Towing A Car With Automatic Transmission

[jayenram]

I have always known that it is potentially harmful to tow a car that has automatic transmission for a great distance. However, I have never really understood why there is a limit to the speed and distance of the tow (less than 30 km/hr and less than 20 km distance). If you can tow the car 20 km, what damage will an additional 5 km cause?

I'm asking the question because a friend has an automatic which is forever breaking down.

[lingling]

I have always known that it is potentially harmful to tow a car that has automatic transmission for a great distance. However, I have never really understood why there is a limit to the speed and distance of the tow (less than 30 km/hr and less than 20 km distance). If you can tow the car 20 km, what damage will an additional 5 km cause?

I'm asking the question because a friend has an automatic which is forever breaking down.

Because towing a car with automatic transmission will force parts in the gearbox to spin around without getting any lubrication (basically because the engine must be running to keep the transmission oil flowing). Low speed, short distance will minimize the damage but it will still wear the gearbox more than normal driving so better to get a dolly or towtruck.

If it is a rear wheel drive, you can always disconnect the transmission axle and then tow if you are going a longer distance.

Here's a page with some tips on how to keep your automatic transmission happy:

http://www.samarins.com/maintenance/transmain.html

Edited January 18, 2007 by lingling

[xbusman]

Actually, the transmission is full of oil and never runs "unlubricated". The problem is with heat. Torque convertors get hot very fast and the engine has to be running for the transmission oil pump to circulate the oil through the cooler. Otherwise the tranny oil will get hot enough to catch the transmission on fire. I have seen a few cars burnt to the ground this way.

For short distances, you can put the car in Neutral and start the engine. Not a good practice but better than not doing anything.

[Crossy]

For short distances, you can put the car in Neutral and start the engine. Not a good practice but better than not doing anything.

Interesting thought, but why would you tow a car with an engine that runs?

THE best way to tow an auto is with the driving wheels off the ground on a spectacle frame, towing ambulance or trailer.

[xbusman]

For wheel or brake problems, perhaps steering problems that make the car undrivable. Many times even cars involved with accidents that are unsafe to drive can be started.

Crossy is right though, best to get the drive wheels off the ground.

[griser]

Fairly simple really...

If its an Automatic Front wheel drive.... Lift and tow it from the front.

If it's a Automatic Rear wheel drive ....Lift and tow it from the rear.

Greg

[Farma]

When the transmission goes you hear a big bang then everything locks up… oops

[nikster]

Fairly simple really...

If its an Automatic Front wheel drive.... Lift and tow it from the front.

If it's a Automatic Rear wheel drive ....Lift and tow it from the rear.

Greg

What about auto 4WD (full time)?

Interesting thread, I had no idea "neutral" on an auto doesn't _really_ mean neutral... I mean, does the auto tranny in N not disengage completely or what?

[Totster]

Fairly simple really...

If its an Automatic Front wheel drive.... Lift and tow it from the front.

If it's a Automatic Rear wheel drive ....Lift and tow it from the rear.

Greg

What about auto 4WD (full time)?

Interesting thread, I had no idea "neutral" on an auto doesn't _really_ mean neutral... I mean, does the auto tranny in N not disengage completely or what?

A 4WD should always go on the back of a truck and not be towed. Some mechs have told me you can knock of the prop.. but easier to get on a flatbed/tilt and slide

totster

[undercover]

Interesting thread, I had no idea "neutral" on an auto doesn't _really_ mean neutral... I mean, does the auto tranny in N not disengage completely or what?

.............................................................

Yes I realize neutral doesn't realy mean neutral but I too have never understood why ? what's the score on that one ?

[Thai-Spy]

Interesting thread, I had no idea "neutral" on an auto doesn't _really_ mean neutral... I mean, does the auto tranny in N not disengage completely or what?

.............................................................

Yes I realize neutral doesn't realy mean neutral but I too have never understood why ? what's the score on that one ?

Even with the gear selector in neutral, most of the transmission is still connected to the rest of the drivetrain, i.e. the driveshaft and rear wheels.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission.htm

[Crossy]

A 4WD should always go on the back of a truck and not be towed. Some mechs have told me you can knock of the prop.. but easier to get on a flatbed/tilt and slide

Yep, according to the instructions even my manual, part time 4x4, Ranger should be towed with all four wheels off the ground.

[Pink Mist]

A 4WD should always go on the back of a truck and not be towed. Some mechs have told me you can knock of the prop.. but easier to get on a flatbed/tilt and slide

Yep, according to the instructions even my manual, part time 4x4, Ranger should be towed with all four wheels off the ground.

call me thick but how can you "tow" a car with all 4 wheels off the ground, would that be on it's roof

[jayenram]

call me thick

You are thick.

[Pink Mist]

call me thick

You are thick.

well how can you tow a car with all for wheel off the ground????? old fella

[kasi]

call me thick

You are thick.

well how can you tow a car with all for wheel off the ground????? old fella

It's called a roll back tow truck

[Crossy]

call me thick

You are thick.

well how can you tow a car with all for wheel off the ground????? old fella

It's called a roll back tow truck

The manual shows a graphic of those little 4-wheel skateboard devices (yes I know they have a proper name) under each of the rear wheels, front wheels on a spectacle frame

As an aside, the parking chaps in the Mid-Valley mall (KL) have some nifty things for moving badly parked cars. Looks like four jacks with a castor on each, one under each wheel and you have a 2 ton shopping trolley. Saw them carefully positioning a car between two concrete pillars, no way it was going to get driven out

[Totster]

The manual shows a graphic of those little 4-wheel skateboard devices (yes I know they have a proper name) under each of the rear wheels, front wheels on a spectacle frame

They are called dolly wheels, or skates.

totster

[mijan24]

N Not Actually being (=) neutral relates to the epicyclic gear trains (dust the fog off the old brain box and visualise Annulus, Planetary, Sun) contained in an Auto Trans and yes an Auto should not be flat towed due to the oil pump not operating in this mode (an auto is not splash fed and is not chock a block full of oil otherwise the resultant presuure would blow your mind (sic (seals))

Only my 5 bahts worth

Edited January 21, 2007 by mijan24

[Lancashirelad]

A garage owning friend thought he'd use the skates to remove a thoroughly "locked" car... with the keys inside it, from a multi storey car park.

He knew they would be able to get into with all the equipment back at the garage and needed to get it onto the back of the tilt n' slide bed recovery truck to take it there.

You can't bring the recovery truck into the car park.... to big/high.

As it was only 1 level up he & employees had decided they'd use the skates to extricate the car from the park.

Only problem was he didn't reckon on the velocity it would attain on the decent of the ramp.

Edited January 23, 2007 by Lancashirelad