Yep and they are pretty cheap.
Towing with a dolly....................
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 600
Likes: 56
From: Elyria, Ohio
Towing with a dolly....................
I may need to tow my car with a dolly. The trip, about 35-40 miles, is too short to bother dropping the drive shafts or renting a trailer. For transmission lube purposes (automatic), I thought of leaving the engine idle as I towed it to keep oil going through the tranny. Anybody see anything wrong with this idea?
Last edited by Vetteblack-96; Mar 21, 2014 at 12:14 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
I'd be concerned about the steering column being unlocked w/the engine running.
IDK if that is a valid concern or not, so if I were going to try it, I'd be watching my rear view mirrors for wander.
IDK if that is a valid concern or not, so if I were going to try it, I'd be watching my rear view mirrors for wander.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
You would be much better off renting a car trailer from U-Haul or other equipment rental place. 40 miles is not a long haul for a trailer.
With a car trailer, you will have extra braking effort, the car will be safer on the trailer and you don't have to do anything but strap it down.
I would think that a 40 mile trip may cause problems with the trans. With the engine running, there is not a lot of airflow through the radiator to cool the trans fluid. You didn't say what sort of highway speeds you will see, but the pumps in the trans may not provide enough fluid flow for cooling.
You also didn't mention what the tow vehicle is. A passenger car may haul the dolly with the Corvette on it, but you are looking a pulling something like 3500 lbs. Is the tow vehicle easily capable of that and have sufficient power to do it? Same about braking power!
With a car trailer, you will have extra braking effort, the car will be safer on the trailer and you don't have to do anything but strap it down.
I would think that a 40 mile trip may cause problems with the trans. With the engine running, there is not a lot of airflow through the radiator to cool the trans fluid. You didn't say what sort of highway speeds you will see, but the pumps in the trans may not provide enough fluid flow for cooling.
You also didn't mention what the tow vehicle is. A passenger car may haul the dolly with the Corvette on it, but you are looking a pulling something like 3500 lbs. Is the tow vehicle easily capable of that and have sufficient power to do it? Same about braking power!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,943
Likes: 14
From: Gurley (Keel Mtn, Sweet Home) Alabama
for 40 miles, thee rollback is a great idea!!!
I'm not sure U-Haul will rent you a trailer to haul a C4. there is a glitch with getting the front tires in to the wheel gully w/o the underside of the front end scraping the front bar.
I'm not sure U-Haul will rent you a trailer to haul a C4. there is a glitch with getting the front tires in to the wheel gully w/o the underside of the front end scraping the front bar.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 600
Likes: 56
From: Elyria, Ohio
Tom400, you know, that thought never occured to me.. That's a real good point!
Maybe I could tie the wheel off, if the car would fit as mentioned below.
Cruiser, I never thought of the airflow angle either. And it would be bad b/c I'd be using a boxy U-Haul truck. The truck could pull it no prob but it would block airflow.
JustJoe, believe it or not, I did think of that one. How I could think of that and not the first two risks is beyond me!
383Vette, I'd have to worry about the front end wandering from side to side
Churchkey, that would be the easiest way to do it.
MyOtherCar, I think you're referring to the tow-behind dolly. That's a real possibility.
As far as getting it on an actual trailer, I've seen many Vettes on trailers. The only "problem" and it really isn't one, is using planks (I have some) to flatten out the ramp angle.
So thanks guys, for your comments and advice. It's amazing what happens when other eyes look at a problem from a different angle. I don't know how I could have missed some of those issues (well, I do know
).
It looks like it's going on a real trailer, not a dolly. I guess it would be stupid to try to save a few $$$ and risk major damage.
Maybe I could tie the wheel off, if the car would fit as mentioned below.
Cruiser, I never thought of the airflow angle either. And it would be bad b/c I'd be using a boxy U-Haul truck. The truck could pull it no prob but it would block airflow.
JustJoe, believe it or not, I did think of that one. How I could think of that and not the first two risks is beyond me!
383Vette, I'd have to worry about the front end wandering from side to side
Churchkey, that would be the easiest way to do it.
MyOtherCar, I think you're referring to the tow-behind dolly. That's a real possibility.
As far as getting it on an actual trailer, I've seen many Vettes on trailers. The only "problem" and it really isn't one, is using planks (I have some) to flatten out the ramp angle.
So thanks guys, for your comments and advice. It's amazing what happens when other eyes look at a problem from a different angle. I don't know how I could have missed some of those issues (well, I do know
).It looks like it's going on a real trailer, not a dolly. I guess it would be stupid to try to save a few $$$ and risk major damage.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,430
Likes: 609
From: Minneapolis Mn
Towing
Best options in sequence IMO:
Rollback
Trailer
Dolly
Other Options: rent the truck to return to original site and drive the Vette yourself or have someone else drive the Vette to your new site then drive them back. I'd prefer either of these to loading the car, but that's me.
Rollback
Trailer
Dolly
Other Options: rent the truck to return to original site and drive the Vette yourself or have someone else drive the Vette to your new site then drive them back. I'd prefer either of these to loading the car, but that's me.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
If the rear wheels are on a towing dolly, the chances are the front of the car would be so low that it would scrape on the pavement. And the rear drive wheels may cause a problem if the spin so the car can't go up the ramps or overshoot the tire buckets.....
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 600
Likes: 56
From: Elyria, Ohio
HCBPH, Leaving the Vette at the truck rental was something I thought of. I'd do that if security was good enough. Maybe I could put it in one of their empty storage units.
Cruiser, I've pretty much eliminated the dolly, either frontwards or backwards. I'm sure the front end would scrape, if not on the flat then for sure on the bumps. Again, saving a few bucks and doing damage is false economy. I don't like the idea of trying to back onto one of those dollys.
So it'll either be a real trailer (with the planks no loading problem) or drive the Vette to the truck rental, leave it and come back with the empty truck.
Thanks again for all the input.............
Cruiser, I've pretty much eliminated the dolly, either frontwards or backwards. I'm sure the front end would scrape, if not on the flat then for sure on the bumps. Again, saving a few bucks and doing damage is false economy. I don't like the idea of trying to back onto one of those dollys.
So it'll either be a real trailer (with the planks no loading problem) or drive the Vette to the truck rental, leave it and come back with the empty truck.
Thanks again for all the input.............