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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Racers: 60mm Tow Hook & Non-return...

The scrutineer kindly told me my front and rear tow hooks were the incorrect size. I'm a little perplexed about where you get these 60mm hooks from, especially for the front. Anyone got any recently?

He also mentioned the breather on the fuel tank should have a non-return valve. What exactly do I need?!

Thank you, helpless.
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

The reg for the fuel breather is no 73 on page 166. You'll see it only recommends a non-return valve but does require any alternative to non-return valve to prevent the escape of fuel if the car is inverted.

Firstly, road going cars generally (early Spridgets are an exception) have a fuel cap that the fuel system breathes through but that has a one way valve in it to prevent the escape of fuel if the car is inverted.

Any racing tank with a screw fit cap usually has a tank breather pipe and it's accepted to run a length of hose from this breather outlet to the outside of the car such that it is lower than the lowest point of the fuel tank. Then if the car is upside down the tank breather is the highest most point and so fuel cannot escape from it. However, if the car is on it's side fuel may escape (though of course the badly worded regulation doesn't specifically address this point and generally cars are either right way up or upside down in an accident.

However, if the length of pipe is short then it's possible in a tight corner for fuel surge to push fuel out of the breather pipe and onto the track. This is usually spotted by the observers and can result in a black and orange flag. Increasing the length of the breather pipe so that it travels the width of the car and then back on itself may prevent this.

On the other hand why bother with all this pipe when a one way fuel tank breather valve is lighter and costs a few pounds. Connect the breather valve (the right way round so air can go into the tank but fuel cannot escape) to the tank breather outlet or fit a breather cap to the tank and block off the tank breather outlet (the tank breathes from the fuel tank filler neck. One simple solution to a convert a solid cap to a breather cap is to fit something as basic as a car tyre valve to the cap (so long as it will not be destroyed by the fuel - the rubber melts...).

Towing eye size changed this year. If you can't get one from the usual suspects you could fabricate a basic bracket for the front of the car from steel or possibly aluminium plate while at the rear mark the rear axle for towing.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Not sure about the hooks but the breather valve can be purchased from Demon Tweeks (probably the hooks as well). It is just a small NRV you put in your breather. I think mine was about £30-40, doesn't look much for your money either! It's there to stop fuel leaking if you overturn so is a good idea to have one.
John Payne

Peter May Engineering does these tow hooks specially to fit the midget.
l snowdon

canvas strops of sufficient breaking strain with a loop in the end are perfectly adequate to meet the new towing point regulation. Or you could fab one up using an old leaf spring U-bolt welded to a flat plate, and bolt the plate to the underside of the boot floor.
David Smith

Thank you chaps, exactly what I needed!
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

For a Tow eye, would a steel cable loop be ok?
d cusworth

Exhaust clamp is the usual one bolted trough the boot floor. For the front make sure you have plenty of ground clearance!!!

You may even get away with an exhaust clamp bolted trough the std towing eye plate at the front, i.e parallel to the ground.

Ta

Mark
Mark Turner

So... I got myself a non return valve from ebay for 8 quid. BARGAIN.

And then I got some fancy hooks from Peter May, which are a bit posh. I also think I might need to get my hacksaw out tomorrow to fit them, but they are SUPER!
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

Think my towing eye will suffice?

No, not the tiny yellow standard one.... the big one that's marked with a red rectangle!!!!

Least that one is mounted fairly solid, and think how kind I am being to the marshalls saving them bending down and risking hurting their backs!

A.


A I McGee

i bought webbing towing eyes from gprdirect.
hopefuly i will never have to use them :)


a harrington

A
i must be blind but i see no red rectangle (circles ok) and no to hook?!
Onno Könemann

I've just been outside with a mallet, saw, drill, and chisel. All of these combined made a lovely (un)tidy slot in the valance for the Peter May hook.

I feel rough, rural and slightly maverick.
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

Rich

How much did Peter May chatge for the towing hooks?

Les
l snowdon

Likewise A Harrington how much did gprdirect charge?

Les
l snowdon

A little steep actually Les, they're 25 each... but then most of the major suppliers aren't much cheaper and the PM ones are quite nicely made.

I like mine anyway!
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

Onno


Look a little higher and further back :-)

It's on the rollcage!

A.
A I McGee

the webbing tow eyes cost £11.50 each.
gprdirect sell a 100mm fixed loop and a 400mm adjustable one (both same price).
they are made by schroth racing.
a harrington

A
wow not stange i missed that!
is that allowed by the scruteneers?
i can however see dificultys with being in a gravel pit and having a tow point so mutch above the center of gravity
Onno Könemann

Last time I saw the roll cage used Andrew, Ed Reeve's Midget was turned upside-down by an enthusiastic rescue crew. From what I hear it's not well-received to tow there. BTW love the sticker 2nd up from the bottom on the bonnet could you focus in more on it please?

I like the GPR ones, will get a pair of those. Strangest darned Midget I've ever seen though :-)

Last time my racer was towed by a rescue vehicle, we touched 80mph with me 2 metres behind a Frontera. faster than the car went all weekend!
Max Tyler

Well after reading the comments, I'm now engineering a 60mm hoop.

Should be done and installed before this weekend!

A.
A I McGee

Andrew, Blue Book states:

"There should 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." - "Towing eyes should have a minimum internal diameter of 60mm." - Towing eyes / towing points should be painted a contrasting bright colour (dayglo red, orange or yellow)."

This is how I did mine...

however, my sex life may suffer from the loss.... lol

Mark.



M T Boldry

And the rear......

Mark.


M T Boldry

Ah but you can weld!!!!

Here's my effort.

The pic is taken through the bonnet opening looking down onto the mount.

A.


A I McGee

This thread was discussed between 19/04/2009 and 04/05/2009

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