Axle question regarding towing Options

[pneuhyde]

I have a 72 with 911 5 lug conversion. I had the engine out and wanted to repack the CV joints so I pulled the axles with the splined stubs out of the wheel housing, thinking it would be best to keep them all together and make it easier to re-install.
Now I need to tow my car to a new work space and found the wheels wobble around without the splined stubs in place.
If I install them then they will flop around while being towed.
I was going to use a u-haul two wheel tow dolly.
Can I mount it with the rear wheels on the dolly and and lock the steering wheel in place
to tow straight and will the rear wheels be ok to roll on and off the dolly?

Thanks,
Steve

[76-914]

Yes, you can pull the splined shaft onto the hub by tightening the nut. I rolled my 914 all over the garage w/o the hub installed before I read that one should not do that. I figured I'd be replacing the new rear wheel bearings within a few hundred miles; again! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) That was 17,000 miles ago and they're still fine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Do I still roll a 914 around w/o the stub axle? Not since I've read not to. Perhaps there are more factors in play? Maybe load factors; installers skill level; properly torqued; were they properly greased at the factory (remember there have been several reports of new bearings with an insufficient amount of grease); contamination for shop debris which entered the "open" bearing, etc., etc. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[GregAmy]

Perhaps there are more factors in play?

Of course. But generally speaking, moving around without an axle in place will frag the bearings.

The reason is that the wheel bearing is held together by being compressed between the bottom flange on the outer axle and the outer washer. Without that (and the nut holding it together) the bearing halves can and will separate; that's why the wheels were "flopping around". It's no different than moving your car without the front hub washer and nut tightened.

Is it an automatic frag? Nope. But had he flat- or dolly-towed the car without an outer stub in then it's quite possible one or both hubs/wheels could have departed the car (they'd only be retained from coming out by the brake rotor within the caliper).

Have a couple stubs on hand for times like these.