Towing eye thread size
 

Does anyone know what thread size the towing eye is? Just baught a dead RX8 as a project car but the towing eye has been cross threaded, the plan is to recut the thread so the car can be towed to the lockup and worked on.

Dave

I don't know the thread size, but it's my understanding that's a tie down, not an actual towing point. So you might look into hooking to something else.

Ken

So out of interest how would you tow an rx8? if that's not a towing point, i refere to the one that is on your passanger side,next to the number plate which has a cover over it.
Either way i still need to sort this thread out, but thanks for your input.

Dave

There are 2 on the front :) use the other one :) If the threads were really screwed up...recutting them will result in less meat on the threads and likely be a lot weaker

That's a good question. I don't know. It's been a long time since I flat-towed a car, and I doubt if the kinds of things I used to hook onto are appropriate on modern cars. Tow trucks these days use an under-reach that lifts by the wheels, and don't hook to frames like they used to. I don't know what they hook onto when they pull a car onto a flatbed.

If I had to tow via the tie down points, I'd use both and be as gentle as possible.

Ken

Get a measuring caliper.
Measure diameter of towing bolt and 10 threads width.
Metric thread is marked by Diameter x thread width.
I guess 16mm x 2 mm

Sorted at last, turns out they're M20X2.5, but sides were rusted very badly, now nicely cleaned and next job is pull start it. I know it's flooded badly and the starter on the car is knackered, looks like it's caught fire, which would account for the white powder everywhere under the hood..!
We've put in a spare starter that came with the car, with a new battery and fully charged i can tell it's cranking to slow, so plugs have been pulled and cleaned,engine cranked over with pedal to the floor,plugs will be refitted along with a squirt of 2 stroke in the chambers when it's tow time.
When removing the plugs i notice some muppit had put both leading plugs in the front chamber and both trailing in the rears, these look new along with the ht leads and genuine new coils, which were all wired up wrong to the plugs!
As far as how healthy the motor is,it's a total unknown at the moment, i've got what feels like 3 equal "puffs" of compression on both chambers, from what i can see with a torch, the seals are all there.
The plan is, if it runs well, drop the oil and check for any metal, then get it compression tested.......keep you posted

Dave

When I had a piece of wood go through my radiator we towed from the tow hook. Tow driver was happy I had the factory tow hook. It was on a flat bed roll back

He didn't do it right. There are special slots cut into the frame/unibody designed for tow trucks. Your guy was lazy.