If I was to lock the steering wheel lock on the front wheels of the toad car and put the rear wheels on the dolly, would that be safe? I don't think I've ever seen it done but it seems like it may be a good idea for towing a rear wheel drive car without disconnecting the drive shaft.
Seems like it would work, but I've only ever towed one car on a dolly, and it was FWD--a lovely late 80's LeBaron Coupe. Be sure of the tie-downs. I recall things slackened up during the tow, and it really wasn't very far. Rented dolly in sketchy shape.
a few things to consider:
car going backwards will have negative caster (relative to travel direction), so it's gonna tend to wiggle side to side as much as the tolerances in the steering and suspension system will allow it to.
i've dollied many manual-trans RWD cars many miles without disconnecting a driveshaft. some people over-fill their transmission to do this. i never did, and i've never had a problem.
I read a lot about this when I got my dolly, because I hate doing my driveshaft when I tow. Overall it seems like a bad idea for longer trips. If you can be really REALLY sure about the steering being safely locked, and the car's weight distribution is pretty even, it should work. I wouldn't do it with my car because my steering wheel is weak and flimsy, so the amount of tension in a strap to hold it safely would bend or break the wheel, plus all the slop between steering wheel and knuckle becomes amplified many times over due to caster.
I bet you could cleverly add an extra link to the front suspension that locks the steering knuckle to the frame. I would trust that no problem for long distance. Like an extra tie-rod, but bolts to the frame. It would have to be easier than undoing the driveshaft though.
Light builb: I just realized the knuckles on the Datsun have these unused threaded holes right next to the tie-rod... I bet I can build a link that bolts from there to the frame. I would trust that way more than ratchet straps on the steering wheel.
You also have to make sure the steering is perfectly straight, or it is going to dogtrack. Bad. I just drop the driveshaft from the rear end and secure it to the undercarriage the few times I use a dolly for a long trip, and don't worry about it if it is under 30 miles. It isn't that difficult.
AngryCorvair said:i've dollied many manual-trans RWD cars many miles without disconnecting a driveshaft. some people over-fill their transmission to do this. i never did, and i've never had a problem.
I don't know of any reason why you SHOULD disconnect the driveshaft when towing a manual RWD car. AFAIK that's for automatics that need to have ATF pumped around the transmission by the engine whenever the trans. output is turning.
In reply to GameboyRMH :
i'll explain it the best i can:
something something input shaft not spinning something something output shaft spinning something something bearings not submerged something something BANG NEW TRANS WTF
The reason why I ask is that i am towing the challenge car to Gainesville.
The u haul trailers are apparently 2500lbs, and the challenge car is 2000lbs. My half ton truck would struggle with that kind of load.
I had originally planned to flat tow, but now im trying to think of plan b. One that reduces dirt, wear and tear, and risk to the towed car. and strain on the truck is a concern.
biggest risk of towing RWD with rear wheels on ground, if indeed there is any risk, is to bearings in trans being insufficiently lubed. I'd google different combinations of whatever your transmission is plus flat towing or tow dolly or etc etc and see if anyone's got real-world damage experience.
FWIW, i dollied my $2002 Corvair round-trip Detroit - Gainesville with no issues, my $2003/$2004 Corvair round-trip Detroit - Gainesville both years with no issues, and my $2008 944 from Colorado to Detroit and then round-trip Detroit - Gainesville with no issues.
IMO, send it!
For just the Challenge, tow dolly and driveshaft is not a big deal. That's how I plan to get there. For every race weekend, the driveshaft thing gets very old very quickly.
AngryCorvair said:In reply to GameboyRMH :
i'll explain it the best i can:
something something input shaft not spinning something something output shaft spinning something something bearings not submerged something something BANG NEW TRANS WTF
Could make sense if the car is tilted back a long way with the flat-towing dolly...the input side of the gearbox could splash around the oil and save the same car on a long-distance uphill drive. Sounds like overfilling the trans could be a good workaround?
Never Ever Trust The Steering Column Lock. I’ve had them jump and seen plenty of others have accidents when it’s happened to them. If you’re towing anything backwards secure the steering wheel with a strap. Also, some states had laws against towing cars backwards on highways, so I’d see if that’s a concern headed to Florida. If you are worried about the trans pull the driveshaft but I wouldn’t go far backwards if I didn’t have to
Thanks guys. Im overthinking this again....
GameboyRMH said:AngryCorvair said:In reply to GameboyRMH :
i'll explain it the best i can:
something something input shaft not spinning something something output shaft spinning something something bearings not submerged something something BANG NEW TRANS WTF
Could make sense if the car is tilted back a long way with the flat-towing dolly...the input side of the gearbox could splash around the oil and save the same car on a long-distance uphill drive. Sounds like overfilling the trans could be a good workaround?
In 99% of longitudinal rear drive transmissions, the gears only turn when the input shaft is turning. No gears are directly splined to the output shaft. So when you are towing with the input shaft stationary, the output shaft is rotating in the now-stationary gears, and the upper bearings, and there is no splash lube.
I have seen people tow 800ish miles no problem. I know I wouldn't get a half hour out before something seized.
Transaxle type RWDs have no problem because some of the gears will be slinging oil about.
Ignore my previous comment, apparently we’ve truly entered a time that anything goes.
keep in mind, Duster's got to dissassemble half his car to disconnect his driveshaft thanks to the challenge-budget butterfly brace
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
Yeah, not exactly quick and easy....
But i really doubt the stepside would be happy with being hooked to 5k lbs for a thousand miles.
Dusterbd13-michael said:In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
Yeah, not exactly quick and easy....
But i really doubt the stepside would be happy with being hooked to 5k lbs for a thousand miles.
Roger that. I just think people think "RWD, like I have" and forget that you added the butterfly brace.
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
And the 3 unch exhaust and ppf delete. Hell, filling the trans with fluud requires some interesting methods and tools that i couldn't do in a parking lot. But i think i can pull the ppf delete, move the driveshaft out of the way and ziptie it to the exhaust, then reattach the ppf delete so the rearend doesn't fall out.
But its still wear and tear on an already noisy diff....
In reply to Knurled. :
Its actually a chevy t5 in mine....
In reply to Knurled. :
Years ago, I towed an AW11 Mr2 behind a borrowed truck over Independence Pass in exactly this manner. I used two tie-downs to secure the E36 M3 out of the steering wheel. No problems whatsoever. It may have been snowing.
Note, I am NOT suggesting anyone do anything remotely like that. In my ignorance, it seems I came close to death. It is good to know the danger.
This is the recommended method for the pros. Can the same method be done with an amateur tow dolly?
Where can you get the rear skates?
In reply to John Welsh :
I'm no expert, but I think that's for "getting it off the highway in an emergency" method, not "interstate travel" method.
EDIT: Can you rent a rollback?
Dusterbd13-michael said:In reply to Knurled. :
Its actually a chevy t5 in mine....
If it's a WC T5, that may actually not be horrible because I think they used needle bearings and not bushings between the gears and the shaft.
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