OH and PA Tow Dolly and Flat-Towing Laws??

DO NOT put fictitious tags (ie currently registered to something else)on it in Ohio. Especially in this economy where LE income generation is being maximized. An old expired PA tag will probly be just fine tho with a registered dolly. Be safe, we'll keep an eye out the backyard for ya to pass by!

 

if you do happen to flat tow it make sure the tires are in reasonable condition and hold pressure. We were towing an old chrysler royal home(an aussie car) which lost tire pressure ,got the wobbles up and ended up rolling the tow car.

 

ok this has never happened to me but ,ive always heard that if you tow a automatic rear wheel drive car with a tow dolly in neutral that it will ruin the tranny,(rear wheels on the ground),however if you tow that same car and its in neutral and the car is idling its perfectly ok cause the tranny pump is working? any input on that one?makes sense i guess ..also a guy told me without having to remove the driveshaft that he towed with a dolly a rear wheel drive oldsmobile one time from michigan to ohio BACKWARDS. he says he didnt have any problems at all with swaying or anything??? but then again hes been known to blow up a onion sack with the bottom out of it.

 

Some old A/Ts had rear pumps, so the driveshaft would turn the pump, lubing it. You gotta know your tranny stuff. Since that's not me, I always took the extra 20 minutes to jack it up and remove the driveshaft on anything I flat-towed, unless it was only a couple miles. And I have really terrible memories of 2 flat tows that went really bad, really quick. Nobody got hurt, gratefully.

 

You can tow an automatic trans car up to 75 miles or so with the driveshaft attached. If it will run, you can stop, start the engine and cycle it through the gears, and shut it off again every 50 miles or so.

I've flat towed stuff all over the place, have had cops go zooming by, God help me I once flat towed a Hudson at 65 mph down the NYS Thruway that had no front clip, motor or trans in it - never once had a problem other than flat tires on a couple of cars (one I changed, the other I just dragged the last mile and a half at 10 MPH on the shoulder). The less weight you have behind you the less work it is for your brakes if you have to stop quickly. And I sure wouldn't plan on trouble-free functional braking on a U-haul trailer. Just get a set of those Harbor Frieght $25 magnetic tow lights and you're good.

 

You can rent a U-Haul trailer for not much more than the cost of renting a dolly. I trailered a Ford Ranger from Maryland to GA on a dolly (back wheels on the dolly) and the '38 Ford pickup the same trip on a trailer. The trailer handled better (having its own automatic braking system. Didn't have any problems with the dolly, but I definitely felt safer and felt like I had better control with the trailer. With the whole vehicle up on a trailer, tags on the vehicle you're hauling are not an issue, as long as the tag on the trailer is valid, the lights work, and you've got it tied down good you won't have any hassle from Barney Fife.

 

In PA , you should have NO problems . Make sure it is secured well and make sure the tail lights are working !
Personally I would rent a trailer ! They aren't much and a whole lot safer than a flat tow ! Too many things can happen real fast !
My 2 cents worth !

 

Just came through Pa with a car on a doly, towed behind a budget rental van. Budget dolly, no plate on the dolly but a current plate on the car. Had lights on the Dollie, stick on lights on the car. Didn't raise an eyebrow.

Flat towed my plymouth back from PA back in the cold war. Car in tow sign, no lights on towed car, didn't raise an eyebrow. Towed a cab and frame from PA last May on a doly, no plate on the doly, no plate on the cab and frame, stick on lights on the cab and frame, didn't raise an eyebrow.

Make sure your equioment is in good shape don't be stupid, stay on the main highways, don't speed. Pa and ohio say the max speed for tow rigs is 55. Don't know if that applies to interstates.

 

I have flat towed in Pa. with no problems and no plates. My coupe tends to wander a bit when being towed. I have flat towed a 40 coupe as far as Fla. with no problems, I was younger then! If you have to go a long distance rent a trailer.

 

I tow dollyed a falcon from Pa to Ohio. It was a junker with four bald tires. I had a blow out on the highway in ohio, and dragged the falcon about 5 miles with the back wheels sparking on the pavement untill a cop noticed and pulled me over. Good thing he noticed because I didnt. He just told me to fix and not leave it on the side of the road overnight, so I dont think you will have any problems.