towing 91 Dakota backwards on Dolly

[larryh]

Anybody done the above any problems or troubles to watch for??

LarryH

[cody]

Instead of putting miles on the truck, by towing it backwards wouldn't that tend to take miles off the truck eventually making it a new truck? lol

[TomC]

If you tow backwards, you have to use a tow dolly-just one more thing you have to contend with.  Many tow big SUV's on all 4 with modifications to the drivetrain (I tow my Mercedes-Benz Turbodiesel that has a drivetrain disconnect on it).  There are requirements from the auto manufacturers as to towing on all 4's.  Many require all wheel drive when equipped with automatics so you can put the transfer case in neutral when towing so the transmission is not turning.  Some (like Saturn) can take towing without the disconnect.

Highly recommend that you do NOT tow backwards with a tow dolly.  It is inherently unstable.  Good Luck, TomC

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Larry,

Read this link from our archives....

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=2190.0

Good Luck
Nick-

[cody]

Actually some dodges tow well 4 down, my 97 dodge ram has an automatic and is 4 wheel drive but if I put the transfer case in neutral and the shift lever in park with the key at the first position to unlock the steering column it tows like a dream.  You might want to check on that if you can with yours, it's much easier to tow 4 down than to mess around with a tow dolly, a tow dolly just means one more thing to move around when you get to your camp site.

[beatsworkin]

Yes you can tow your pick up backwords if you use a tow dolly BUT you have to be carefull to be vary steady on the steering of your towing vehicle.  The reason that the towed vehicle is un steady is because the heavy part ( motor ) is farther back and the lighter part ( box ) is centered over the axle of the toter.  I am in the used car business and I do it all the time but I do it for very short moves ,15 miles or less

Red

[Don4107]

Having the weight of anything under tow biased to the rear of center of gravity is always a bad idea.  Having two pivot points, the hitch and the dolly would only make things worse.  Have you ever towed a trailer without enough weight on the tongue?  Not pretty. 

[larryh]

Don I have towed a few heavy loads in my time in the industry over a million accident free over the last 50 years I will attach a picture My 91 Dakota is 2 wheel drive auto is why I have to tow backwards my reg toad blew engine last week and I want to get on road real soon

LarryH

[RJ]

Larry -

Ever pushed a shopping cart in the grocery store backwards?

Basically, that's what you'll be doing if you try to tow the Dakota the way you're planning.

Due to the caster designed into the front-end steering geometry, towing backwards creates a very unstable situation.  Locking the steering column and removing the key isn't the answer, either - the pawl that locks the column isn't strong enough to withstand the forces that can be induced.

Most towing companies, when forced to do so, secure the steering wheel with some type of strapping to allow a tiny bit of movement (1/32nd turn or less), but no more.  They also don't tow this way very far, usually just 5 - 10 miles at city street speeds.

Suggest you get the regular toad's engine fixed. . .  Theoretically, a good shop should be able to drop in an exchange engine in less than a week.

Would be much less expensive than any damage claim should the Dakota break loose while being towed backwards. . .

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Don4107]

Wow Larry, now that is toad!      Nice!!!!  So what do they say at the KOA office when you pull up with that? 

[cody]

Wow larry, I'll bet that is tricky to back into a site at the campgrounds lol.

[Len Silva]

Man, what was under that tarp?  The load doesn't look any bigger than about 4 full size cars.  Must have been a solid block of lead. Looks like 450,000 lbs by counting the axles.

Len

[larryh]

Len

Your close 482,000 147 feet long overall 24 feet wide took 9 days to get there 1147 miles and was classfied never got to see under tarp.

LarryH

[cody]

I'm thinking that the generator was under the tarp,  lol how would you like to be boondocking next to that one when it was time to recharge the batteries lol.

[kyle4501]

The caster setting & toe-in on the toad is what will cause the instability when towing it backwards.
You may be able to have the toad's alignment adjusted to minimize this, although the toad may feel a little loose when you are driving it.
Raising the rear of the toad will also help put the caster where you need it for pulling it backwards.

Russ is right, DO NOT rely on the steering column lock to hold the wheel straight (- If you have ever rebuilt a steering column, you will know how minimal the lock is). But if you do properly restrain the steering wheel, it won't be much different than regular towing with a dolly.

BTW, if your toad comes loose, it won't matter if it's forward or backward, you are still in deep s#!t.

A tow dolly can't compare to a regular trailer when it comes to tongue weight - very different dynamics involved. A tow dolly is more like towing 4 down.