Flat Tow a manual E30?

[wcelliot]

Okay, I've searched this board and the web. BMW says not to flat tow (four down) their cars. Period. And that's likely a good marketing stance, but engineering-wise, is it accurate advice?

I've also never seen "towing hubs" or "driveshaft disconnects" for an E30, leading me to believe they aren't necessary (or, alternatively, that there just isn't a market...). Interestingly, one of the vendors DOES make a tow plate for an E46...

I recently purchased an old motorhome and want a cool "toad"/"dinghy"... not the standard Saturn, Jeep, etc. For both logistics and weight/distribution issues, I'm not goingto consider a trailer or dolly... I want to flat tow.

So tell me REALLY if/why I can't flat tow my E30 with a manual transmission.

Thanks!
Bill

[e30littlechris 22]

My friend's place up in cartage TN only flat toe's all his bmw on the role back. They've even toe'd a slammed e30 and it made it just fine. I've never seen a problem toeing them like that even the new e46's.

[James Crivellone]

Go for it, I've seen tons of 4 down E30's that have been towed.

Obviously you never want to do it on an automatic, but otherwise it does not matter.

[wcelliot]

Thanks... these responses validate what I've been thinking...

Okay...second question then... with the absence of a commercial product, what's the best way to hook up a tow bar to the front?

Thanks again!
Bill

[e30littlechris 22]

lower control arm's keep it down really nice and snug.

[matt]

Wow. This is scary.

Get a flatbed. Flat towing ANY car is ghetto. Even a dolly is mostly ghetto.

[wcelliot]

I beg to differ... I own numerous trailers (I don't use dollys at all... only practical for FWD cars) but trailers pose logisitical (many parks don't allow them) and weight distribution issues (very limited hitch weight allowable/advisible on many motorhomes... and if anything is "ghetto" it's towing a trailer without the appropriate weight distribution.)

If you look at RV's you will see the vast vast majority flat towing. There is NO problem with that as long as the car is not hurt by it (Heck, Saturn actively MARKETS the fact you can flat tow their vehicles). Even braking systems are available for larger flat towed vehicles.

If it is practical, I prefer to tow anything on a trailer. But flat towing responsibly is NOT "ghetto". If it can't be done responsibly with an E30, then I'll sell the E30 and do it with a POS Saturn...

Bill

[DoriftuEvo]

My car was flat towed behind an RV for a few years by the previous owner. The attachement bar was welded to the front of the bumper shocks and can be seen as the two little bars sticking out of the front bumper trim in the picture. I haven't had any problems that I can directly attribute to the flat towing.

[gigem]

thx folks, i just found you.

i also have a 88 E30 convert, cream puff. im buying a large rv and was planning on flat towing my car. the thought of a saturn or a jeep is.....not good.

so far it sounds like its a go? thx to all for the comments, until i hear a good reason not to, im gonna plan on doing it!

[willworkfore30s]

I have been told that flat towing an e30 with the drive shaft connected will burn up the transmission.

[nando]

that's true for an automatic (in general, not E30 specific). won't hurt a manual at all.

[willworkfore30s]

Same is true for dolly towing with the rear wheels down and the car in neutral?

[nando]

if it's an automatic, yes.

[MR 325]

Flat towing a manual E30 is absolutely fine. The transmission and differential will be lubricated just as they would be while driving. My roommate towed his car from San Antonio to Los Angeles with absolutely no issue.

[TobyB]

The transmission and differential will be lubricated just as they would be while driving.

The trans won't. The gears on the countershaft are turned by the input shaft,
and since the engine's not riunning, they don't turn. And THEY are what lubricate
the output shaft needle bearings that let the different gears turn at different speeds.

Now, there's not a lot of load on them, but they WILL run dry. In the 2002 world,
the consensus was that overfilling the trans JUST FOR THE TOW was something you
could do if you were paranoid...

As above, many have done it without problems, though.

t