Time To Tow TC (I like alliteration)

...besides the grammar, I'm starting this post to figure the best way to tow my 88 TC about 360 miles. I'm moving in a few weeks, gonna fit all my earthly belongings in a 17' u-Haul truck. Everything but my 1979 XS1100SF and my TC, that is. My father is going to transport the bike in the back of his truck and tow the TC behind using a two-wheeled car dolley.

So now my question: towing with the front wheels up and rears on the ground isn't going to hurt the tranny or anything else, will it? I've always heard that manual transmissions are fine as long as you leave them in neutral. i just didn't know for this extended amount of miles...

I don't mind dropping the drive shaft, piece of cake. I just don't really want to have to put it back on after driving 7 hours and unpacking way too much stuff...

Pull the driveshaft.. Ive heard the same thing about towing a stick but for the time involved in pulling it id rather have the piece of mind. Across town or short distances would be different but for that haul on the highway id pull it.

i dont know much about towing but for the 10 min it does take to take off the driveshaft i'd do it. Better to be safe then sorry

I pulled mine 100 miles once when the aux shaft when out on me. Just put it in neutral with the steering unlocked. The gears inside the transmission will still turn and distribute the oil like it would if you were driving it.

The manual says no more than 50 miles without removing the drive shaft.

If it were level I wouldn't give a second thought to towing a manual tranny car across the country... Problem as I see it is with the nose elevated, the fluid will be in the rear of the transmission and may not lube the input shaft pocket bearing properly...

Somewhere I read it was OK to tow T5s IF the transmission were full of fluid... Seems at some point they were only filled to about a inch below the fill plug at the factory... Possibly this was the 50mi limit Pete mentions...

you understand that you will need to suspend the DS up somehow, and leave the the yoke in the transmission, to keep the rear of the trans from leaking, yes? unless you have one of those plastic plugs for the out put shaft, it will leak at the elevated angle.

-J0N

Lots of input, thanks guys. Yeah, I figured if I pulled the driveshaft I would go ahead and drain the tranny, too, to avoid any leaks, etc.

I figured pulling the DS would be good insurance. I figured the lube would splatter all over and keep things kosher, but I didn't factor the incline into the equation. With that in mind, I'll pull the drive shaft.

Thanks again!

U-haul rents flat bed trailers and thats the way I would go. That way you don't have to worry about lights and all that. Also it would be the safest way.

zbird has a point!