towing a corvair

[tamvette68]

I'm a newbie and I've posted this question in the intro section but maybe it should be asked here.....I'm trying to tow my first corvair from SC to Louisiana and UHaul will only allow me to rent a tow dolly where you tow on two wheels.....anybody ever done this? I would prefer to tow on a transporter .....

[wingnutandme]

We have towed 3 on a dolly with a Tacoma PU. We have loaded them frontwards and backwards.Both methods worked. If you load backwards, be sure to secure the steering wheel with something like ratchet straps. DO NOT USE BUNGIE CORDS. Don't ask how I know this. A Corvair Powerglide came be towed with the rear on the ground.
I only tow at 55 to 60 MPH

If you are using a full size PU, you might try telling the U-Haul folks you are towing a Nova or something similar. They will probably rent you a car trailer.

[tamvette68]

thanks wingnut...this car is automatic....are you sayiing I can tow it with the rear on the ground? anything to disconnect? Although I'm guessing some fish tail will occur with the weight on the ground....dunno

[64powerglide]

U-Haul's web site says the rent trailers for automobile hauling, you should call & ask them what's going on & where in SC you can rent one.

http://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Auto-Transport-Rental/AT/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DT-VAIR]

64 - they do rent trailers- but they always have an issue towing a Corvair. Their system doesnt' allow it. There are a few posts already about this. Tamvette - use the search box up at the top - there are a few good posts about this out on this forum that go over centering the car, weight distribution, etc.

[64powerglide]

I read some of the discussion about it but it's bull on U-Haul's part as far the weight goes if it's backed on. I would try to figure the total cost of the trip compared to what Montway or some hauler would do it for.

[tamvette68]

I read some of the discussion about it but it's bull on U-Haul's part as far the weight goes if it's backed on. I would try to figure the total cost of the trip compared to what Montway or some hauler would do it for.

thanks but my past experiences with car haulers were terrible. I requested one quote from one company and within minutes received 25 plus quotes from many companies all claiming to be the best and "watch out for the other guys" type stuff. Montway seemed to be ok and reasonable. You're right its cheaper to ship it but I never saw the car I'm buying, just photos, and I want to put my hands on it. thanks again for the input.

[bbodie52]

You did not mention the nature or capacity of your towing vehicle. The problem may be the nature of the towing vehicle, and not the Corvair being towed. Does the truck you intend to tow with meet these U-Haul minimums???

http://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Auto-Transport-Rental/AT/
Towing vehicle requirements

• Must be equipped with a hard top if it is an SUV. U-Haul does not allow any type of sport-utility vehicle not equipped with a hard top to tow U-Haul equipment.
• Tow vehicle and trailer lighting must be operational at all times, day and night. All U-Haul trailers and towing are wired with a 4-way flat light connector.
• Must weigh at least 3,500 lbs. (curb weight), and must equal or exceed 80% of the combined weight of the trailer (2,210 lbs.) and the vehicle being towed (up to 5,290 lbs.).
• Must have a towing system that has a 5,000 lbs. minimum weight-carrying rating
• Must have 1-7/8" or 2" hitch ball (5,000 lbs. minimum)
• Must not exceed maximum allowable hitch ball height of 25"
• Must have external mirrors on both sides
• Must have fully operational lighting
• Maximum recommended speed is 55 MPH
• Load trailers heavier in front.

Towed vehicle requirements

• Must not weigh in excess of 5,290 lbs.
• Must have a maximum outside-to-outside tire width of 79.25" Note: outside tire width over 75" must use late-model U-Haul Auto Transport (identifiable by silver galvanized color).
• Must have a maximum wheelbase (distance from front axle to rear axle, usually posted on the driver's side door jamb) of 133 inches.
• Low-hanging equipment on the vehicle being towed such as spoilers, air dams, ground effects, etc., may be damaged by contact with the Auto Transport during loading and unloading. Make sure there is enough clearance for these items.

[wingnutandme]

No need to disconnect anything. The Vair PG will lube when towed with the rear wheels on the ground, unlike many other auto trans.

[bbodie52]

Here is a tip regarding towing a Corvair with a Powerglide transmission with the rear wheels on the ground. See the bottom of the following page...


http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... ge=TECH-16


Here are some additional comments on this subject, FYI...

Flat Towing Automatic Corvairs Isn't Recommended Date posted: 10/15/02 at 14:37:30

I do not suggest flat towing a Corvair with a Powerglide, unless it's for a short distance (less than 50 miles at a maximum of 50mph). Even with transmission in neutral, parts are still being driven. A rotating differential pinion shaft spins the rear pump, which in turn heats up the oil. With no oil circulation through a spinning torque converter (only method of oil cooling in a Corvair Powerglide), you can destroy your transmission. If you doubt my warning, try flat towing an automatic Corvair, in neutral, for 50 miles with the engine off. When stopped, crawl under car and touch the transmission oil pan. I'll bet you the oil pan will be hot enough that you cannot keep your hand on it for any length of time.

http://corvair.us/cgi-bin/bbs/YaBB.pl?b ... ay&num=226



http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.ph ... 368,180368
Can you tow a Corvair with a U-Haul tow dolly? (3 pages)

[tamvette68]

thanks to all and sorry to bring up a subject that seems to have a lot of documentation in this forum. I'm leaving for SCarolina this AM from La. and have no choice but to use a tow dolly. Weather should be perfect. Not sure if I should tow with the vert top up or down. Any suggestions? thanks

[bbodie52]

I'm assuming that you are limited to using a towing dolly because of the towing capacity limitations of your towing vehicle.

Towing backward on the dolly would minimize risk to the automatic transmission. Doing so would probably require securing the steering wheel so that the front wheels (on the ground) would remain straight, as would rear axle wheels to ensure stability of the car/dolly combination. If you mount the car facing forward as intended for a dolly, you should follow the guidelines suggested on the Clark's Corvair Parts tech page to circulate the transmission fluid about every 100 miles. (When using a tow dolly on a front wheel drive car with an automatic, the drive wheels are already off of the ground. Removing the driveshaft with a rear wheel drive, front engine car would also protect the automatic transmission when towing. Neither option is available with a Corvair).

http://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Tow-Dolly-Rental/TD/

There is a tow dolly video available at the above U-Haul link. The above link mentions the need to remove the driveshaft on a rear wheel drive vehicle. (Not possible with a Corvair). Another video is shown below.


Remember - crashes are caused by

• Driver error or Inattention.
• Excessive speed.
• Failure to load vehicle-in-tow facing forward.

You should always

• Load vehicle-in-tow facing forward
• Reduce your normal driving speed
• Wear your seatbelt

The vehicle-in-tow MUST be loaded facing forward (front wheels on tow dolly). Failure to load facing forward may result in sway or whipping and lead to total loss of control. Do not back up. To avoid damage to the hitch system, the vehicle-in-tow or the tow dolly, do not attempt to back the tow dolly up.

Use of a towing dolly in conjunction with a Corvair is not optimum. Mounting the car backward could put you at risk and may conflict with the U-Haul contract and insurance coverage requirements. Mounting the Corvair properly in a towing dolly could possibly damage the Powerglide transmission. Following the guidelines listed on the Clark's Corvair Parts page MAY minimize the possibility of transmission damage.

If I had to tow a Powerglide-equipped Corvair with a dolly, I would mount the car in accordance with the U-Haul instructions. I would drive no faster than 45-50 mph, and would run the engine as recommended by Clark's every 100 miles to cool and lubricate the transmission. With a convertible, the top may be up in a forward-facing vehicle.

[junkman]

Many states are now requiring that the towed vehicle had portable lighting installed on the towed vehicle, so cars that are following you will see when you are braking and when you activate the directional. I would look into renting magnetic mounted tail / brake lights. Some states feel that as long as the tow dolly has these lights on the dolly itself, that is sufficient. Personally, I would want as many lights on the towed vehicle as possible for safety. Also, check to see if the states that you are going to be passing through require a registration plate on the towed vehicle. I know that some states consider towed vehicles the same as trailers, and they have to have a current registration plate on them, if there wheels are on the ground.

[freedo]

never tell uhaul your towing a corvair. tell them something else. found this out as i was there picking up a trailer, the lady was nice enough to let me switch vehicles i was going to to tow. always tow corvairs on full size trailers loaded backwards.

[DROPPEDATBIRTH]

Reserve online and pick the option for corvair 900. This is the only option with the Corvair, where you can rent a trailer. I've done this several times to tow my van.

I towed my van backwards using a tow dolly. I secured the steering wheel to the brake and clutch pedal with a ratchet strap. It works, but I would rather use the trailer.

Trailer





Tow Dolly





Make sure you have the dolly tight on the ball before placing the vehicle on it....

[tamvette68]

I drove to South Carolina towing a dolly to bring the car back but the car turned out to be a huge disappointment. Came back without a car and $400.00 in the hole. At least I didn't have the car shipped and spent $5000+ on junk. Why can't people be honest when selling a vehicle????? I know, I should have contacted a club member in SC. My mistake. I trust too much. Anyway, still looking to buy and I think I found a 1961 in Dallas at a fair price. So, here we go again. Just got back from a 2000 mile journey in two days and ready to ride off as soon as I get the feeling back in my butt.