Towing a Spider

[spiderverde]

Considering purchasing a tow dolly..... to move car back and forth between main and second home... any issue with towing front wheels up.. ?? I know newer (especially automatic) cars need to be towed backwards ...but I would think with an older 5 speed, the neutral position would disconnect the transmission and not cause any lubrication problems.. ....
Looking at 90 miles to destination...

Any thoughts... experiences .. things I'm not thinking about....????

Tired of always relying on someone to follow and not being able move car when i want to..
Like yesterday i would have preferred to bring car back .. perfect dry weather.. Today and Saturday...rain with snow !!!!..

Ray

[rlux4]

There's been a lot of discussion about this question. I towed my Spider down from Oregon to SoCal for about 1000 miles on a dolly and didn't experience any problems. This was three years and about 12,000 miles ago. There's been opinions expressed that the tranny doesn't get lubricated enough when it's in the front end/raised position and the driveline connected, but I didn't disconnect mine. The owners who have towed similar mileage (Shawn Folkerts comes to mind) also didn't have problems, although I think in his case he flat-towed.
Seems like the proponents of disconnecting the driveline are voicing a "better safe than sorry" opinion and not from having towed one any great distance. So, no, in my opinion 90 miles on a tow dolly is not a problem.

Ron

[wikkid]

I think the roads are too pot-holed and bumpy in the NY area for me to consider having the rear end low like that. A trailer would be safer for me. I have spent altogether too much time driving on the Belt Parkway, the BQE, and other NYC area roads!

[vandor]

Hi,

>any issue with towing front wheels up.. ??

Not unless you go a looong ways. The tranny does not get lubricated unless the input shaft (engine) is turning, but it seems not to be a problem on short distances. My tranny made bad screetching noises after I flat towed the car from PA to TX, but it was fine after a few seconds of running.

> I know newer (especially automatic) cars need to be towed backwards

My experience with towing backward is that the car fishtails over 40 mph.

[wikkid]

So, for the best of both worlds, I guess you could stop along the route and, carefully and with the car in neutral, start the engine and let it run to lubricate the transmission? Or does the car need to be moving with the engine on before the tranny is lubed?

[azruss]

my guess would be if you are towing over rough roads, you should get plenty of lube from splashing. The only issue is if you are too nose high, all the fluid will run to the back of the cavity.

[spiderverde]

I thought when you were in neutral your tranny was disconnected form the drive line..?? Isn't that was neutral is or are there still things turning in there..
My other concern.. is the angle now that someone mentioned it.. I have an Ansa exhaust that does hang a bit lower than I would like...

Ray

[Exit98]

My two cents, don't overthink it. Ron towed his with no problem.

It isn't a question of the connection from the engine to the transmission. It is the fact that turning the rear wheels transmits the rotation through the differential, up the driveshaft and into the transmission. But the transmission is bathed in its lubrication, the inclination isn't significant. Unlike an auto trans there is no pressurized or pumped lubrication.

To eliminate all doubt unbolt the driveshaft at the rear diff. Its just 4 13mm nuts & bolts. Hang the driveshaft from from a fabricated wire hook or sling.

[spiderverde]

Ya Doug,

I do over think everything a bit.. If it was a one time shot I'd just do it but It's 4-6 times a year...Before I commit to buy a tow dolly I want to be sure it won't be detrimental to anything long term on the car... I'm thinking I'm ok on the drive line issue .. unless I hear from someone further who's had issues......
It's really the clearance for the exhaust tips now..... I guess it depends on the height of the dolly.. I know the commercial ones like the U-haul pictured are a bit taller.. looking at one that's only 8" off ground ..

Ray

[vandor]

It is the fact that turning the rear wheels transmits the rotation through the differential, up the driveshaft and into the transmission. But the transmission is bathed in its lubrication,

Just to clarify: the mainshaft would turn because the rear wheels are turning, but none of the gears or the layshaft would be turning. So it's the main shaft turning inside the gears, and that's way above the oil line, so only residual oil would be there.

If it was a long tow I'd start the car up at every gas stop, but for 90 miles I would not bother.

[spiderverde]

Thanks Vandor, and everyone else... Great Info .. So just starting the car up pumps oil throughout the transmission even without being in gear..??

Ray

[vandor]

Thanks Vandor, and everyone else... Great Info .. So just starting the car up pumps oil throughout the transmission even without being in gear..??
Ray

Yes, the gears spin and splash the oil around.

[124JOE]

when we towed my old automatic 14 miles we just let it run in nutral.
id disconect the drive shaft for the manual on a long trip

[spiderverde]

when we towed my old automatic 14 miles we just let it run in nutral.
id disconect the drive shaft for the manual on a long trip

Was that on a dolly..?? or on all 4's..??

[IndyMark]

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 92#p113729

See this link, I towed my Spider from Indy to Nashville for the FFO this summer after just rebuilding my tranny. All went well but the back end does sit real low. I did not disconnect the driveshaft. The odometer will still register the mileage unless you disconnect the speedometer cable.