Looking at flat towing an XJ

[JeepinAudiophile]

No, it was just an additional thread on towing a jeep that i thought might be useful to people.

 

[JeepinAudiophile]

Some vehicles CANNOT be towed with all four tires down though... unless the driveshafts are removed. Even Neutral all the way around... There are sites dedicated to towed vehicles that tell which vehicles can be towed and which cannot. Also, just for the hell of it- there IS a pump that is driven by the rear driveshaft inside the transfer case to keep the fluids moving around.

 

[Goatman]

Most XJ's/ZJ's/YJ's don't have a true neutral in the t-case. (I've heard the later model one's have true neutral, but I don't know what years) The t-case in neutral disconnects the case from the trans, but it actually locks the front and rear driveshafts together (like in 4wd). It tows fine this way with open diffs, but is a problem with automatic lockers. A friend of mine flat towed his YJ behind his motorhome for many years (Lockrights f/r), but one day it bound up and broke both driveshafts, split the t-case housing, and broke the bellhousing........a very nasty situation.

For flat towing, if you have auto lockers (not ARB's or OX, which can be left open), either install a 2low from Tera which also provides a true neutral, or remove one driveline, or disconnect both drivelines at the pinion and tie them up. You also can't tow with a dolly for the same reason, the front and rear are connected when the t-case is in neutral, unless you unhook the rear driveline or get the 2low conversion.

Just an FYI based on some of the previous posts.

 

[y2kxj]

I thought that if you towed with the front wheels on a dolly and the rear wheels turning that it would eventually bind up your transfer case and destroy it. That's just what I thought. I know my old S-10 had this warning in the manual.

 

[JeepinAudiophile]

Thank You for the clarification... for the most part, i just knew the answers- but didn't know exactly why. Good info to know.

 

[skipc]

Most XJ's/ZJ's/YJ's don't have a true neutral in the t-case. (I've heard the later model one's have true neutral, but I don't know what years)

Can anyone with an 89 Laredo (231 TC) tell me if you can dolly it and how? I don't have a manual and am gonna need to know it seems!!!!

Thanks

 

[Goatman]

Can anyone with an 89 Laredo (231 TC) tell me if you can dolly it and how? I don't have a manual and am gonna need to know it seems!!!!

Thanks

You can't, unless you disconnect the rear driveline. You can drive the XJ onto the dolly, then disconnect the driveline at the rear yoke and tie it up (be sure to put some tape around the u-joint).

 

[Sarge]

One major key to stability is a long tow bar. This gives the towed vehicle less leverage on your towing vehicle's rear end.

Unless I skipped school that day, the longer tow bar would give the towed vehicle MORE leverage. It may allow more room for wander and such tho and may feel like it has less leverage. The short one being closer would be felt quicker.
Right?

Sarge

 

[skipc]

You can't, unless you disconnect the rear driveline. You can drive the XJ onto the dolly, then disconnect the driveline at the rear yoke and tie it up (be sure to put some tape around the u-joint).

I thought about this last night and it doesn't sound right. IF the TC locks front and rear shafts in TC neutral, then you couldn't tow it 4 down either!!! It would be just like running 4wd on hard pavement all the time - both axles locked together when towing 4 down too.

So why are you allowed to tow it 4 down, with front and rear shafts locked, yet not run it in 4wd because both shafts are locked?

:confused1

 

[skipc]

Well, just went and checked... You guys were RIGHT! In TC neutral, the front and rear shafts are tied together!! What a terrible design!! Putting it in 2wd unlocks the front again (just to make sure).

Thanks for saving me some big $$ with my nice new (and for sale) tow dolly. :worship:

I'd still like to know how it gets away with doing this and not tearing up while towing 4 down, yet you can't lock them together on dry pavement otherwise...

 

[revmeup]

If you want to flat tow..............1) I removed the lock pin in the column so i could remove the keys and lock the doors. 2) put the t-case in neutral. 3) remove the tail lights, notice the one light in the middle of the housing not used. I ran a standard 4 wire trailer harnes direct to this light from the front using a standard round 4 pin plug to my tow vehicles 4 pin tow plug.

It works great and you just turned the tow vehicle into a trailer in application.

 

[lazyxj]

Why dig up a six year old thread to post information that readily available in the Owner's manual?

 

[collkid]

yeah wow, I didn't even catch that this is from 2004... uumm