flat towing the XJ (sort of)

[IDXJ]

I am moving down to Las Vegas next month. I am going to tow my XJ behind a moving truck and was just wondering if anyone has used a tow dolly to tow their XJ before. I was going to get a trailer and tow it that way but a tow dolly is way cheaper. Also does anyone know if the straps on a tow dolly that go around the front tires will fit over 35's. Do I need to pull my rear drive shaft to tow this way or just have the transfer case and tranny both in neutral. By the way I have a 90 XJ 4.0 auto 231 t case disco front 30 and rear 35.

 

[btl_fed_xj]

I had my XJ towed to a dealership once in the past and the towing company had to use a flat bed truck. They said something about not being able to safely tow the XJ with a traditional tow truck so I had to wait for the flat bed. I would think that the same would apply for the tow dolley and a flat bed trailer. But you might be able to call either a towing place or a Uhaul place and they could give you more advice..... I would think that the towing place would lead you in the right direction more so than a Uhaul place would. Best of luck to you with the move!

-Jamie

 

[whitfimb]

I always perfer to install the stock front wheels, every thing fits on the dolly much better that way, In a pinch with 33's I've just aired way down but than the straps can walk off. I've also always perfered the piece of mind knowing that the drive shaf is disconnected. I usually just pull it at the rear penion / yoke and secure it stationary, Using a primary and a back up means of tieing it in place both also pulling tension to hold it in the t-case.

Michael

 

[PaulJ]

Why not see what your owner's manual says. The '93 manual I have in hand talks about all the tow truck stuff and then discusses recreation towing. Basically if you're going to use a tow dolly under the front wheels, you'll want to disconnect the rear drive shaft. If you were flat towing (all wheels on the ground and turing in the same direction at the same speed) it says to put both the tranny and tc in neutral. I suspect the tc might be unhappy if it's in neutral and one set of wheels is never turning.

 

[IDXJ]

As far as the owners manual goes I did not buy my XJ new and the person I bought it from did not have one. I was thinking about just pulling the driveline at the rear axle and securing it up out of the way.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

We pulled mine home like that, after the rear driveshaft removed itself I wouldn't have tried it with the shaft still in...

And whitfimb's right, the straps wouldn't reach over my 34's, so I just ran 'em to the inside, over the axle. Made me nervous, but it got me home...

Now, I have a trailer...

Rob't

 

[red87cherokee]

Why not see what your owner's manual says . . . it says to put both the tranny and tc in neutral.

I don't think so. My owner's manual specifically says to put the tranny in park (automatic) or in gear (manual) and tcase in neutral. According to others, this is something to do with the transmission lubrication not being adequate if it turns from the driveshaft/tcase instead of from the engine.

Also, I don't know what year the change happened, but early XJ's (my '87, for example) can't be towed on a dolly without removing one of the driveshafts - the early 231 tcases don't have a true neutral. With the tcase in neutral (as the manual says), the tcase is disconnected from the tranny, but both axles are engaged with the tcase.

 

[1986xj]

I just used a tow dolly for the 1st time the other weekend to bring home the 86 I just bought. I just pulled the rear driveshaft loose from the axle, wrapped the ujoint caps on fast with a few wraps of duct tape and used a few bungee cords to hang the driveshaft up high and out of the way, making sure to wrap one around behind the ujoint at the slip yoke end and hooking it foreward to make sure that end stayed in place.
I've trailered all sorts of vehicles and equipment and have to say towing on a dolly was far better since you don't have the additional 1200-1500 lbs of trailer to drag along plus there is a lot less wind resistance. The only downside is no brakes ... unless there are dollys made with brakes??
After this trip I believe I will be buying a dolly to drag future junk.... ummm I mean vehicular investments, home.
Mike B.