Towing a 4x4

[jbrt1989]

Sent: 3/7/2003 1:36 AM


I don't know if it was this message board or one of the others, but, I have seen a few times that it's OK to tow certain automatic tranny vehicles with drive tires down.  Here's my experience so no one else will have this nightmare...

A few weeks ago, I slid off the road  on a hill in the snow and even with my 99 Jeep Wrangler's 4 wheel drive, I was stuck.  I called a tow co.  Winch broke, sent poor Jeep flying down the hill, back off the road and into a tree.  The tow truck driver(having spent now 5 hours pulling a mangled mess of a Jeep up the hill  and back on the road with a different truck) was convinced the thing was totalled. I was too.  In my frame of mind at the time, I just didn't argue when he lifted the mashed front of my Jeep, put the tranny in neutral and drove away.  3 days after getting my Jeep back, and over 10,000 bucks worth of damage,(should have been totaled in my opinion) I get to add yet another couple grand to the tab.  My tranny is TOAST!!  Turns out the body shop was about 30 miles away and at highway speeds.  After consulting with a Jeep tech, that was definitly the WRONG way to tow a Jeep 4X4.  I now need a tranny rebuild or a replacement.  I'm getting a 2nd opinion just to be sure.

I'll be paying a little visit to the towing company tomorrow and it's not gonna be pretty.   But, I just wanted to hopefully keep anyone else from this horror.  To contradict any thing read on any web board.. do NOT tow an automatic Jeep with ANY tires on the ground for ANY distance unless you remove the driveshaft going to those wheels.  I wouldn't tow any auto that way now.   This is something I was fairly sure of to begin with, but, like I said, at the time I too was convinced that the thing would total out and I let the driver take advantage of my frame of mind and talk me into believing it was OK since the vehicle was a lost cause anyway.  Bonehead!! .......at the driver and myself for being so dumb.

[denisondc]

Sent: 3/7/2003 6:55 AM

Sorry to hear about your jeep!   

What if he had put the Jeep's transfer case in neutral.  Would that not keep the tranny from turning and there by keep it from burning up.  My dad towed our 1990 Jeep Cherokee that way several times without damage.

denison                                                               

[beach]

Sent: 3/7/2003 5:27 PM


you are suppose to put the tran in neutral to tow it says so right on the transfer case we just bought a 88 and it also in the owners manual

[Graham]

Sent: 3/7/2003 7:57 PM


Sage advice.  It is my opinion that any car, even standard trans should not be towed with a driven axle on the road.  I've seen many standard cars being towed in neutral behind motorhomes.  What happens, is the rear axle and diff turn the prop/drive shaft and the gear box main shaft turns but without the gear cogs splashing the trans oil about. 

Consequently, the main bushings run dry and eventually knock out the synchro cones too.  The only safe ways are to use a dolly under the driven axle or disconnect the drive shaft at the rear diff and fasten it to the chassis - often messy and awkward.

  I've read about gadgets for FWD vehicles that disconnect the drive train at the wheels but I've no experience with them. Has anyone tried these?   Graham

[jbrt1989]

Sent: 3/7/2003 8:03 PM


I believe you can tow a Jeep 4X4 with the transfer case in neutral.  The transfer case is mechanically operated as opposed to the fluid operated transmission.  However, with this kind of damage and expense, I would be inclined in the future to never tow an automatic tranny ever without either putting the drive wheels up or disconnecting the drive shaft.  That's just my humble opinion now after this nightmare and just to be safe. 

I'll be towing my Jeep on my cross country trip next month on a U-Haul auto transport.  All 4 wheels up in the air.  More expensive, but, the peace of mind is well worth it to me.  I know there are some aftermarket pumps out there that will run fluid through the tranny while in tow, but, that seems to only be worth the expense if you did a lot of towing behind your rig.

One little note to remember as well... if you do disconnect the driveshaft of a Jeep.  Disconnect it at the axel, NOT the tranny, and figure out a way to secure the shaft. If you disconnect it at the tranny, make sure you have a bucket and a case of tranny fluid with you because my understanding is that the shaft makes up the rear seal of the tranny and  you'll lose all your tranny fluid. Makes to getting the thing off your tow dolly rather difficult if you don't and a rather long walk to the auto parts store to get some.

[gldwingrdr]

Sent: 3/7/2003 11:59 PM

I bought an 87 Suzuki Samurai 4X4 to tow behind our 76 brave. I tow with all four wheels on the ground. Tranny in second (prevent engine from wind milling) and transfer case in neutral. Never had a problem but you got to remember to release the emergency brake.
Alan

[Stripe]

My 2000 Land Rover D2 is somewhat similar to the Suzuki that Goldwing Rider has. Put the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in park.

CMM500

[Gary Eddy]

My friend always has funny stories to tell. He bought and old Suzuki to pull with his motor home. He also put his bikes inside for the ride.  After a quick stop the bikes shifted the trans into first gear. Now the the engine is windmilling at Very high RPM. Engine disintegrates and then catches on fire.  Completely unaware of the ball of flame he is pulling, he is finally alerted by a passing car with huge eyeballs.

He is a full time fireman and has been to hundreds of car fires so it is no big deal and he got the car cheap. He calmly disconnected it, moved ahead and called the fire dept.

When he came back to work and told the story at the firehouse, we all got a good laugh and were glad it wasn't any worse.

[Oz]

Tales of RV mishaps are endless, aren't they?  We certainly do have to have a very good sense of humor!