Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
#2552120
09/19/18 11:07 PM
09/19/18 11:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,212 Minnesota
peabodyracing
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,212
Minnesota
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A clean, pretty low mile 5th Avenue surfaced, priced pretty well. It has a tow kit on the front of it. The car was pulled South behind a motor home every winter. Seller claims of course it runs and drives well.
Because it missed all the winter fun up here, the body is supposed to be really clean.
I had always been under the impression you could not tow a car with a torqueflite in it once they stopped making them with the rear pump.
Opinions on this please? I'm just a bit leery of the transmission internals. Thanks in advance.
Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way
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Re: Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
[Re: 300rag]
#2552432
09/20/18 06:34 PM
09/20/18 06:34 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,075 Michigan
A727Tflite
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,075
Michigan
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There are also add-on pump kits. Remco Exactly why I asked if it had fittings. At $1700. Some people take the kit off when they sell their vehicle. Fittings are left behind normally. Would be a nice surprise if it was still on the car.
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Re: Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
[Re: peabodyracing]
#2552560
09/20/18 10:42 PM
09/20/18 10:42 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
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About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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I'd put in an A500 rather than rebuild the original trans
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
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Re: Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
[Re: 5thAve]
#2553408
09/22/18 11:11 PM
09/22/18 11:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,212 Minnesota
peabodyracing
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OP
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Thanks guys for the comments. I've bought and brought the car home. Had to work the seller a bit but got it for the price I was willing to pay, with the assumption a transmission R&R could be in the future.
Original owner deceased. There's a knob/cable affair on the floor at the edge of the driver's seat that apparently goes back to the rear end. Seller said someone told him it disconnects things so the driveshaft doesn't turn. If true, that's a new one on me.
I couldn't determine it laying on the ground, plus it was a terrible weather day. Looking at wiring, brackets, etc it's apparent whatever the setup is was done professionally. Beautiful tow bar in the trunk.
Good solid body, clean interior, everything works, badly faded paint on hood and roof, but it runs and drives very nicely. Transmission shifts crisply and fluid was clean with no smell. Not mint by any means, but I like it.
I'd forgotten how nice those cars go down the road.
I've got to get a project car off the hoist so I can get this thing up in the air and see what was done for towing. I'll post some photos once I have it up.
Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way
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Re: Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
[Re: peabodyracing]
#2553586
09/23/18 12:41 PM
09/23/18 12:41 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 374 Alberta, Canada
300rag
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 374
Alberta, Canada
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... There's a knob/cable affair on the floor at the edge of the driver's seat that apparently goes back to the rear end. Seller said someone told him it disconnects things so the driveshaft doesn't turn. If true, that's a new one on me... Driveshaft Disconnect When you tow your rear-wheel drive car, van, pickup or SUV, the drive shaft to the rear axle must be disconnected to prevent damage to the automatic transmission. This requires mechanical service under the car which is not convenient for RV towing. The Superior Driveline Drive Shaft Disconnect (DSC) was developed to provide a quick and easy way to disconnect the transmission while sitting in the driver’s seat. The disconnect (mechanical clutch) is installed into the rear portion of the vehicle’s drive shaft, near the rear axle. When disconnected, the rear axle is free to turn without turning the drive shaft or transmission. The drive shaft has a control cable attached to it which extends to a location under the driver’s seat. This control cable is pulled out to disengage for tow mode and pushed in to engage drive mode. The Superior Driveline DSC allows RV’ers to tow their rear-wheel and four-wheel drive automatic transmission vehicles behind their motor homes with all four wheels on the ground – worry free. With the DSC there is no mileage accumulation on cable-driven speedometers. It disengages the drive train in ’tow mode‘ and the vehicle is towed with the transmission in Park. This means there is no rotational movement in the transmission, no wear and tear to the transmission components and the speedometer drive gears are not turning. Modern electronic speedometers have now replaced the cable-driven units so mileage accumulation is generally no longer an issue. The Superior Driveline DSC saves valuable time and money by eliminating the need for a trailer or dolly and making the transition from tow mode to drive mode in minutes.
Last edited by 300rag; 09/23/18 12:42 PM.
Peter
'65 300 'vert 413/4spd '18 Challenger R/T Shaker '19 Durango R/T
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Re: Flat towing an 88 5th Avenue?
[Re: 300rag]
#2555176
09/26/18 08:01 PM
09/26/18 08:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,212 Minnesota
peabodyracing
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top fuel
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OP
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Posts: 2,212
Minnesota
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I got the car on the hoist this morning and this is the unit installed at the pinion yoke. There's a sliding coupler on splines that the cable activates. Previous posting pretty well described this setup.
I was also surprised to see a cable running from the front bumper and attaching to the brake pedal arm. The tow bar tongue moves in and out like a surge brake system and when it moves in a series of pulleys pulls out on this cable, activating the brake pedal.
It must have been one heck of a job routing that cable through to the floor pan, and there has to be a fair amount of force involved to activate the brake pedal without the benefit of the vacuum booster.
The guy must have really wanted to be able to tow the car behind his RV as I imagine this was a spendy deal.
A couple people who've seen the car asked if I planned to mount a snow plow on the front. The tow bar bracket certainly is substantial.
Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way
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