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08-01-2019, 08:24 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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SIMPLE questions about towing 4-Down
Blue Ox and Ready Brake on the hitch. 5-speed BMW as the toad
Do you lock the steering wheel with wheels pointed forward, or do you unlock the wheel and let the car find it's way, or do you unlock the wheel and tie the steering wheel down?
Asking for a friend
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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08-01-2019, 08:32 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club Spartan Chassis RV Trip Wizard
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tyler, Texas
Posts: 567
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Check the owner's manual for detailed towing instructions; but that being said, leave the steering wheel unlocked.
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Millard & Sherry
2019 Mountain Aire 4018
Toad 2014 Honda CRV or 2019 GMC Canyon
M&G Braking-Roadmaster Towbar
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08-01-2019, 08:32 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas Hill Country
Posts: 363
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Tell your "friend" to leave the wheel U-Locked. Steering needs to turn.
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Marathon
Grand Cherokee Toad
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08-01-2019, 08:33 AM
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#4
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,186
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Pretty certain the steering needs to be unlocked
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08-01-2019, 08:33 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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You would really need to look in the manual for that specific BMW and see what it says about flat towing and whether it's capable.
Purely guessing here, but I would say car in neutral and steering wheel unlocked. You definitely need the wheels freely finding their own way to follow the coach.
If the wheels were locked in the straight position, you would be at times dragging the front end/tires sideways in hard turns.
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2019 VTDP 4369 (Spartan)
Wrangler JLU / AF1 Braking / Rock Hard Bumper
2018 Thor ACE 30.3
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08-01-2019, 09:00 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnedator
You would really need to look in the manual for that specific BMW and see what it says about flat towing and whether it's capable.
Purely guessing here, but I would say car in neutral and steering wheel unlocked. You definitely need the wheels freely finding their own way to follow the coach.
If the wheels were locked in the straight position, you would be at times dragging the front end/tires sideways in hard turns.
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Thanks, there is nothing about towing in a BMW manual because nobody makes a baseplate for them. We've made a towing bar and are about to try it out, so steering unlocked and free-turning is the answer, right?
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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08-01-2019, 09:09 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473
Thanks, there is nothing about towing in a BMW manual because nobody makes a baseplate for them. We've made a towing bar and are about to try it out, so steering unlocked and free-turning is the answer, right?
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Knowing nothing about if there is proper lubrication to run extended miles/speed with the transmission in neutral, when it comes to the steering, I would think it has to be unlocked.
The way four down towing works is to allow the front wheels to move freely and follow the coach when it turns.
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2019 VTDP 4369 (Spartan)
Wrangler JLU / AF1 Braking / Rock Hard Bumper
2018 Thor ACE 30.3
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08-01-2019, 09:11 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Spring Hill, Florida
Posts: 1,380
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Unlocked for mine.
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98 Endeavor DP, ISB275
RX300, Falcon II hitch, BB Vantage Select
VMSpc, 2002 Grey Ford Powerstroke
TST 507 w/ 10 Sensors
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08-01-2019, 09:50 AM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
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The only time the steering is ever locked for towing is when using a dolly that has swivel wheel platforms. The dolly wheel platform does the turning, not the car wheels. When 4-down towing, the front wheels must be free to turn, which means the steering wheel must be unlocked. Note that not all vehicles have locks of the steering column, so it may not be necessary to do anything special when towing yours.
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Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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08-01-2019, 10:00 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Tarpon Springs, Fl.
Posts: 1,540
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I was wondering the same thing when I started towing and since the owners manual didn’t address it, I decided to call BMW and ask. They are not towable. From there, l looked into the Remco and they also told me that the BMW is not towable and they do not have anything to help.
Decision is up to your friend.
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2013 Newmar Ventana 3434 (sold)
2018 Wrangler JLU Rubicon (sold)
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08-01-2019, 10:09 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lass
I was wondering the same thing when I started towing and since the owners manual didn’t address it, I decided to call BMW and ask. They are not towable. From there, l looked into the Remco and they also told me that the BMW is not towable and they do not have anything to help.
Decision is up to your friend.
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I had a shop fabricate a towing bar for our 528, with the attaching pieces coming through the openings in the front bumper, so it is barely visible.
Planning to tow it home today, hence my question to be sure to do it right.
If you have a BMW, I can tell you more if you care to know...but maybe better to wait until I've brought it home in one piece.
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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08-01-2019, 12:30 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 312
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There is a reason the manufacturer says not to tow 4 down. Just because it's a manual transmission doesn't mean that it will tow without damage to drive train
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2009 Gulfstream Caribean
40 ft trio
350 Cummins
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08-01-2019, 12:46 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nathaniel
There is a reason the manufacturer says not to tow 4 down. Just because it's a manual transmission doesn't mean that it will tow without damage to drive train
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Thanks for the warning, but I've towed the car on a dolly for lots of miles and it is a RWD car, so that bridge was crossed long ago.
I think that the bumpers won't support any towing gear and the car rides low enough without having beams riding even lower.
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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08-01-2019, 03:07 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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A nice 15 minute drive and all went well with the fabricated tow-bar. We didn't have to cut a bit into the bumper cover, which was great.
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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