Towing with a tow dolly.

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zracer22

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I just purchased a 1991 318is. Now I have to go and get it. I don't want to take my 3500 lb. enclosed trailer to transport it, so I've rented a tow dolly to make the 700 mile round trip. Gas savings alone will pay for the rental. My question is this: Will i do any harm to the car by towing it without disconnecting the driveshaft or rear axels? I could drop the driveshaft if needed, but I really don't want to lay on a Detroit city street working on a car.
 
You might want to drive easy. There are various opinions about using a tow dolly. THe wear will be on the tranny more than anywhere else.

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Grandpa's toys-modded suspensions and a few other tweaks
'89 CRX Si-SCCA ITA #99
'99 Prelude=a sweet song
'03 Dodge Dakota Club Cab V8-Patriot Blue gonna tow
 
It has always been my understanding that the only time you have to disconnect the drive shaft is on a rwd with an automatic transmission. This is because the Tranny fluid pump is driven off of the motor spinning, not the rear wheels. This is not the case with a manual tranny, nor the earlier saturns, that's why you see so many of them being flat towed behind RVs. I use a tow dolly for almost three years, still using the same tranny. My dad has flat towed his 240sx thousands of miles with out a problem.
 
I would be more worried about my limited slip differential than anything else (forget towing with a dolly if you have a spool). I used to hear all sorts of stories about diff damage from drag racers who flat towed.
 
<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">This is not the case with a manual tranny, nor the earlier saturns,</font>
Click to expand...

That is not always true. Jeep trannies and transfer cases are lubed by the engines.
 
Instead of putting the front wheels on the dolly, how about towing it from the rear?

Since I have NEVER used one of those things, I'm not sure if all the weight on the "ground" would cause the dolly to sway like with a trailer with too little tongue weight.

I would use the enclosed trailer for a 700 mile trip. Just plan to spend the night in Detriot after you've picked up the car.



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Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 GP Wabbit (Bent)
http://linerud.myvnc.com/racing/index.html
 
I use a tow dolly on my FWD race car. The only problem I have is sometimes forgetting the car is back there. It's funny looking up and seeing that darn car tailgating me! Only kinda kidding...If it is a rear wheel drive, I'm not sure that you'll be able to put the rear wheels up on the dolly. I assume you broke your steering wheel lock on the race car. If that is so, I would imagine the wheels would turn on you.
 
I would STRONGLY suggest not towing the car backwards. The one time I did it, the van/dolly/car hit a speed (60 mph?)where it oscillated so bad it forced my brother to use both lanes and a bit of the shoulder on a two lane road before we got it stopped. Thank god no one was coming the other way. Another brother borrowed the dolly some years later, and I warned him about it. Needless to say he didn't listen. One rolled pickup truck and a cracked vertebrae on the Ohio turnpike later....he learned his lesson. Now, part of the problem may have been with the dolly design, part with the car(s), but rest assured I'll never attempt reverse towing again. I towed many cars the conventional way on a dolly with no issues. Always pulled the driveshaft on RWD and used it as an excuse to change the tranny fluid. If you still have concerns, rent a trailer.
 
FYI

I towed it backwards and had no problems! Even at 75mph, no problems. Thanks to all for your help!
 
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