OK, well this weekend, my dad and I are going to be towing my car home from school, and he found a two wheel car dolly today from a guy he works with.

From what I understand, since my car is an automatic we need to prevent the back wheels from turning. But the front wheels are fine.

So with this being done, it may put the front plastic rock catcher closer to the ground.

Do any of you have any "don't do it", "you seem fine, go fer it", or "watch out for..."

This is my baby, and I'm worried.

 

pull the bumper off.

 

take the driveshaft off, only 4 10mm bolts, and there not super tight

you ll have to refill the tranny with fluid when your done tho

 

yea put the front wheels on the dolly and remove the d shaft... otherwise the car is gonna whip like hell

 

tsk tsk tsk, not if the steering wheel locks... think about it.

 

I wouldn't advise towing the car on a 2 wheel dolly backwards.

Also, keep in mind the height on back, with the front lifted up. Will it have enough ground clearance?

I know on my car, I need an auto transport, which lifts all 4 wheels off the ground.....since my car would scrape like no tomorrow.

 

If I've got a standard, does that change much?

Can I just have her in neutral, mount the front wheels on, and pull her? or is that a *bad* idea?

Jon

 

4 wheeled tandem trailer is the best way to go.

Leaving the driveshaft in and the tranny in neutral will run up your milage as well as wear **** out...

 

If you're worried about mileage, disconnect the speedo cable... as for pulling the automatic, I believe the haynes manual says to disconnect the driveshaft. I've pulled my manual transmission GSL w/ a tow dolly 100's of miles without any trouble.

You want the front wheels on the dolly w/ the steering unlocked.

 

why can't you disconnect the driveshaft at the rear end?

 

you have to disconnet the driveshaft at the rear end to get it off up front.

 

I towed my FB about 400 miles with this method.

Disconnected driveshaft. (I'd do this after you put it onthe dolly, it'll be EASY)
Maybe just leave it in the transmission and tie it to the body of the car somehow, to prevent all the fluid from leaking out. Do autos even have this problem? I don't know how they are laid out internally, never paid much attention.

 

I know it says in the owner's manual specifically to two it backwards or on a flatbed. Though, that's prolly because it's rear wheel drive, as we all know....so it may not be that bad if you disconnect the driveshaft. personally, I would never tow mine on a two wheel, but, I understand if you are saving money with your father's freind's dolly....

 

Okay, let me give you the REASONS why and not just a do this or don't do that answer.

Do not tow it backwards because even with the steering wheel locked, we all know our cars have some of the most sloppy steering and there is a good chance it will wip around.

Do not tow it forwards with the drive shaft conected because transmissions are "splash lubercated" and with the car in neutral only the top of the two shafts will spin thus not getting any lubercation because the bottom shaft is not splashing the fluid around. It will not always happen but the transmission can sieze up due to the bearings welding themselves together.

The best thing to do has already been said though, disconect the driveshaft from the rear end and leave it in the transmission and tie the loose end to the body somewhere.

 

Damn, that sucks... Someone should fab up a pump that runs off the driveshaft and sucks oil from the bottom the tranny and spits it into the top of the tranny.

 

If it's a tow dolly like the ones U-haul rents, don't back up with the car on it. The sliding plate mechanism makes it act all funny and you'll mess up a door/fender. It happened on a Honda parts car I pulled to my dad's shop when we backed into the lot with it. The car went off to one side while the dolly stayed straight and then pushed the car kinda sideways. The car was far enough to one side that the rear tires weren't even rotating, just sliding on the loose gravel. Good thing it was just a parts car.

 

So, I presume there are U joints in the back... do i mess with those? Like how exactly do I get them disconnected? Will it be obvious when I get under there?

 

the rear U-joint connects to a peice that has a flat flange on it, the differential has a flat flange it in too, these two pices are held by 4 10mm bolts
get someone to hold the tire (keep the driveshaft from spinning) while you take them off, and it wont be hard at all, after they are out the drive shaft will fall, to take it out of othe tranny, just pull,
since it is an auto and most of the fluid is in the pan or torque converter, you shouldnt have a whole lot of fluid come out where the drive shaft was connected, just make sure to top it off before you drive it again

or you can tie it up,

 

I don't understand what the big deal is with this to be honest. I towed my SE home 2 weeks ago with a U-haul dolly, and have no problems whatsoever. Stapped the front wheels on, threw her in neutral and towed her home. No problem whatseover....

 

it will break an auto tranny if you tow it with the drive wheels spinning,
if the engine is off the torque converter isnt spinning, and since the torqe converter is the fluid pump on an auto, nothing gets lubricated

 

Ahhh, i see....taht sucks for the auto guys. yet another reason not to buy an auto. j/k

 

Just drive it

 

With the exception of a Saturn SL. Those were specifically designed with special roller bearings that allowed the cars to be flat towed in neutral. No wonder you see so many Saturns behind RVs.

 

with a front wheel drive it no prob since the back wheels are free spinning anyways

 

What I meant was that not ALL transmissions are damaged by being towed with the drivewheels turning.