Car enthusiasts often heard that the towing process on the manual transmission is slightly different from the same process on the "machine". Serious disputes erupt in specialized automobile forums on this subject - but no one can say anything concrete on this topic. Even the owners of cars with automatic transmission are sometimes not sure whether it is possible to tow another machine on the machine. And if possible, then how? Experts answer this question, exciting the minds of many.
Doubt
Sometimes towing is simply necessary. For example, a car is stuck in the snow and for certain reasons there is no way to call a tow truck or rescue service. In theory, every car owner with automatic transmission knows that it’s better not to take part in towing.
But what if any other help is not available? Yes, and if you think logically, an automatic transmission quite well pulls loaded trailers. And why is another car attached to a cable worse? There should not be any particular difficulties. Naturally, no one wants to risk their automatic transmission, but to leave a friend or just a stranger on the road is simply ugly. Drivers are a special people and among them there is still driver's solidarity. And after all, many motorists did not even read the instructions for their car to say for sure whether it is possible to tow another car on the machine.
General towing rules with automatic transmission
The weight of the vehicle to be towed should not be more than the weight of the towing vehicle. Better when it is smaller. Even if the other car has heavy loads, it is recommended to shift them to the front car. It will be less dangerous for automatic transmission. To the question “is it possible to tow another machine of a larger mass on the machine”, auto experts categorically answer - no. Naturally, this does not apply to emergency and frankly extreme cases. Be sure to check the oil levels in the box before the process. When towing is carried out, oil consumption increases by about 1.5-2 times? and if there is insufficient lubrication, then the resource of the box is reduced several times. Experts do not recommend using lowering gears when towing .
But that is not all. It is not recommended to switch even to position D. It is best to pull another car in 2-3 gear modes. Starting off and the movement itself should be as smooth as possible. Do not start abruptly, with jerks and other sudden movements. There are other recommendations, but they may differ depending on the make and model of the car, the type of automatic transmission installed and some other factors. If these conditions are observed, towing is allowed.
Differences from cars with automatic transmission
If a car with manual transmission is pulled, then in neutral gear only one gear will rotate in the mechanism. When towing a car with a gun, then in the neutral position the whole mechanism rotates as a whole. This is with regard to the question "is it possible to tow a car with automatic gearbox". Since the automatic transmission mechanism was not created for such work, the automatic transmission will overheat very quickly in this mode and may well fail. Of particular note is the issue of lubrication. The oil pump only works if the engine is running. But, most likely, the car will be towed with the engine turned off, which means that the parts in the transmission system are not lubricated. This can lead to the fact that the automatic transmission simply fails, and the owner is waiting for expensive repairs. If a machine with automatic transmission itself acts as a tow, then the transmission in this case experiences serious additional loads. And if in the case of manual transmission there are no restrictions, then for automatic transmission it is necessary to make certain “discounts” so as not to ruin the mechanism.
Auto with automatic transmission as a tug
Manufacturers, answering the question "is it possible to tow another machine on the machine", recommend avoiding such situations. If there are no other solutions to the problem, then certain rules must be followed.
So, it is better to give preference not to a traditional cable, but to a
rigid coupling. As already noted in the general recommendations, the weight of the towed car should not exceed the weight of the towing car. The speed does not exceed 30-40 km / h. Transmission should not be on the "Drive".
It is better to set it to the "2" or "3" position. Also, experts recommend switching to
lower gears. This will help reduce the load on the transmission mechanism.
How to tow correctly
Since automatic transmissions installed on different models of automobiles can differ significantly from each other, see if it is possible to tow another machine on the machine, it is best in the instructions for the car. There you can find information on how long you can drag the car and what speed to adhere to. Manufacturers can set different parameters. But it rarely happens that they completely prohibit towing. Of course, such tips are suitable if the need for towing is known in advance and there is an opportunity and time to study the instructions. When this is not possible (and such situations happen very often), experts and experienced car owners recommend resorting to some kind of “golden mean”.
Compromise solution
So, according to experts, many cars equipped with automatic transmission can act as a tug and tow. But you can drive this way only up to thirty kilometers. Speed should not exceed 30 km / h.
If you need to continue to pull the car further, then after the mark of 30 kilometers it is necessary to give rest to the automatic transmission. Otherwise, it will overheat. This will entail costly repairs. In addition to tips and tricks for specific cars, there are general rules that are already partially discussed at the beginning of the article. This is towing on the machine of another machine in second or third gear. If a car with automatic transmission itself needs to be pulled, then the selector is set to neutral.
More about proper towing with automatic transmission
This is another opinion that differs from the foregoing. The driving car should move as slowly as possible. Manage transmission modes better in manual mode. They move first from the second speed. And when the revolutions on the tachometer exceed 3-3.5 thousand revolutions per minute, you can switch to "L". And only after that the selector is moved to the “D” position.
But overdrive should be disabled. It is absolutely not worth using increased gears, especially if it is long distances. This will reduce the resource of automatic transmission elements. Move as carefully as possible. There should be no sudden braking and starting. Jerks provoke a dynamic load that is several times higher than the static one. The weight of the towed car at this moment increases tens of times.
That is why experts recommend using a towbar rather than a towing cable. And yet, the car was on the sidelines and you need to tow another machine on the machine. Is it possible or not? From all that comes out, that is possible, but with extreme caution.
All-Wheel Drive Off-Road Towing
It is worth paying attention to all-wheel drive cars and the issue of towing them. Often, manufacturers recommend moving such cars only on tow trucks. If there is no such specialized transport, then an all-wheel drive SUV is pulled by partial loading of the front or rear axle. The hitch, both rigid and flexible, is not welcome and highly undesirable.
But what about the CVT?
CVT automatic transmission deserves special attention. Here, to find out whether it is possible to tow another machine on the machine, it is necessary to carefully study the instructions. So, for some variator automatic transmission models it is recommended to install the box in a neutral position.
For others, the engine must work. For third cars, towing may be completely prohibited.
Summary
Is it possible to tow another machine on the machine? The expert opinion on this issue is the same: "It is possible, but only after reading the instructions for the car." This way you will not harm the expensive automatic transmission mechanisms and eliminate the risk of expensive repairs.