Using a Tow Dolly

I have a 1951 Mercury with standard shift and overdrive. With the handle out, but not in overdrive, it will coast when you let off the throttle.

My question: Can I pull this car with a tow dolly without pulling the driveshaft?

Thanks,

Ted Crosby
JJags3@aol.com

 

Ted,

How far are you going to tow it ?

What condition are all four tires in ?





Jim

 

New tires, short distances, like 15-20 miles each way.

 

As long as you keep it 25 m.p.h. or under and there is a
full rear differential - you should be o.k.

But, if you are planning on replacing the u joints and/or balancing
the driveline - now would be the time to pull it.



Jim

 

Ted, You won't have any problems towing it with a tow dolly. Just be sure that it is out of gear. With a stick shift there is no reason to pull the driveshaft. If it was an automatic then you should pull the drive shaft on some cars. I haul cars all the time with a tow dolly. Ken

 

Thanks

 

Ive flat towed stick shift cars hundreds of miles with the trans in neutral and driveshaft still attached. I drove my 65 C 10 to Dallas. I hooked it to a ton ford van there and flat towed it to Chandler OK. then from chandler back to I 40 and down to I 40 -60 MPH to conway Ar then to Pocahontas. flat towed it over 400 miles. No problems. Back in the day I helped a car dealer. We would go to St louis. and flat tow cars back drive one and pull two on the tow bars behind. They where all older cars & trucks. We only pulled the drive shafts on some automatics. some Automatics had torque tube drivelines couldnt pull them. I never knew of any damage from dragging them 200 miles with the driveshaft turning. Old Wolf

 

He is asking if he can tow it with a Tow Dolly not flat towing it with all four wheels on the ground with a Tow Bar. As for speed just do the speed limit. One thing to watch out for is the rear bumper hitting the ground when pulling into some driveways. And REMEMBER you cannot back it up with a car on the dolly it will just jackknife and damage the tow dolly. Ken

 

So What? My response is still valid. a tow dolly is essentially the same as a flat tow. still four wheels on the ground. The front wheels on the dolly the rears turning the rear gears & driveshaft. It think a tow dolly will handle better than my tow bar. The speed limit on I 40 is 70 MPH I went 60MPH. The problem many folks have is not a big enough tow vehicle. That Van is a one ton . More than ample to safely tow a 4200 lb pickup 60 MPH. My wifes folks lived at Conway Ar 150 miles from here. My Father in law owned a salvage yard. I was commonly buying older vehicles fron him and flat towing them home behind a 3/4 ton PK with the driveshaft still attached. Never hurt anything. Old Wolf

 

Manual trans is self lubricating. It will do just as well under tow as driving. Auto trans is the one you need to look out for. Early ones had 2 pumps, the one on the back will lube the trans under tow. But after about 1960 they only put in a front pump which does not turn if the engine is not running. Those are the ones that can burn out the trans if you tow too far too fast. Most times you are safe to tow 20 - 30 miles at 50 or less.

 

I respectfully beg to differ. On SOME cars, the prolonged upward tilt of the vehicle (and it's trans) can interfere with adequate lubrication of the manual transmission.

I say this from experience. A particular rear wheel drive OT car that I had flat towed many times, and for hundreds of miles at a time, had the transmission seize up within 75 miles when pulled on a tow dolly.

While it is likely you could tow your Merc on a tow dolly without incident, for the few minutes involved in pulling the driveshaft at the rear u-joint, is it worth the chance?


Ray

 

You have a valid concern its entirely possible the tilt could be problematic.

 

Some folks worry too much. If the thing runs and moves, drive it around the block a couple times then load it up and go. It will be fine, unless the rear seal leaks like a sieve.

 

We tow dollied my sons manual trans car from Rhode Island to Georgia none stop in one day without a problem. Ken

 

Why don't they freeze up on a long hill?

But I agree you should drop the driveshaft if there is any doubt. It also helps to have a cap of some kind to plug the back of the trans and keep oil from dripping out.

 

There you go Good advice

 

They don't 'freeze up' on a long hill for at least two reasons. First; there are few, if any, roads with 75 miles of continuous uphill and Second; when the vehicle is being driven by the engine, more internal parts of the trans are rotating than when being towed in neutral. The lube gets distributed better.

And, you will note, I did not say all transmissions will suffer this fate. There are variables.
Merely pointing out there are no absolutes in this matter.

Those of you who think you can always get away with it may be correct. So have at it.

Ray

 

Hnstay is correct. Only the mainshaft turns in the trans if towed. The rear mainshaft front and rear mainshaft bearing may not get enough lubricant unless you overfill the transmission. Some folks rig up a clutch pedal holding tool so they can pull in top gear but I just pull the driveshaft unless I'm only traveling 20 miles or less at lower than normal road speeds.

 

My old man towed a Honda Accord thousands of miles on a tow bar behind his motorhome. One time he forgot to take it out of low gear ha ha ha goodbye engine.

 

OK, all that advice sounds good and is appreciated. Is this possible? Put the rear wheels on the tow dolly and tow the car backwards? Wreckers do that all the time.

 

Good advice there. Also make sure that the rear tires are in good shape. You didn't say if it's a car that you drive that you need to tow across country or one you bought that you need to haul home so there may be things to check out if it is one you just bought. If it is lowered in the rear you may want to hunt down some taller tires to raise the back end up a bit when towing.