Towing question...without a motor

[CKFree]

Hi All,

I am picking up a 911 and will have to flat two the car.

I will be using a two bar attached to the front of the car.

I've done this with another car in the past.

My question is:
The car does not have a motor or transmission installed. However, it does still have the axles attached.

Do you guys think this will be an issue? Is there anything I can do to assure the axles will not be "flopping" around?

I've search and read through several treads on towing. Most folks chime in about how you should rent a flat bed, never flat tow. I do understand this. The situation I'm in and picking up this car, that is not an option. I can only flat tow on this occasion.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
C.

[pors1968]

You have to take off these axle.

[CKFree]

Ha! Problem solved

Thank you!

[Jerome74911S]

Originally Posted by pors1968

You have to take off these axle.

Yup, correct, you beat me to it.

[faverymi]

Originally Posted by pors1968

You have to take off these axle.

Yep,
I think the axle nut is M22
Bring some kind of impact driver/wrench. Or a really really really long bar.
That nut is extremely hard to remove.

[pors1968]

BTW the red one is it 71 targa nice car.

[Daves911L]

DO NOT remove the big axle nut. If you do, there is a possibility that the hub will pull out of the bearing housing while you are towing the car. Perhaps the brake rotor will keep it in place, but who knows what mayhem may result. Remove the the axles by unscrewing the 6 (or 4) bolts holding the halfshaft to the stub axle. Then it truly is "problem solved"

[Jerome74911S]

^^^ What he said.

[michael lang]

I don't know...I think your best bet is to rent, borrow or beg for a trailer to take that car where you need it to go. I don't think I would be pulling that thing with a tow bar.

[Vereeken]

Why would one not tow with that kind of set-up?

He has a Land Rover discovery up front which is 2.000kg and is pulling an engineless Porsche so probably 900kg.

You will not even notice your are pulling something with that Disco.

The transaxles need to go that is sure. The damage they cause when flapping around in unbelievable. Ask someone who races porsches and has had them come off during race. Even when you park it almost immediately you have damage.


Michel

[jrsully]

expanding a little on this thread, I have a 71 T and have removed the axels (engine/trans out for rebuild). Is it safe to roll the car around with the axels out.? I have the rest of the rear wheels intact, will this present a problem with the exposed rear axel mounting flanges.? Thx mucho

[Daves911L]

I doubt it will hurt anything to roll the car around in the shop with the stub axles removed. I've done so myself many times. Towing down the road at speed is a different matter.

The OP might also want to consider the probable strange road behavior of a 911 with no engine/tranny in it. With no mass back there its going to hop around a lot, and the stinkbug stance is going to do funny things to the rear wheel alignment. Could turn out to be a handful.

[irl]

Just to reiterate, you do not want to take the large nut off the outside and pull out the complete stub axle and axles as a unit. That would leave your hub held into the bearings without any lock and your hubs could work out and a wheel fall off. Slim chance you would pull the rotor off but it's not centrally held in place. Read about how all this works on many threads here. Look up axel removal. Just remove the bolts holding the axel to the stub axels on the back side of the wheel. There may be more experienced others who can weigh in on whether the set up is strong enough to tow without the axels and tran connected but I would think the car is light enough without the engine. Where are you, may be somewhere here that would help you out with a trailer.

[jrsully]

The only items I have removed are the axels themselves, I have left the rear axel stubs (what the axels mount to) in place and have not removed anything else except calipers, should be ok to roll the car around.? Do not plan on flat towing at all, will trailer if needed.

[michael lang]

Originally Posted by irl

Just to reiterate, you do not want to take the large nut off the outside and pull out the complete stub axle and axles as a unit. That would leave your hub held into the bearings without any lock and your hubs could work out and a wheel fall off. Slim chance you would pull the rotor off but it's not centrally held in place.

This is exactly why I suggested not using a tow bar to pull the car. There is potential damage to the rear hubs or even worse if the wheel were to come off while the car is being pulled.

[Jeff Burger]

Hello C ,

I was in a similar situation years ago. I don't see any reason you can't flat tow it with reasonable care. Make sure you check that everything is fully secured so you don't leave parts along the highway and of course you will need a key to unlock the steering.


Years ago I purchased a 73 911 without the motor /trans near Chicago and flat towed it to NY (850 miles) behind a Chevy tahoe with a home made tow bar made just for this trip- Stub axles fully torqued and rear cv / axles off the car. I brought two extra tires on rims just in case but never needed them. - I hooked up a set of magnetic brake/ signal lights to the truck and set them on interior back shelf of the 911 facing the rear. Just to make things even more interesting it started snowing as I was leaving the sellers place at 11:00 pm at night but other than that nothing but smooth sailing.


Good luck

[mreid]

A 71 911 has six Allen head bolts per stub axle that should be removed allowing you to remove the axle while leaving the stub in place. Then, easy towing.

[CKFree]

Thanks everyone,

She made it to her new home safe and sound

[pors1968]

Good now the fun start.

[rick-l]

Just out of curiosity.... did you remove the outer CV joint?