|
|
Thread: Towing with a REPU
|
risc
1st Gear
Posts: 23
|
posted September 15, 2001 10:16 PM |
|
Towing with a REPU
Ok I've got a 6 port GSL-SE motor in my REPU and I'll be putting the GSL-SE injection on next week. With stock suspension and an RX-7 5 speed how much can I tow?
Would it suck to tow an RX-7 on a trailer?
Would a dolly or tow bar be better?
I'll be going a long long way
Does anyone know a source for a hitch?
Thanks,
-Dom
|
|
Jeff20B
Moderator
Posts: 661
|
posted September 16, 2001 08:58 AM |
|
All I can tell you is that an RX-7 tranny has weaker gears but better synchros than the old ribcase style trannies. I have an RX-7 5 speed in mine and I'm scared to tow stuff. But my friend has a ribcase tranny that likes to grind in 2nd and 3rd and it has been used numerous times to tow lots of heavy stuff.
About the hitch/reciever... I'm not sure. Better ask a towing/trailier shop.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7
|
|
repuguru
Redlining
Posts: 319
|
posted September 16, 2001 07:14 PM |
|
Towing
I agree about the RX7 tranny not being as beefy as older ribcase transmissions, but I also have a friend who towed his Kubota front end loader from Atlanta to his parents home near Louisville,KY. He loaded it on a farm trailer hitched to his 76'REPU w/GSL-SE motor and tranny. I personally do not recommend towing such a large load with your REPU, but the RX7 tranny was withstanding the abuse he was giving his truck.
I personally have an older ribcase 5 speed in mine and have had a 4500lb Toyota LandCruiser flat towing behind it. It pulled it fine but it didn't like stopping it. Understandable...
Most of the new bumpers will have to be modified to fit the REPU. A junk yard is a great source for bumpers that fit. Old Couriers and B series trucks are still there.
|
|
Jeff20B
Moderator
Posts: 661
|
|
posted September 17, 2001 12:28 AM |
|
My friend towed a substantialy built sandrail on a rather hefty trailier from near Seattle to the sand dunes in Oregon and back again with no probs.
Get this: he had a bad torington thrust bearing which caused massive amounts of end play (the clutch pedal felt like it was in need of adjustment) and he towed it in that condition! All he thought was that the clutch was out of adjustment or something-a condition he had been driving in for quite a while. Yes his thrust bearing was in pieces in his oil pan we later found out after we pulled the engine! He was putting it into his rotary powered baja bug after locating another REPU engine for his truck (the engine he was pulling for his baja was street ported with a light flywheel, yes aluminum, and he used it to tow with!) and I noticed an excessive amount of end play. The dizzy cap was off and as I would slide the flywheel in and out, the dizzy shaft would rotate!
I asked him something like "is this normal?"
He looked at it as I demonstrated the in-out action and his eyes got real big and he said "WTF!" or something to that effect. Well, it got taken care of and still runs fine in the baja today. This took place around 2 years ago.
So needless to say, I am 100% sold on the REPU's towing ability. Sure with a heavy load it may take longer to stop, but if you're towing something, you really should be driving like 'old grandpa' in the first place.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7
|
|
risc
1st Gear
Posts: 23
|
|
posted September 17, 2001 12:30 PM |
|
Great
Well the plan is to tow a stripped out 2nd gen from Oregon 4000 miles to Florida, race, turn around and come back :-)
I am in the planning process for a $2002 challenge car, but we're getting a late start...
-Dom
|
|
|
|
