Towing a RWD Auto

[_bondy_]

Clarification/advice needed please...

I need to tow an e46 330 auto a fairly short distance - it's not ideal but it'll be all four wheels on the ground with the vehicle in neutral and engine off (no cooling at the moment).

Am I likely to run into any issues or do any damage?

[doggyt]

It is my understanding that you will kill your gearbox if you do as you have said. Neutral in a auto is not the same as neutral in a manual. You will need to take out the prop shaft to tow it with the rear wheels on the ground.

[bamberwell]

i'll probably be totally wrong amd shot down in flames , but i always thought that you cannot tow an auto with the driven wheels on the road at all ,no matter what the distance...........

[vryes]

doggyt said:

It is my understanding that you will kill your gearbox if you do as you have said. Neutral in a auto is not the same as neutral in a manual. You will need to take out the prop shaft to tow it with the rear wheels on the ground.

+1

when we have to tow a wagon at work the fitter always disconnets the propshaft first

[Jimmyarm]

I was being towed by an RAC chap in a E39 530 a few weeks back.

We went about 5 miles and nothing exploded

[_bondy_]

hmm - the owners manual seems to think it's OK - and as above I know the RAC have towed a friends bmw - albeit with front wheels lifted, not that that'd make a difference...

Edited by _bondy_ on Monday 9th May 20:52

[paps]

My dads old volvo 940 auto got towed for a short distance - a couple of miles. The recovery bloke had to keep the speed very low (under 15mph if I remember rightly) to avoid damaging the 'box.

[magpie215]

there will be something in the handbook about towing.

with an auto it is usually limitations like

"no more than XX miles at no more than XX MPH"

[blearyeyedboy]

You have 3 choices:

1) Disconnect the propshaft.
2) Find a way of towing with only the front wheels on the ground. Difficult, because you legally have to tow it facing forwards.
3) Put it on a trailer.

As the others said, you'll be forking out for a new gearbox if you try to tow it with drive wheels on the ground, barring very low speeds (likely sub 15mph) you may read about in the manual.

[Xtriple129]

There are cars that you can tow with auto gearboxes, depends on if the design of 'box has a rear pump. if so, the action of the wheels turning will keep the 'box lubed and all is well. No rear pump, no tow.

[Boba Fret]

blearyeyedboy said:

You have 3 choices:


2) Find a way of towing with only the front wheels on the ground. Difficult, because you legally have to tow it facing forwards.
l.

Not true.

[thinfourth2]

Can i ask

Why are you towing it?

[Macd355]

thinfourth2 said:

Can i ask

Why are you towing it?

_bondy_ said:

(no cooling at the moment).

[_bondy_]

Hmm...still not worth the risk I guess!

Towing the vehicle with the front
axle raised
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
1. Towing speed: maximum 45 mph /
70 km/h
2. Towing distance: maximum
90 miles/150 km
Vehicles with sequential manual gearbox
SMG:
With the ignition on, move the selector
lever to positon N, then turn off the ignition.

thinfourth2 said:

Can i ask

Why are you towing it?

Expansion tank is pouring coolant out at a rate...

[C8PPO]

Jimmyarm said:

I was being towed by an RAC chap in a E39 530 a few weeks back.

Impressive - most of the RAC patrols I see only get a van.

[Jimmyarm]

C8PPO said:

Impressive - most of the RAC patrols I see only get a van.

Apologies, my sentence construction was slightly off there

Bondy, just tow it. You won't do any damage.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Xtriple129 said:

There are cars that you can tow with auto gearboxes, depends on if the design of 'box has a rear pump. if so, the action of the wheels turning will keep the 'box lubed and all is well. No rear pump, no tow.

^^^^^^^^^ This!

The point is that the box needs lubrication if it's turning. Some have the fluid pump driven off the output shaft - so if you tow the vehicle that shaft turns, fluid is pumped and all is well. Other boxes have a pump turned by the engine (or electric) and if you tow the car there is NO LUBRICATION so your expensive transmission will get trashed.

[eliot]

Xtriple129 said:

There are cars that you can tow with auto gearboxes, depends on if the design of 'box has a rear pump. if so, the action of the wheels turning will keep the 'box lubed and all is well. No rear pump, no tow.

As above.
The issue is that many auto's are lubricated by the pump on the engine end (torque converter) of the autobox. If you start towing it at any great speed for any great distance, its essentially like turning an engine over without any oil inside it.

So you could tow it slowly (<15mph) for perhaps a mile or so and get away with it - but I wouldn't want to be going too much further.

[thinfourth2]

_bondy_ said:

Expansion tank is pouring coolant out at a rate...

Duct tape and run with the cap off.

Will get you a fair few miles

[_bondy_]

Well plenty to consider anyway - thanks for all the replies.