Towing GN with a tow dolly

[cuda6pak]

Has anyone here towed a GN with a tow Dolly before? I was going to rent one from a U-Haul to drop my car off to get the engine rebuilt, I onto know anyone local that has a full trailer I can borrow., so this is my best bet. My question us would it be OK to tow it reversed with the back wheels on the tow dolly and the steering wheel somehow locked down? Has anyone done this before? FWIW I have 27.5 inch tires on the front which should help with clearance.

 

[fullahotair]

just curious, but why do you want to tow the car in reverse? On a side note, if you tow the car with the front wheels on the dolly, be sure you unhook the drive shaft, or else you will be rebuilding your tranny too while you are at it....


Nate

 

[fullahotair]

U-hual also rents car haulers too....in case you didn't know. You may have to tell them you are hauling a chevette or something.....sometimes they are sticklers on what the tow vehicle and what is being towed.

Nate

 

[Jerryl]

U.......... You may have to tell them you are hauling a chevette or something.....sometimes they are sticklers on what the tow vehicle and what is being towed. . . . .

Nate, Help me understand.
Why would they care?

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Nate, Help me understand.
Why would they care?

Liability???
I had to the same thing when I rented a Flatbed from them.

 

[fullahotair]

U-Haul will ask you what you are towing so they know the weight of the vehicle and then also the tow vehicle so they can tell the tow capacity, wheel base, and the weight of the tow vehicle. I believe they have some sort of formula they use (for insurance purposes) to dictate whats acceptable so they don’t rent you something, you get in a wreck, and then you sue U-haul for letting you rent something that they shouldn’t have.

When I towed my GN with my Jeep Grand Cherokee, my jeep had the towing capacity, but U-hual wouldn’t rent me the hauler. I think it has to do with the weight ratio of tow vehicle and towed vehicle. At any rate I just told them I’ll be hauling a chevette, and they didn’t care. The guys I dealt with knew the gig, especially since I changed from towing a GN to a Chevette while I was at the counter. They just needed something to put into the computer.

Nate

 

[TrAb]

On a side note, if you tow the car with the front wheels on the dolly, be sure you unhook the drive shaft, or else you will be rebuilding your tranny too while you are at it....


Nate

Why would it hurt the tranny?

 

[fullahotair]

I can't tell you the technical side of what goes on in your tranny when you do it, but ultimately what happens is that your drive shaft will be spinning due to your rear wheels being on the ground, and in turn will be spinning parts inside the tranny, but since the motor isn't running the tranny isn't pumping the fluid to the radiator to cool it and you end up cooking the tranny. Something along those lines anyway... perhaps a tranny expert will get into further detail...


Nate

 

[TrAb]

Yeah just wondering because we have a tow dolly and i have towed countless vehicles over the years this way and havent had any problems.

 

[fullahotair]

Towing front wheel drive cars you wouldn't need to worry, just rear wheel and all wheel pose issue. Google it, there are several links about it. I have never not done it, so i don't know quickly damage would occur or how likely...

 

[aminga]

The transmission fluid pump is driven by the ENGINE. No engine running no pressure in the tranny and no fluid circulation.

 

[wagon]

Try to get a trailer if you can. If you do use a dolly, be careful turning sharp corners like say in a parking lot. I did this once, and dented the door to my GN. The platform that the cars wheels sit on pivots. When you cut the wheel hard, the light on the fender sticks out and can dent your door.
I went to rent a trailer that day and made the mistake of telling them that I was towing a GN, and they wouldn't give me the trailer, only a dolly, because the truck didn't have the capacity, even though I had rented from them several times before. That was the last time. I finally bought one.

 

[The_Six]

Dont tow with the back wheels on the dollie I tried it once not a good Idea at all even if you lock the steering whell the wheels will turn some and when it does the car will be all over the place it will not track straight behind the car and there is a good chance it will but the steering colume and you will not beable to lock it any more. lets just say Im glad no one was in the other lane when it happened to me.

 

[OneQuikSix]

You may have better luck starting a new thread entitled, "Need GN buddie near Aiken, SC to loan me a trailer". I personally don't have one, but it seems like I've seen quite a few screen names around here lately (CSRA area). Good luck!

 

[TrAb]

Yeah like i said ive owned a tow dolly for over 10 years and have towed my own and others car countless times. Never had any problems, just as long as you have the wheels strapped down in the front you will hardly ever have a problem ive found.

 

[mygn276]

U-Haul will ask you what you are towing so they know the weight of the vehicle and then also the tow vehicle so they can tell the tow capacity, wheel base, and the weight of the tow vehicle. I believe they have some sort of formula they use (for insurance purposes) to dictate whats acceptable so they don’t rent you something, you get in a wreck, and then you sue U-haul for letting you rent something that they shouldn’t have.

When I towed my GN with my Jeep Grand Cherokee, my jeep had the towing capacity, but U-hual wouldn’t rent me the hauler. I think it has to do with the weight ratio of tow vehicle and towed vehicle. At any rate I just told them I’ll be hauling a chevette, and they didn’t care. The guys I dealt with knew the gig, especially since I changed from towing a GN to a Chevette while I was at the counter. They just needed something to put into the computer.

Nate

LoL I had to do the same thing. They would not let me tow my GN with my Heavy duty 3/4 ton chevy 4 wheel drive, so i told them i had a small MG. You need to call around at some of the tool rental places to see if they rent car haulers. I will never go back to uhaul again.