Can '41 Sedan be towed with front wheel dolly?

[RobertH]

Wondering if I can use a front wheel dolly to tow my touring sedan?  Would there be any damage to transmission?

[Buicknutty]

 I would not think so, as these are basic standard transmissions and once in neutral will just freewheel.

Keith

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Just make sure the trans has oil. Ask me how I know.

[EmTee]

9 hours ago, Daves1940Buick56S said:

Just make sure the trans has oil. Ask me how I know.

...and the rear axle.  Not knowing the condition of the car, make sure the wheels and tires are also up to the task; especially if you will be towing at highway speeds.

[Matt Harwood]

I wouldn't. There's so much that can go wrong. Is renting a real trailer that much more expensive than the dolly? If you do it the cheap way, should something go wrong it will become the much more expensive way. Why risk it?

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

22 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I wouldn't. There's so much that can go wrong. Is renting a real trailer that much more expensive than the dolly? If you do it the cheap way, should something go wrong it will become the much more expensive way. Why risk it?

 

 Geezzee!

   Think I will stay inside today.  

Sunny prediction, but they may be wrong.  Might get hit with lightening if I go out.

 

  Ben

[EmTee]

I suppose it depends somewhat on the distance involved.  Locally (50 miles or less), a dolly would be no problem.  The issue with renting a trailer might be availability of a suitable tow vehicle.  U-Haul won't rent a trailer unless the tow vehicle meets their GVWR requirement.  The alternative is to rent a truck/trailer combo, which would cost more, but probably still less than contracting with a transporter and you would still control the scheduling.

 

That said, As long as the rear axle, wheels & tires of the towed vehicle are deemed acceptable, I would consider using a tow dolly.  Whether dolly or trailer, pull-over at a rest stop or open parking lot after the first 10 ~ 20 miles and check the car and dolly (or trailer) to make sure everything is OK.  Check tightness of all ratchet straps securing the towed vehicle.

 

Edited June 13 by EmTee (see edit history)

[Wayne R]

I’m away overseas, this may not come through, but my first restoration Bulck 1939 in the owners manual

it had  maximum 30 mph distance of 50miles——for memory.

Edited June 13 by Wayne R (see edit history)

[DonMicheletti]

The problem with towing like that is that in the transmission (in neutral obviously), only the output shaft is turning. That will not churn up the oil to lube things, so that is why the limited mileage.

When the engine is running, with the trans in neutral, the cluster gear is turning and splashing the oil around, lubricating things.

[Morgan Wright]

Ask yourself, Do professional car transportation companies ever use dollies? Of course not.

[Wm Steed]

I have towed several vehicles on a tow bar behind a car and/or a pickup truck for thousand s of miles since 1951. Generally speaking the tow vehicle was the same weight or heavier than the towed vehicle. i would also suggest that the prime vehicle have a 2" receiver hitch and that a commercial;y available tow bar with a safety cable secured to both vehicles be used. Automatic braking systems for the towed vehicle is also a good idea.

Make sure the transmission is a manual trans and that it is in neutral  while being towed. The oil level should be to it's normal operating level.

If the towed vehicle has a LOCKING IGNITION SWITCH make sure it is in the off position, not the lock position. As a safety measure! loosely tie a light cord, with some slack,to the steering wheel and an inner door handle, allowing the wheel to move a few inches during a turn.

Do not attempt to back a towed vehicle up, while hooked to a tow bar, the geometry of the system will bend the tow bar.

As a general rule I would not tow any vehicle newer than 1940 on a tow bar attached to the front bumper, the bumper should be removed and brackets installed that attach directly onto the frame. Wm

[Wm Steed]

I have a TOW-MASTER tow bar that I have used for years on several vehicles. It is a well designed unit that attaches to the towed vehicle via brackets that utilize a receiver type hitch, draw pins and safety cables. The bar telescopes and is collapsible, attaches to the prime vehicle via 2" receiver hitch.

My tow vehicle is either my 2500 Z71 Silverado or my diesel RV. I also tow a 30" enclosed car trailer. Wm.

[raydurr]

If insistent on using that type dolly I would back the car on and triple tie the steering wheel to the pedals. Towing companies did tow like that for years before rollbacks.

[bobj49f2]

A short distance with a tow dolly or tow bar but anything of distance definitely a trailer.  No worries of fluid levels, no need to rig up lights and braking systems.  Just make sure the trailer is in good condition.  

[Wm Steed]

I disagree with the suggestion to tow a vehicle with the front wheels on the ground. The weight of the towed vehicle would be mostly be on the front tires with very little tongue weight on the prime towing vehicle.

It is true that it use to be a common practice to tow a disabled vehicle with the front wheels on the ground, rear of the towed vehicle hooked to a tow truck, however the towed vehicle would usually be on a dolly under the tires.

As a general rule if you see a vehicle being towed on a front axle dolly, it is a front wheel drive compact car behind a motor home. not a large 3750 pound 41 Buick. 

[Edward DePouli]

I used a front wheel dolly to tow home a 38 Roadmaster.

By the time I got home both front fenders were caved in.

I was not aware that the dolly cradle holding the wheels rotates, which resulted in the fenders on the car hitting the fenders on the dolly each time I made more than a gentle turn.

Please get specific instructions from the dolly manufacturer on how to prevent this from happening