Is a Tow dolly okay?

wondering if i could transport a car 1000 miles with a tow dolly? What are the risks? what should i check for before the trip?

 

what type of car? have to remove driveshaft. Make sure rearend is good. And tires are good also. If all's well, go for it.

 

If it was a new Honda, yes. A 50 year-old project that hasn't seen regular street time in years, no.

If you have to use the dolly remove the driveshaft if possible, install new tires in rear, check rear wheel bearings, check rear end oil, check the suspension attachment points, & hope for the best.

JH

 

any pre 62 trans will need shaft removed at least and may be off a year or two at that.
I use one all the time but it is wholly dependant on the condition of the rear end and tires etc as said above....

 

If its an older dolly make sure you check the hubs for grease.

 

Dollies are ok for small cars or short trips.

StevieG transports cars in and out of GA.

 

My brother just took a '70 ford pickup on a 900 mile ride on a dolly, from Michigan to Alabama, no problems. I have pulled a loaded dolly to/from North Carolina a couple times from Michigan too. Just stop every so often to check things over, like straps, tires , etc. ....And make sure you don't get in a situation where you have to back up too far....

 

Towed my coupe from So Ca to Mi a total of 2400 miles no problems. I removed the driveline and made sure there was grease in the ass end.

 

Make sure the vehicle will fit on the dolly, some cars are too wide to fit properly. If the car has a long rear overhang, install tall tires on the back and maybe those temp tires on the front to level it out some.

 

If it were a standard transmission why would one need to remove the driveshaft? I was thinking of getting one for 3 or 4 hundred miles away car shows for my '56 Customline Vicky .. ?

 

If it's only 3-400 miles why not just drive the car!???

 

don't forget to cover the front end from rock chips and road debris.

 

I dollyed a 57 Porsche 356 from eastern Oklahoma to central Colorado, car made it fine but it ruined the rear tires. All of the weight transfer to the rear axle splayed the rearend like it was bagged. Two new tires and all was good.

 

ykp53,
Harrison is right on...Tires, Fluids, and grease the Dolly.
Remove the drive shaft. Check the tighness of the front straps and ball every time you stop.. Make sure you have saftey chains. and Lights on the towed vehicle.
Stick a sign in the window. And Belchfire8 said it best..."....And make sure you don't get in a situation where you have to back up too far...."
Been there, done that...

Bill j.<!-- / message -->

 

You cannot tow an auto trans on the drive wheels without killing the trans. Towing with the rear wheels on the dolly can get squirrely if there is any play in the steering or if there is no column lock. The "frt" of the car can start to sway back & forth.
If you value the car, I'd rent a trailer for that long of a trip, just to save the potential damage.

 

A friend of mine tried to save some money using a tow dolly on his 56 cad convert dented in both front fenders. no wide cars, most tow dollys turn a bit and the fenders can hit the sides of car being towed.
get a trailer

 

Im assuming this guy could have pushed the car himself, all the way home in the past 2 years since he posted this thread.

 

LOL... too funny. Maybe we should ask for some updates and pics?

 

I tow dollied my '03 Ranger from California to Ohio behind a U-Haul truck. I just put the stickshift trans in natural and checked everything with every stop.
I also towed my '60 F100 on a dolly by just putting my standard shift tranny in natural, no problems. I did tow dolly my '52 Kaiser a few hundred miles on a dolly but being it was an automatic I disconnected the drive shaft, however I also had a blow out on the right rear tire that was a pain in the neck to change on I-5 (California) with 18 wheelers flying by at 400 MPH!!!

 

In my opinion, tow dolleys are one of those great inventions. With high gas prices, you will be seeing a lot more of them. Don't need such a heavy duty tow vehicle either. All the above advice from others is great. If you get a flat or something happens to the rearend, you can flip the car around and tie the steering wheel, but as evil wicked and nasty says in lesson #2 the car will be all over. Take extra straps and try and lock tie rods, links from moving too-do as a last resort. I always triple strap everything including the tires. After the first couple miles, pull over and check EVERYTHING. Someday I hope to afford to have a nice trailer sitting along the house, but for now, I have to rent a tow dolley or rent a trailer. Good luck

 

funny thing.....i flat towed my 62 fairlane 250 miles last may. has a T5 in it and tore up 3rd gear syncro (or something) and now it won't go into third gear or even think of going into gear.

 

tow dollys, do they have brakes???? never used one for old projects , all that work to tow, the trans issues, tires, brakes, brake lights, etc, ruin a trans, burn up a old axle bearings, do you trust the old gear lube in the axle??? to many if's , full trailer only way to go.

 

I will definitely remember to put my trannies in natural (or is it neutral?).

 

I had a '59 Rambler 4 dr on a dolly behind an F-250, tire strap came loose (after having been checked 3 times) and it proceeded to do a 50mph death wobble tossing the truck in and out of the opposite lane and onto the shoulder of the road...scared the shit outta me...

 

I towed the Falcon all the way back from Tampa Florida back to Michigan with now problem at all, I rented a U-Hual unit and it was great. I did remove the drive shaft and I also change the rear axle fluid to be on the safe side. I towed it back with a 1975 Chevy Malibu.

Jon