| Author |
Message |
Evan G. (Fireman10b)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 8:42 pm: | |
I would like to tow my Chevy pickup behind my bus. I have a 2004 Chevy Short Wide 2 WD Auto Trans. I know this i not your ideal towing vehicle and I can not tow this vehicle without doing damage to the transmission. My questions are, does anyone make a drive shaft quick disconnect for this model so I could tow this vehicle? And would this work? |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 8:49 pm: | |
Remco's Drive Shaft Coupling
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Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 9:34 pm: | |
Evan, there have been several times this was brought up about towing Chevy pick-ups, and checking with the dealer and your owners manual would be the first things to do. My next door neighbor and I discussed this because he has a 2WD short bed automatic Chevy pick-up and he says that his owners manual gives specific instructions about the procedure necessary to flat tow.
You might also check the archives here on this board.
HTH Ed. |
john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 10:27 pm: | |
REMCO oil pump |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 10:41 pm: | |
Remco Oil Pump-----What do u do when the pump quits on you and your 2k miles from home, like it did on me---TWICE? Remco gets their pumps from Sureflo, with a heavier motor and different type seals and material in the head. I would not trust a Remco Lube system any further than I could throw it, but that is just my opinion based on experience. I would go with the driveline disconnect or get another towed. |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 10:53 pm: | |
I ran the Remco pump on both Caravans w/out problem.
It was only around 5 or 6k miles worth, but it did OK.
Some of the connections the RV shop made when they
installed it failed, but the pump worked flawlessly. If/when
there is a problem while on the road, just start the vehicle's
engine and let it idle while you're towing, until you get it
the problem repaired. Remco claims to stand behind their
products.. |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 3:32 am: | |
John MC9: I did precisely that--idled home--both times. And no, the warranty period on the original pump had run its course about 3 months before. Fortunately, Sureflo took pity on me and gave me a new motor, not Remco. Their response was, it's out of warranty, and some rediculous price for a new one.
When the pump seals went out about 6 months later, I decided it was not reliable and not for me so I went and bought a different towed, stick shift 4x4, four down towable without mods. Point is, the Remco system failed twice in less than 6 months on a system less than 2 yrs. old and probably 30k miles. IMHO, that is not reliability, and they certainly ain't cheap for what you're getting. Likewise, another company makes a driveline disconnect that is almost 1/2 the price of a Remco, so I'm told by several people. Personally, I would not recommend either one and much prefer a vehicle that I can tow 4 down, no mods. I know a gentleman that had a Dakota a few yrs. back, which were notorious for auto transmission problems, that had installed a Remco, and guess what Dodge fell back on when the tranny went at 23k mi.? Likewise,Remco blamed it on Dodge. I'm 99% certain it was the Dodge tranny and not the Remco pump, nevertheless, my friend got the bill because of the Remco pump. |
Jeff Pritchard (Jeffpritchard)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 11:10 am: | |
Does this "idle thing" work for pretty much all domestic 2WD cars and trucks? I'm surprised I haven't seen it somwhere before. I absolutely hate the remco disonnect on my pickup, because it pipes so much noise into the cab of my truck. The control wire works a lot like the brake wire or shifter wire on a ten speed bike. Since the knob on one end is in the cab and the other end is attached to a lever mounted on the differential, all of the noise and vibration from the tranny and rear axle is piped right up that wire and into the cab.
I'm thinking I should have saved the $1500 bucks and spent it on idling gas. Might not preserve the environment, but might preserve my sanity.
jp |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 12:50 pm: | |
Jeff, I have never heard of that. I used the disconnect on my 4WD Toyota for many years and never had a problem like you describe. Do you possibly have the control cable too tight? It should have a half inch of slack. Also if the outer cable is too tight it might cause this. Soemthing is not right or I think it would have been on one of the boards before this. It has been around for many years with no previous mention of this problem.
Richard.
You might have a driveline unbalance problem also |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 1:03 pm: | |
Jeff, like Richard I have never heard of anyone complain of the piped noise but I do know a couple of people that complained of driveline imbalance problem. Friend w/an F150 complained of imbalance but I drove the truck at 70mph and never noticed a balance problem.
Even though I had to do it, I'm not so sure about idling a car engine for 8-9 hours at a time. I don't know, didn't seem to adversely effect my car (A Chevy Citation) but I'm sure Chevy would not approve of it. |
John Jewett (Jayjay)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 1:05 am: | |
I put about 6,000 miles of "idle-time" on my Toyota Cressida automatic before trading to a standard tranny model. Makes it turn easier too.
...JJ |
Earl-8-Ky
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:16 am: | |
I used a lub pump on a Dodge Caravan without any problems. I now hace a 04 GMC pickup 2 wheel drive. I just start the engine and let it idle on short trips say less than 100 miles. If I am on a longer trip I will take the rear U joint loose and pull it that way. I also disconnect the speed sensor on the transmissiom. This allows you to pull it without putting miles on the truck. I priced the drive shaft disconnect and I figure I can save big bucks for a few minutes of work on a trip. |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 12:11 am: | |
I bought my driveshaft disconnect used. They can be moved from one driveshaft to another for about $200, theoretically. I paid $150 for the disconnect and $400 for transferring it to my driveshaft. I had a spare driveshaft, so I can take it off when I change cars.
Jeff, did you perhaps have your outer cable staight an tight. I could envison it transmittion sound if it were tight, but it would have a hard time transmitting sound trough a cable with a little slack. You must have a noisy differential. |
Jeff Pritchard (Jeffpritchard)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 1:11 am: | |
Thanks for all the comments guys. I haven't gotten under there to check the tightness question yet. It was "professionally" installed by a welding shop that has installed man of them. One fly in the ointment is that I believe that my F150 was the very first of the new model F150's that Remco ever made. They had to have the installer carefully measure the length, and then they still got it wrong and the drive shaft had to be taken to a driveline shop for correction. The first cable they sent was the wrong length and the installer got on the phone with Remco and asked them to send a longer one, which the installer then put on the vehicle a week or two later.
I wouldn't be surprised if the thing is poorly installed. It certainly seemed to be more of a "beta test" than a run of the mill installation.
In any event, I'm thinking I will have it removed and tow the thing in "idle mode". There is a secondary reason for that. The new F150 has something that draws significant power when the key is in the proper position for towing (on, but not running, so the steering column isn't locked). Several times I've had to jump it if I leave it in that mode for too many hours at once. All things considered, it hasn't been a joy to tow.
I wonder what I can get for the remco on the e-place.
jp |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 9:19 am: | |
I can not believe it is good for any engine to idle hours at a time, expecially if you are taking vacation travelling for several weeks at a time.
Why not fix the problem? Take the truck to a drive shaft shop that knows what they are doing. Even if a drive shop installed the disconnect to the drive shaft, it is very possible the installer installed the shaft improperly. It MUST be orientied properly when installed to maintain balance.
As far as the discharged battery is concerned, it is generally a simple matter to pull one fuse to prevent this. This procedure is outlined in most owners manuals. I have heard of some people installing a simple toggle switch to disconnect this circuit when towing.
I personally resolved the problem by providing a hot wire from the bus to the toad battery thru the 7 pin connector. This works great if both vehicles are the same voltage.
Richard
] |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 9:39 am: | |
Four stroke gas engines can idle forever. No biggie. But at
the price of fuel, I'd much prefer towing with it off.
The only reason for idling it at all, is to keep the transmission
fluid circulating through the cooler and keeping all the parts
saturated in fluid. The Remco pump does the same thing for
a whole lot less than what the fuel would cost.
Here's a hint: The Remco pump kit costs $$, but you can
order each part separately and build your own "kit" for about
1/2 what they charge.
Another "hint"? Any pump designed for lubricants will work
as well. Let your imagination run amuck with that concept! |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 10:38 pm: | |
Why can't we just remove the pin that locks the steering and leave the key off. Tha is what I plan to do. That or file it down so it does not lock. Only problem I see is parking on a hill. yes it makes the car easier to steal, but my cars are old to worry about theft and Mercedes is not a prime training target for theives. They are usually stolen with a tow truck. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 8:46 am: | |
Should work great Steve. I really do not believe that locking steering wheels are any great deterrent to theft by a determined auto thief. I just did not know how to dis-assemble the key lock mechanism on my Toyota or Tahoe to do this.
Richard |
Johnny
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 20, 2005 - 9:18 pm: | |
An idling toad can, due to reduced airflow, boil over. It also tends to load up the engine with carbon, and can dilute the oil.
I plan to tow a 4x4--tranny in park, transfer case in neutral, front hubs unlocked. |
bobm
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 21, 2005 - 7:43 pm: | |
You have to be careful. some 4x4's have a lubricating system that does not work when towed with the engine off. Even standard trans 4x4's. best solution is to have manual locking hubs instaled front and rear. cost less than $300 |
Johnny
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 21, 2005 - 11:25 pm: | |
Both of these trucks (Power Wagon with NP203, Blazer with NP208) are fine 4-down. |