Do you really need a trailer to tow a 911?

[cantdrv55]

On my way to Reno yesterday, I saw a newish blue VW bus (Westfalia?) pulling a brown 911 w/ducktail. He was probably on his way to Thunderhill as he had a car number on the door. Does it belong to a Pelican? Anyway, his 911 was not on a trailer. I'm not sure how it was attached to the bus but it definitely was not on a trailer and he was pulling it with all 4 wheels rolling. So, is a trailer really necessary?

[bigchillcar]

interesting..i have a two-wheels tow dolly, but have never felt it prudent to tow the 911 owing to its rear wheel drive..maybe it's possible and i just don't realize. i'll wait for others more in the know to chime in..
ryan

[61sktnbug]

Originally posted by cantdrv55
On my way to Reno yesterday, I saw a newish blue VW bus (Westfalia?) pulling a brown 911 w/ducktail. He was probably on his way to Thunderhill as he had a car number on the door. Does it belong to a Pelican? Anyway, his 911 was not on a trailer. I'm not sure how it was attached to the bus but it definitely was not on a trailer and he was pulling it with all 4 wheels rolling. So, is a trailer really necessary?

i own a vanagon , i dont think it could pull unless it had a motor swap ie subie or something

[89911]

Necessary, perhaps not. Just because it can be pulled on all fours doesn't mean that is the best way. I seriously would question the high speed stability and turning radius of 4 wheels that wide apart being pulled by a minivan.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

The way I always understood it was that towing a car in neutral can damage the differential.

Not sure if thats true or not. They do make dolly trailers though...

[Joe Bob]

I've flat towed both a 914/6 and a 911...lock the steering down, neutral gear shift, brake off.....U Haul has a magnetic set of brake lights that sit on the rear and plug into my trailer light hook up on the truck....no problem.

Race tires, tools, NO bottle and other stuff go in the back under the snug top camper shell. I average 65-70 mph and 13-14mpg flat towing with my 360 Dodge and the Vortech Blower....

The 914 that I towed last week has a cross brace welded in the front trunk. The connectors extend out past the front fiberglass nose piece and connect to the A frame with quick disconnects.

The only disadvantage on a flat tow is tires. Street for towing then swap out to stickies.....last week I was lazy and just used the street tires.

But with the NO bottle to power the air tool...I can swap out the tires in 15 minutes.

[widebody911]

I don't see any reason you can't drag a 911, but for track cars, which usually have fiberglass bits up front, it's not horribly convenient, and you usually have tires and other flotsam you want to drag along, so most people just get a trailer.

I've been thinking about modifying a bobtail truck into a car hauler.

[greglepore]

Mike, you lock the steering? I flat tow my 914-6 with the steering unlocked, and everything I've ever read says to unlock it.

I use a tow bar and magnetic lights. My front bumper is f/g and held on w/ Dzus fasteners, and the recepticles for the tow bar are welded to reinforcement plates welded to the front of the car.

Tows like a dream behing my pickup. Not ideal, as I still have to swap tires at the event site, but it'll work 'til there's a trailer budget.

[Joe Bob]

Originally posted by greglepore
Mike, you lock the steering? I flat tow my 914-6 with the steering unlocked, and everything I've ever read says to unlock it.

I use a tow bar and magnetic lights. My front bumper is f/g and held on w/ Dzus fasteners, and the recepticles for the tow bar are welded to reinforcement plates welded to the front of the car.

Tows like a dream behing my pickup. Not ideal, as I still have to swap tires at the event site, but it'll work 'til there's a trailer budget.

I've done it both ways...the locked steering way seems to be the smoothest though.

[bigchillcar]

well, in that case i suppose my tow dolly WOULD be useful..it would take care of locking the front tires..
ryan

[Spud]

A VW EuroVan (new one) and a brown 911 with duck can only be Ken Park, the current GGR time trial chairman. He's been towing his race car in that fashion for some time now, so I don't think there is any danger of damaging the car by doing it. Our chief instructor Harold Williams has the exact same setup. Provides plenty of space for gear in the back, and seems real simple to connect and disconnect the car.

[jluetjen]

One thing to check is the trailering laws. I believe that there is at least one state up here in the NE (CT?) that requires all flat-towed cars to be registered. So if your track car is no longer registered for street use, you might run into problems.

[greglepore]

The other hassle is that its darn near impossible to back up, so if you make a lunch stop, you need to plan ahead. Also, if you bend the suspension at a track, you're pretty well shafted.

[John Kelly]

I've towbarred 914s and Ghias. It works great, but watch out for the tail wagging the dog if the tow vehicle is not heavy enough.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

[emcon5]

Originally posted by jluetjen
One thing to check is the trailering laws. I believe that there is at least one state up here in the NE (CT?) that requires all flat-towed cars to be registered. So if your track car is no longer registered for street use, you might run into problems.

California is the same way.

[wholberg]

The only reason not to flat tow any car is just wear on the drivetrain. It really does not matter unless you tow it 50K miles per year behind your RV. The items that are easily replaceable are tires, bearings, grease seals in axles. LSD's will wear as if you had driven the miles also. Full-time 4WD systems you probably want to trailer.

[clarelaw]

I have a 81 Vanagon that I use to haul my dog and kids in. The brakes are great, (much better than the old vans) but the 2.0 L aircooled engine I do not think would tow much. I would believe that you can tow a 911 flat with a new Eurovan (six cylinder watercooled), but not an Vanagon, VW van or split window.

On rare occassions, I have towed the 911 with the Vanagon using a tow strap for short distances, it works, but I would not try it for very long.

If anyone out there is using a aircooled VW Van or Vanagon as their tow vehicle, I would love to hear how it is working for them. And, what they have done to keep the rigors or towing from cooking their motor.

[edward993]

I've used a tow dolly with the Rear in the air to help transport a car across 4 states. I would "think" that his would be better for the 911's drivetrain, not to mention much cheaper than a full trailer. I would also think that a VDub would be kinda marginal (in terms of safety) for this task, though. I would want more heft and wheelbase for the tow vehicle.

Edward

[Joe Bob]

Originally posted by greglepore
The other hassle is that its darn near impossible to back up, so if you make a lunch stop, you need to plan ahead. Also, if you bend the suspension at a track, you're pretty well shafted.

Not if the steering is locked down....

[aigel]

It's like the folks that tow a car behind their RV. I see at least half a dozen people transporting their 911 like that to the track. It will NOT wreck your driveline or differential. What you are talking about is if you'd be towing an automatic that you put in neutral. There you can burn things up, because you move the transmission innards without running the pump that supplies lubricating and cooling transmission fluid.

The 911 folks doing this usually bolt to the body in the front, removing the horn grilles on the early cars.

George