I want to trailer tow my 2008 gem E4 behing my motorhome. I have towed it in the past forward but would like to load it backwards, worried the front winshield could be blown out. Has anyone towed them backwards?
No but I’d be concerned about that as well good call. I mean there’s a chance if your trailer is pretty close to your motorhome and your motorhome is a good size the air flow right behind your motorhome won’t be too crazy. But I think it’s a risk I would not want to take.
Ok. The towing backwards (window popping out thing) needs further Mythbuster investigation.
Here is what I think. Some Early gems had the front window barely glued in. Some early cars I parted out the front window was Double sided taped in. It pushed out with little to no problem at all. I have come across like 3 of these cars.
But all the Newer cars like 2008 and above have ALL had the windows glued in. In fact they are glued in so good a friend of Myn that does automotive glass told me the stock window on my 2002 was glued in so good from the factory that he most likely would break it trying to cut it out (I wanted my window removed when I wanted to paint the car) So I don’t know how to advise you sure it’s recommended to tow it forward but if your window is glued in properly I don’t think it’s a problem but don’t quote me on it
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4 out of 5 Doctors would choose Bayer aspirin as their one drug of choice if stranded on a desert island.
9 out of 10 dentists who chew gum, chew Trident.
… And 10 out of 10 GEM owners who open trailer towed their GEM backwards at highway speeds lost their windshields.
A friend who is a glaizer pulled out the windshield on my 02 that I parted / scrapped. It took him 7 minutes, maybe less. they are not mounted well It wasn’t even glued on the sides, they just used double sided foam tape.
Ok well that confirms what I’m saying. If your car has a double sided taped in window like what a lot of early cars had Then NEVER tow it backwards. If it’s glued in like a traditional automotive window you should be fine. How could you tell?
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Tow it backwards at about 50.
Duh.
And have someone behind you recording the event.
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Good Point! That’s a sure way to find out.
Hey another great pointer becides towing your gem the correct way is . it’s a good Idea to fasten the seat belts so they can’t start flopping around in the wind & whipping your gem car like “Ike Turner
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get your GEM to a boat yard and have them shrinkwrap the top half of the GEM. That should not only hold the windshield in but also prevent air from blowing in the rear window opening and block most of the air from entering from the side.
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But… What if he has to trailer it there, on the freeway no less?
mind blown!!!
thanks for the input. was hoping someone that has done this was available. I guess it not worth the risk.
If you hit the freeway so will the windshield
put a couple of cargo ratchet straps around it so it can’t blow out.
I’ve trailered my GEM a few times, always facing forward, but my GEM doesn’t have a rear window. I’ve considered adding the rear window but wondered if it would be a problem for towing. Any reported issues with the rear window blowing out?
My 2016 e4 has a rear window and was shipped from St Louis to San Diego on a trailer. Left with a rear window and it’s still there. No issue here
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I think that the presence of hard doors and how the rear window is mounted might play a factor there.
Both of my “truck” models have rear windows and hard doors. Both traveled 2000+ miles on a flatbed trailer to get here. The 10’ eL the rear window is held in place by a metal U channel at the bottom and a screwed in aluminum flat bar at the top.
The '15 eM1400 I’m certain would have lost the rear window if it were just a cab with no doors as the window is only held in place by rubber molding. This is probably a carry over from it’s Ranger DNA, as it’s intended to be easy for occupants to knock out in the event of a roll over or pinning against objects etc…
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