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Towing an Automatic on a Dolly type trailer
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Intrinsic
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:02 am    Post subject: Towing an Automatic on a Dolly type trailer Reply with quote

I will tow my '70 Auto Fastback to the invasion this summer. I need to select a trailer to rent.

To save costs I am thinking of renting a dolly trailer and loading the Fastback backwards. With the rear wheels on the trailer and the front wheels on the ground.

Has anyone trailered an automatic TIII in this way?

Will the car track well with the front wheels on the ground?

Should I rely on the steering wheel lock or lock the steering in some other way?

Thanks
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Donnie strickland
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't towed one that way, but as an alternative you could remove the CV's and axles, and tow it with the back wheels on the ground.
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ataraxia
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would use a full car trailer to prevent damage or incident...it's cheap insurance when you consider the full trip.
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My tow dolly works great & is much lighter than a trailer. I've towed them both ways. You can only do about 55 mph backwards before it will start swerving. Forwards with the outer cv joints unbolted you can do 65 mph. Tie up the outer axles with baler twine etc.
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grandpa pete
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Donnie !.. Very Happy ... Finally I can help you with something >>>>

The tow dolly is a great way to move a car ..
.The front wheels on the ground assure you that NOTHING happens to your AUTOMATIC transmission...
.The tow hitch and tow dolly swivel do all of the steering for you ........TIE DOWN THE STEERING WHEEL......
NEVER BACK UP WITH A TOW DOLLY ( Twisted Evil I know YOU KNOW THAT Twisted Evil )...but remember it when your pulling into the truck stop on the highway Shocked

Double check the DATES on the tow dolly tires
ON the sidewall right by the DOT # is an indented "branded" oval with numbers in it....0511...means the tire was made the 5th week of 2011........4506.....means the 45th week of 2006.............make an informed decision to replace $100 set of trailer tires or are you OK with what you have
NOTE ; commercial truck steering tires CANNOT be more than 5 years old...I check the tire dates everytime I pick up the rental trucks we use
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Bobnotch
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike Fisher wrote:
My tow dolly works great & is much lighter than a trailer. I've towed them both ways. You can only do about 55 mph backwards before it will start swerving. Forwards with the outer cv joints unbolted you can do 65 mph. Tie up the outer axles with baler twine etc.


Yup, pull the CV joints at the drive axles, and tie them up. Only pull it facing forward, as the cars toe in is not designed to travel in a rearward direction. At the 2002 type 3 Invasion, someone from either Oregion or Washington had a problem with their car, so they loaded it up backward on the dolly. After about 10 miles, the car got into a violent swerve, and tried to flip the car-dolly-truck combination. Shocked It all ended up in the center median facing the wrong way. Not the way to start an Invasion weekend. Surprised I'd never tow a car facing the wrong way, unless it's on a trailer. Wink

Either tow it in the correct direction, or use a trailer. I've towed t-3s on a tow dolly from Idaho to Michigan, Missouri to Michigan, and Iowa to Michigan without issue (other than loosing some rust chunks coming back from Idaho), but I've always towed with the car's front wheels on the dolly. Same applied to an S-10 I towed back from Missouri last fall, pull the drive shaft, tie it up, and haul butt. Very Happy
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Donnie strickland
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

grandpa pete wrote:
Hi Donnie !.. Very Happy ... Finally I can help you with something >>>>


Sorry GP, it wasn't me asking Smile
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I towed Tram's blue Mercedes over to him (a little muddy) backwards @ 45mph last week. Twisted Evil
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Bobnotch
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike Fisher wrote:
I towed Tram's blue Mercedes over to him (a little muddy) backwards @ 45mph last week. Twisted Evil
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What are you, 10 miles away from Tram? Try doing that 700 miles each way. Shocked It would really make for a long day. I can garrantee you'd be under it disconnectiong the drive shaft IF you had to drag it over a 100 miles.


OP; An alternative would be to fab up a tow bar for it. Do a search, as you can modify an existing super beetle tow bar for less than a days rental of a tow dolly. Wink
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roverjosh
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to revive an old post, but why can't I tow an Automatic on all 4 wheels if the car is in neutral? Is it something to do with the torque converter?

I have to move to Omaha in a couple months and the car won't be ready by then... I do not have a truck strong enough to tow it on a trailer so I was going to buy/make one of those tow behind bars that attach to the front suspension...

Thoughts?
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KTPhil Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is why:

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roverjosh
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 1:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Then there you have it! Thanks Phil. I wish I had more time to post and work in the Notch but I am always so thankful that this site exists.

I will buy a bigger truck and tow it on a trailer or just drive the thing.

Thanks Samba!
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Bobnotch
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

roverjosh wrote:
Then there you have it! Thanks Phil. I wish I had more time to post and work in the Notch but I am always so thankful that this site exists.

I will buy a bigger truck and tow it on a trailer or just drive the thing.

Thanks Samba!


As long as you disconnect the outer CV's, you can flat tow it behind something. Otherwise, you'll rip the govenor out of the trans. Shocked
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
Tram wrote:
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Tram wrote:
People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed".
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old DKP driver
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:58 pm    Post subject: towing Reply with quote

........News Flash....................please just spent 15 MORE minutes and remove both axle assemblies and put um in the trunk until you Arrow GIT wear yer goin........... Laughing


MUCH SAFER having both cv joint axles OFF completely Idea Rolling Eyes Idea

Seriously Exclamation
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roverjosh
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That makes sense. It's just six more bolts, right?

Bob, as always, thanks! Hey how far are you from Omaha NE... I'm moving there in a couple months. I've noticed I have some welding repair to do on the Notch...
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old DKP driver
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:47 pm    Post subject: 12 move cv bolts Reply with quote

12 more cv bolts Laughing
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

roverjosh wrote:
That makes sense. It's just six more bolts, right?

Bob, as always, thanks! Hey how far are you from Omaha NE... I'm moving there in a couple months. I've noticed I have some welding repair to do on the Notch...


Not sure. But, I'm about 10-11 hours east of Des Moines Iowa. Wink I think Omaha is another 3 or 4 hours west of Des Moines.
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
Tram wrote:
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Tram wrote:
People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed".
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roverjosh
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That sounds a little far. I'll have to post lots pics and get your advice via "The Interwebs!"

Thanks Bob
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Bobnotch
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

roverjosh wrote:
That sounds a little far. I'll have to post lots pics and get your advice via "The Interwebs!"

Thanks Bob


No problem. I offered Monte a bunch of help over his build. We even talked on the phone too.

Omaha is a lot closer than the east coast was. Wink I think you were in southern Maryland, right? That's probably closer to 20 hours away.
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Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
Tram wrote:
"Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives."
Tram wrote:
People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed".
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roverjosh
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Bob, yeah, we were in DC before we moved to San Diego... Now we're heading to the Midwest. Should be fun! Thanks for the offer.
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