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Towing a 98 impreza MT on a dolly 150 miles


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i`m going to pick up a 98 impreza mt with a blown motor.

 

i know in order to tow a awd car on a dolly, the rear driveshaft has to be dropped. how hard is that to do on an impreza? any special procedure?

 

also, what 2.2's will bolt and plug into this car.

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Any EJ series motor will work with this car. Granted, only Post 95 EJ22's will plug in directly.

 

Removing the driveshaft isn't that hard. I still don't like towing a AWD car without all 4 wheels off the ground - driveshaft removed or not.

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:confused:

 

thats the only way you can even tow an awd car on a dolly.

if you take out the drive shaft running from the tranny to the rear diff, the rear wheels can spin freely. the tranny works kind of like a diff when connected to the rear wheels. of course all of the gear oil in the tranny will drain out, but that can be replaced at the end of the tow......

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Towing all 4 on the ground is bad, very bad. You can only tow like a few miles uner something like 40mph

 

didn't say how far he had to tow it. In THEORY, towing a stick AWD soob (dunno about the STi) should be no different than coasting down a hill. Now autos need the pumps turning and the solenoid engaged.

 

do a search, check the manual.

 

 

 

Carl edit;

 

from this page; http://www.cars101.com/subwarr.html

 

 

 

>>>>>

Towing a Subaru behind a motorhome or a tow-truck

The following is from Subaru "Helpline Update, 2/97"

There has been a change to the policy regarding towing of Subaru vehicles behind motorhomes. The following applies to 1990 through present model year Legacy (Including Outback), 1993 through present year Impreza (incl. Outback Sport), and 1992 through present year SVX. (Note: should also include 1998 through present year Forester. Joe)

Manual Transmission:

All Wheel Drive vehicles can be towed with all four wheels on the ground or with all four wheels off the ground on a trailer but towing an AWD vehicle must never be attempted with only two wheels on the ground or two wheels on a dolly.

Front Wheel Drive vehicles can be towed with all four wheels on the ground in neutral or with the two front wheels off the ground.

Automatic Transmission AWD vehicles cannot be towed with any wheels on the ground. The vehicle can only be towed on a trailer with all 4 wheels off the ground and the transmission in park. Note: always inspect and check your car: radiator, coolant, all hoses, all fluids, brakes, towing equipment, lights etc<<<<<

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He has a point when u get off the gas all 4 wheels a spinning and it doesn't damage anything as long as it's in Neutral your good. But 150miles? Lift all 4 wheels, or drive it. But pulling the rear shaft won't hurt u don't have anything to worry about.

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oh man, this sucks.

 

i had the car for $300, was going to pick it up tommorow. now the guy tells me he got offered more and sold it:mad: well, it saves me the trouble, but still sucks:-\

 

 

thanks for all the replies guys

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so let's review,

 

manual trans, tow with all 4 on the ground, never 2 up & 2 down

or 2 rear down, drive shaft disconnected.

 

auto trans, tow only with all 4 up, never all 4 down

or 2 rear down, drive shaft disconnected.

 

 

oh man, this sucks.

 

i had the car for $300, was going to pick it up tommorow. now the guy tells me he got offered more and sold it:mad: well, it saves me the trouble, but still sucks:-\

 

 

thanks for all the replies guys

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so let's review,

 

manual trans, tow with all 4 on the ground, never 2 up & 2 down

or 2 rear down, drive shaft disconnected.

 

auto trans, tow only with all 4 up, never all 4 down

or 2 rear down, drive shaft disconnected.

 

 

 

 

well, 2 questions come to my mind that MAY affect these guidelines;

 

1. The STi has that weird DCCD (or other?, new ones have Torsen? IIRC) center diff. I dunno for CERTAIN it can be towed 4 down.

 

2. I THINK towing with the rear 2 down might be a problem with rear LSD. Not sure though - anyone?

 

 

Carl

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  • 3 months later...

anyone ever disconnect a rear EJ driveshaft?

done it once or twice but don't really remember much other than that cover plate. i've done tons of EA/ER series cars and they can be annoying, nuts seized/rusted don't want to come off. are the EJ's similarly annoying?

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anyone ever disconnect a rear EJ driveshaft?

done it once or twice but don't really remember much other than that cover plate. i've done tons of EA/ER series cars and they can be annoying, nuts seized/rusted don't want to come off. are the EJ's similarly annoying?

 

there are 4 bolts on the rear u=joint. disconnect all 4 use wire to hang the shaft out of the way.

 

the heat sheild is the biggest problem, it covers half of thre work area. but it will come out with 6 or 8 bolts as well, no need to pull the exhaust. 8 bolts will remove the rear section of the shaft. the 2 i've done weren't too bad. the snow belt may be worse.

 

are you going to ohio??

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I turn the cover plate over and bolt it in with 1 bolt. It forms a holder for the drive shaft. You can then drive the car on or off the dolly for limited distances.

 

Take some liquid wrench for the cover bolts!

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