Is it safe to tow a 1987 300e with a front wheel dolly (front wheels off the ground, rear wheels on the road, auto trans in neutral)? Will I damage the trans or do I need to disconnect the driveshaft? Thanks

You can tow it a short distance at a limited speed, check your owner's manual.

Beyond that, remove the driveshaft.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I wouldn't tow it more than a mile or two with the driveshaft attached.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I wouldn't take the risk of towing with the drive wheels on the ground. Use dollies or flatbed tow.

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1989 300CE

The car IS designed to tow in neutral, has a rear pump, and recommendations are in the owner's manual. IIRC it is something like a max. of 30 miles / 30mph or something like that.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Unfortunately many people fail to head to these guidelines and end up destroying a perfectly good transmission instead of spending a bit more time and effort in doing it properly. It might be okay but I personally wouldn't take the chance.

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1989 300CE

What about leaving the engine running? Just curious...

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Could work... I think the point here is that the engine fan is now cooling the trans fluid as it passes through that portion of the radiator, thus stopping the trans from overheating?

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2006 BMW M5 "Heidi" @ 109,000 miles
2005 MBZ C55 AMG "Lorelai" @ 165,000 miles
1991 MBZ 300E "Benzachino II" @ 165,000 miles
1990 MBZ 500SL "Shoshanna" @ 118,000 miles

(On the hunt for a good used M103 engine as of 6/10/23, PM me if you have one to sell!)

Thanks for the help. I don't own the car yet so I can't check the manual. It would be my first benz.

Leaving the engine idling in neutral will circulate fluid/lubricant through the transmission, and in theory it will be okay to tow at any safe/legal speed and distance. My brother used to tow his vehicle behind his motorcoach that way for short distances to save disconnecting the driveshaft each time.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

except that the pump is not engaged with the trans in neutral if I recall correctly.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Does your whole family have a history of owning/driving motorcoaches?

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

It's a sickness.

The rear pump runs from the tail-shaft, eliminated somewhere in the mid-'90s cars though IIRC.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

So many transmissions, both manual and automatic, by tow truck drivers, that the transmission shops should be giving them a kickback. That's what led to so many roll backs replacing the old tow trucks.

The ONLY vehicles I will tow without removing the driveshaft is a four wheel drive with an old fashioned part time transfer case. You can put the transfer case in neutral and tow them wherever you want.

Other than that I wouldn't personally tow a car more than a 1/4 mile.

I've towed my dad's SD when his alternator seized about 9 miles behind my SD with a tow strap before. Only went about 20mph or less though. It survived, but I would not go any farther/faster than that if I could help it.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)