Yikes.
how / where do you plan to attach the tow bar??
Anyone flat tow?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Anyone flat tow?
Hi, I'm new here, real name of Bob. I'm looking at a nice C5 with the intention of flat towing it behind my motorhome. It is a stick shift and the paint is already beat up so my question is just, can it survive? Thanks in advance for any help. Bob
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 8
From: North\East Wisconsin
Have the "skirt" on my SUV (Tahoe) when I pull my boat. I still have rock chips on the trailer, none on the boat. Must protect above the trailer? We saw a really large motorhome pulling a trailer with a black C7 on board. He had a shirt plus a shield built on the front of the trailer.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Corvettes? He is talking about towing a Corvette without a trailer. Right? I see no problem towing a Corvette on a trailer behind a motorhome.
Last edited by JR-01; Nov 22, 2013 at 03:19 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: Palm Coast, FL
... from my pic below, it looks kind of hard for stuff to come up and hit the car but I guess it does.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Trying to fit some sort of towing hooks to the front of the car will be next to impossible. A dolly would be the preferable way but even then, it might be a tough job to get a C5 up on the typical tow dollies such as the ones you rent from U-Haul.
You should be able to find decent open trailers for towing in the $1000 to $1500 price range. Using a trailer affords safety and protection. Trailers will have their own brakes and that will help in braking performance of the towing vehicle. Haul a car, either flat towed or on a dolly and you have dead weight of close to two tons that the brakes on the towing vehicle has to deal with.
And with an open trailer, you will be able to see the trailer fenders in the rear view mirrors. Flat towing will cause the car to not be visible in the mirrors.
And even though you have an M6 trans, you still have get the front wheels to turn so it can follow the tow rig. That will take some effort to disconnect the locking feature in the steering column. It's bad enough to have to deal with the steering column lock issue as it is....
You should be able to find decent open trailers for towing in the $1000 to $1500 price range. Using a trailer affords safety and protection. Trailers will have their own brakes and that will help in braking performance of the towing vehicle. Haul a car, either flat towed or on a dolly and you have dead weight of close to two tons that the brakes on the towing vehicle has to deal with.
And with an open trailer, you will be able to see the trailer fenders in the rear view mirrors. Flat towing will cause the car to not be visible in the mirrors.
And even though you have an M6 trans, you still have get the front wheels to turn so it can follow the tow rig. That will take some effort to disconnect the locking feature in the steering column. It's bad enough to have to deal with the steering column lock issue as it is....
Le Mans Master
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Last edited by JR-01; Nov 22, 2013 at 06:47 PM.
Le Mans Master
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I don't think I would try and tow a C5 without it being on some sort of trailer. Here's what my owner's manual says about the subject:
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational Vehicle Towing means towing your vehicle behind another vehicle - such as behind a motorhome. The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing are known as "dinghy towing" (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and "dolly towing" (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a "dolly").
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed, see "Towing your vehicle" earlier in this section.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational Vehicle Towing means towing your vehicle behind another vehicle - such as behind a motorhome. The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing are known as "dinghy towing" (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and "dolly towing" (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a "dolly").
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed, see "Towing your vehicle" earlier in this section.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3
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Flat towing, 4 down towing, pulling a toad, etc
Yes, flat towing is towing with all four wheels on the ground. You don't need to deal with a dolly or a trailer when you reach your destination, it is the most convenient method. No owners manuals stated that it was ok to tow my MR2 or, prior to that my 911 but both worked well for years and years. There has been no damage to either. My question has not really been addressed, will the transaxle survive? Thanks again, Bob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Yes, flat towing is towing with all four wheels on the ground. You don't need to deal with a dolly or a trailer when you reach your destination, it is the most convenient method. No owners manuals stated that it was ok to tow my MR2 or, prior to that my 911 but both worked well for years and years. There has been no damage to either. My question has not really been addressed, will the transaxle survive? Thanks again, Bob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Orlando FL
or just buy a trailer and be done
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 764
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From: odessa FL
I asked the same question in the C4 section and got flamed for it too. I have a 95 that I am considering keeping as a "toad".
Although I have a car trailer, the point of towing four down is it is much easier and having a FWD 76 GMC, tounge weight is an issue.
Previous poster mentioned the column lock, that would be a problem on a C5 unless bypassed.
My brother in law who is shop foreman at Monster and best tranny guy I know says no mechanical issues witheither ZF or T56. GM is as always, trying to avoid liability.
Biggest issue with either is engineering a towbar mount. Youre on your own...
Although I have a car trailer, the point of towing four down is it is much easier and having a FWD 76 GMC, tounge weight is an issue.
Previous poster mentioned the column lock, that would be a problem on a C5 unless bypassed.
My brother in law who is shop foreman at Monster and best tranny guy I know says no mechanical issues witheither ZF or T56. GM is as always, trying to avoid liability.
Biggest issue with either is engineering a towbar mount. Youre on your own...
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,043
Likes: 2,592
From: Del Boca Vista FL
You could get freewheel hubs for the rear wheels. That means prior to every time you tow you are removing the rear wheels, installing the hubs and reinstalling the rear wheels. Then when you reach destination you are again R&R'ing the rear wheels before you can drive the car.
Additionally if you have to back up with the car attached to your motorhome you are screwed. (How would I know this?). Flat towing is/was meant for minimal distance; such as from your residence to the drag strip within 20 miles. You arrive, disconnect, R&R wheels to put your mounted drag slicks on the car, and proceed to tech inspection.
In 1982 I flat towed a 75 Camaro from NJ to San Diego, CA. Removed the driveshaft before I started and put it back in at the motel parking lot in Spring Valley. You don't have that option on a C5. Put the car on a trailer or leave it at home. No good is going to come of flat towing the car.
Additionally if you have to back up with the car attached to your motorhome you are screwed. (How would I know this?). Flat towing is/was meant for minimal distance; such as from your residence to the drag strip within 20 miles. You arrive, disconnect, R&R wheels to put your mounted drag slicks on the car, and proceed to tech inspection.
In 1982 I flat towed a 75 Camaro from NJ to San Diego, CA. Removed the driveshaft before I started and put it back in at the motel parking lot in Spring Valley. You don't have that option on a C5. Put the car on a trailer or leave it at home. No good is going to come of flat towing the car.