Reader’s Corner: What’s the best way to tow?
Okay all you car-towing experts, have a crack at this question from Lonna & Norbert:
We have an older 1992 Lexus LS 400, and wonder which is the best way to tow it or if it can be towed at all. We have not had much success finding an answer to this question. We would appreciate your help.
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ALL front wheel drive cars can be towed with the car dolley that you use to drive the car’s front wheels onto the dolly and strap it down. Leave the emergency brake OFF as it works on the rear wheels and you want them to turn.
Rear wheel drive cars can be towed the same way, however some of them require that the drive shaft be unbolted and placed inside the car for future installation at the other end of the trip. The reason is that some of the automatic transmissions were not designed to be moving without the engine running. It wears them out without any fluid pumping through it. This may also require a plastic cap be placed over the tail shaft housing of the transmission to prevent fluid from flowing out.
if rear wheel drive a remco drive shaft disconnet if auto trans. if front wheel drive atow dolly read motor home maz.towing guide.
A rear wheel drive Toyota can only be flatbed or trailer towed. If you towed with a dolly (front wheels up), the driveshaft would have to be disconnected to prevent damage to the transmission.
Hate to say it, but it’s true.
Toyota does not recommend dingy or dolly towing. not to say there aren’t aftermarket systems that can be added, but Toyota/Lexus does not recommend towing this way.
Avid camper & Toyota salesman
Call U-Haul and rent an auto transporter,it’s a trailer and all four wheels are off the ground on your car!
I am not certain if a ‘92 Lexus is front wheel drive or rear wheel. Most high end manufacturer’s were making the cars front wheel drive by then because of how much interior space that design created. IF this is the case I just want to reiterate the first post…that the front wheel drive cars can simply be towed with the front wheels on a Dolly. The rear wheels on this design just coast normally, unless brakes are applied. They can run on a dolly all year long and it won’t hurt a thing, although tire wear may become an issue.
I went through all the problems that you are having,but i solved, buy a flat bed tandum car trailer .just drive it on tie it down.. and usually you can buy new ones between $1.500 to 2.500 used ones are cheeper ,get one with 4 wheel brakes,they tow real good and you can back up. the only draw back is some times you have to find a place to park it if you install a hitch on your car you can move it any place you want, and you will find that you will have more uses for it ,and compare the cost of trying to flat tow i think it might a wash, one thing to look out for is the length of the toung of the trailer make shure it is long enough so when turning the trailer dosent hit your MH also you can haul extra stuff on your trailer and when your done you have something to sell.
Hi Lonna & Norbert,
I have to assume you are wanting to know if you can flat tow with all wheels on pavement and that you have an auto transmission.
First check your owners manual for recreational towing. It should state whether you can tow or not. I don’t know of any Toyota automatics that you can flat tow.
If the answer is “no” then you may have to look at a tow dolly to support the drive wheels. There are pros & cons to using a dolly.
Check with Motorhome magazine. They publish a list every year on Dinghy towing.
Last but not least – since your vehicle is a ‘92 maybe you might want to consider moving up to newer model that is towable. There again check the list of towables before you buy.
85% of all General Motors vehicles with automatic transmissions are flat towable – this excludes Cadillac, Buicks, & Corvettes.
I hope this helps with your question.
I 4 WHEEL DOWN TOW A 2001 TOYOTA AVALON.
I ADDED A REMCO PUMP TO THE TRANS MISSION AND JUST HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO ACCESSORY
I’VE PUT APPROX 30,000 MILES ON IT TROUBLE AND THE MIEAGE DOES NOT ADD ONTO THE ODOMETER.
SUGGEST YOU CALL REMCO PUMPS AND THEY’LL TELL YOU IF IT CAN BE DONE.
Let me tell you about our experience with a tow dolly. We were on our way to Hendersonville, NC and was towing our Expedition on our tow dolly with the rear wheels on the dolly. About 10 miles from our campground, my husband pulled off the road and I asked him why?? He said ,”We just lost the Expedition”, so I’m thinking it came lose from the dolly and was rolling in the roadway, we were on I-26. That was not the case, the Expedition was still on the dolly, but the dolly came off the motorhome and BOTH wheels on the dolly had broken off, not came off, broken off. God was very good to us as no other car was involved in this accident and the only damage to our Expediton was a busted driver side tail light lense where it had swung around and hit the back of the motorhome, the only damage to our motorhome was a crack in the rear bumper on the passenger side and the ladder was broken, all can be fixed. We alway padlock the dolly to the motorhome and have safety chains on it, all had came off. We are now looking a towing with all 4 tires down. We will never have another tow dolly. We will buy a car that can be towed with 4 tires down before we use a dolly ever again. Paul Harvey of this story is, we left the dolly on the side of the road to go get a wrecker to pick it up and within 3 hours someone had stolen it off the side of the road. I hope they have better luck with it then we did.
I would buy an aluminum car trailer so it is easy to tow with and worth almost as much as you paid for it after you use it.It will pull alot easier than steel and not make your RV work as hard and use less fuel. I would also use a Quick fit mud flap so you don’t throw rocks at your car.
We bought the piece of equipment advertised in the magazine that fastens on the transmission (We have a Sonoma GMC pickup) that with a gentle pull on a latch renders the automatic transmission “out of gear.” Easy to work, works really great. Easy to install.
Hi Alice,
Another reader of the On the Road blog is asking for more detail on your comment about towing a vehicle. Can you help?
Holly
The best and safest way to tow is with a two axle trailer “with a anti sway control”.Otherwise you may damage the drive train depending on the make of vehicle., also it is better to dent the trailer than the car.
I have a 1992, 37 ft Newmar Kountry Star. Where can I find the best prices on replacing or recovering my captain chairs, and sleeper couch? I would prefer real leather or synthetic leather.
this is for Bob Berg.
What magazine did you find the part to connect ro the Sonoma truck and do you know if they make them for the NissanFrontier?
If you still have that information maybe you can give me a call. Home phone 386-532-3243 or cell 407-416-4176. I live in Deltona Florida 32735. Thanks Ralph
i be a lookin for a difrent moter homeAND I GUEWSS THATS about alls i cans says bout thatin. THE old won losts it transmition Bout 5 mO. GO AND IFIN ANY YOUS HERS gots a hot spit to find one a be mutch abbligied. likin ta head fer tennisee this winter ifin i can get the dog back to health rupturd it bowel sack and he a recouperatin at home. GOOD LICK IN ALL YER TRAVELS I BE LOOKIN FER any reponse
Re. comment by Alice Gilbert; the ‘out of gear’ device, where can I get more info? I have a ‘95 Geo with an automatic trans. that I’d like to tow behind our rv with a tow bar. Thanks, Mike K.
Hi Mike,
I’ve sent Mrs. Gilbert a message asking for more detail. I’ll forward it to you should I receive anything.
Holly