Hello

Anybody tow their 914 using a dolly.

Yes I did use the search engine and found some info.

Close to an 8 hour drive.

Any advice would be great thanks.

Mike

@Retroracer Tony has done a fair bit of towing with a dolly. Perhaps he'll chime in.

Honestly, Flat tow works better. The reason I say that is the exhaust will not get dinged up as easy. That and you are bolted to the frame of the car. Can use a standard Walmart or Harbor freight tow bar.
Picture is off but this is it

https://914rubber.com/flat-tow-bar-1

I concur…. Flat tow works beautifully, at least in town.
I wonder if it would harm the transmission if towed for long distance (but that would be the same on a dolley).

In this I agree with Mark
Flat tow all the way.

Click to view attachment

Thanks for the flat tow idea
Will this bolt onto a 1975 without damaging the front bumper?


quote name='914werke' date='Jul 26 2023, 10:26 PM' post='3091796']
In this I agree with Mark
Flat tow all the way.

Click to view attachment
[/quote]

It will but the valance must be removed.

Flat tow is the way to GO! i have my 75 set up to flat tow, and removed the stock valance and installed an LE valance from 914rubber, and got my tow bar from @914werke if you dont plan on doing this regularly you could just remove the valance and put it back on later. I have towed to Okteenerfest the last 2 years, and i agree better than using a dolly, the car glides along behind our Navigator and hardly feel it back there i used to use a U-haul trailer, but no more. - suggestion - get a quick disconnecto for the battery because you have to leave the ignition switch on so the steering is not locked, and i bought a blue tooth wireless safety lights that can be mounted to the trunk. Safety chains etc. off you go.

Phil

Appreciate all the advice

No. Just ensure it's in neutral lol

The reason there's a select group of cars that can be flat-towed behind motorhomes is because they're almost all automatic transmissions. And different cars lubricate the auto transmissions through different pump designs; for example some require the engine to be running. Then you'll get into the types of four- or all-wheel drive but that's none of our business...

Since most (I hesitate to say "all" but it's damn close) manual transmissions are splash-oiling, your transaxle will be lubricated fine, just as if you were driving down the road in neutral.

I suppose you could accidentally tow it in a gear, and the engine spinning the oil pump would lubricate the engine. But just think about driving that diesel-pusher down the highway at 70mph, only to realize that you left the 914 in second gear (my guess, roundabout 9000 RPM, if you got there before it started tossing out bits). Don't do that. - GA


Edit: I thought I remembered reading about something like this...

RV Driver Annihilates Their New Jeep Wrangler by Flat-Towing It in 4-Low
https://www.thedrive.com/news/39794/rv-driv...ing-it-in-4-low

Looks like you have all the answers on the dolly question... ;-)

The plus side of a dolly is that you don't have to modify your vehicle; you can use it with most cars (unless they are super low or super wide); and you can store it easily against a wall when not in use.

The only downside when driving is the width, so you have to be careful in positioning (especially in town or on narrow roads). Freeway driving is fine. Like a flat tow, you will rack up miles on the 914 unless you disconnect the speedo drive.

Also, like any of the towed solutions, reversing is a pain - so look/plan ahead for good maneuvering room and parking slots!

- Tony

I have the @914werke flat tow bar and really like it. Any universal tow bar works with it. I'm running an LE spoiler up front.

914 Werks bar would be awesome, but a dolly works fine, but you can't back up, its the pushing a rope analogy. No matter how tight you get the straps, the front wheels will slide around. Lock the column, and put it in neutral, of course.

I have used the U Haul car trailer many times, cheap and effective

Uhaul car trailer used to be $65 a day. Now I’m told it’s double or more. I haven’t used one in a while.