Author Topic: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.  (Read 4143 times)

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AGUHR

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Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« on: July 22, 2010, 11:06:08 AM »
Anyone flat tow their 94 YJ?

Any suggestions to make sure its safe?

I have a 94Yj with the front bumper having tabs welded welded front and back all the way through, the tow harness is a falcon adjustable. I'll be pulling it in gear with the transfer case in N, and steering unlocked. Does it matter which gear for the YJ?
I have a magnetic light set up for trailer lights.

What am I missing if anything.

Offline oldjeep

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2010, 12:54:42 PM »
Best thing to do is to pull the rear driveshaft and put the tcase in neutral.  You can pull with the driveshafts on, but neutral in the NP231 (most) locks the front and rear shafts together so you can get some odd pulling on corners especially if you have lockers.
Chuck P
The clowns'? Oh, yeah, the clowns. We fight them too — entire armies, spilling out of Volkswagons. We do our best to fight them off, but they keep sending 'em in!
94 YJ - gone
98 ZJ - sons truck
97 TJ - daughters project

www.oldjeep.com

AGUHR

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2010, 01:18:37 PM »
Educate me a little - what harm will it do to pull it wil the drive shaft turning in neutral? What is the difference between it turning free and turning under power?

The reason I want to tow it is to save the jeep a little and to be able to keep up with everyone else on the highway.

Offline sharpxmen

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2010, 01:38:35 PM »
Educate me a little - what harm will it do to pull it wil the drive shaft turning in neutral? What is the difference between it turning free and turning under power?

The reason I want to tow it is to save the jeep a little and to be able to keep up with everyone else on the highway.

what he's saying is that it could lock the front and rear driveshafts together (front and rear outputs of the t-case) when in neutral and in that case since there is no diff in the t-case it can hurt the internals (chain and such) due to different travel distance between front and rear axles. I don't know if that is the case with your NP231 but if it is then it makes sense to avoid that. Now, if you pull the rear driveshaft off the rear axle pinion yoke  and put the t-case in neutral and in fact will lock the front and rear outputs together then you need to completely remove the rear d/s to avoid spinning it (so you can't just tie it up there under the Jeep) unless you have a front axle passanger side vac disconnect (not the 1 piece) - that can be a problem if you don't have an SYE as the oil will come out of the rear of the t-case.

if you have a pass axle disconnect then is not really a problem and t-case in neutral is fine unless you don't have an open diff (or selectable) in the front (like he said if you have a locker).

I have a 231 in my garage and I can test the locking theory but I'm sure oldjeep been thru this before - just in case you want a second confirmation on it (it never crossed my mind so i'll probably do it anyway but from what i remember the way the shifting collar works it does make sense now).
'95 YJ, NSG370 6spd / Hurst shifter, Dana 300 + 4:1 Doubler / tri-stick, Custom skid, Super D35 / Auburn LSD / 4.88, 35x12.5x15 BFG KM2, 64mm t/b, 1.7 RollerRockers, MkVIII e-fan, Dual Diaph Booster
Latest: Corbeau BajaRS heated seats :dance: keeping warm the rear end

AGUHR

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2010, 01:59:44 PM »
I still have the split axle up front - its on a cable posi now.  It never occured to me that the shafts would lock - I'll spin it once and see. Good thing is Im only going about a 3 hour drive.

Offline Bounty Hunter

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2010, 03:23:28 PM »
I have spools front and rear on my YJ and I flat-tow long distances with no problems.  Just do it how you described.  I put the tranny in 1st just how the owner's manual recommends, but it's really not important which gear, as long as the tranny is in gear.

Offline aw12345

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2010, 04:21:41 PM »
What old Jeep referred to is some funny steering behavior if it has a front locker like a detroit and no more disconnect, it could possibly push the tow vehicle around in corners. I have towed my TJ for over 2000 miles in the manner you describe does not hurt it a bit. Just keep in mind Jeeps are heavy and the braking distance will go up a whole lot so keep plenty of distance and be careful on sharp turns going down hill, makes for a fun pucker moment when it pushes the back end of your tow vehicle around
2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ SE
2004 Jeep Wrangler TJ SE

Offline Bounty Hunter

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2010, 04:51:49 PM »
And they tow a LOT better if the towbar is as flat as possible.  I have to use a drop receiver and run it upside down to get the towbar level when attached to the lifted jeep.

Offline oldjeep

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2010, 08:39:51 PM »
I noticed the odd behavior on mine when I used to flat tow with the driveshafts in.  I've got no disconnect and front and rear lockers.  The problem became apparent when I bought a tow dolly and realized that the front and rear shafts were locked together in N - it tried to push the jeep off the front of the dolly when I started pulling.
Chuck P
The clowns'? Oh, yeah, the clowns. We fight them too — entire armies, spilling out of Volkswagons. We do our best to fight them off, but they keep sending 'em in!
94 YJ - gone
98 ZJ - sons truck
97 TJ - daughters project

www.oldjeep.com

AGUHR

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2010, 04:15:15 AM »
Thanks for all the input guys. I've got a lifted Titan that will pull my jeep, the bumpers are about the same highth maybe  1inch difference on flat ground.

Spoke to good Friend, he said to just put the Tcase in N and tranny in gear and the wear would be no different than when driving it. He drives the RV for a motor cross driver.

Offline smashcoast

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2010, 09:00:23 AM »
Put the Transfer case in N, put the Jeep in gear and put the key in the ignition and turn to acc to prevent the wheel from locking.
Building this Jeep on the Cheap! Just like Chrysler!

AGUHR

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2010, 11:08:30 AM »
Put the Transfer case in N, put the Jeep in gear and put the key in the ignition and turn to acc to prevent the wheel from locking.

It worked perfect I cruised at 70mph all the way there and the YJ pulled nicely and didnt sway or wonder around at all. Plus the added space for my tools and spare parts came in handy since I broke an axle and needed some other parts for other people too.


AGUHR

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2010, 06:11:38 AM »
After this past weekend with me breaking an axle and my friend having belt issues with pulley's I'm looking into renting a flat bed trail when we both go to the same palce, if its just me I'll flat tow it but I learned I need to play less rough then or bring axles all the time.

Offline oldjeep

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2010, 08:51:44 AM »
After this past weekend with me breaking an axle and my friend having belt issues with pulley's I'm looking into renting a flat bed trail when we both go to the same palce, if its just me I'll flat tow it but I learned I need to play less rough then or bring axles all the time.

That is why I switched to a tow dolly.  Didn't like having a full trailer sitting around but flat towing was an issue when i broke stuff.  With the dolly as long as I only screw up one axle I'm OK ;)
Chuck P
The clowns'? Oh, yeah, the clowns. We fight them too — entire armies, spilling out of Volkswagons. We do our best to fight them off, but they keep sending 'em in!
94 YJ - gone
98 ZJ - sons truck
97 TJ - daughters project

www.oldjeep.com

BigCountry

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Re: Flat Towing a YJ or 4 wheels down.
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2010, 07:08:35 PM »
Never flat towed the jeep. about to trailer it 4 wheels up out to the west coast for vacation and a job interview. hopefully i'll get a job out of it, but at minimum i'll get some wheeling in. can't really say the job is more important than an offroad adventure hitting both moab some trails north of utah  :thumbsup: