Trailering Your Car -- In-Gear? or in Neutral? Does it Matter?

[sneville44]

Just wondering... Is there a preferred way to trailer your car - with the transmission engaged in gear or left in neutral? or does it even matter?

Thanks

[Jeremy Billiel]

I believe I heard its best to leave in neutral with the e-brake on, but don't take that as gospel.

[CaptainWho]

Since I ain't got no e-brake, I leave it in gear.

[jhooten]

Since I ain't got no e-brake, I leave it in gear.
[/b]

What he said.

[Joe Harlan]

What he said.
[/b]

neutral, no brake proper tie downs and a wheel block in front of the rear tires.

[jc836]

Same as Joe H

[charrbq]

I don't block the rear tires, just the fronts...but never tow in gear unless you need the practice repairing gear boxes. That's what good tie downs are for.

[Marcus Miller]

Joe H got mine,
In Neutral, good tie downs.

Scott, Didn't find the source of the gear box problems? Will we see you April 1/2?


Marcus

[sneville44]

Thanks for the replies guys...I did forget to mention that my car doesn't have an e-brake. I usually trailer with the car in neutral...but occasionlly forget and leave it in 1st gear....which prompted me to post the question.

Marcus...so far I'm planning of Thunderhill next weekend but it depends on if any other GTIs will be there. Carlos is not planning on going (he's getting his car painted)...haven't heard from Ron or Joe and Tom C was having some mechanical problems and the last I heard wouldn't be there. I will skip the event if there are no other cars to race with.

As far as my tranny...it's doing the same thing that happened back in October. Some of the dogs popped out and jammed the shifter fork. Carlos helped me fix back in January (we put in new dogs assuming the problem was me being too hard on the gearbox...) but it appears to the problem is something else. In any event I swapped the tranny with a used one I bought last year and it seems to be in good working order and ready for the track.

What are your plans since your selling your Pro7?

[Marcus Miller]

Ouch, hopefully its something else easy.

I don't know what Tom A. and Ron are up to. I know Tom A's wife is due right around that time. Ron just won't return my email :P

We were planning on going, but there is just too much to do to both cars to have eitther of them ready. I may still come up Sunday (I've got a software release planned, so I have to work Saturday, anyway) to spectate.

I don't know what I'm going to do? Maybe ITA / Honda Challenge? ITS/ PTsomethingorother? I'm not getting oout, just moving classes.

Marcus

[joeg]

Be kind of tough flat towing in gear...

[Bildon]

>> Didn't find the source of the gear box problems?

Wear and tear from towing in gear? :P

Always tow out of gear... you like scuffing dry pistons up and down dry piston walls everytime you hit the brakes? It doesnt do the trans any good either.

- Bill

[billf]

I never did understand why some people are willing to "use up" the parts thay they have bought/made/have for racing, just to get to the track. Wear on gear parts, drivetrain parts from leaving the transmission in gear; shocks from not cinching the car tight to the trailer, and letting the trailer suspension do the work; or using the clutch to load the car on the trailer, slipping all the way up the incline ramp.

I know "to each his own"...I just don't see the logic.

We use manual winches, man power to move the car. We tie down the chassis on the trailer. And we leave it in neutral for transit.

Works for us.

Good racing.

Bill

[tnord]

fwiw.....

i saw a rep from koni or bilstein or somebody on TV the other day that said tieing down the car with the control arms or anything else that would limit suspension movement while trailering is bad practice.

i tie down through the wheels, and leave the car in neutral.

[shwah]

I tow in neutral with proper tiedowns. Also pull the car down tight so the shocks don't get extra work on the highway.

I do drive the car on the trailer though. Just way too hard to get it up and down when I am by myself.

[Gary L]

Two comments from a cranky, narrow minded old man...

1 - If you're worried about tearing up transmissions by trailering with the car in gear, you need to rethink how you're securing the car to the trailer. It ain't gonna move if it's done about half right.

2 - If you're worried about tearing up the clutch while putting an IT car on a trailer, you need to go back to driver's ed.

JMHO, of course.