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Towing my 66

oateater

oateater

Member
Would it be a problem to tow my 66 on a two wheeled tow dolly behind my rv just the way it is without removing drive line. I am thinking that will be ok. 289 toploader 4spd.
 
When I was bringing mine to the new garage I was told by Ryder that the driveshaft would have to come out if using the dolly. It's why I chose the trailer. If your going that route,Find a yoke to slide into the transmission so you don't lose your gear oil and make sure the tires are up to pressure.
 
I know for sure with an auto trans you MUST disconnect the drive-shaft. I don't think it's a problem to tow a manual trans car though
 
"tarafied1" said:
I know for sure with an auto trans you MUST disconnect the drive-shaft. I don't think it's a problem to tow a manual trans car though
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Right, you have to pull the drive-shaft for autos...manuals you can just slip out of gear.
 
Sounds easier to simply hire a beautiful coed to drive the Mustang behind the RV :shrug
 
"AtlantaSteve" said:
Right, you have to pull the drive-shaft for autos...manuals you can just slip out of gear.
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I agree +1 and all of that other stuff the post whores use. :sarc

That is another good reason why manuals are better than auto. :roll

fd
 
Heard it all my life and have always wondered why you need to pull the DS when towing an auto. If it's in neutral, what's the problem?[nb]I know less than nothing about auto transmissions[/nb]
 
I know you have to disambled the DS from trucks when towing but not from cars wether they are equipped with man or auto trans . :confu :confu
 
"silverblueBP" said:
Heard it all my life and have always wondered why you need to pull the DS when towing an auto. If it's in neutral, what's the problem?[nb]I know less than nothing about auto transmissions[/nb]
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My understanding it is a cooling issue, automatics are connected to the radiator, but if is not running fluid is not circulating bla bla bla.

fd
 
Pumps inside the auto may not spin and provide oil for cooling the internals without the engine turning. Pumps do not run off the output shaft.
 
"AzPete" said:
Pumps inside the auto may not spin and provide oil for cooling the internals without the engine turning. Pumps do not run off the output shaft.
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The auto trans clutches will burn up. The pump runs off the torque converter. It won't spin or pump when towed. I fried an AOD towing a T-Bird because it has IRS and we couldn't get the driveshaft off without dropping the exhaust and gas tank. We didn't have the tools to do all that. We towed it anyway and the trans was toast when we got it home and fixed the timing chain. Since the engine was not able to run we couldn't even start it up and run it for a while. I don't know if it's a cooling thing or the fact that they are not under pressure so they slip, but I do know they will be toast if towed!
A manual trans doesn't know the difference if the engine is running or the gears turn because of the wheels turning.
 
What circulates the oil in a Toploader? If it relies on the cluster gear splashing oil all around, then not much will happen since the input shaft, cluster gear or any of the driven gears on the main shaft won't be spinning. I think I'd be tempted to remove the drive shaft for a long distance tow.
 
Thanks for all the inputs everyone. I know I could not tow with an auto but I was wandering about a 4spd. I just don't want the hassel of removing the drive line. We like to go to car shows and make a weekend out of it without having to run home afterwards and that way I can drink beer. [grin] Its so much easier with the wife in the rv helping me watch out for traffic than driving two seperate rigs. Car trailers are to hard for me to move around any more so I thought the dolly might be the best option and a tow bar won't work for obvious reasons. I see a pretty good selection of dollys on Craigs list and they aren't that much more money than a tow bar set up. The other reason I'am thinking about the dolly is we could tow our daily driver with it also when we are not doing the car show thing.
 

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"tarafied1" said:
isn't a manual pretty much completely submerged in oil inside?
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I think the cluster gear shaft is probably covered, hence why I think if it's moving it's sloshing oil everywhere... In nuetral, the only thing spinning while in tow would be the main shaft. If the main shaft doesn't drive the oil around, then there won't be any circulation of oil to the rear tail bushing, bearing between the main case and tail shaft, or on any of the bushings for the driven gears that ride on the mainshaft as well as the bearing that connects the input to the mainshaft.

I don't know how the oil is circulated toploader, but the only moving part is going to be the main shaft, everything else that it's mated to will be stationary. The only other time the cluster gear is stationary is when the clutch is disengaged.... When the engine is running with the clutch engaged, the cluster is spinning and at least moving some oil around.

It might be a good question for David Kee or Toploader Heaven or someone who knows toploaders inside out...
 
I was always told to leave the engine running when towing a manual in neutral with the drive shaft connected in order to keep the lube going.

Just leaving it in neutral will starve some of the bearings.
 
"stangg" said:
I think the cluster gear shaft is probably covered, hence why I think if it's moving it's sloshing oil everywhere... In nuetral, the only thing spinning while in tow would be the main shaft. If the main shaft doesn't drive the oil around, then there won't be any circulation of oil to the rear tail bushing, bearing between the main case and tail shaft, or on any of the bushings for the driven gears that ride on the mainshaft as well as the bearing that connects the input to the mainshaft.

I don't know how the oil is circulated toploader, but the only moving part is going to be the main shaft, everything else that it's mated to will be stationary. The only other time the cluster gear is stationary is when the clutch is disengaged.... When the engine is running with the clutch engaged, the cluster is spinning and at least moving some oil around.

It might be a good question for David Kee or Toploader Heaven or someone who knows toploaders inside out...



That was an excellent idea to check with David Kees so I sent them an e-mail and this was the response!

Yes the transmission will lock up from lack of lubrication if you tow the car with the rear wheels on the ground.

Thanks,
David Kee
David Kee Toploader Transmissions, Inc.
www.davidkeetoploaders.com

So, thats the name of that tune. Darn!!
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u wont have any problem towing a early mustang thats std shift any distance as ive towed them over 1500 miles and no leaks or problems whatsoever! with a/ts i disconnect the drive shaft at the rear u joints and tie up to the exhaust system and my tow dolly and tow bar has over 100k on them-probably a lot more than that. only problem i ever had was i bought a 65 f/b from bruce in nj about 5 years ago and piled a bunch of parts inside and something feel on top of the shifter and pushed it in gear(a 4 sp) and lookingg in my mirror i noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment-blew the motor-probably worn out anyway but didnt hurt the tranny a bit. just 1 of many many episodes towing mustangs long distance. lost a front wheel 1 time on a convt i bought at carlise pa in knoxville tn towing with a towbar around midnitesaw lots of sparks as front backing plate dragging on pavement--wheelbearing let go-had to rent a tow dolly to get that one the rest of the way to vickburg ms. wes
 
i also did tow a 65 coupe with a c4 without disconnecting the driveshaft from vicksburg ms to bradenton fl in 1997. it did ruin the tranny and required a rebuild-but i stand by my story of towing many many std shift early stangs without problems. wes
 
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