Towing a Manx

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Jon
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by Jon »

Quick Question--- Planning to attend the Manx on the Banx.  Thought I'd tow the buggy with a tow bar.  Now a friend was over and said you'll ruin the tranny, no oil getting to the gears, needs to be trailered.   So I'm thinking that if Bruce made the Tow'd for the purpose of towing it to the dunes, what's the difference?  Has anyone towed their buggy with a tow bar a long distance?

Thanks in advance,
Jon 1020
Ed-Chenal
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:00 am
Location: SoCal

Towing a Manx

Post by Ed-Chenal »

Jon,
I've flat towed my buggy over thousands of miles in the last ten years.  I have towed it twice from SoCal to Moab, Utah.  No problem. 
I inflate the tires on the buggy to 30+ pounds so it will roll easy. 
When I make a pit stop and I'm away from the buggy, I check to make sure the tranny is still in neutral and the e-brake is off before getting back on the road.
If you haven't flat towed before, remember you can't back up unless someone holds the buggy's steering wheel for you. 

Have a good trip.
Ed
towd-dude
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:00 am
Location: Gardnerville, Nevada

Towing a Manx

Post by towd-dude »

Towing tyranny issues only apply to automatics the planetary doesn't rotate to lube the trans. Destroys the transmission. You must remove the driveshaft to tow them. As Ed's says, Tow until your heart's content....
Enjoy the run, wish I could make it.

Bob
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5150bossman
Posts: 606
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 5:00 am
Location: So Cal

Towing a Manx

Post by 5150bossman »

Since the buggy wheels are on the ground and rolling, just be sure to keep an extra eye on it as you go down the road. While the transaxle is not an issue, a seized bearing could cause you some havoc. A wheel or two has been known to fall off and pass it's owner as they travel down the road. In addition to the tow bar, I double safety chain the buggy to the bar, and the bar to the tow vehicle. We did have a nut fall off a tow ball once, so double check that it is tight. I also wired in the tow lights to the buggy lighting system, but you could just as easily use temporary lights of some kind. All issues that are easily solved.



Have fun!
manx1111pla
Posts: 107
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by manx1111pla »

I used to flat tow our buggy without any issues but i damaged the steering box once on a run and if i didn't have a trailer available (thanks Mike) it would have been a nightmare to get it home so now we trailer it.
Ed-Chenal
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:00 am
Location: SoCal

Towing a Manx

Post by Ed-Chenal »

Funny thing.....
I've heard more stories about people having problems towing IRS vehicles than swing axle vehicles.
In fact, I nearly had a catastrophe with my Baja when I flat towed it to Escalante, Utah a couple of years ago.  Kevin Daxon noticed that the R/R wheel was making some squeaky noises as I slowly pulled out of a gas station after we arrived in Utah.  I grabbed R/R wheel and attempted to rock it back and forth.  Everything felt tight so, I thought it was just some brake shoe noise and continued the trip.  We spent several days in Escalante and I towed the Baja home.  After I was back for a couple of days, I looked at the R/R wheel of the Baja and noticed that the top of the tire was leaning in about one inch.  I jacked up the rear and discovered that the R/R wheel was loose.  I replaced the spacers etc.  I was fortunate.  

 Here is good product I used on the recent Mammoth Trip.  It keeps your hitch from rattling.   It's nice to have on a long towing trip.
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessori ... M-061.html
Last edited by Ed-Chenal on Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ed
AZAIRCOOLED
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by AZAIRCOOLED »

I have towed with a tow bar many times over the years without problems. I have also had problems, wheels coming loose, flat tires, breaking something on a run making towing back impossible. If you have the option of using a trailer you eliminate potential problems. A trailer has very few moving parts and can prevent wear and tear on your buggy.
Gene-C
Posts: 2949
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by Gene-C »

 I have flat towed for 1000's of miles and decades ( to date myself)
the only problem I have ever had was a flat tire 2 years ago
No other issues but I like it with no tongue weight
1856
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by 1856 »

AZAIRCOOLED wrote:A trailer has very few moving parts and can prevent wear and tear on your buggy....
       Image
Gene-C
Posts: 2949
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:00 am

Towing a Manx

Post by Gene-C »

Just depends on how much stuff  you want to haul
Flat towing is just  the bare minimum next to driving the buggy
Ed-Chenal
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:00 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Towing a Manx

Post by Ed-Chenal »

Ed Chenal While it's more common with IRS suspension, double check the torque on your axle nuts. Just because the cotter pin is there doesn't mean the spacers etc haven't mushroomed and created unwanted clearances between the various parts on the axle assembly. Despite hundreds of carefree miles flat towing my swing axle buggy, on my last return trip from Moab, my R/R axle assembly became loose. Fortunately, I was able to tighten it up and limp home. I was towing it behind my suv and noticed some odd movement. Had I been towing it behind the motorhome, I may not have been aware of a problem until the wheel assembly fell off. Who knows? Trailering is safer as long as the bearings and tires hold up on your trailer.

9 hrs · Like
RemoveEd Chenal IRS axle assembly.
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jsturtlebuggy
Posts: 652
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:00 am

Re: Towing a Manx

Post by jsturtlebuggy »

At one time there were towing hubs being made and sold for buggies. This was in the 1970s.
One of the magazines even had a tech article on making your own set using a set of wheel adapters and stock spindles and drums.
This was at a time that swing axle buggies out numbered IRS buggies.
One thing that does create problems is the wider and more offset wheels being used. This creates extra stress that VW never expected when they design the suspension.
I do recommend using the aftermarket stronger axle spacers for either the swing axle or IRS suspension.
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