OT Towing question

A friend of mine just bought a Chevy II Super Sport in great condition from the original owner. It is in the San Francisco area, and we live in Las Vegas. I have suggested instead of using a full trailer to tow it back to use a tow dolly. He has a Nissan XTerra, and I don't believe it would SAFELY haul a trailer and car combo. He intends to rent from U-Haul.

It has a manual Muncie 4 speed tranny. Can he tow that car with that tranny WITHOUT disconnecting the driveline? Or am I about to be talked into driving to SF in my Cummins Dodge 2500 and help him fetch this jewel? That's not out of the question, but I'd like for him to do it himself, yet do it safely and right.

TIA

Steve

Reply to
Steve B
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His vehicle manual should be clear on that. At least if it is anything like the manual on my chevy.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus30744

The transmission will be fine without removing the shaft, but it is a bad idea to flat tow a vehicle heavier than the tow vehicle, especially on wet pavement. At least add 800 Lbs or so of sandbags or dirt over the rear axle.

Reply to
Stupendous Man

Reply to
JR North

I don't think so - I'm pretty sure that back-driving that tranny isn't going to lube things proper. What's the big deal about not dropping the driveline, anyway? It's not like doing so is all that difficult - Unless it's a weird one, you're only talking about needing to pull 4 bolts and find someplace solid to nail down the end securely. Seems pretty "non-issue-ish" to me.

Reply to
Don Bruder

He went and got a car that nice, but he doesn't want to tow it properly?

Jeez.

If it's in drivable-great condition (as opposed to rebuildable-great condition) he could probably do better driving it than towing it that way.

U-haul will rent him a truck big enough, and probably a real trailer as well.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

Why not suggest that he get a hitch put onto the Chevy and, then, pull the Nissan?

Alternatively, why not simply FLY to SF and drive the car back?

Reply to
RAM³

Jeez, I know. But Bob is "different". He recently sold a '66 El Camino that he restored from the ground up, putting in a nitrous oxide boosted 350,

725 dyno tested motor, and paint donated from Dow for $2500 per gallon. The car was in the Imperial Palace collection in Las Vegas until sold. It was in the Super Stock Chevy magazine some time back.

I guess I'm going to have to go with him and show him how to disconnect a four bold driveline.

Geez, the things we do for friends.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Bob is not a truck driver, has a wimpy tow vehicle, and the vehicle has sat up a lot, meaning it could have problems on a 500 mile trip after setting up for so long.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Car was bought by original owner, driven very little, and EVERYTHING ............. hoses, belts, seals, etc, are subject to the degradation that goes along with NOT driving a vehicle on a regular basis.

I would bet $1,000 that if he tried to drive it home that it would have a problem requiring a duty tow. It's one of those vehicles that has spent 95% of its life in a garage or sitting still.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

"Steve B" wrote in news:NIyAh.6385$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe07.phx:

Then I'd suggest that you get ready to do some towing.

Your best bet will be to find a 2-car trailer so that, when (not if) his Nissan breaks, you'll be able to tow both his Chevy AND his Nissan back to Lost Wages.

Reply to
RAM³

Spend the $80 for a bus ticket and drive it home. Likely cheaper than renting a dolly and driving both ways.

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Reply to
Gunner

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:58:30 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "Steve B" quickly quoth:

When I was coerced into driving the tow truck for Flynn's Frame and Collision (shop owner boss) when the regular driver was out sick, I was taught that if you're going to haul it more than a mile, you drop the driveshaft, period. Too many trannies have been knocked into gear by a bump. Ask any insurance agent. ;) Tie it up WELL!

The Xterra/dolly should haul it nicely and with less gas.

- Interpreted Interpolations Done Dirt Cheap. -----------

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Reply to
RoyJ

The more I read, the more I am leaning in that direction.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

If you call ahead, you can rent a U-Haul auto transport trailer in SF for a

1-way trip, thus saving a day's rental and the wear-and-tear on your truck.

I did this - in reverse - when transporting a car from S. Texas to N. Minnesota a couple of years ago.

Reply to
RAM³

Not to rub it in but aren't you the one that is always saying "buy good tools, you won't regret it"

But back to the car: I would not assume that ANY mechanical comp>>Why is it that people are so cheap? Most of us would die for that car,

Reply to
RoyJ

Over the Sierras during snow season...

At least add 800 Lbs or so of sandbags or dirt over the rear axle.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

Larry Jaques wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Hehe....no way. That Cummins will get 19 loaded to the gills, probably better than that out on the highway. About 19 on an Xterra hauling just the driver seems to be the norm, let alone towing a car. (Sister has one,

19 is about her average fuel economy.)
Reply to
Anthony

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:25:35 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Anthony quickly quoth:

That's right, I forgot that those big, noisy bastids got good fuel economy while hauling heavy loads. It'd probably be a safer vehicle coming down the icy slopes, too. I'd sure want to do it in between these blizzards this time of year, though.

I sit corrected. (Too lazy to stand.)

- Interpreted Interpolations Done Dirt Cheap. -----------

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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