Flat towing another car with B4, can it be done?

914rrr

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Location
St Petersburg, FL
TDI
2012 JSW w/ DSG
I was already planning on installing a tow hitch on my newly acquired 96 Passat TDI. I need to pick up a non-running but rolling 78 911SC about 200 miles from my home. Is it possible to flat tow the 911 with the TDI that distance (with proper tow bar attched to the 911)?
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
Won't hurt the tdi. Don't know about the 911. My only concern would be for safety - stopping could be an issue, but I don't think the 911 is all that heavy. Less than a ton, isn't it?
 

914rrr

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Location
St Petersburg, FL
TDI
2012 JSW w/ DSG
I'm curious about flat towing legal issues. I know that the towed vehicle should have a current or temp plate on it. Isn't flat towing common behind RV's?
 

validius

Lacking in ZDDP
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
TDI
1997 GTI TDI
914rrr said:
I'm curious about flat towing legal issues. I know that the towed vehicle should have a current or temp plate on it. Isn't flat towing common behind RV's?
Well, assuming your using all the proper gear it shouldn't be an issue. Typically when people say flat tow they mean with a tow strap ;-)
 

12MPGHWY

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
el California
TDI
none
Even with a proper tow bar, the rear weight bias of 911 is going to make stopping dicey. If you brake hard the rear end is going to try and out run the front, crumpling the bar.

Ive towed with a tow bar before, just remember that the "trailer" has no brakes, and the tow bar is nowhere near as strong as a real trailer frame is.
Brake like your driving in ice and you will be fine, otherwise you can end up crumpling the towbar. Most of the RV's that trailer cars like this have systems that use the cars brake as a trailer brake or use far more heavy tow bars.

I was using my old truck to tow a camaro, where a kid ran out in front of me on a 4 lane low traffic street. I was doing 35 mph, and had to brake hard, managed to stop safely, but the to bar was crumpled on one side, bent on the other, the truck and car tried to jacknife together, damaging the trucks bumper some but doing major damage to the car.
 
Last edited:

bikeprof

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Location
Pagosa Springs, Colorado(YEAH!)
TDI
1996 Passat B4 Variant white, 1996 Town & Country 3.8 LXI
Remove as much weight as you POSSIBLY can from the towed vehicle(like seats, spare tire, etc...) and carry that stuff in the front vehicle, this will help take that pendulum action and make it less prone to swaping ends("jacknifing"), what happems to big rigs when they try to stop in wet/ice situations, etc...

If there is a way for you to install an E-brake cable to the towed vehicles E-brake system then you can more "safely" use their rear(parking )brakes to help slow THAT vehicle...

Use tow bar, it is so much safer than a strap!!!!!!!!!
 

euromade

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Location
MI, USA
TDI
Back to the gasser world
O would rent a car dolly from U-haul, rent a truck and get it done the easy way (and prolly cheaper).
 

jjski78

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Location
Austin, AR
TDI
None yet, looking at a 96 Passat and hopefully getting the wife an '09 Jetta in spring '09
euromade said:
O would rent a car dolly from U-haul, rent a truck and get it done the easy way (and prolly cheaper).
I was gonna say this. Or find a friend with a full size truck and just rent the Uhaul car dolly. Much safer IMO.
 

914rrr

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Location
St Petersburg, FL
TDI
2012 JSW w/ DSG
Thanks for all the replies and advice. I had a friend with a Dodge diesel dually and trailer who was delivering another car a few miles away. My 911 SC was the 'backhaul' for a very resonable price.

It's cool to know that a B4 could actually pull another vehicle (with precautions).

I did use my old VW Rabbit diesel PU for towing duty. I bought a VW 'collection' from a guy's backyard. I had a VW Dunebuggy body in the PU's bed with a bunch of VW parts while towing a Beetle. Wish I had a picture of that! I did a slight panic stop and experienced the 'pulled vehicle pushing the puller' effect. Lifted the PU's rear wheels up enough to skid. Kinda scary, but no damage.

BTW, is there a thread showing the trailer wiring hookup for a B4?
 
Top