towin

[Wilson123]

Can I tow a rear wheel car backwards on my car dolley?

[Wilson123]

Mowermech. That's exactly the process I read when I googled it. It's almost like you wrote that google answer.

jocat54. No, BMW said that only if I had the front wheels on the dolley and the car in neutral.

[jocat54]

Wilson123 wrote:
Yes. 2 wheels on the ground. The more I think about it I may disconnect the drive shaft and tow it front forward. I think once I get it up on the dolley I can get under it.

I can't quite understand why a rear wheel drive car with the rear wheels on a tow dolly would have to started and driven to lubricate anything.

The only thing turning would be the front wheels bearings. But if the manufacturer says so--I guess that's the way to do it.

[mowermech]

I had a Datsun pickup many years ago that I had to do that with. It only took a couple minutes to slide under there, take the four bolts out of the rear driveshaft yoke, wrap the u-joint with black electrical tape to keep the bearing caps in place, tie the shaft to a cross brace on the bottom of the bed with a piece of wire, and bag the bolts and clamps in a zip-lock bag. The bag went in the glove compartment.
It didn't take long to put it back, either.
Yes, it CAN be done, IF you are willing to do it.

[Wilson123]

Yes. 2 wheels on the ground. The more I think about it I may disconnect the drive shaft and tow it front forward. I think once I get it up on the dolley I can get under it.

[wbwood]

Wilson123 wrote:
My dolley wheels turn. BMW said I could put it in neutral and tow it normally but every few hundred miles I would not only have to start it but drive it to lubricate everything properly.

Are you sure that is for a tow dolly and not flat towing (4 wheels on the ground)?

[Wilson123]

Boy, that what if had some stories. I still have 3 weeks to make a decision so I am in no rush yet. Maybe pulling the drive shaft isn't going to be very difficult.

[mowermech]

Bobbo wrote:
There is a big difference between "it has been done" and "it is a good idea." Towing a rear wheel drive vehicle backwards has been done, successfully, but it is not a good idea. If it causes problems, e.g. the steering wheel lock breaks, the wheels turn, and the car swerves sideways and hits something, you will be liable.

Well, if we are going to play "WHAT IF"...
What if the left front wheel of your car comes off and goes across the street into the 7-11 parking lot? It actually happened to me, in high school, but the wheel didn't hit anybody.
What it both left rear wheels come off your rig at 50 MPH, and roll down the highway? That happened to the school bus I was in once. The wheels didn't hit anybody.
What if the receiver breaks away from the frame of your motorhome and leaves your toad sitting in the middle of the road? That was reported on these forums a couple years ago.
What if the whole front end of your toad breaks away, leaving the car in the middle of the road and the bumper attached to the motorhome?
That was also reported here, with pictures.
What if an airplane lands on the back of your car? That happened many years ago. The car was a 1959 Chevy.
What if some fool drops a bowling ball off a freeway overpass, and it lands in the middle of your windshield? That happened years ago, too.
What if your trailer breaks away, runs across the median, hits a car, and kills someone? That happened right here in Billings a few years ago!

Yes, "WHAT IF" can be carried to ridiculous extremes. But remember, EVERY ONE of the things mentioned REALLY HAPPENED!
If one is going to worry excessively about WHAT IF, perhaps one should just stay home. BUT WAIT! Consider all the accidents that occur at home. It is not safe there, either!
Oh, what to do...

[Wilson123]

I was going to put a couple of small ratchet straps on the steering wheel to each door handle so it couldn't move regardless if the steering lock broke.

[jayleona7900]

pulled a 2007 mustang backwards for 3 years averaged about 8000 miles
a year no problems.

[Bobbo]

There is a big difference between "it has been done" and "it is a good idea." Towing a rear wheel drive vehicle backwards has been done, successfully, but it is not a good idea. If it causes problems, e.g. the steering wheel lock breaks, the wheels turn, and the car swerves sideways and hits something, you will be liable.

[Wilson123]

Pulling the drive shaft seems like a lot of work and if I want to stop some where and use the car I would be hooking it up every time. It's my first time with the car dolley so if it's an easy off and on I may take the drive it every few hundred miles plan. I'm in no hurry to get any where.

[mowermech]

Wilson123 wrote:
Is the stopping every few hundred miles and driving it a viable option?

That depends entirely on what YOU want to do!
Some would say "Sure, I would be willing to do that!"
Others would say "NO WAY! That is simply too much hassle!"

Way back about 1968 I towed a Corvair Spyder, manual transmission, fro Northwestern Montana to Seattle. I had to stop every 250 miles (more or less), start the engine, and let it idle in Neutral for 5 minutes.
Yeah, it got annoying. Especially since I was towing it with a 6 volt truck, and I had 6 volt bulbs in it for the lights, and every time I started it, without thinking, I would step on the brake and blow the bulbs! (You won't have that problem, I'm sure.)
Anyway, if you are willing to do what is necessary to tow it, it is a viable option. If you aren't willing to mess with it, then it isn't viable.
good luck.

[BarneyS]

Moved to dinghy towing forum from towing.

[Wilson123]

Is the stopping every few hundred miles and driving it a viable option?