Towing

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD7-538 Simon Favre writes:

"The main reason not to tow a RWD car on a dolly more than 100 miles or so
is that you are causing the ring and pinion to wear on the opposite side
of the gear teeth. The same goes for the tranny. Doing this can cause
particles to shed into the oil that will cause premature wear. I would
change the tranny and diff oil after such a tow. Even with the driveshaft
out, the diff is still subjected to abnormal wear."

?? I would think that the gears would catch the same punishment any time you
backed off on a downgrade, used engine braking deliberately prior to a turn,
or coasted, or used free-wheeling, which was fairly common equipment on pre-
war cars. Granted these are short periods, rather than a hundred miles, but
would there be that difference in the lubrication, metallurgy, machining, or
gear design when the engineers know that deceleration will be almost as common
as acceleration?

I have flat-towed and dolly-towed Alfas over considerable distances (like 800
miles) with no ill effects that I know of, and Fred DiMatteo felt no
compunctions about flat-towing his Junior Z at high speeds over considerable
distances. In my Milano Owner's Manual, which spends a page on towing cars in
various conditions with various equipment, there is no sign of concern about
gear wear; the only mention of dropping the driveshaft is in connection with
towing locked cars. I question the likelihood of abnormal gear wear. 

Cordially, 

John H.

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