Towing on an A-Frame

Going to look a Jimny about 20 miles away, there is an engine fault so it doesn't run, without going down the legal arguments of A-frame use.

The question is about attaching the arms, usually they are attached to the bottom arms which the Jimny doesn't have, can they be attached straight to the axle, is there anything that can get damaged, brake pipes, it's a 2000 so I don't think it has vacumn switchable hubs, will the arms clear the bodywork?

Thanks
Alan.

I have never towed my Jimny, but I understand the way to do it in in reverse with the rear wheels on a dolly, the front wheels on the ground (4WD disengaged) and the steering unlocked.

Otherwise if the rear wheels are on the ground they will be turning the diff, prop shaft, transfer box and in to the gear box, with the power going the wrong way.

I think Jimny's have always had vacuum hubs, certainly did by year 2000, but they might have been replaced with manual hubs like my 2011.

Robin

I used to tow my SJ413 behind my LC but that was on a specially built "A" frame that was bolted to a purpose built steel bumper. The hitch also operated the SJs main brakes. This procedure was possible because the SJs "T" box had a neutral position. Because of the complexity of what you intend to do and the shortness of the journey, maybe a better plan would be to pay someone to collect and deliver it for you.

Roger

The best solution is as mentioned either pay to get it delivered or rent a trailer. Flat towing that far will have complications even if you remove the propshafts to protect the drive train you still don't have brakes and even careful attention to attachment to the axle is likely to do damage. And that's before you run into "only towing a disabled vehicle to a place of safety" not your personal compound. Much easier and safer options are available.

Thanks all, never thought about the drive train issues, as to it not having brakes it's not going to push a LWB Shogun down the road even if the engine were running 

But it's all a bit mute anyway as trying to deal with the guy who is selling is a nightmare, so I'm looking for another instead, this is the 2nd Jimny seller I've been messed about by, but I trying to buy at the low end of the market,

The problem with Jimnys is that they stopped importing the 4 seat car version a couple of years ago and late second hand models were seen for sale upwards of £30k, that was a vehicle that was less than £20k when new. This pushed up the price of all Jimnys, I paid £7k for mine in 2019, just over a year ago you would be looking at £9k+ for the same car and that was 3 years on with a few more miles.

Prices have fallen back now, but a lot of people either bought at near the top of the market or saw the silly prices and think there is worth more than it is.

Good second hand ones at sensible prices will be out there, just keep looking.

Robin

I'm looking at the bottom end of the market the £1K area, I know it'll be a peach & need welding, but it's only to take me to & from the stables where my daughter keeps her horse & our granddaughters pony. She's moving liveries it was only 1 mile away which I cycle twice a day, now it's 2 miles away, which means I won't have time to cycle.

Sadly the bottom end of the market also got a lift from the silly prices.

Good luck in finding one, it will be out there somewhere.

Robin

Three or four years ago I setup this search for a 2004 jimny below 1000 euro. I got this vague plan to use a gen3 as a donor for a gen2 project. Two came up the first few months but none ever since.
Now the price rice made me buy a better insurance on the one I got. It is worth more now than when I bought it back in 2014