Towing a rear-wheel drive vehicle

wallynm wrote:
So tell me what happens to the front tires when you lock the steering wheel besides the steering wheel will not turn until you break the pin holding the wheel in place by driving around a corner.:h

OhhWell wrote:

wallynm wrote:
Towing backwards on a dolly creates three point of articulation. First is the tow ball, the second is the dolly wheels and the third is the car steering wheels. In an emergency stop this can allow jack knifing to occurs more quickly. I have seen fifth wheels towing boats and the boat will whip the fifth wheel around to the side of the truck before it rolls. Happen once in CO and there was boat, fifth wheel and truck scatted for a half a mile down the freeway.Maybe rare but it does happen. I chose not to do it.

Just because some do it and never have a problem does not mean it is safe.

you lock the steering :S

you lock the steering when you tow the normal way as well, unless you have an ancient Tow Dolly that is. You don't put anywhere near enough tension on that steering lock pin by driving around corners. Even with a rotating tow dolly, you still put pressure on that pin towing forwards and in a tight turn, it is more than towing backwards. You also can use cargo straps to lock the steering which is what I have done for longer distances.

Anyone who would try to tow backwards without locking the steering is going to get a surprise in about 100 ft.

It's not the best way to tow but it's not doom and gloom or instant catastrophe either.