Using Xterra to tow with a dolly

Hey guys. I've done some research on towing cars with a tow dolly, and it looks like as long as I remove the driveshaft for RWD vehicles, I should be good to go. Now, I don't tow much at all, maybe once every few years, and since I have a Xterra that is capable of towing I figure I might as well use that rather than spend money on a beater pickup truck to use solely for that purpose.

Since the Xterra has only a 5000# rating due to its v6 and short wheelbase, I have to stick to tow dollying (is that a word?) projects. Uhaul flatbeds are HEAVY so I can't rent one to hook up to the X. I don't do it often as mentioned before, but I've seen a few projects on FB marketplace that have gotten away over the last few years due to my lack of towing ability...I was always told flatbed is the only way or don't do it at all.

Anyway, am I out of my mind for thinking I can tow dolly projects home with a Nissan Xterra on those rare occasions that I do need to tow? The last time I towed something, I rented a truck and flatbed trailer combo from Uhaul which was a PITA to get this combo, especially on short notice.

No, you'll be fine unless you are trying to move around *heavy* stuff. You don't even need to remove the driveshaft for RWD vehicles if they have a manual transmission. That's only a worry for autos and AWD vehicles.

Many years ago I worked for U-Haul. They are so liability-driven that they tend to over-spec towing equipment but the core rules are true.

1. Weight concentrated over the dolly axle (or as close to the tongue as possible for flatbeds)

2. Tow vehicle should be heavier than towed payload (you can break this rule by a little bit but be SUPER CAREFUL)

3. Aforementioned drive wheels/driveshaft concerns

Have you considered the Gold Package from AAA? See my words in this thread

@pointofdeparture Thanks! That sounds fine to me. I will keep your 3 pointers in mind as well when I go about towing with the X, I appreciate it.

In reply to John Welsh :

Interesting, I didn't realize you could use your AAA membership in that way, what do you usually tell the dispatcher when you make the call? I have a AAA membership through my father, will have to ask him if its the gold package or not.

If I can tow a  64 F250 on a dolly with a Mercury you should be just fine with the Xterra :)

pointofdeparture said:

You don't even need to remove the driveshaft for RWD vehicles if they have a manual transmission. That's only a worry for autos and AWD vehicles.

 

Not necessarily true, some have an oil pump that runs off the input shaft and things will be damaged, you need to check first. 

In reply to JThw8 :

I towed a mid '90s Buick Regal from southern TN to south AL with a mid '90s Buick Regal on a dolly a few years ago. That car (love a 3800)actually towed quite well. 

In reply to TR7 (Forum Supporter) :

Good reminder. Old school MT was true, but I think about  the time they started coming with ATF in them...

I'd think you would be fine if you apply caution and diligence. Which should go without saying, but who hasn't seen people do stupid towing tricks?

One of my friends dollied a Miata all over the country with a Mazda5. Another did the same with a Golf Sportwagen.

Your main liability would be that your tow vehicle is short in length and tall. Not the best combo.  But I also knew someone who trailered a Mazdaspeed6 with a Discovery, which has to have been the worst idea on paper ever.

I only dolly towed once, an early RX-7 with an early Montero, and it was a dream to tow with. Not the fastest, but who cares about fast when towing?  I don't want to bomb up and down hills at 95mph,  I want to go 65-75 and get there in one piece. 

TR7 (Forum Supporter) said:

Not necessarily true, some have an oil pump that runs off the input shaft and things will be damaged, you need to check first. 

Out of curiosity, do you have an example of such a car? I've never known of any modern-ish manual transmission vehicle that didn't use splash lubrication.

(For an AWD car with a Haldex pump you would have to flatbed anyway, and I'm struggling to think of any other examples.)

In reply to pointofdeparture :

You can flat tow/dolly tow indefinitely with Haldex, per the literature.  The electric pump is only for clutch pressure.

I would be leery of towing a rear drive trans without disconnecting the driveshaft.  If the engine is stopped and the clutch is engaged, none of the gears will turn.  Only the output shaft and the shift hubs will turn.  Is that enough to allow splash lubrication of the shaft inside the gears and the slip yoke?  Maybe.  I wouldn't want to experiment, though.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

I've done it dozens of times and it's never been an issue, but I don't doubt there are some manual vehicles out there with an odd design that might not do well with that.

Also of people with RVs flat tow vehicles with manual transmissions and don't disconnect the driveshaft.

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/what-cars-can-be-flat-towed-behind-an-rv.html

So What Can You Tow?

Typically, a vehicle can be pulled dinghy-style if it has rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission or four-wheel drive and a manual transfer case that can be placed in neutral, according to Fiat Chrysler. The automaker's Jeeps and Ram pickups are popular dinghy vehicles.

pointofdeparture said:

TR7 (Forum Supporter) said:

Not necessarily true, some have an oil pump that runs off the input shaft and things will be damaged, you need to check first. 

Out of curiosity, do you have an example of such a car? I've never known of any modern-ish manual transmission vehicle that didn't use splash lubrication.

(For an AWD car with a Haldex pump you would have to flatbed anyway, and I'm struggling to think of any other examples.)

I didnt catch that it was a modern car, but I guess that also depends on how you define modern. I know most LBCs and land rovers with the LT77 trans, Volvos with overdrive, BMW for the e30 (but not e36), and tremec suggests the same for any car with their transmission.