I just sold my '86 944 on eBay, and the buyer asked me if there would be any issues with coming to pick it up with a tow dolly.

Do you guys think there would be any harm in towing a 944 about 100 miles on a tow dolly?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

Hey Jeff...what a small world. I bought your car. I just signed up here after the auction ended.

 

Hahaha...Nice! This place is great. Another great 944 resource is www.clarks-garage.com/.

I'm going to miss my 944!

 

I dont think it would be a problem. Why not drive it?

 

I think it needs a head gasket... Not sure about the condition of the timing belt either...

 

Take the axles off. That'll do it with a dolly.

 

I bought my car off eBay and towed it down on a tow dolley.

You'll want to tow the car with the REAR wheels on dolley, and the front wheels on the ground. One thing though, that you'll want to make very sure of... make absolute sure that your steering wheel is capable of locking. God forbid you need to drive 1 mile, let alone 100, with a car who's steering wheel can't lock.

I drove 200 miles with a Porsche in tow, and the steering wheel wouldn't lock. The second I would make a turn, the car and dolley would snake behind me back and forth causing the rear-end of my car to start to lose control. Suffice it to say, I only drove a quarter of a mile before I pulled over, and tied the steering wheel down.

It's all fixed now, but make sure you take that into consideration first!

Otherwise, it wasn't very difficult. I towed the Porsche with my 2002 Crown Victoria that has a Class 3/4 hitch on the rear. It was nothing. I think I blew away a riced out Civic at one of the lights and didn't even realize it...

 

Crown Vic with a hitch? I'd LOVE to see that.

As for towing...what's wrong with towing the back wheels in neutral?

And for front-tow, I believe you can keep the wheels straight but lock the wheel by pulling the wheel off and mounting it at an angle.

 

- if you rent a dolly dont tell them its for a 944- they would not let me at uhaul- tell them its a civic or something.

- pulling the wheel would do nothing as the column and its position to the lock cylinder is what locks the wheel- your wheel may end up staight but the wheels will still be cocked.

 

I think the transaxle is self lubricating even while being towed. Ir is built simular to
a Corvair trans. and I have towed them several hundred miles with no problem.

 

I think it should be safe to tow the car with the rear on the ground... The transaxle is self lubricating.

 

Blieve that the general rule of thumb on any rear wheel vehicle is to tow with the drive wheels in the air not on the ground. Any of the rear wheel cars I have owned have always been towed with them off the ground if they weren't put on a flatbed. Wouldn't think a 944 would be any different.

 

thats because most rwd vehicles have driveshafts and torque converters w/ seals and fluid etc to lube them that wont when not being pumped. 944 in neutral- dont see a problem.

 

Here you go...









The Crown Vic has basically everything you might need for towing. It has a 4.6 liter V8, it's rear wheel drive with a solid rear axle, it has a body on frame construction (solid frame with a body mounted to it), so it works quite well. It's basically built LIKE a truck, but designed to drive like a car.

 

so much for speeding if you have them ^ as neighbors