Towing an MG

[vping]

Do you need to do anything to an MG Midget or MGB before you tow it using one of those u-haul car dollies? The front wheels will be off the ground. For some reason I remember someone saying you need to disconnect something.
Driveshaft

 

[tony barnhill]

Disconnect the driveshaft...you don't want to melt the rear end & you'll do that to the pinion gear if its tipped up so gear oil can't get to it.

 

[vping]

Isn't the ring still engaged with the pinion though?

 

[tony barnhill]

Yep, but without the driveshaft its turning with no torque...& the tranny isn't turning!

I've replaced a rear end because the owner did just what you're planning - & it was new when he left Oregon - but shot when he got to Alabama

 

[vping]

Aahhh torque!!

 

[tony barnhill]

Well, I'm not the expert - but I think having the driveshaft hooked up does put some torque onto the pinion gear which isn't getting oiled because its tipped up - anybody else, or is it just me?

 

[wrenchpuller]

My 2 penneth,
there should be no problem unless the transmission is auto.
Cheers Ric

 

[kennypinkerton]

That and by dragging the car tony, the gears are meshing backwords.

 

[jlaird]

Four bolts, on drive shaft, do not remove it from transmission. Wire it up so rear transmission oil seal is still sealed. Tow away, any speed almost.

 

[tony barnhill]

Front wheels off ground, Kenny....rear thinks its still moving forward

 

[kennypinkerton]

Yeah, but the engine isn't pushing it... The ring gear is, so the mesh is backwords... (the parts of the gear teeth that are touching would be the same as if you were going in reverse).

 

[jlaird]

I towed mine from Air Force Base to Base and never had a rear end prob in 20 years or so.

It works.

 

[tony barnhill]

That's even worse!

All I know is I bought an MG that had been towed from Oregon to B'ham in the exact same manner - ruined the pinion...& when I called the shop that did the maintenance/restoration on the car, they sent me lots of receipts where they had rebuilt rear end just a few miles before owner towed it on a dolly with driveshaft hooked up...when I replaced the rear end, I almost doubled my $$$'s because the rest of the car was in such great shape

...& the old rear end - rear end oil would run out the pinion if you pointed it downward! I threw the entire thing in the junk!

For 4 easy to remove bolts, I wouldn't take the chance!

 

[jlaird]

And a peice of coat hanger, don't forget the coat hanger.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Hmmmm... That reminds me, I need a middle exhaust hanger. I have a coathanger in there right now.

 

[tony barnhill]

The GT has a driveshaft 'ring' so no coat hanger needed once its released from the rear end - the 'ring' holds it up....

 

[jlaird]

Always keep a bit of galv wire in your parts bag, hehe.

 

[DrEntropy]

Wire coat hangers are a fast disappearing valuable resource! Time was they could be found everywhere, used (in emergency) as safety wire, exhaust hangers or welding rod... the newer ones are thinner, and not nearly as good a material! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

[Bruce74B]

[ QUOTE ]
That's even worse!
...

For 4 easy to remove bolts, I wouldn't take the chance!

[/ QUOTE ]

And for $60 you could rent a trailer and not worry about any of this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Guest]

Why not tow it backwards?

Bill