| Author |
Message |
CoryDaneRTSIIIL (4.17.253.52)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 1:43 pm: | |
In a recent string, someone mentioned backing a vehicle on a tow dolly for transport. A response came back that this is not good because the weight on the front wheels will cause fish tailing. HUH? Ok what am I missing. BOATS have 85 percent of thier weight on the rear wheels, tow companies tow, back end up, front down. I have towed my Camaro back end up, front down with no fish tailing, just a gentle tow. So, where did this come from? If all this is true, the car manufacturers are certainly molding our pocketbooks. But to date, all I have experienced prooves this to be incorrect. How 'bout it - cd |
Don KS/TX (63.15.244.161)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 3:21 pm: | |
I never tried it, but am aware of some wild fishtailing. I don't think it is the weight, I think the camber and caster bit comes into play on some vehicles. I know you should NOT try it with a Dodge Dakota. Then again, mine did not pull on four wheels worth a darn either. |
Johnny (63.159.193.21)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 4:32 pm: | |
I towed a dolly with a car backed onto it once--I'll never do it again! Even with a very light car (sub-2500lb Datsun 240Z) being towed by a large truck (1976 W-300 extended cab/longbed Power Wagon 4x4), the handling can best be called "spooky". It's simply not safe--especially a 2WD pickup. |
Frank Allen (152.163.207.214)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 5:13 pm: | |
Ive towed them both ways , no problem
Frank Allen |
CoryDaneRTSIIIL (4.17.253.219)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 7:58 pm: | |
Perhaps the problem is with Small, short wheelbase, light weight cars. As I said, I've towed with a Camaro backed on with no bad results at all, it was actually a non-eventful trip, quite relaxing. I don't see the difference between the big heavy boats with all their garth on the rear axle and a car backed on a dolly with the steering wheel tied down.
I must admit when I first heard this, I had to stop and think about it but there seems to be a lot of cars/trucks/boats/heavy machinery hauled in that mode. Just a thought cd |
Don KS/TX (63.15.249.26)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 11:21 pm: | |
I don't think that is it, a Dodge Dakota extended cab v8 pickup was the wildest curb-slapper I know of. Steering wheel was securely locked. It got wild while still in town in the residential area. |
Charley DeWalt (199.174.3.207)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 12:07 pm: | |
Yes,boats have much of their weight on the back end,but a factory set-up will locate the boat on the trailer so that it always,always,has weight on the tongue of the trailer. |
Charley DeWalt (199.174.3.207)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 12:19 pm: | |
I've learned after towing salvage cars for about 25 years,that if you have to pull one on a dolly,backwards for some reason,that the set of castor and camber will have the effect of giving you anything but a smooth,relaxing trip.Most generally I had to keep the speed under 55 to prevent fishtail.In Johnny's words,"SPOOKIE"
The more high peformance they are designed to be,the harder they are to tow backwards.And yes,that includes Camaro's. |
FAST FRED (63.215.228.31)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 1:52 pm: | |
For most trailers the goal seems to be 12% to 15% of the total weight on the tongue.
Less and the trailer may tow poorly . (not track)
FAST FRED |
Johnny (63.159.124.250)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 2:38 pm: | |
It certainly includes a 240Z! |
COryDAneRTSIIIL (4.17.253.117)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 2:57 pm: | |
My Z28 did not tow "Spookie" at all behind the RV. But I know the RV is heavy on the rear axles, not by design but by age, lol. Perhaps that had a part in how things were to handle the tow. I recall a neighbor that come back from a trip, was towing a pint with a tow bar, all for on the ground behind a van. Said it almost got away from them when the Pinto started to fishtail badly. Guess the best way is not to tow at all./
Anyone got the web page of that company that installs a disconnect in the drive shaft? cd |
Jayjay (65.134.220.60)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 6:10 pm: | |
If you have too much slop in the steering gear when towing a rwd car with the back wheels up it can fis-tail badly. Almost lost one coming out of Huntsville,AL several years ago. BTDT Cheers...JJ |
Dennis Johnson (67.233.136.183)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 7:32 pm: | |
http://www.remcotowing.com/main.html |
califbob (209.179.217.182)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 9:57 pm: | |
Why in the heck does anyone want to use a tow dolly??
When you get to where your going you got 3 pieces of stuff to take care of. 4 on the floor, stick shift, been doing it for 30 years.
Tow dollys, YUCK. |
Jim Wilke (205.188.199.182)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 11:58 pm: | |
Bob, many wives will not drive stick. (Mine for instance.) Some guys can't anymore either, through injury, etc.
Jim_Bob |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (208.230.117.43)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 7:24 pm: | |
There was a letter from the people at Blue Ox (the towbar people) in a magazine I just got. They had tested backing up a towed car (four down) with a driver in the car to steer it. The front wheels slammed to the side and the driver was unable to control it. The geometry is the same when towing a car backwards. The castor that makes the car track so nicely going forward causes the front wheels to try to turn around backwards like a funiture castor (same geometry). But they can't so they just lock to one side. Sounds like towing a car backwards is at best a local maneuver to get the car to the junkyard or a garage, not something for hundreds and thousands of miles of highway driving. And to think, I was considering the same idea two years ago. |
Johnny (63.159.188.100)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 7:33 pm: | |
I used to drive a wrecker--I've sling-towed cars backwards many times. Just lock the steering. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 7:37 am: | |
The toad does not need to be a stick! I have towed three different vehicles with automatic. I just stick in a Remco driveshaft disconnect.
With my current Tahoe, I did not even need the disconnect. The electronic tranny has a neutral and no restriction on speed or mileage while towing it.
Richard |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 9:44 pm: | |
With power steering and the engine running you can hold the wheels in the correct position. I know, I have done it.
Richard |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (216.67.220.86)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 21, 2002 - 2:17 am: | |
I have backed up one truck pulling another all 4 down, but very gently and did not have to put much of a curve in the combo to get where I needed. A few short movements of the wheel persuaded the towed to change the slight direction that I needed.
When towing my Jeep CJ, I had to turn round in a truckstop parking lot and had no choice but to go over some rutted ground. These rutts caused the Jeep's front wheels to slam to the opposite direction to which they were originally turning. So beware of those rutts in the dirt parking lots.
Peter. |