Chris04Z4 Posted July 15, 2009 Posted July 15, 2009 I just got a 944. Its located about 60mi from my house. THe clutch release bearing is bad and the car will not start because of some security issue i guess... obviously you gotta push the clutch in to start the car and if the clutch doesnt work then you can't start it... im trying to avoid having it towed or trailered.... i dont have a truck or trailer or know anyone really that has one. If i could some how get the car started i can attempt to drive it back.... anyone have any idea on how to start the car without the clutch in??? can it be driven without the clutch (dumb questions but i know most cars you technically dont need it).... any suggestions? Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted July 15, 2009 Posted July 15, 2009 Actually the car will start in gear. Heck it will start in gear on the trailer too. You could have any number of issues and best advice to have it towed. Drving without the clutch is great way to break stuff. Quote
schwank Posted July 15, 2009 Posted July 15, 2009 Sounds like time to do one of 2 things: 1) Get a AAA membership 2) Make some friends with other local racers and see if you can buy them off with pizza and beer. Quote
Chris04Z4 Posted July 15, 2009 Author Posted July 15, 2009 hehe im offering $100 and a case of beer.... i found a trailer i can use but nobody with a truck big enough to tow it. A tow truck will run me almost $200.... i might just have to pay it but id rather not Quote
JerryW Posted July 15, 2009 Posted July 15, 2009 You can start the car in gear and as such move it (for example on to the trailer) with out the clutch. Driving without the clutch using rev matching can be done but is really unwise for these cars. Given that you are already facing a clutch job you may make whatever decision you think wise -- but I wouldn't do it -- the rest of the drive train will thank you, let alone the risk on the streets. Join AAA and get the long distance tow option, wait the time to be eligible and have them tow you home. Quote
mcmmotorsports Posted July 15, 2009 Posted July 15, 2009 Actually the car will start in gear. Heck it will start in gear on the trailer too. How do you know this Joe? Chris, I have actually raced my 944 at Rockingham without a clutch so you can drive it without one. Does this mean you are gonna build a 944-SPEC race car? Quote
Chuck T. Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 it might be the factory alarm keeping it from starting ... does it have an extra key hole on the drivers side ? Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 it might be the factory alarm keeping it from starting ... does it have an extra key hole on the drivers side ? Or worse and aftermarket one. Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 Actually the car will start in gear. Heck it will start in gear on the trailer too. How do you know this Joe? well lets just say that on my open trailer the bar for the tire rack not high enough to clear the front badge. The header panel clears. Quote
Roxtar Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 i pulled mine home on a u-haul tow dolly. I had to tell them it was a hyundai elantra through. the reason they won't rent you one if you tell them it's a 944 is that the front air dam is just a little too low to fit on the u-haul dolly without scraping/catching. just pull it off before you load it up and you'll be fine. i mention this because since dollys are lighter, you may be able to tow it on that if you can't tow it on a trailer. or just rent the trailer and a u-haul truck to tow it with for a few hours. Quote
chris_venturini Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 1. Buy flat tow bar from harbor freight, 2. attach to front 944 bumper 3. win Quote
Weston Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 Simplest and cheapest way to tow a 944... It doesn't require much of a tow vehicle, it's cheap, it's easy to store, and it's easy to tow. Just make sure your steering wheel is unlocked, and don't try to back up (you can do it, but you'll need to straighten the 944's steering wheel every few feet). The downside is that you need a spare set of wheels with street tires on them. Quote
Spec944#74 Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 That's about the slickest looking flat tow setup I have ever seen. Can you provide some details about the make/model/cost and where you purchased the bar? I was also wondering if there are permanent mounting brackets on the front bumper that you connect to or do you take the front bumper off and substitute one with the connecting bracket mounted on it. Quote
chris_venturini Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 I know that me,Weston, Cullen, Michelle Dirks, Dillon, and probably a few others in the RM region all flat tow our car by the pictured method. The harbor freight tow bar seems to work fine, we just attach it to the bumper with the provided hardware. I went to a junkyard and purchased a 944/924 bumper so that at the track I simply had to swap on my non bolted bumper and I know weston does the same thing. Quote
AvantAddict Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 Cullen is the only one of you guys I know of that doesn't use the bumper. He fabbed up a small frame that attaches to the bumper shocks. Quote
Weston Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 (edited) That's about the slickest looking flat tow setup I have ever seen. Can you provide some details about the make/model/cost and where you purchased the bar? I was also wondering if there are permanent mounting brackets on the front bumper that you connect to or do you take the front bumper off and substitute one with the connecting bracket mounted on it. I got my stuff from eTrailer.com. They've since changed brands of the tow bar they carry, but this looks like the current equivalent: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-TB~63180.htm I think mine was a "Draw-Tite" brand or something like that. I believe Harbor Freight has a similar one for less money too. Then I used magnetic mount tail lights on the top of the 944: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-TB~C-ATL20A.htm Like Chris mentioned, I picked up a spare front bumper and mounted the tow bar stuff to it. It only takes R&R'ing two 19mm bolts to swap between my race bumper and my tow bumper, so it's relatively quick and easy. When bolting a bumper up on a 944, remember that the threading for the bolts are actually nuts that are only loosely held in place, so you may need to move them by hand while sticking the bolt in. On the tow bumper, it helps if you sawzall it down to a smaller size after measuring & mounting the tow bar's brackets... basically just cut off the ends that housed the turn signals. If your bumper shocks are worn out, you'll feel them compress when you step on the brakes or make a turn, so some people choose to have a towing set that they weld solid. They're pretty easy to swap too (just two 13mm bolts each once the bumper is off). You can get more bumper shocks from junkyard 924's and I think some Audi's too... the front and rears are all the same part on 924's and 944's. Pulling the car by the bumper shocks shouldn't wear them out (pull on a blown one and you'll find that it's metal-to-metal); it's just the turning and braking that pushes against the fluid. In addition to normal safety chains in case of ball joint failure, I also run another pair of safety chains from the tow bar to the front tow hooks of the 944... It would require two points of failure for me to actually need them, but they're really easy to hook up, and I remember something about certain states requiring them. Edited July 16, 2009 by Guest Quote
Weston Posted July 16, 2009 Posted July 16, 2009 Cullen is the only one of you guys I know of that doesn't use the bumper. He fabbed up a small frame that attaches to the bumper shocks. "Small frame" = somewhere in Taos, New Mexico, a street sign is missing. Quote
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