Towing with a dolly

[Jack Hammer]

Can you tow a Vmax with a dolly? Rear tire on the ground. I'm wondering about the bearings inside the trans and their lubrication.

 

[Radioguylogs]

I think you are worried about the trans lubrication with good cause. With no oil circulating, there is risk. I wouldn't do it.

 

[Jack Hammer]

If the trans output shaft spins the oil in the gallery then it is ok to tow. I just don't know because I never split the engine. Others?

 

[gentsvmax]

Can you tow a Vmax with a dolly? Rear tire on the ground. I'm wondering about the bearings inside the trans and their lubrication.

These arent built like an old Power Glide etc. There are no front or rear pumps for the tranny, no lube magic mystery going in there that isnt shown in the manual.
The gears wont just up and seize sitting in 4 qts of oil even with the front wheel up on the dolly.
Big ass pot holes and other road conditions would keep me from ever dolly towing a bike.

 

[redneksoldier]

The engine oil pump supplies oil flow to the bearings and inner bushings of the trans gears via lube passages in the trans shafts. You could tow it on a dolly, but you would need to have the engine running to supply oil to the trans. Otherwise, it would probably not be the gear teeth that would fail, but the inner bushing surfaces and/or the shaft bearings that would fail.

 

[Coastal Grey]

Just don’t do it get both wheels on a trailer!

 

[Jack Hammer]

Thank you gentlemen. You confirmed my suspicion.

 

[Parminio]

Although I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS, I've seen it done the other way around. A buddy of mine towed his Harley Davidson Sportster by putting the back wheel up on the dolly, then using tie down straps on either handlebar end to either side of the dolly to hold the front wheel in a straight line position.

He towed it home to Cherokee County, Georgia from Chattanooga, Tennessee that way. I couldn't believe he didn't get pulled over for it, let alone make it the whole way, but it did without a hitch.

 

[Jaketheone46]

Yep no way I’d attempt that. Lol
I decided to try the pit bull TRS system a couple of years ago and I’ll never use a tie down again. They make it so nice but securing the bike straight upright via the rear axle. Such a secure awesome setup and pit bulls customer service is amazing.

 

[one2dmax]

As was mentioned there is a direct oiling injection to the rear output bearing system. Others have towed without running the bike but I would not do it personally. And, even with it running you run the risk or starving the engine for oil depending on the angle it's at since the oil will go back into the trans cavity and away from the pump. Having said that there may be enough oil back there to keep it lubricated well enough?

You can see the oil pressure tube in the middle of the pic going to the rear output gear bearing

 

[Jack Hammer]

Thank you,

I will not deliberately destroy my bike. I suspected this and now it is confirmed.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I found a workaround to this issue. I dollied my bike with the rear tire on the ground for 225 miles. I moved to another city. The issue was oiling the output shaft bearing. I overfilled the crankcase with 5 extra quarts of oil so I could see the oil level from the fill hole. Worked like a charm.