[FC] towing

[Dale Dewald]

Hello,

 >At 08:41 AM 2/25/05 -0600, grumpygrampa wrote:
 >I need to tow a greenbrier,300  miles.Can a 91 toyota camry do it? Flat 
tow with a tow bar.

Even on flat ground this is quite a bit of weight to pull and stop with a 
modest-sized passenger car.  You don't mention the engine/trans 
combination, but if your Camry has a manual transmission, that distance of 
tow (how many starts and stops) likely will result in a burnt clutch.  You 
may not notice the damage to an automatic right away, but it will likely 
overheat in <50 miles.  How much does an automatic rebuild or clutch job cost?

Stopping is another matter.  Without brakes on the Greenbrier to assist, a 
panic stop or even catching a traffic light on "yellow" could be a 
disaster.  Brakes also get damaged by overheating; how much to replace 
warped front rotors and pads on a Camry?

There is also the "tail wagging the dog" component.  The heavier Greenbrier 
is likely to want to drift/steer wherever it wants to go, dragging your 
Camry with it.  If the front alignment of the Greenbrier is off it may want 
to hunt or oscillate from side to side.  This usually starts to happen at 
about 45MPH.  A 300 mile trip at 40MPH will be a long ride...

15 years ago I flat towed a '65 500 coupe parts car about 50 miles with my 
2.0L/5-speed Ford Ranger.  The car was partially stripped, but still 
probably weighed 2500 lbs.  This was in dead flat central Illinois.  I 
stayed on side roads and the tow went fine, but I would not have wanted to 
travel on any main highways or above 45MPH without extra braking power.

Please find a friend who has a truck (preferably 3/4 ton or larger) and, if 
available, a trailer with brakes.  Where are you and the Greenbrier located?

Dale Dewald
Hancock, MI