Towing

[joey]

I just found a 1980 Fiat 2000 five speed. That's the good news. When the car show up it arrived on a tow dolly with the back wheels on the ground and the drive shaft still connected. I told the person towing the car to tow it with the rear wheels off the ground or the drive shaft disconnected. But when it arrived it was the opposite. I guess we had a miss communication. The car was towed about 300 miles at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour. I haven't drove the car yet to test it out. Should I be concerned?

[CarNut]

I bought my 78 with a towbar included. The PO pulled it behind a motorhome and I towed it 150 miles home at speeds up to 70 with no problem.

[joey]

Good to hear CarNut. Thanks. I heard you can "get away" with it on a manual transmission but not an automatic. I guess with an automatic the transmission doesn't get properly lubricated. Still taken off the drive shaft would be safer and why put miles on the odometer when you don't have to.

[mbouse]

well, you didn't say if the tranny was in gear when you found it....so we can only presume that the tow-master thought ahead enough to put the gearshift in neutral.

i have a buddy that routinely tows his Spider behind his Jeep on a quick disconnect tow bar. Chicago to Grand Rapids, Chicago to Pontiac and back did not bother him, didn't seem to bother the car either. Drive shaft intact each time.

[mdrburchette]

I towed one from Minnesota to NC on a tow dolly with no problems to the tranny or rearend.

[So Cal Mark]

no problem to tow the car in neutral as long as the tranny has oil in it. But such strange things can happen on a trip. I had a friend tow his Spider in neutral with parts piled in the car. After a sudden stop caused parts to move around, the shifter got bumper into gear. That resulted in substantial damage

[joey]

Yes. Thank god the transmission was in neutral. I took it for a short drive and it seemed to drive fine. Thanks for the replys.