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Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:43 pm

i need to know if the regular tow bar for a bug will fit the square back?? i am thinking of purchaseing one in salt lake and i don`t want to rent a dolly to get it home. Thanks Mikeb

Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:50 pm

bug tow bars DO NOT FIT type 3's rent the tow dolly if it is an automatic car tow it by the rear tires better yet get a full car trailer

Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:00 pm

thanks, it is a standard transmission, so it is a tow dolly.MikeB

Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:02 pm

If it is an automatic, and you plan on towing with the rear wheels on the ground, you will have to drop the rear axle shafts.
Make sure the lug nuts and axle nuts are tight and the axle nuts have cotterpins in them.

Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:23 pm

mikeb wrote: thanks, it is a standard transmission, so it is a tow dolly.MikeB

It's usually only $5-$10 more to rent a trailer vs. a dolly. You can drive faster, don't have to worry about the tires falling off, and you can actually back the thing up.

Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:46 pm

vwlowryda wrote: mikeb wrote: thanks, it is a standard transmission, so it is a tow dolly.MikeB

It's usually only $5-$10 more to rent a trailer vs. a dolly. You can drive faster, don't have to worry about the tires falling off, and you can actually back the thing up. very good point I forgot about backing up

Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:06 pm

Picking up my square tomorrow and trailering it home. I've never trailered a square (or a VW for that matter). Are there specific points that are good for connecting the ratchet ties to and others that are absolute "do nots"?

Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:14 pm

Easy to tie down.
Around the axle beam in the front, and depending on the year, around the rear axle tubes in the rear on an early, or the IRS swing arm on an late models.
Watch that you don't pinch any brake lines.

Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:14 pm

The rear axles you can strap and the front should be just as easy just dont strap the bumper it will twist cool post pictures

Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:30 pm

I hate to play dumb here, I almost lost my 05 Xterra and the 71 automatic squareback I was towing home on a 2 wheel dolley. I had to force it to drive 500 miles. All the way back home I passed motor homes towing new cars, 4wd drive cars, most of them HAD to be automatic.

Why can you not just put it in neutral?

Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:32 pm

4wd drive cars typically have a transfer case with a Neutral in it. that disengages the transmission from the wheels.
On most modern automatics, there is no oil circulating when just the drive shaft is spining. And a lot of the cars you see being towed are front wheel drive, so once they are on the dolly, they are cool.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:25 am

Most of them have a driveshaft disconnect or an axel lock copuling on them that allows them to flip a switch and it disconnects the driveshaft from the transmission and allows flat towing.
http://www.drivetrain.com/remco.html

Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:43 am

my pop's tow car has an external transmission pump that circulates the fluid while being towed.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:19 pm

Back in the '50's, automatic transmissions actually had a rear pump that spun with the drive shaft. You could actually push start an automtic car.