How to winch a MK3 onto a flatbed

[Real time recon]

I see no tow hooks on the frame.And nothing about where to hook up a winch to the MK3 in the assembly manual. Thanks for the help

[edwardb]

No you can't use the quick jacks. If a Mk3, you should have a large hook on the front of each of the 4 inch chassis tubes. Easy to winch or tie down from those. This isn't the best picture, but you can see them.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Front%20Suspension/th_IMG_3310_zpszkddugnb.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Front%20Suspension/IMG_3310_zpszkddugnb.jpg.html)

[Jeff Kleiner]

Mk3 and Mk4 have the tow hooks at the front of the main tubes as edwardb shows. I think I recall that you said your car was built in 2004 in another post---the Mk3 was introduced in September of '04. Perhaps yours is actually a Mk2 :confused:

Jeff

[Real time recon]

No you can't use the quick jacks. If a Mk3, you should have a large hook on the front of each of the 4 inch chassis tubes. Easy to winch or tie down from those. This isn't the best picture, but you can see them.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Front%20Suspension/th_IMG_3310_zpszkddugnb.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Front%20Suspension/IMG_3310_zpszkddugnb.jpg.html)

Thanks great pix.

[Real time recon]

Mk3 and Mk4 have the tow hooks at the front of the main tubes as edwardb shows. I think I recall that you said your car was built in 2004 in another post---the Mk3 was introduced in September of '04. Perhaps yours is actually a Mk2 :confused:

Jeff

Yes the paperwork says completed in 2004.But the ends of the 4" chassis tubes have no" large hook" (as pictured in post #2)....Could it be a MK2 ? How can I tell ? Thanks

[Jeff Kleiner]

...Could it be a MK2 ? How can I tell ? Thanks

The missing hooks make it sound like a Mk2 (or Mk1). There are a number of giveaways but the quick & easy way to tell definitively is to raise the hood and look at the steering shaft---On a Mk1 or Mk2 when viewed from the front the shaft comes out of the footbox area above and to the left of the master cylinder, runs to an intermediate bearing block attached to the chassis and then on to the steering rack. On a Mk3 (or 4) the shaft comes out below the master cylinder and runs to the steering rack with no intermediate bearing.

Let us know what you see.

Jeff

[Real time recon]

OK... when viewed from the front of the car.The shaft comes out of the footbox area Below and to the left of the master cylinder.Then runs through a support thats attached to the chassis.Then on to the steering rack.

[Real time recon]

The missing hooks make it sound like a Mk2 (or Mk1). There are a number of giveaways but the quick & easy way to tell definitively is to raise the hood and look at the steering shaft---On a Mk1 or Mk2 when viewed from the front the shaft comes out of the footbox area above and to the left of the master cylinder, runs to an intermediate bearing block attached to the chassis and then on to the steering rack. On a Mk3 (or 4) the shaft comes out below the master cylinder and runs to the steering rack with no intermediate bearing.

Let us know what you see.

Jeff
How about another way to tell the difference from a MK 2 or 3 ?

[Jeff Kleiner]

How about another way to tell the difference from a MK 2 or 3 ?

The steering shaft has already told you that it's not a Mk3. Some other signs are where the front X member intersects the 4" round tubes; Mk1 and 2 it's on top of the round tube and on the 3 & 4 it's on the side. You can also look at the interior under the doors; on Mk1 and 2 it goes straight down to the floor while on a 3 or 4 there is a horizontal ledge that's an inch and a half or so wide due to the added side impact tubing. Those are the easy ones; there are others like the structure of the chassis at the rear wheel and the fact that the Mk3 body is 1 1/2" wider at the rear wheel openings to allow for wider tires that are hard to spot without having two cars side by side.

Jeff

[Real time recon]

Thanks much for the help Jeff :)

[Real time recon]

The steering shaft has already told you that it's not a Mk3. Some other signs are where the front X member intersects the 4" round tubes; Mk1 and 2 it's on top of the round tube and on the 3 & 4 it's on the side. You can also look at the interior under the doors; on Mk1 and 2 it goes straight down to the floor while on a 3 or 4 there is a horizontal ledge that's an inch and a half or so wide due to the added side impact tubing. Those are the easy ones; there are others like the structure of the chassis at the rear wheel and the fact that the Mk3 body is 1 1/2" wider at the rear wheel openings to allow for wider tires that are hard to spot without having two cars side by side.

Jeff

Confirmed...The X member is on the top of the 4" chassis tube

[gtaroger]

On the MKI the trans tunnel has no tubing to mount the sheet metal trans tunnel. The MKII has small square tubing that frames in the trans tunnel and the sheet metal rivets to the tubing. Roger

[skullandbones]

Although not the best experience of my life, being towed out of the mountains when my MKIII had an electrical problem was a learning experience. The fellow operating the truck had towed my friend the year before just about a mile from where I broke down. He used the holes in front of the 4 inch tubes and a fabric tow rope. He used a couple of low blocks to make sure the front fiberglass was not damaged but I watched during the process. It was not really necessary. I had put the car in a good position for the tow truck to approach it which did not hurt. He told me he had towed a similar one to mine other than my friend's. He said it was an earlier version of the FFR. He said it was a PITA as he had no access points other than the cross tube on the frame. It took him an hour to set it up for retrieving. If you are luck enough to get a good tow guy then the worse thing will be an additional fee for the trouble. But I would fabricate something for such an event and carry it in the trunk just in case.

Good luck,

WEK.