Is there any reason why it would be bad to tow my S2K to the track using a tow bar? (All four wheels on the ground, not a tow dolley.)

 

well

for one thing, the manual explicitly say only flat bed, two, it probably isn't a good idea because of the LSD, and then probably not good to jack either side up cause it's too low.

all in all, I'd say, don't do it.

-Shing

 

I can see why towing with two wheel lifted would be a bad idea because of scraping, etc. of the tail pipes. But, a tow bar would leave the car flat (no jacking up) and riding on all four wheels. The LSD has oil in it, so why would it matter whether the engine was running or not?

 

not too sure, except perhaps wear?

Also, I've noticed that they usually try not to tow cars on the drive wheels... I mean if it was a FWD, I see them tow the front, if it was RWD, the rear.

-Shing

 

same reason you should not tow it with only rears on the ground - it can hurt your diff. you can rent a uhaul flatbed auto trailer for ~ $60 per day. better safe than sorry!

 

Thanks guys. I think I'll just continue to drive it to the track for the time being. I thought it might be an inexpensive option for towing, but no sense risking damage to the diff.

 

Sorry but I (and probably most others) would really appreciate postings more specific and authoritative than it "might" or "could" damage the diff or some other part.

The only thing I found from Honda against towing the s2000 was the concern about dragging the rear body if only front tires are picked up.

Bobby

 

To be slightly more accurate, Honda also said dragging it around with a rope or chain was unsafe.

Bobby

 

There is an issue related to the transmission.
When your drive wheels turn - all the guts of your transmission turn (except for the input shaft when in neutral) - via the output shaft. I have heard of folks disconnecting the drive shaft to prevent damage to the transmission during a tow.
This is an even greater issue if the car is towed using a dolly with the front wheels up on the dolly and the tail dragging, due to the fact that parts of the transmission will be starved oil over time (any time the car is not towed level). Dragging the tail of the S2000 during a tow can also starve the pinion and other diff bearings of gear oil.
The best way to tow a rear wheel drive car (if a flat bed dolly/wrecker is not an option) is to tow it flat (all 4 wheels on the ground) and disconnect the drive shaft.