| GIND | -- 07-15-2020 @ 2:45 PM |
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I want to use a car tow dolly to tow my 1935 Ford 3 miles between houses. It is currently not running. Tow dolly rental companies encourage disconnecting the drive shaft on rear wheel drive vehicles due to improper lubrication without the engine running. I have towed older vehicles with tow straps in neutral with the drive shaft in place over the years and never knew of any difficulty. Might I incur any gear damage towing with a drive shaft intact? Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!
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| kubes40 | -- 07-15-2020 @ 2:56 PM |
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Three miles you say? Just make certain it stays in neutral - you'll be fine. Mike "Kube" Kubarth
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| GIND | -- 07-15-2020 @ 3:02 PM |
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Thank you sir!
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| nelsb01 | -- 07-15-2020 @ 6:39 PM |
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Back in the day --- we got 2 pieces of 2 inch angle iron, found a hitch and welded the angle iron in to a A with the hitch welded at the top of the A. The bottom of the A was the width of the front of the frame on the vehicle. We then cut 2 pieces of 1/4 inch steel plate into a rectangle 6 by 8 inches. We drilled holes in the A at the bottoms and two holes in the 6 by 8 plate--one at the top and one at the bottom 1 inch down. The holes we drilled were the same size as the front bumper bracket bolts. We removed the front bumper with the brackets on and then attached one of the 6 by 8 plates to the frame and then the bottom of the 6 by 8 to the bottom of the A. Hitched the hitch to the tow vehicle-- made sure the vehicle was in neutral and the steering was unlocked, and away we went. For added safety we had portable tail lights that we C-clamped to the rear bumper brackets. As they say -- worked for me on all those early Fords.
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| 42wagon | -- 07-16-2020 @ 3:18 AM |
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Also back in the day we towed cars on their wheels with a tow chain or rope. Never gave a thought to lubrication problems and never had any as a result of the tow. Several of those tows were for multiple miles with someone in both cars and the guy in the tow car signalling the guy in the towed car that he was slowing down and the guy in the towed car needed to use his brakes. Probably not smart for several reasons and I'm sure the police would take a dim view of the practice today.
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| 1931 Flamingo | -- 07-16-2020 @ 4:58 AM |
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Back in the day I towed my 32 5W with my 57 Nomad w/4 spd with a tow bar made from a wishbone. Never heard about safety chains back then. Paul in CT
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| JayChicago | -- 07-16-2020 @ 8:08 AM |
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Not sure, but I suspect that cautionary note from the tow dolly rental company is only because SOME automatic transmissions can be damaged if the rear output shaft is turning without the transmission's fluid pump working. (some auto transmissions, the pump is driven by the input shaft)
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| 1934 Ford | -- 07-16-2020 @ 8:55 AM |
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Back in 1998, before I owned a trailer, we towed our 34 Ford Tudor 1500 miles to the Glidden Tour in Bretton Woods NH. We used a borrowed tow dolly, front wheels on the dolly and rear on the ground. Driveshaft stayed connected. However to be safe I put a pair of Ford van wheels on the back with radial ply tires. Each of the two nigths on the road I jacked up the back of the car, started the engine and ran it thru the gears. No problem or consequences. 1934 Ford's since 1972
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| carcrazy | -- 07-16-2020 @ 10:24 AM |
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If you are going to flat tow a rear wheel drive vehicle with an automatic transmission which only has a front oil pump, just let the engine run at idle while the vehicle is being towed to keep the transmission's internals properly lubricated.
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| GIND | -- 07-16-2020 @ 1:28 PM |
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I'd like to thank everyone for the input. It's good to have reinforcement from folks who know and have experience with similar vehicles. So if the gentlemen who towed his '34 can go 1500 miles, I can surely make the 3 between my houses. I have the dolly rented and will make the move Saturday. Thanks again for the help.
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| wmsteed | -- 07-22-2020 @ 10:04 AM |
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I don't care for 'tow dollies' on older cars, have had problems where the cars front wheels would not straighten out after a turn. I have a tow bar that I made up that bolts to the frame horns where the original bumper bolted into the frame. No problem towing a Early Ford V8 with the wheels on the ground and the trans in neutral, just don't lock the steering wheel. We use to loosely tie a rope to the steering wheel and a door handle, to limit the wheel travel. DON'T TRY TO BACK UP WITH A TOW DOLLY OR A TOW BAR!! The geometry of the towed vehicle changes causing serious damage to the tow bar and or vehicle. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe
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