Towing Auto Backwards On Tow Dolly

[want-a-be]

Has any one towed a rear wheel drive vehicle on a tow dolly backwards? If so what all do you need to do on the car and how did it work out?
Thanks for all comments!

[Ivylog]

Not sure how many thousands of pounds a seat/shoulder harness is rated at but I’m sure it’s enough to keep my steering wheel from moving. Not sure why you think the amount of overhang makes a difference on the forces on the steering linkage and tires of the car as only the dolly is affected by that distance.

Like I first posted, I would be careful if towing backwards with a small tow vehicle as the tail can wag the dog but not a MH.

[Hikerdogs]

Ivylog wrote:
Amazing the amount of BS from obviously those who have not towed backwards...even from Doug. I have for over 100,000+ miles without any problems or unusual tire wear. I only have two front tires on the ground...same as a dolly. I strap the steering wheel with the shoulder harness and tighten with the electric seat. I have locking hubs so nothing turns on the drivetrain.

Some of have had more towing experience than you might think. I owned a repair garage and towing service for several years. I've towed hundreds if not thousands of cars, many of them from the rear.

It was never my first choice, but sometimes had to be done. I've towed cars with steering linkage worn enough to cause them to wander. I've also towed some that had severe enough problems that there was visible wear on the tires after towing less than 50 miles.

I've seen steering locks and straps break. It doesn't give you a very warm and fuzzy feeling when a strap breaks and the car you're towing suddenly swings out into the lane of oncoming traffic.

It might work on a DP with an attached hydraulic lift, and a short overhang behind the rear wheels. It's a whole different story using a tow vehicle with a long overhang behind the rear wheels and several more feet of dolly between the rear of the motorhome. The distance behind the rear wheels influences the radius of the turn and puts even more pressure on the steering linkage and tires.

[Charles2222]

Towed GMC Sonoma backwards from Macon,Ga to Quartzsite and back two times.Made quite a few short trips,no tire wear that I could see.Set parking brake and tied steering wheel to brake pedal in a cross method.Never any sway or unusual movements.On an old Demco.Locked all doors and put key in MH.

[Ivylog]

Amazing the amount of BS from obviously those who have not towed backwards...even from Doug. I have for over 100,000+ miles without any problems or unusual tire wear. I only have two front tires on the ground...same as a dolly. I strap the steering wheel with the shoulder harness and tighten with the electric seat. I have locking hubs so nothing turns on the drivetrain.

[Hikerdogs]

Executive wrote:
Think about how often you see a vehicle being towed that way behind a tow truck. You'll find your answer there....Dennis

Being towed backward by a tow truck is a whole different set of circumstances. It's generally done only in an emergency situation and rarely exceeds 50 miles.

As mentioned, the steering geometry is built for primarily forward operation. When towing backward for extended distances the least I would expect is more tire wear. If there are linkage problems, or the wheels aren't perfectly straight the wear could be extensive.

Not having the tires perfectly centered could also cause wandering problems.

[Dutch_12078]

mowermech wrote:
"A four wheel drive with a positive neutral transfer case is ok."
Not according to the owner's manual for every 4X4 vehicle I have ever owned. Towing two wheels down with the transfer case in Neutral is expressly forbidden in every manual I have ever read.
I strongly suggest that you read the manual for the vehicle you intend to tow.

However, it is YOUR vehicle, you should do it YOUR way.

I agree I should not have made it an all inclusive statement, since there are too many variables. Probably the simplest way to dolly tow a 4x4 from the rear is with manual front hub locks unlocked when available.

[Bill_Satellite]

Tow trucks don't tow long distances and the drivers don't really care what happens to the car during the tow. I am sure you have seen that car being towed that had the wheel lock still in place and the driver was towing the car at a 30 degree angle. Not at all the same thing.

[wa8yxm]

In days of old towing from the rear was fairly common, at least for tow trucks. And they still teach it in tow truck school I think (Not sure, never attended, just taught the odd advanced course).

As others have said. the steering lock will not hold. so you MUST restrain the wheel by other means. and I'm not talking "Seat belt through" either but make darn sure that wheel can't turn more than a bit. Leave the car in the "OFF but not Locked" position

A better idea (yes there are two of 'em)

Depending on the car
A Remco Lube Pump keeps tranny fluid running around the loop in an automatic so you can tow 4 down.. many cars that can not be towed (Without one) can be towed with one. it runs on RV 12 volts

A "Drive Shaft Disconnect" is a Spline clutch. that goes into the drive shaft just forward of the rear U-Joint. It requires welding and re-balancing the drive shaft so you need a professional to install one.

You end up with a lever next to the driver's seat. you pull the lever and you no longer have an automobile. You have a trailer. No power from tranny to rear wheels or the other way around. The rear "Free wheels"

Add a good aux-brake system like teh Stay & Play or US-Gear Unified Brake Decelerator..

Well that's the best way to tow.

SIDE advantage.. Now some crooks may know when you tow 4 down on many cars you tow KEYS IN.. They can easily unhook, Fire it up PUt the pedal to the Metal and go... absolutly no where save Jail.

[mowermech]

"A four wheel drive with a positive neutral transfer case is ok."
Not according to the owner's manual for every 4X4 vehicle I have ever owned. Towing two wheels down with the transfer case in Neutral is expressly forbidden in every manual I have ever read.
I strongly suggest that you read the manual for the vehicle you intend to tow.

However, it is YOUR vehicle, you should do it YOUR way.

[Dutch_12078]

I towed many cars backwards on a tow truck wheel lift stinger or hook, and dolly towed behind a rollback. The only restriction was to strap the steering wheel as straight as possible, and for recreational towing, no automatic front or all wheel drives. A four wheel drive with a positive neutral transfer case is ok. Tow trucks usually carry wheel lift dollies that can be used to tow all but the most severely damaged cars either end first, but that's a different situation.

[want-a-be]

Campfire Time wrote:
I'm curious to know what problem you are trying to solve by considering towing backward?

I want to tow a rear wheel drive car that is not towable four down. Thinking a dolly would be the easiest!

[mowermech]

...and yet, in spite of all the doom and gloom naysayers, every tourist season I see at least two diesel pusher motorhomes on the local freeways happily going 70 MPH with a vehicle on a dolly, backwards.
There is no noticeable cloud of smoke or rubber dust from the front tires, and the vehicle is tracking nicely behind the coach. Since they are out-of-state tourists, some from East of the Mississippi River, it is obvious they have been towing like that for hundreds of miles, apparently with no problems.
So, based purely on personal observation, I can only say that YES, it can be done; YES, it has been done; and YES, somebody will do it again.
Safely.

[Campfire_Time]

I'm curious to know what problem you are trying to solve by considering towing backward?

[dougrainer]

Can't be done. You MUST pull with front tires on tow dolly. That means you must modify the tow car. You either remove the Driveshaft or install a driveshaft Disconnect system. YEARS ago, Driveshaft Disconnects were pretty common for rear wheel drive vehicles. I doubt you would get 2 miles without a accident if you tow with steer wheels on the ground regardless of what you do to the Steering wheel. Doug