Flat Towing

[SAR Jeeper]

I'm heading to Death Valley next month, and we were gonna tow the Jeep behind my dads motorhome. I bought and installed Currie Tow Shackles, and used his tow bar that he uses to tow his car.

We tested it today, towing it with his Tahoe. All seemed good. He u-turned at an intersection, and the Jeep wheels did not come out of the turn. I rode in the Jeep, and I could hear the tires scrub as he makes a turn, then the Jeep tires will turn. Then a little more scrubbing, and it'll drive straight. When going straight, I cannot hear any scrubbing by the tires.

I have never towed. Is this normal? As is, when I drive around a corner in the Jeep, the steering does not return to center on its own. Is there something that should be adjusted to make this work!?

Thanks in advance.

This is my CJ7 I'm towing, with 35" mud terrain tires.

[RAT]

I'm heading to Death Valley next month, and we were gonna tow the Jeep behind my dads motorhome. I bought and installed Currie Tow Shackles, and used his tow bar that he uses to tow his car.

We tested it today, towing it with his Tahoe. All seemed good. He u-turned at an intersection, and the Jeep wheels did not come out of the turn. I rode in the Jeep, and I could hear the tires scrub as he makes a turn, then the Jeep tires will turn. Then a little more scrubbing, and it'll drive straight. When going straight, I cannot hear any scrubbing by the tires.

I have never towed. Is this normal? As is, when I drive around a corner in the Jeep, the steering does not return to center on its own. Is there something that should be adjusted to make this work!?

Thanks in advance.

This is my CJ7 I'm towing, with 35" mud terrain tires.

Do you have Cross over steering? I had that same problem when I was using the ORO steering. What a pile of crap that junk is. Go have the front end aligned. Sounds like it's out just a little. I flat tow routinely. Always check your drive shafts before towing. Make sure they're in good condition. Tow it around town a few times to get used to it. When the tow rig is set up right, you shouldn't even know the Jeep is there.

[womb raider 940]

Do you have Cross over steering? I had that same problem when I was using the ORO steering. What a pile of crap that junk is. Go have the front end aligned. Sounds like it's out just a little. I flat tow routinely. Always check your drive shafts before towing. Make sure they're in good condition. Tow it around town a few times to get used to it. When the tow rig is set up right, you shouldn't even know the Jeep is there.

I just started flat towing as well. I had a different problem. My jeep was going to one side or road and my truck was pushing around. Somehow the key in ignition locked and held them straight. was on a u turn at a light as well.

[TJ Clay]

i flat tow all the time behind my motorhome and it tows straight as can be and the wheels always recenter themselves after a turn. The only problem is you can't back up as the wheels will bind up and push so be sure you always have room to turn around when you pull into a parking lot.

[aw12345]

Also whatever you do tow it with the trans in gear and the transfercase in neutral

[peteyg]

If you are flat towing a CJ, you MUST disconnect the rear driveshaft or you will burn up your Dana 300.

Also, the steering must be unlocked. I know it sounds like common sense, but I once chased a guy down who had forgotten to unlock the steering and destroyed his front tires.

[SAR Jeeper]

I was thinking alignment. I adjusted the toe when I lifted it and put on the 35's. Perhaps I'll have it done professionally. I am going to flip my tie rods, so perhaps I'll get it as close as I can, then have them double check my work.

No cross-over steering, still stock.

I was planning on disconnecting the drive shaft for the long tow, just for insurance purposes. Didn't know it would hurt the transfer case. I read somewhere that the front hubs should be locked in. Seems odd.

Thanks for the rapid responses!

[RAT]

I was thinking alignment. I adjusted the toe when I lifted it and put on the 35's. Perhaps I'll have it done professionally. I am going to flip my tie rods, so perhaps I'll get it as close as I can, then have them double check my work.

No cross-over steering, still stock.

I was planning on disconnecting the drive shaft for the long tow, just for insurance purposes. Didn't know it would hurt the transfer case. I read somewhere that the front hubs should be locked in. Seems odd.

Thanks for the rapid responses!

Disconnecting the drive shaft to the front is only a precaution if you think you may have bent it on the trail. It doesn't hurt to leave it connected if it's straight. I didn't check mine after a tumble on the rocks at Shredder Canyon, then towed it at Uh-ummmm, 75 MPH for 30 miles. It totally wiped out the front half case of the NV231. Yes, I was an idiot. Routine breeds complacency.

[Roger]

Whew Kurt, I thought I was the only idot...

[cweed]

I flat tow my 85 CJ7 all the time, I have taken it on long trips behind my motor home and short trips behind my truck. I also have 7" of lift and running 35" tires. I had the same problem until I leveled by tow truck hitch with the jeep. The tow bar was angled downward before. The problem went away after raising the hitch.

As for disconnecting drive shafts and burning up a Dana 300, I have never disconnected my drive shafts and tow with both transmission and transfer case (Dana 300) in neutral and have never had a problem. The gears in the transfer case and transmission touches the oil in the sump, as the gears turn it lifts and carry's lubrication with it. I have flat towed my jeep some 15,000 miles so far and do some really rough trails and still have no problems.

[SAR Jeeper]

Ok, toe was set good. Back measured 1/8" wider than front. Gonna go back and check tow bar height, probably on Friday. I'm glad I'm doing this 2 weeks in advance!

[peteyg]

I flat tow my 85 CJ7 all the time, I have taken it on long trips behind my motor home and short trips behind my truck. I also have 7" of lift and running 35" tires. I had the same problem until I leveled by tow truck hitch with the jeep. The tow bar was angled downward before. The problem went away after raising the hitch.

As for disconnecting drive shafts and burning up a Dana 300, I have never disconnected my drive shafts and tow with both transmission and transfer case (Dana 300) in neutral and have never had a problem. The gears in the transfer case and transmission touches the oil in the sump, as the gears turn it lifts and carry's lubrication with it. I have flat towed my jeep some 15,000 miles so far and do some really rough trails and still have no problems.

Here is why that is bad and why it WILL eventually fail on you:

When the transmission is in neutral, it can turn through parasitic friction through the entire drivetrain. Because the transmission isn't oiled from the rear output shaft, you will eventually burn up the output bearing. Putting the transmission in gear prevents this.

The Dana 300 does not have an oil pump. It relies on the meshing of the gears to provide lubrication to the bearings. Unless it is clocked flat, the rear output bearing is not oiled unless the gears are turning, so eventually, you'll burn up the rear output bearing. When in neutral, the gears do not turn...

I know, you aren't having any trouble now, yada yada yada. This is NOT the correct way to flat tow, and is a good way to burn up expensive drivetrain parts. But if you want to keep taking the chance, have at it.

[RDOGG]

what about towing a 91yj w/auto heard different ways trans in park transfercase in neutral or both in neutral. thanks

[peteyg]

what about towing a 91yj w/auto heard different ways trans in park transfercase in neutral or both in neutral. thanks

trans in park, t-case in neutral. The NP231 has an oil pump attached to the output shaft, making it a good candidate for flat towing.

[Ol Man]

I flat-towed my CJ7 thousands of miles without an issue. The owners manual tells you to put the trans in gear, transfer case in neutral and to stop every couple of hundred miles and run the engine. You need a potty break every so often anyway.