Towing Gear for A6 ???
08-31-2008, 02:01 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Towing Gear for A6 ???
What gear should the A6 be in while being towed? Neutral without the parking brake?
Last edited by kermooni; 08-31-2008 at 02:20 PM. Reason: Typo
08-31-2008, 04:42 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Littleton CO
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St. Jude Donor '07
Assuming you mean an automatic transmission then the rear wheels need to be off the groud while towing or you will burn up the transmission. Same goes for all automatic transmissions... Dollies on the drive wheels (rear) worse case, flat bed best option...
08-31-2008, 06:37 PM
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
Yes. An 06 C6 A6 being towed on a flat bed. So, in "N" Correct?
08-31-2008, 07:55 PM
#4
Team Owner
If the car is being loaded on a flat bed truck, then it is being hauled and not "towed". A competent flat bed operator will properly tie the car down using either straps or chains or a combination of both.
He will also decide if the tranny should be in Park or if the parking brake wil be on or off.
He will also decide if the tranny should be in Park or if the parking brake wil be on or off.
08-31-2008, 09:39 PM
#5
I believe he is worried about the people that say "NEVER trailer your manual trans car in gear!!! You will destroy the trans!!!" - Hence the reason for his question -
First, without going into a debate, I don't buy into the claim that your manual trans will be ruined if you have it on a trailer, and it's in gear.
Second - Your automatic trans has a parking pawl that is engaged to 'lock' the trans and keep it from moving when the gear shifter is in park. It works a little differently than a manual. Basically, Neutral and Park are the same (the valve body does not direct fluid to any clutches or hubs), park simply has a mechanical linkage to engage the pawl against the 'wagon wheel' that is on the output shaft.
On a side note- The parking pawl is spring loaded and can be bypassed - Say if you're going 40 mph and throw it into Park - The drive wheels will not lockup (Like they'd make you believe in the movies) - You'll hear a ratcheting sound until the car stops, and it can engage.
My advice - Tow you car (on a trailer/flatbed) in Park, with the e-brake on.
First, without going into a debate, I don't buy into the claim that your manual trans will be ruined if you have it on a trailer, and it's in gear.
Second - Your automatic trans has a parking pawl that is engaged to 'lock' the trans and keep it from moving when the gear shifter is in park. It works a little differently than a manual. Basically, Neutral and Park are the same (the valve body does not direct fluid to any clutches or hubs), park simply has a mechanical linkage to engage the pawl against the 'wagon wheel' that is on the output shaft.
On a side note- The parking pawl is spring loaded and can be bypassed - Say if you're going 40 mph and throw it into Park - The drive wheels will not lockup (Like they'd make you believe in the movies) - You'll hear a ratcheting sound until the car stops, and it can engage.
My advice - Tow you car (on a trailer/flatbed) in Park, with the e-brake on.
09-01-2008, 10:11 AM
#6
I trailer my C5Z with it in neutral and the parking brake on. With that been said IF I had an automatic transmission I would trailer it with the car in park and the parking brake on. In either case you would want to secure you car with some sort of tie down so it does not rock front to back. Too much movement would hurt either transmission. My $.02.
09-01-2008, 10:24 AM
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks. To eliminate any misunderstanding, I am towing my car on a flatbed trailer just like you tow your boat on a trailer.
Four racheted (is that a word) 5000# strap downs utilizing the famous J-hooks in an X pattern are going to be used to keep it steady and secure.
So in Park with Parking brakes on? By the way, there is no mention of this in the User's Manual.
"General", please enlighten us with your wisdom
Four racheted (is that a word) 5000# strap downs utilizing the famous J-hooks in an X pattern are going to be used to keep it steady and secure.
So in Park with Parking brakes on? By the way, there is no mention of this in the User's Manual.
"General", please enlighten us with your wisdom
09-01-2008, 11:09 AM
#8
Team Owner
Thanks. To eliminate any misunderstanding, I am towing my car on a flatbed trailer just like you tow your boat on a trailer.
Four racheted (is that a word) 5000# strap downs utilizing the famous J-hooks in an X pattern are going to be used to keep it steady and secure.
So in Park with Parking brakes on? By the way, there is no mention of this in the User's Manual.
"General", please enlighten us with your wisdom
Four racheted (is that a word) 5000# strap downs utilizing the famous J-hooks in an X pattern are going to be used to keep it steady and secure.
So in Park with Parking brakes on? By the way, there is no mention of this in the User's Manual.
"General", please enlighten us with your wisdom
With a manual tranny, if the car should move, the engine will simply turn but against engine ocompression. With an A4, there might be a concern about enough of a bind on the parking pawl that you might have difficulty in getting the shifter to move out of Park.
With an A4, I would do the same thing as I do with my manuall tranny car; strap the car down tightly, then set the parking brake and place the shifter in Park.
Just a word about your straps; tie-down straps have two different weight ratings. The gross rating (in your case, 5000 lbs) is not the same as the "Working Load Limit" rating or WLL. The WLL is approximately 1/3 of the gross rating.
A 5000 lb rated strap actually has a WLL of 1,333 lbs. I use straps with a gross rating of 10,000 bls giving a WLL of 3,333 lbs each. In most cases, there is very little difference in price between the two strap types.
09-01-2008, 01:57 PM
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks for the clarification!! When I haul my 87 coupe (manual trans) on my trailer, I strap the car down with the tranny in neutral. After all of the straps are tight, I set the parking brake and then put the shifter in 1st gear.
With a manual tranny, if the car should move, the engine will simply turn but against engine ocompression. With an A4, there might be a concern about enough of a bind on the parking pawl that you might have difficulty in getting the shifter to move out of Park.
With an A4, I would do the same thing as I do with my manuall tranny car; strap the car down tightly, then set the parking brake and place the shifter in Park.
Just a word about your straps; tie-down straps have two different weight ratings. The gross rating (in your case, 5000 lbs) is not the same as the "Working Load Limit" rating or WLL. The WLL is approximately 1/3 of the gross rating.
A 5000 lb rated strap actually has a WLL of 1,333 lbs. I use straps with a gross rating of 10,000 bls giving a WLL of 3,333 lbs each. In most cases, there is very little difference in price between the two strap types.
With a manual tranny, if the car should move, the engine will simply turn but against engine ocompression. With an A4, there might be a concern about enough of a bind on the parking pawl that you might have difficulty in getting the shifter to move out of Park.
With an A4, I would do the same thing as I do with my manuall tranny car; strap the car down tightly, then set the parking brake and place the shifter in Park.
Just a word about your straps; tie-down straps have two different weight ratings. The gross rating (in your case, 5000 lbs) is not the same as the "Working Load Limit" rating or WLL. The WLL is approximately 1/3 of the gross rating.
A 5000 lb rated strap actually has a WLL of 1,333 lbs. I use straps with a gross rating of 10,000 bls giving a WLL of 3,333 lbs each. In most cases, there is very little difference in price between the two strap types.
09-02-2008, 02:56 PM
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
According to two Corvette dealers in town, put the car in Part and use the hand brake. That is how it arrives from the factory on the big car haulers.
