The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 well got everything loaded up and finally left today at about 1.20pm today to head north to bellingham to pick up my $1.00 87GL wagon. head out, finally get there, lock her own to the dally, get paperwork signed and stuff... head out onto the road, well we are using a dam lifted F150, and every time we touch the gas or hit a bump the dam ramps hit the ground, so we say ●●●● it and keep going. well we then jump onto I-5 south, get to speed, car fishtails. ends up if we go a hair over 55mph it starts to sway and BADLY!! so it ends up i had to leave my new baby at a rest stop on the side of I-5 until i can return to pick her up with a flat bed trailer, or get the cash to pay a tow company. so life sucks, paid a dollar for a sweet looking blue 87GL, MINT, ABSOLUTLY MINT blue interior. just needs a little engine work. so if anyone has or knows of a flat bed trayler that i can barrow, or if you could tow my car to my house i would pay you. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP A BROTHER OUT!! Thanks, Shean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedbump Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 check the tire pressures on both vehhicles,especially the sube. how are you towing it?wheel dollies?are they on TIGHT?hard to tell by your post,but if the truck is lifted and you are towing any thing you WILL need a drop hitch,otherwise things get funky,not in a george clinton way,but a vanilla ice way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 lol, thats pretty good, but ya we just had a 2inch ball on his rear bumper, not even a reciver, got one tonight though. tire pressure was perfect, right at 35 in subie, and 37 on the drive up dolly. and the dolly was jacked up, the kid i barrowed it from told me that it was in a accident before he got it, he fixed it though, he said the whole frame was pushed towards the passenger side and all he did was try to straiten it and welded it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedbump Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 my bet is that the dolly is your problem.Some kid straightened and welded it?I smell a dog tracking problem.Oh yeah,make sure the steering wheel is LOCKED at straight ahead.Locking it is important,dont ask how I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 yes i knew to lock the wheel, and it was strait, but also found the tabs are bad, so i have to flat bed it. and im not 18 so i cant rent the bed, life sucks again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedbump Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 does it run? Its dark,wed. night ,not exactly a big action night for wash hiway patrol,turn the key and giver!what,45 miles to bellingham?Better yet get a "friend" to drive it ,after all you only spent a dollar on it:headbang: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NV Zeno Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 "if we go a hair over 55mph it starts to sway and BADLY!! " Why not try towing SLOWER? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 doesn't run, otherwise i would have risked it and driven her home, if not then have my girlfriend, screw towing it. and you cant really tow slower because your on a main freeway, and if you go slower you get attition fromt he cops which is what we dont need, expecally with expired tabs and lights that dont work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. RX Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 "you cant really tow slower because your on a main freeway, and if you go slower you get attition fromt he cops which is what we dont need, expecally with expired tabs and lights that dont work." So, you are towing the Subaru with a truck that has expired plates and no lights? Or is it the Subaru that has the expired plates and no lights? If the latter, then no problem, I doubt they would even pull you over. As for going less then 55mph on a major freeway (max speed is 70mph in WA), tell that to the little old ladies who regularly drive those same freeways at 45mph. If you are over in the far right lane, no one is going to be concerned if you are going less then the speed limit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvdrt Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Originally posted by Dr. RX "you cant really tow slower because your on a main freeway, and if you go slower you get attition fromt he cops which is what we dont need, expecally with expired tabs and lights that dont work." So, you are towing the Subaru with a truck that has expired plates and no lights? Or is it the Subaru that has the expired plates and no lights? If the latter, then no problem, I doubt they would even pull you over. As for going less then 55mph on a major freeway (max speed is 70mph in WA), tell that to the little old ladies who regularly drive those same freeways at 45mph. If you are over in the far right lane, no one is going to be concerned if you are going less then the speed limit not only that, but the heat will be able to see you are towing something, and are trying to be safe. just get in the slow lane and put on your hazards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Have you considered driving the backroads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeky Moose Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 if ya look at any dolly you can rent, it has a big reflective sticker that says MAx speed 45 mph.. i'd say do what the sticker says and drive slower during the day.. if its daytime you don't have to really worry about lights.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 ok, the subaru has no tabe and the dolly we used, no ligth on it, truck was fine. plus i dont really want to drive 90 miles south on I-5 doing 45mph. also there are no other roads to tak other then old 99, but i dont know that road, i might end up in butt ●●●● egypt and i cant do that now. so im going to have to rent a full size trailer today from U-haul, then find someone with the trailer hookups, lights, 2inch ball etc, and make sure they have a car with an overdrive tranny, because i have $88 in my bank account, and the trailer is $50 plus tax, so that means i have like $30 to pay for gas. this royally sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 yeah, someone beat me to it. Go back up there, Hook it up and do 50 the whole way with flashers on. Stay in right lane. Bite the bullet, You are wasting more time trying to find an alternative route. Don't be so impatient, You could have had the car home by now. Plus, Any other way, you are not only wasting more time but your last 88 dollars. What's the rush? People that rush usually end up having/causing accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 PHATBRAT, thats why im waiting to get a full size trailer, rather then go back with another dolly, i might see if my dad will use his 94 mazda, its a V6 and a 5sp. but it doesn't ahve a reciver, onle a ball on the bumper, do you think that will be strong enough to haul it? but then he doesn't ahve hook ups for the lights and doesnt want them. so i have to find someone with lights and a reciver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Yu Yup.. You will not be the first person to tow a car at 50MPH up or down I-5.. I have done it myself a few times.. No need to make it harder than it already is.. And personally, i would rather waste a couple of hours than the last of my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 well ether way i have to pay atleast $40 for gas for someone, and still need a dolly, there is no way im using the one i tried to use yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHATBRAT Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Well, If you feel the dolly is unsafe then Yes, Use something different and have the one you have checked out by a professional. As for the ball on the bumper, I don't suggest that. Yes, They are supposed to be rated for towing etc. but I have seen too many bumpers ripped off and too many that have been bent. (98% of the time it is operator error because either people don't know how to tow or they overload their vehicles or a combination of both) Whatever you do, be safe. Losing a load that big on the highway can cause a huge mess and possibly loss of life. It will cost more than 128 dollars! (88 in the bank+the 40 for gas) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xforxlifex Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Hey man its not that bad. I thought u were gonna say that the car fell off and got destroyed or something. Then id feel really bad for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 fox, ya that would suck, thats why we stoped, it almost flipped our truck from swaying back and forth. PHATBRAT: ya im going to go get a cay trailer after school and head out again with my buddy's truck again and try again. if it dont work on the highway, then ill try old 99. see what happends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 shean - get back up there and do 45/50 mph on the way back. You should never tow anything on a dolly over 50 anyways. If you think about the physics of it, you are using a dolly with a very short tongue. If you are hooking it to a lifted ford the ball hitch is going to be at least 3 inches higher. The angle of the tongue and the ball is too steep. If you got a truck with a reciever hitch and a drop down receiver I bet you could get up to 65 mph before it would start awaying. Another thing is the flex do to the dolly. If the car was on a 4 wheel double axle trailer you could do 80 down the freeway with no sway. Because of the point where the dolly is connected, and the fact that there is a another object with wheels hanging off he dolly makes flex spots. Did you chain bind the soob to the dolly via control arms? I've done a lot of towing in my days. During Fishing season guys pull 10,000 to 13,000 pound boats out on 6 wheel 3 axle trailers and tow them 6 miles down a windy road on the side of a mountain and lake. Everyone uses drop down recievers (even the trucks with out a lift) I painted up a pic that might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 lol, great illistration, i know about the hitch, we are hopefully gettin a drop reciver today, if not im gettin a full size dual axel trailer to drive it onto today. if i cant get the drop reciver we are taking old 99 if we cant take the freeway. should be home by 6pm, we hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 dude, do what I've done in the past. Even if it has expired tags and no lights, put a tow strap between the two and if you get pulled over, just tell the cop that you just got the car that day and you're just takin back to your house, nowhere else. Its worked in the past with me.....even when I was driving the car home with a friend following me in his car, thats what I told the cp and he let me go. I bet if ya tow it with a tow strap, it'll be all right. Granted you said its like 90 miles but thats what pit stops are for:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyberka Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 amen, quit the jabbering and get your subie home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 True story: Six years ago, a friend of mine borrowed my LTD wagon in Portland, rented a car trailer, took them to BC and picked up a 500SL, hauled it back. Got on the south side of Mt. Whatcom (the stretch of I-5 on the downhill/south side of Bellingham), combo started oscillating, and he ran it off the road, wrapped the wagon 'round a big alder by Lake Samish. MB was undamaged. Trailer neck was bent. Lots and lots of people lose it towing that stretch of I-5. Be careful. As to back roads, there really aren't any good ones 'till you get further south. Hwy 9 is a major pain to get to, but if you're willing to drive 10 miles east, it does work. The advantage of I-5 is that people can get around you. Try driving slowly on Hwy 9, and you're a traffic hazard, and people will be trying to pass you all the time. Renting a proper trailer is the best way, even though it costs more. It's a pain that they won't rent to you until you're 25, but that's why you gotta have friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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