| Author |
Message |
Pete (205.188.193.167)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 7:11 am: | |
Well...I'm off to upstate Ny for 4 weeks to work at a festival in the middle of a horse farm, I was thinking of towing a 79 CJ-7 with a 56 Scenicruiser, about 5 hrs...250 miles. Any insite as to the best way to tow it, ( tow bar, wheel dolly or a trailer) ??? If it aint the Jeep..its a mountin bike..
pete |
mtmillwork (206.170.3.42)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 9:46 am: | |
I'd like to know about braking system recommendations also (for all four wheels down). I want to tow a heavy full size van. It may be up to 8500lbs. I've got the tow bar rigged already. Thanks, Mike |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 12:34 pm: | |
There are many inertia type braking systems that will control the towed vehicle's brakes. Check out Camping World for some options.
As for towing a CJ-7, I tow mine behind my Apollo all 4 down and it is fine even without auxilary brakes. Front hubs unlocked and transfer case in neutral and automatic trans in Park. It does depend upon what trans and transfer case you are running though. The Q-tracs don't all tow unless they have been modified. Don't forget to unlock the steering, or it plays havoc with tire wear....... lol. I found that if you ask 20 people, you get 25 opinions and all different..... LOL.
Peter. |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 2:52 pm: | |
I used to tow my '53 M38A1 Willys around with an A frame tow bar. You can get them for about a hundred bucks. Not always easy to hook up, but for a one time tow, it is quick and dirty.
I'm no Jeep expert, but I would think a CJ7 would have no trouble at all being towed 4 down. Check the user manual to be sure.
Scott |
Peter (Sdibaja) (209.242.148.130)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 3:38 pm: | |
For many years I have towed VW bugs and Things many thousands of miles with my Suburban, Motorhome, and Bus. It is simple and easy, I always use a lightbar (home built).
If you use a dolly or trailer then you have a third thing to stash when you get there. But you can back up with a dolly or trailer, you can not with a tow bar.
I have a car trailer available with surge brakes for heavy stuff or the Suburban wit auto trans that would cook if I towed it flat.
All considered, I almost always choose the tow bar.
You will find many states require a braking system for your tow if it is over 2500 pounds, some states allow more.
See the discussion under "Max tounge weight for MC9" on this BB |
Johnny (63.159.186.84)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 6:49 pm: | |
The Dana 20 T-case should be towed with the front hubs LOCKED for oiling. The Dana 300 (1980-86 CJ's) should NOT be flat towed under ANY circumstances, unless the driveshaft is disconnected--the case doesn't pump oil while flat-towing! |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 10:08 pm: | |
I asked this "towing a Jeep" question awhile back on a variety of BBs including a few Jeep and 4x4 ones and had basically the same answers apart from Johnny's.
One Jeep Off Road specialist recommended to another guy I met, that he should leave ONE front hub engaged to oil the bearings, so who knows what is right or wrong. Leaving one or more seemed to make sense as it moves the internal mechanisms and therefore should sling the oil about, but I have not read of any transfer case manufacturer recommending this proceedure.
As I said 20 people and 25 different answwers...... LOL.
Peter.
I did tow mine from Kingman AZ via Las Vegas to Pomona CA and back to Kingman without any problems. |
Johnny (63.159.192.187)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 11:13 pm: | |
I was told by a Jeep dealer mechanic (30+ years of experience, going back to the last of the flatfenders) to only flat-tow a Dana 20 with both front hubs locked (unless you have a front locker), & not to flat-tow a Dana 300 without pulling the rear driveshaft--the 300 does NOT pump oil while flat-towing. |
CoryDane RTSII IL (4.17.253.172)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2002 - 11:51 pm: | |
Beware, NOT ALL TOW DOLLYS ALLOW BACKING UP!
My Tow Dolly will not allow backing up because of the "floating platform" that the wheels sit on. To back up, you must remove the vehicle and uncouple the dolly and move manually.
An earlier post stated that all dollys can be backed up, DONT BELIEVE IT? You will damage the dolly and the vehicle in tow. cd |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 3:13 am: | |
Johnny,
this confuses me. How can whether the front axle being a "locker" or not affect the need to spin the transfer case? Either the Dana 20 needs the hubs locked or not. If you can't lock the hubs if the axle is a "locker" and the Dana 20 needs this, then surely the Jeep can't be flat towed. I can see maaybe not locking one hub with a "locker", but locking both the hubs should not affect the axle whether it is a "locker" or not.
The best way to overcome this whole thing is to install one of those "freewheeling hub" kits to the rear axle and unlock all the hubs and it won't matter what transfer case or axle you have.
Peter. |
Johnny (63.159.192.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 3:25 am: | |
A front locker will make both front wheels turn at EXACTLY the same speed. This will do....interesting things to the handling.
With a locker, locking one hub spins the driveshaft, which is what is needed. I should've made that clearer.
Unfortunately, rear full-floater kits aren't cheap. |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 4:40 am: | |
I beg to differ. A locker only operates when power is applied to the diff via the driveshaft and engages clutch plates in most lockers. A tow truck does not lift the rear wheels when lifting and towing a disabled vehicle with a rear locker.
I do not know what all would be affected by locking one hub on an axle with a locker, but the unlocked axle may not turn and the clutch friction plates would then be spinning and the steels not moving, not a normal situation as they normally spin roughly the same speed. This same situation could happen with an open diff and locking only one hub.
Rear fully floating (locking) hubs are around $730 for the full kit including the new axles. About the same cost as a used tow dolly and half as much again as a driveshaft disconnect.
Peter. |
Johnny (63.159.185.220)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 5:42 am: | |
You're thinking of a limeded-slip. A true LOCKER has both shafts locked together, all the time. It's usually possible for one shaft to spin FASTER than the ring gear (so the vehicle can go around corners), but not slower.
I drive a wrecker, & 99% of tow truck drivers ALWAYS lift the drive axle when towing. There are a few cars (2WD/manual shift minitrucks) that I don't, for whatever reason, but i generally either lift the drive wheels or use a flatbed. |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (216.67.217.31)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 14, 2002 - 6:09 am: | |
I don't know what you mean by a true locker. There is the clutch type and the Detroit locker (is this what you are refering to?), which is a cone system, both can be successfully towed.
My reference to recovery towing was to make a point that a locker of any type can be towed with wheels down, I was not including whether the transmission would allow such practises.
The only type of locker that can't be towed is a spool or locked or even a welded diff as they used to do in drag and some off road racing.
We obviously have differing opinions so perhaps we should leave it at that as it is not really a bus subject.
Peter. |