed metal channel welded to the inner wing.
It's a bit of a conundrum as you really need to fix it to something solid like the front cross member, but it inevitably means cutting a slot in the valance. The most pragmatic solution is probably to tell them to wrap a rope around the front wishbone, but as you say the Track authorities insist on a towing eye, usually front and back.

Now the back is an even bigger problem, just ask RicksAlfas what happens if you try the rear bumper bracket, it will simply tear itself out of the body. I welded one to the spare wheel well, but fortunately I have never needed to use it.....

 

[CorporalSparrow]

If you are confident of the above you don't need a towing eye

I was at Castle Combe yesterday, and the Clerk made the point that if there's no towing eye they'll attach to whatever they can find to get you off the track quickly...mirrors, bumpers...whatever...and any damage is your business.

 

[scrab]

I was at Castle Combe yesterday, and the Clerk made the point that if there's no towing eye they'll attach to whatever they can find to get you off the track quickly...mirrors, bumpers...whatever...and any damage is your business.

Thats correct. So you either put a towing eye on your car that can be used, or don't bother

 

[VeloceMitch]

Funnily enough I got an email from the MSA today as part of the ongoing updates to the Blue Book regs.
One concerned towing Eyes and I noticed it stated that they should be capable of taking a force of 2 tonnes and, strangely, if bolted on should be bolted with at least one M10 Gr 8.8 Bolt.

Now 2 Tonnes (20KN) is a fair old force, almost double what which would be required to actually pick the Car up and dangle it off it's Towing Eye. Would you do that off a bumper fixing and stand underneath, I bloody wouldn't I can tell you that for nothing!. Oh and they want two of them on the front too.........

Here's the proposed new wording, the original wording is crossed out, but I couldn't format that on here, so its in Italics and should be disregarded.

Q19.1.3.
a) There must be substantial towing
eyes securely fixed to the main structure
of the vehicle, front and rear, within the
confines of the body to enable the
vehicle to be moved. Cars of periods A
to F and single seater racing cars are
exempt from this requirement subject to
a suitable towing point being clearly
identified. Towing eyes must have a
minimum internal diameter of 60mm.
Towing eyes/towing points should be
painted a contrasting bright colour
(dayglo red, orange or yellow, marked
with an arrow and the word “tow”.
b) The following configuration and
specifications are strongly
recommended:
Vehicles to be equipped with two front
and two rear towing eyes positioned
equally either side of the longitudinal
center line.
The towing eyes to be made of steel
wire rope of at least 6mm diameter steel
wire rope with a 6x19 wire core.
Each towing eye to have a breakingstrain
of at least 2 tons and allow the
passage of a cylinder with a diameter of
60mm, situated 25mm forward of the
adjacent bodywork - 100 mm above and
below this hole must retain clearance to
enable the recovery crews to attach
straps and shackles.
They must be clearly visible, marked
with an arrow and the word “tow” and
the wire painted in yellow, red or orange
to contrast with the vehicle colour
scheme.
The towing eye to be fixed to a structural
part of the chassis with a minimum of
M10 (Grade 8.8) fixings, the inner part
must be flexible in order for the towing
eye to be retracted inside the bodywork
profile.
Towing eyes should be situated 25mm
forward of the adjacent bodywork with
clearance of 100 mm above and below
to enable recovery crews to attach
straps and shackles.
A “pull-cord” to be attached to the towing
eye to enable the marshals to access it.
The end attached to the chassis may be
either ‘thimble’ or ‘open-loop’ style

 

[Dave Brand]

Funnily enough I got an email from the MSA today as part of the ongoing updates to the Blue Book regs.
One concerned towing Eyes and I noticed it stated that they should be capable of taking a force of 2 tonnes and, strangely, if bolted on should be bolted with at least one M10 Gr 8.8 Bolt.

Beat me to it!

20KN sounds a lot, but when you've got a car buried in a gravel trap & can't get a straight pull on it, or it's missing a wheel or two, the actual force may be more than that. Back before the Blue Book was more specific I had a Mini go sideways into the gravel trap at Lodge (Oulton Park). His towing eye was a loop of 5mm mild steel bar welded to the subframe. My prediction was right. . . that's why I'd told everybody to stand well back!

There's something odd about the wording on fasteners: "a minimum of M10 (Grade 8.8) fixings" - looks as though there's a word missing between "of" & "M10".

 

[VeloceMitch]

Yeah I noticed that, it talks in plural, but doesn't state how many.
Typical of the Blue Book, you can read it any way you like.......

 

[Jim Spackman]

Gordon Murray built a whole career out of doing just that...

 

[GhostyDog]

Gordon Murray built a whole career out of doing just that...

What would you suggest for the towing eye/strap Jim?

 

[Dave Brand]

Typical of the Blue Book, you can read it any way you like.......

Maybe that's why it's called the motor sport bible? As with any rule book, the more specific you try to be the more confusion, loopholes & ambiguities you create.

 

[VeloceMitch]

Maybe that's why it's called the motor sport bible? As with any rule book, the more specific you try to be the more confusion, loopholes & ambiguities you create.

Either that or it's just a work of fiction.... like the Bible :biglaugh:

 

[Jim Spackman]

I wouldn't worry fitting towing eyes to be honest. They're all road cars out there pretty much so no-one is going to be checking for them. They won't be pulling you out of the gravel either, there isn't any...