Towing Toyota Tacoma on Dolly Backwards

[tunaguy]

I know towing four down is much easier and better but the DW and I have been going around and around about a tow vehicle we both like toyota's
and I will always have a truck so could be an answer. Any issue with a dolly with the heavier end not on dolly? Anybody ever seen or done this? I have a 2013 Baystar 3209.

Thanks for any incite you may hav.

Jeff

[robatthelake]

Toyota 4X4 Trucks tow flat just fine if You remove the propellor shaft to the rear wheels!.

So what if you have a front wheel drive pickup for a while!

[mowermech]

What legal problems?

[Heisenberg]

I would not do it, the legal problems could be overwhelming. Get a Colorado.

[noteven]

x2 on Nissan Frontier

[carringb]

I definitely recommend NOT towing a vehicle backwards on a dolly.

Wrecker operators get by with it because they *usually* know and remember to add some sort of secondary securement to the steering wheel. The steering wheel lock was never intended to hold the wheels stationary on a moving vehicle, and could easily be broken by a pothole, curb, or other road hazard. Also, because they lift the rear end so far, that usually creates enough caster to keep the wheels pointed straight anyways, Finally, if the wheels do turn, it just makes the vehicle crab. Not the end of the world unless you're driving down a tight alley.

On a dolly, the shallower angle means the steer wheels on the towed car can start oscillating like loose shopping cart wheel, and the whole dolly will start swaying out of the control. It's a rare occurrence, and has to be initiated by the steering moving, but it can happen and the outcome usually isn't great. One of my friends lost his Mercedes, when it suddenly started doing the dolly dance. Towed perfectly find up until it didn't. Lucky for him, it broke free of the dolly and flipped on the side of the road. Otherwise it probably would have taken the truck for a ride too, possibly into oncoming traffic.

[j-d]

Last couple posts in this thread are why we have a Nissan Frontier. Taco was my first choice since it've been our fourth Toyota and they've all been good. Ford was building Rangers back then and I drove one. It was a spunky little truck, the only one that was still "small" but the ride and handling were bad. Next was Taco. Drove well and I was interested. Asked to see the towing page in the owner manual. Sales people came back "Not Recommended" and I said "Let's See." Sure enough, event the manual transmissions and the 4x4, towing not recommended. Next statement "But our customers do it all the time." I was already in a warranty dispute over our Corolla for something that WAS covered. No Way, went to Nissan. I was very pleasantly surprised. The 4-cyl 5-speed was towable, VERY Comfortable, VERY Quiet. Their base model has the King Cab, no Work Trucks in Frontier. That's what we went with, and it's been a nice unit.
The transfer cases in Taco and Frontier were manual, but no Neutral. 4x4 Manual was towable in the 2WD High and Neutral. Worked out same as the 2WD Manual in Neutral. No towable automatics.

I don't think I'd tow any 4x4 on a dolly unless it was the Front end and I either removed the rear driveshaft or installed a Driveshaft Disconnect.

DD's are a Love/Hate thing, and the Haters seem to be the majority.

[RinconVTR]

lryrob9301 wrote:
While it's not a truck, take a look at the Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO edition. It comes automatic with a manual shift transfer case with neutral. That makes it 4 down towable as is. Of course Toyota says none of their vehicles are 4 down towable but that is the legal department's doing. If you chose to ignore the warning it makes a very good toad.

WTH?!? Not good advice...

[Bumpyroad]

lryrob9301 wrote:
While it's not a truck, take a look at the Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO edition. It comes automatic with a manual shift transfer case with neutral. That makes it 4 down towable as is. Of course Toyota says none of their vehicles are 4 down towable but that is the legal department's doing. If you chose to ignore the warning it makes a very good toad.

that would be really smart. buy a new truck and immediately void the warranty.
bumpy

[lryrob9301]

While it's not a truck, take a look at the Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO edition. It comes automatic with a manual shift transfer case with neutral. That makes it 4 down towable as is. Of course Toyota says none of their vehicles are 4 down towable but that is the legal department's doing. If you chose to ignore the warning it makes a very good toad.

[tunaguy]

Thanks guys, don't have a Tacoma, but was in the need for a new truck anyways as my full size chevy is to heavy and I can get family deals on toyota's but will have to just keep searching for the right vehicle for us. I was just trying to kill to birds.

Jeff

[j-d]

Toyota quit allowing four down on all Tacos. Dolly mfrs don't like backwards but I think I saw it as alternative in a GM manual for Canyon whatever the new midsize PU is. If you do this YOU MUST USE a special steering wheel immobilizer. Not an OEM lock if it even has one and not some home brew ginny

[gbopp]

The only insight I can offer is, consider trading your Tacoma for a Toyota that can be towed 4 down or safely on a dolly.

[mowermech]

It is not recommended, AFAIK, by any dolly manufacturer.
Yes, I have seen it done. Many times, in fact. No, I have not done it.
IF the Toyota is four wheel drive, and IF the transfer case has a Neutral position, it might be towable four down. If it is 4X4 it is probably NOT towable on a dolly, no matter which end is on the dolly!
IF the Toyota is 4X2, and automatic transmission, there might be a lube pump kit available from REMCO that will make it towable four down. There might also be a driveshaft disconnect kit available.
The owners manual is the final authority on towing, except for lube pump kits or driveshaft disconnects.