| Author |
Message |
johnwood (206.252.250.124)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 11:53 pm: | |
Looked into towing my 2001 trooper 4down. very depressing as you need a driveline disconnect AND locking hus on the front axle (over $1000.) Sad part is that the transfer case has a "hidden" neutral position, but no detent to keep it in neutral. Thought about fabricating a bracket to hold transfer case in neutral but afraid it may slip into gear and do damamge.
SO; I may be looking for a different SUV or small pickup that can be towed 4 down without modification. Any thoughts?
Also would like your feedback in regards to the various towbar makes and types.
AND while we are at it, aux brake systems? |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.36.92)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 1:46 am: | |
I think you will find that the Durango and Dakota range will flat tow, but do check the owners manual for each model as some use different transfer cases. I found the ok for our 2001 Dakota hidden in the writings but not in the index. Cherokees I am sure all flat tow. Some Fords will with the transfer case being reprogrammed by a dealer. Don't know on the Chevys. The main problem is lack of oil to the rear bearing of the transfer case. Some mods are available such as a spinner to throw oil in the right place for some units. Warn makes rear locking hubs for Jeeps and maybe other vehicles too at around $700, or you can use a driveshaft disconnect system.
Towbars range from a basic fixed bolt-on unit for a solid front bumper (old Jeep style) to exotic self-aligning units for $100s with quick disconnects from the front of the vehicle.
The auxilary braking units come in all shapes and sizes including "G" meter types. Check with your local RV store or Camping World for the range.
Peter. |
FAST FRED (65.58.191.161)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 5:32 am: | |
If you can handle the lack of 4 wheel drive , the simpelest cars to tow are old stick shift VW's.
There light enough not to need aux breaks , and the tow bar and base plate (what tow bar hooks to)is simple , & cheap.(Rabbits , not Beetles)
There is a big advantade to towing a $500 vehicle.
The biggest being that no matter where you travel , someone else's car will get all the attention.
Park in a "downtown" and your car , your radio , your trunk will be intact .
Since its going to need loads of washing behind a coach , why grind paint off a $40,000 toy?
FAST FRED |
ktrout (207.171.139.60)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 11:37 am: | |
I plan on towing my much abused 1973 VW Thing behind our coach for most of FF's reasons and because it's a blast to drive !! |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.164.175.1)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 2:26 pm: | |
Hello Johnwood:
Fearless Fred is correct---I also have a "beater" 1981 VW Rabbit Diesel worth about $500 bucks as a running parts car and I can park it ANYWHERE I want and no one even looks at it.
Actually, it is in excellent mechanical condition--the point is that they (VW Rabbits) can be towed on all 4 wheels with zero problems. Seems the transaxle gets plenty of oil splash.
However, having said that, why not consider getting a 2 (best) or 4 wheel car trailer to put your trail car on? The advantages are quite many.
First you can, with lots of practice, back up a car trailer about as far as you would ever want. Plus also you get decent braking with electric surge brakes. Also you can add storage boxes and stuff.
Big, heavy SUV's being towed on all 4 wheels do not have brakes--a problem the Feds MAY start enforcing. That plus not adding up any fake road mileage. And not being able to back up.
I plan on getting a 2 axle trailer to tow my Rabbit Diesel behind my Crown 10-wheeler. Seems to solve more problems that towing on all 4 wheels. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks. Henry |
Scott Whitney (24.205.233.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 2:27 pm: | |
OK, I don't mean to change the topic of the original post too much, but maybe I can jump in here. I posted this question on a Honda BB and have come up zilch after several days of hoping I could get an answer. So maybe my busnut friends can help me out. . .
I just bought a 1985 Honda CRX Si ($850) with all of Fast Fred's points in mind. The paint looks like the dickens, but the nice thing is this car is quite fast and is a barrel of monkeys to drive.
BUT, the owner's manual says in bold print to not flat tow over 35MPH and not over 50 miles. I knew this when I bought it, but I bought it anyway, cause my plan is to eventually get an enclosed trailer to hold the car, tools and workbench. But for the time being, and as a second option, it would be nice to be able to flat tow.
So. . . the question is: Is it a matter of mounting a base plate on this car (torsion bars, unibody w/ not much solid up front except some sheetmetal tow hooks) or is it a matter of the transmission/transaxle on this thing? (5spd man.)
My understanding is that all Honda manual trannies can be towed - so does the CRX have something different down there - or is it just a mounting issue.
My thinking is that the owner's manual was written with tow truck drivers in mind and that if a proper custom base plate could be attached it would be a non-issue. (BTW, can't seem to find a factory base plate. Catalog lists a Civic baseplate but excludes the CRX. . .)
Appreciate any thoughts.
Scott |
Nick Russell (12.2.88.167)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 3:19 pm: | |
We've been towing a Toyota Tacoma 4x4 pickup with 5 speed for 3 years now all 4 wheels down with no problem. Just stick the transfer case & gearshift in neutral and away we go |
Bruce MC2 (209.53.117.40)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 3:41 pm: | |
Scott Whitney
Re towing your Crx. I am not the last word on this, but for 3 years I flat-towed my 87 Civic all over North America ( 5 spd manual).
I had a base plate for a solid towbar made up at a local hitch shop, and had no problems.
FWIW |
Peter (Sdibaja) (209.242.148.130)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 6:17 pm: | |
Trailers are cool for freeway flying BUT:
1. if you get in a bind and can't back up you can not hop out and unhook and move the tow in 3 minutes and have the wife drive it (have to back out quick in a blind turn, road got too narrow, tight RV park, 1 way road with an ambulance or firetruck, etc)
2. hookup and go solo in 3 minutes by driving the tow up to the back of the bus (try it solo with all the time in the world, or with my spacially challenged wife helping!!)
3. where in the heck do you put the extra set of wheels in a RV park, campground, city street, residential neighborhood, etc?
I have towed VW bugs and now my Thing for nearly 20 years, never a problem.
Over 4,000 miles in the last 3 months with my new bus... every kind of road: urban San Francisco, Baja back roads, Arizona desert and mountians, big Interstates, everything but snow and ice....
flat tow is the way to go. If I pull off the Interstate to get fuel I can hop out on the off ramp, unhook, find which place has the fuel and how to get to the pumps, and be gone real quick like.
I lived in a KOA camp for 18 months in San Diego, saw many hundreds of RVs coming and going towing every kind of thing every which way... my observations of the ease vs. trouble heped me comfirm my personal experience in realy doing it.
My no so humble Opinion, FWIW, Peter |
johnwood (206.252.250.232)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 5:03 pm: | |
I am in agreement that a flat tow is the way to go for me. Just because ISUZU did not design the transfer case selector with a neutral tho, I'll need to install a driveline disconnect and locking hubs on the front axle! about 1200 bucks for the parts plus labor. THEN I get to buy a towbar, baseplate and brake system. Thought I'd change vehicles, but the trooper is only one year old and depreciation causes me to be paying to trade in the vehicle. Not a happy thought. Anybody interested in a trooper? Very reasonable.
Still considering building a plate that will hold the shift lever for the transfer case in neutral, but if it ever slipped into gear while under tow it probably would destroy transfer case, tranny and perhaps some other expensive part. Just wish I'd know I'd be buying a bus before I bought the trooper. |
Johnny (63.20.60.202)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 28, 2002 - 10:29 pm: | |
What about a rear full-floating axle conversion? Just unlock the hubs, & tow as far as you want to.
Our current toad is "Da Bomb", a well-worn 1980 VW rabbit pickup (gas/4-speed manual). I might tow my wife's 1986 Cherokee (V6/auto/Selec-Trac) 4-down, but eventually, the "toad" will probably be a 1977 Dodge W-200 Power Wagon 4x4 truck.
Brake Buddy can add brakes to any toad--try the motorhome areas of http://irv2.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=cfrm&s=089094322&u=7433075344 for details. |
Lin (65.184.0.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 29, 2002 - 4:03 pm: | |
In agreement with the cheap car toads, we used a 5 speed chevy sprint years ago. It was great for the purpose. The Geo is probably the same. Used ones are cheap. |
Phil Curtis (205.188.192.179)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 04, 2002 - 7:02 am: | |
How about a ford ranger extended cab 5 speed Iv draged mine around since new in 93 and it has 215.00 miles on it.The ony things iv replaced are tires and belt and a couple of front bearing yes the oil has been changed at regular interlals. |
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