# Towing eyes for track-days?



## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

What are you regular R35 track-day'ers doing about towing eyes? I have been on some track-days where they are insistent that you have clearly obvious front and rear towing eyes, but as far as I'm aware, you're not meant to tow the GTR very far at all anyway?

I have sprayed the OEM towing eye red today just to appease any worried organisers, and was planning on making up another one for the rear... looks like the thread is M24 ???

Thankfully, even with my normally sideways driving style, I have never needed a tow, and certainly don't intend to in the R35, but I was just wondering what you regular R35 track-dayers are doing in this regards?


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

Every track I've ever been on only require a front tow hook which NIssan kindly supplied in the passenger footwell.

Just use that and be done.


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## Arcam (Jun 30, 2009)

I don't use one, I normally talk my way out of having one fitted as I take the fitting of one as a bad omen ... not really superstitious ... honest


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## WoREoD (Apr 27, 2008)

I fitted mine for the first time at Spa last year - broke it clean off!


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

WoREoD said:


> I fitted mine for the first time at Spa last year - broke it clean off!


I think some of us know how that happened!!


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## Chris956 (Apr 11, 2010)

charles charlie said:


> I think some of us know how that happened!!


Spill the beans then ...... ?

You can get some tasteful strap like ones and also some where the towing eye folds down. But Like Arcam I dont bother. I know where it is and how to fit it ( takes like 10 seconds ) if it all goes Pete Tong !


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## w8pmc (Sep 16, 2010)

Chris956 said:


> Spill the beans then ...... ?
> 
> You can get some tasteful strap like ones and also some where the towing eye folds down. But Like Arcam I dont bother. I know where it is and how to fit it ( takes like 10 seconds ) if it all goes Pete Tong !


+1, although i got told in no uncertain terms at Cadwell that i HAD to fit it so i did:chairshot


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

w8pmc;1505184although i got told in no uncertain terms at Cadwell that i HAD to fit it so i did:chairshot[/QUOTE said:


> I think it's down to the organisors as much as the track sometimes, as I've had different demands from the same people/places!
> 
> What i was asking as much as anything, was about the fact that the cars shouldn't be towed anyway  But there must be loads of other cars that have the same issues with 4WD and fancy gearbox's


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## Lex DakarDatsun (May 22, 2002)

These are a bargain 

tow_strap

And Ring friendly unlike metal tow hooks which the TUV chaps can get upset about :runaway:


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## Chris956 (Apr 11, 2010)

Lex DakarDatsun said:


> These are a bargain
> 
> tow_strap
> 
> And Ring friendly unlike metal tow hooks which the TUV chaps can get upset about :runaway:


Not sure where that would fit as it looks like a bolt on piece and we only get a screw type fixing point.

As for towing the car - What is the correct method if at all. I would assume in emergency only situations Neutral , ignition on and all 4 wheels on the floor as apposed to front lift ? On the Evo they suggested clicking the handbrake up 2 notches just enough to disengage the diff ??????????????????????


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

*Track tow off*

If the car is towed out of the gravel at very low speed and then winched onto a recovery truck, I can't see this being enough to do any lasting damage. If it was towed back to the pits at low speed then this is probably where damage occurs. Maybe a call to the HPC to see what is allowable and what isn't. There has to be a little bit of a safety margin. Remember the bloke who switched his engine off at 70mph? He didn't report any issues resulting from that.


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## w8pmc (Sep 16, 2010)

Never thought of any possible damage. Defo worth a check.

Still recall with pain the time my E60 M5's SMG box siezed in 1st gear on the A329M a few years back. Given i'd effectively blocked the road, the Police had no choice but to force removal of my car before BMW Assist could arrive & that meant dragging it with the rear wheels locked up onto the back of a low loader. Not my happiest experience with the car


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## Chris956 (Apr 11, 2010)

*Flat Towing - DONT !*

*Page 6.8 in my manual states no towing except for having the wheels on a dollie.

Page 9.10 Flat towing with all 4 wheels on the floor = DONT DO IT !*

In other words , dont tow it unless all 4 wheels off the floor which will prove difficult for a recovery truck at a track day 

There must be a "less harmful " way of doing it for very short distances before the diffs wind up and do internal damage.


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## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

I can't see how towing it a short distance at low speed in N with all four wheels rotating at the same speed could do any damage.

What's another interesting question is how you would get a GT-R moving if all electric power was dead and therefore it won't shift out of P?


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

David.Yu said:


> I can't see how towing it a short distance at low speed in N with all four wheels rotating at the same speed could do any damage.


At a guess, if you could energise both clutches to release simultaneously it would probably minimize damage but, if you think about it, the transmission wouldn't like being run backwards with both clutches under pressure.


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

It was reading my manual that concerned me about towing:-

*NOTICE*
Never tow the vehicle with any of the wheels on the ground as this may cause serious and expensive damage to the drivetrain.

But then it has a small paragraph about 'VEHICLE RECOVERY' and 'Pulling a stuck vehicle', although it has no guidelines etc.

I'd love to know the catergorical answer to this... as it's relevant to plenty of other 4x4's as well.

I looked at those tow straps and thought I could easily weld them to a suitably threaded bolt, but it seems that 'The Ring' is one of the few places that insists on that size loop, and as I'm not a fan of 'The Ring', I'll give it a miss.


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## Alias23 (Nov 25, 2010)

Lex DakarDatsun said:


> These are a bargain
> 
> tow_strap
> 
> And Ring friendly unlike metal tow hooks which the TUV chaps can get upset about :runaway:


Where can you buy the bolt to fit these?


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

Alias23 said:


> Where can you buy the bolt to fit these?


The bolt will depend on what you are bolting it to (albeit looks like it won't allow for a very large diameter bolt)... 

If it's screwing into the R35 towing eye holes, then that's a huge thread on a relatively long stud (not actually measured it yet, but looks like 24mm OD with a coarse thread), and then you'd need to weld it anyway.

Once you know what you want, then most motor factors, parts suppliers, iron-mongers or trade supplies will be able to sort you out.


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## Chris956 (Apr 11, 2010)

This would be better 

Edited to add FOUND THESE :
http://cornerbalance.wordpress.com/...olding-tow-hooks-now-available-in-new-colors/


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## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

Chris956 said:


> This would be better
> 
> Edited to add FOUND THESE :
> Moonface Racing Folding Tow Hooks Now Available in New Colors Corner Balance


Loads of places sell folding tow hooks like those, but my question is what stops them swinging back and scratching the paintwork?


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## Chris956 (Apr 11, 2010)

David.Yu said:


> Loads of places sell folding tow hooks like those, but my question is what stops them swinging back and scratching the paintwork?


One I`ve seen at a trackday had a ball bearing within the hinge so once its folded 90 degrees it stays folded rather than swinging like a pendulum. The same when its straightened - kinda clicks into place if that makes sense.


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

Looks like a nice option for some tracks, although the TUV 'Fun' police may still have some issue!

Mind you, from the pic's, it looks like it's actually an allen key that you use to lock the eye into a fixed position, so folded back at 90 degrees they'd probably be OK.


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## xxfr (Apr 28, 2009)

GRowsell said:


> Looks like a nice option for some tracks, although the TUV 'Fun' police may still have some issue!
> 
> Mind you, from the pic's, it looks like it's actually an allen key that you use to lock the eye into a fixed position, so folded back at 90 degrees they'd probably be OK.


I have seen the allen key version of this and it is all held together with quite a bit friction. Enough for it to be rotated 90deg when needing to use but not enough for it to be pushed back onto the paintowrk or swing in the wind. 

Have one here with me, just need to muster the energy to design a system that would suit my 34, be presentable and practical.


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