A-frame for towing

Sep 13, 2004 27 Replies

If you like laughing at clueless Yanks and their mechanical ineptitude, try Googling for stories of doing this with an auto-box Lexus.

Partly because the Lexus is designed to happily sit idling in gear all day whilst running the aircon, they've powered the auto box oilpump from the input shaft. Obviously this gets unhappy when towed far, so the usual fix is to install an after-market electric oilpump for the gearbox. Chummy here had such an install, with a switch under the bonnet to activate it. But being a moron, he forgot to turn it on, and being American this was of course someone else's fault.

Andy Dingley ( snipped-for-privacy@codesmiths.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Put us out of our misery - URL!

All autos have the pump driven off the engine. Otherwise you couldn't engage drive. Even with a modern electronically controlled box, the clutches etc are still hydraulically operated.

Some older autos had two pumps - one driven off the propshaft. This allowed towing.

I think this is the original, but Google for "Lexus self-destruct switch" find many more cites and comments.

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Andy Dingley ( snipped-for-privacy@codesmiths.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Bwahahahaha. It couldn't have happened to a better guy.

What's the betting it was one of those Lexuses (Lexi?) with what looks like gold-plated trim? On my travels over there I have found it pays to be extra wary of them.

Ron Robinson

Surely a simple idea such as wiring it via the oil pressure switch or something so the bypass can't be operated while you are running the engine would solve this problem?

I mean, with Yanks you have to make everything idiotproof.

Alex

It's not just Lexuses, I've seen them on Honda/Acuras, Toyotas, etc. I remember reading somewhere that it's an extra cost dealer item, and that there's one particular car buying demographic that goes for it.

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