towing a fwd car on a dolly

[jonathon]

Can it be safely done with the front wheels on the pavement and the manual trans in neutral? It's a 92 Prism.. the rear wheel is bent in wards so it can not be rolled on that end. Just need to get it roughly 30 miles. I've never towed a car so I don't know.

 

[black rust]

As long as you lock the steering wheel in at least two ways and keep it in neutral, you should be fine.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Can it be safely done with the front wheels on the pavement and the manual trans in neutral? It's a 92 Prism.. the rear wheel is bent in wards so it can not be rolled on that end. Just need to get it roughly 30 miles. I've never towed a car so I don't know.

NO, the drive wheels MUST be off the ground.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

NO, the drive wheels MUST be off the ground.

So AWD and full time 4WD vehicles can't be towed?

 

[4X4HIGH]

So AWD and full time 4WD vehicles can't be towed?

They must be on a flatbed or have dollies under the wheels that would normally be on the ground.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

They must be on a flatbed or have dollies under the wheels that would normally be on the ground.

Why?

If everything is in neutral it shouldn't matter. I've seen tons of vehicles towed this way.


Any real reason that cars/trucks can't be towed like this other than tow driver stupidity?

 

[supersize75k5]

what about burning up the tranny pump?

 

[onetonbb74]

Manual trans, no prob. The odo will not record the 30 miles as well. woot

 

[supersize75k5]

missed the manual tranns part

 

[driney]

I started off on a trip with someone's Bronco II on a dolly. We loaded it with the front end on the ground. Made it about 20 miles before I ended up jack-knifed and sideways in the road. Turns out you don't need much play in the steering linkage to get a really nasty whipping action going.

 

[lectric80]

Why?

If everything is in neutral it shouldn't matter. I've seen tons of vehicles towed this way.


Any real reason that cars/trucks can't be towed like this other than tow driver stupidity?

With auto trans you shouldn't tow in neutral since it will damage the trans without the pump running. Manual trans don't have that problem and shouldn't be any issue towing this way in neutral. Owners manuals say that any AWD should be flat towed, full time 4x's can be towed this way if the transfer case is placed in neutral.

 

[wheeler]

that depends on the vehicle, i know toyota pickups cannot be dingy-towed (two wheels on the ground) even if the transfer case is in neutral, it will damage the tranfercase, as fluid is not circulated unless the input shaft is turning. Another thing, you said the wheel is bent? stupid question...but if the wheels bent, put it on the front and put a straight wheel on the back and tow it front up the way it should be. Unless you meant to say something in the suspension is bent, in which case i retract my previous question.

 

[jonathon]

Well I'll just end up getting one of the u-haul flat trailers then to be safe.,

This car is free, so it's worth shelling out the $50. The rear drivers side "axle" is messed up, but looking at it I can easily get all the parts from u pull it and have it on the street for under $150

 

[454k30]

better choice for sure is to use that trailer. Like what was already said it doesnt take much steering slop to make that thing go all over the place.

 

[jonathon]

Got it home, burb did really well towing it

This car runs extremely well.. just needs the rear end fixed and a taillight and it'll be a 35mpg beater