Towing Boxster 987 with tow dolly
03-20-2019, 10:31 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Towing Boxster 987 with tow dolly
Anyone have experience towing a 987 with a tow dolly ? Thinking of towing my Boxster track car to the next event. Wondering if its okay to tow front facing and the car out of gear (6 speed). I realize it may be better to tow rear facing but would need to strap down the steering wheel. Appreciate any thoughts.
03-20-2019, 10:52 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
You’ll need to find a towing guide that includes that specific model. There are online databases but I can’t recall the name. It’s very model specific, and some cars say you can flat tow for X minutes, then have to stop, run the car in neutral for a few minutes, and then continue to flat tow. That’s why you see so many Jeep Wranglers and CRV’s towerd behind RV’s. They’re among the few cars that can be safely flat towed.
In short, I highly doubt you can do it. Most modern cars aren’t designed to be towed with the driven wheels on the ground, even in neutral, because the transmission needs to stay lubricated with the engine running. You could flat tow with the engine running I suppose. But check an online database.
In short, I highly doubt you can do it. Most modern cars aren’t designed to be towed with the driven wheels on the ground, even in neutral, because the transmission needs to stay lubricated with the engine running. You could flat tow with the engine running I suppose. But check an online database.
03-21-2019, 06:07 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
my guess is porsche has never made a model that could be flat towed. at least not since the 356.
Here is my understanding, the specifics may be off the but the general idea is correct.
oil sits in the bottom of the transmission case and in normal operation is splashed around by the lower gear set on the input shaft, then carrying oil up to the gears on the output shaft running to the diff.
When flat towed, the diff spins the output shaft, which is disconnected from the input shaft in neutral/out of gear), so no oil splashing around. fairly quick transmission failure.
Here is my understanding, the specifics may be off the but the general idea is correct.
oil sits in the bottom of the transmission case and in normal operation is splashed around by the lower gear set on the input shaft, then carrying oil up to the gears on the output shaft running to the diff.
When flat towed, the diff spins the output shaft, which is disconnected from the input shaft in neutral/out of gear), so no oil splashing around. fairly quick transmission failure.
03-22-2019, 06:38 AM
#6
Racer
I think OP means tow dolly with only 2 wheels on the ground. Probably not the drive wheels. Miata people have done it, but I don’t recall if it was rear or front facing.
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03-22-2019, 09:36 AM
#8
Burning Brakes
We have done the u-haul van and trailer for a couple of Canadian events, few worries about road conditions and if you have any sort of issue at the event the trailer will be a requirement anyway... Cheers, Donn
03-22-2019, 10:12 PM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
Have had two occasions of driving to the track and trailer home (clutch failure and radiator hose burst). I will do about 6-8 track events per year. I'm thinking the Uhaul trailer is the best bet, was considering buying a dolly to keep at the house. No room for a trailer.
03-24-2019, 02:00 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Have had two occasions of driving to the track and trailer home (clutch failure and radiator hose burst). I will do about 6-8 track events per year. I'm thinking the Uhaul trailer is the best bet, was considering buying a dolly to keep at the house. No room for a trailer.
Sounds like you've had a string of bad luck, but you don't expect it to continue, do you? I'd stick with driving the car to the track.