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You and tow backwards only with a wrecker. Don't
ever attempt to tow a vehicle backwards with a TOW DOLLY. I tried this once and
the Hornet started fishtailing and the new rental truck I was in I had a really
tough time controlling it, luckily for me people saw I was having trouble and
were backing off quickly on Hiway 59 about 100 miles south of Houston. The
Hornet Sportabout wagon loosened itself from one strap already. It was leaving
skid marks, and you can't slam on brakes either as vehicle beind you will roll
over. Or in this case, end up in the cab of the trunk towing it. I got super
lucky that day for something to this day I heard was 'safe to do.' I would like
to find the f*cking idiot who assured me it was ok 'as he had done it' and cap
his ass. I was doing only 50 miles per hours too.
The problem is really simple is that if you tow
backwards, the center of gravity is fighting the tow vehicle. Since most here on
Bart's list own, or have owned a Gremlin, think of it like this. When customers
of new Gremlins would take them back to dealerships in the 70s because 'they
would get squirrley at over 70mph' many dealerships (can name over a dozen here)
would put a bag of cement in the back of the Gremlin, usually covering it up
with a new piece of carpet and spacesaver with tire cover. Simply because the
Gremlin had no butt end weight. AMC would later solve some of this with a roof
mounted air deflector. However, not all cars got that. So imagine attempting to
to a Gremlin backwards, 90% of the weight of it is in the forward 1/2 of the
car. You have no weight on the tow dolly.
PS: Laws on this vary from city to city and county
to county, but in Harris County it is a $172 fine to tow a car backwards on a
tow dolly. Why? I guess somewhere along the line one broke loose and killed
someone. So don't do it. No AMC, and no car, is worth it.
John has some great advise below that I agree with,
especially the last paragraph. Take it from someone who has towed over 300 AMCs;
forwards, and backwards, but never backwards again.
Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX 713.464.8825 eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.planethoustonamx.com volume of email is currently EXTREMELY HEAVY 8-22 day replies, call if important
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