towing with a tow dolly?

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:12 am

I need to pull my kj with a tow dolly to get the front diff fixed. The owner's manual says that towing with a front or rear wheel lift will cause internal damage to the t-case. Is this true? It seems to me that if the t-case was in N, then there wouldnt be a problem with only the rear wheels turning. Maybe Jeep is just covering their a$$e$? Tell me what to do!! :oops:

Thanks!

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:48 am

Transmission in neutral / T-case in neutral...

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:13 am

sleeve84028 wrote:

Transmission in neutral / T-case in neutral...

the owners manual says t-case neutral, transmission park, and still notes that there will be t-case damage. I think its a load of bull.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:09 pm

jerbacher wrote:

sleeve84028 wrote:

Transmission in neutral / T-case in neutral...

the owners manual says t-case neutral, transmission park, and still notes that there will be t-case damage. I think its a load of bull.

Yea, tranny in P and tcase in N.

Another member had his towed with the front wheels on a dolly when he broke his diff. Maybe he will chime in.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:23 pm

I have towed my KJ all over the USA. From Main to Washington State. It was towed behind my motorhome, all 4 wheels down. Transfer Case in "N" and transmission in park. No distance or speed limit. No problems.

Terry

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:07 pm

Fulltimer wrote:

I have towed my KJ all over the USA. From Main to Washington State. It was towed behind my motorhome, all 4 wheels down. Transfer Case in "N" and transmission in park. No distance or speed limit. No problems.

Terry

Thats alittle different than having the front wheels off the ground. Different speeds in the tcase.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:41 pm

My thinking is, if it were mine, which I am in 2WD all the time unless on the trail, why move the transfer case out of 2WD?? Just put the front wheels on the dolly and put the tranny in Park and be done. If your a 4WD all the time rig then a flat tow would be my guess or if you need it on the dolly just remove the front driveshaft so then only the rear wheels spinning will effect the t-case. There are 12 long loct-tited bolts that hold the front drive shaft in place; 6 on the t-case side and 6 on the diff side. They are 8mm sized bolts if I recall correctly when I had to remove them myself when my front diff cracked on me in the field...

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:46 pm

2006KJSPORT4x4 wrote:

My thinking is, if it were mine, which I am in 2WD all the time unless on the trail, why move the transfer case out of 2WD?? Just put the front wheels on the dolly and put the tranny in Park and be done....

Because when the TC is in any gear, including 2WD, the front shaft is turning. Neutral allows for the free spinng of the front / rear tires for situations like this.

If you wanted to experiement get the Jeep setup on the dolly, crawl under the front and mark the front shaft and transfercase with some chalk. Move a few few and then check for movement of the front shaft. It's probably the best way to see if you will have problems.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:02 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

2006KJSPORT4x4 wrote:

My thinking is, if it were mine, which I am in 2WD all the time unless on the trail, why move the transfer case out of 2WD?? Just put the front wheels on the dolly and put the tranny in Park and be done....

Because when the TC is in any gear, including 2WD, the front shaft is turning. Neutral allows for the free spinng of the front / rear tires for situations like this.

If you wanted to experiement get the Jeep setup on the dolly, crawl under the front and mark the front shaft and transfercase with some chalk. Move a few few and then check for movement of the front shaft. It's probably the best way to see if you will have problems.

O, duh, sorry that thought was a little too quick and not properly thought out it seems. But if your not wanting to risk damage, i'd say still remove the front drive shaft if you are worried about the gears not turning together as they should.

chefdab · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:08 pm

Even with the transfer case in neutral, both driveshafts spin at the same rate since both diffs have the same gearing and tires on both ends are the same size. Now if you put the front end on a dolly but the rear end is on the ground, the rear shaft spins X number of times while the front does not spin at all. You may not have a problem with the transport itself but you might when you go to take the Jeep off the dolly. The front driveshaft may be clocked differently than the rear shaft and when you go to re-engage the drivetrain, they will not sync up and you could have some major grinding trying to get the two shafts aligned in the transfer case.

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:14 pm

the transfer case only turns when A: 4wd is engaged, or B: when the front wheels are turning.

If it's a short, quick trip I'd just put the t-case in neutral. that's what I did when I dollied my XJ...in the rain...at night...behind my KJ.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:47 pm

chefdab wrote:

Even with the transfer case in neutral, both driveshafts spin at the same rate since both diffs have the same gearing and tires on both ends are the same size. Now if you put the front end on a dolly but the rear end is on the ground, the rear shaft spins X number of times while the front does not spin at all. You may not have a problem with the transport itself but you might when you go to take the Jeep off the dolly. The front driveshaft may be clocked differently than the rear shaft and when you go to re-engage the drivetrain, they will not sync up and you could have some major grinding trying to get the two shafts aligned in the transfer case.

hmm... interesting. what if i marked the rear driveshaft before i start and then get it lined up before i try to engage the t-case? also, if i put the t-case back in 2wd with the engine off, it wouldnt be so bad

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:17 pm

after its on the dolly with the front wheels tied down

start engine and shift transmission into neutral
place transfer case in neutral
shift transmission into park
turn off key and leave in unlocked "off" position

tow away

tom

1300ZUK · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:10 pm

better yet, remove rear driveshaft flange bolts and secure the rear driveshaft up and out of the way,

then tow away :wink:

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:15 pm

1300ZUK wrote:

better yet, remove rear driveshaft flange bolts and secure the rear driveshaft up and out of the way,

then tow away :wink:

true , true then would not have to worry about a thing

jason thompson · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:17 am

1300ZUK wrote:

better yet, remove rear driveshaft flange bolts and secure the rear driveshaft up and out of the way,

then tow away :wink:

X2 Easy and sure thing

Uffe · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:01 am

2006KJSPORT4x4 wrote:

My thinking is, if it were mine, which I am in 2WD all the time unless on the trail, why move the transfer case out of 2WD?? Just put the front wheels on the dolly and put the tranny in Park and be done. If your a 4WD all the time rig then a flat tow would be my guess or if you need it on the dolly just remove the front driveshaft so then only the rear wheels spinning will effect the t-case. There are 12 long loct-tited bolts that hold the front drive shaft in place; 6 on the t-case side and 6 on the diff side. They are 8mm sized bolts if I recall correctly when I had to remove them myself when my front diff cracked on me in the field...

Putting the tranny in Park and towing the rear wheels you'll smash that tranny in no time. The internal locker will try to keep your rear wheels still while the ground is moving below it. Man that would completely break the park position in the tranny!

Another thing ... how did you break your front diff and what did it cost to replace?

I'm hearing this is a common failure, I'm getting slightly worried here

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:25 am

Putting the tranny in Park and towing the rear wheels you'll smash that tranny in no time. The internal locker will try to keep your rear wheels still while the ground is moving below it. Man that would completely break the park position in the tranny!

will not smash the transmission as you have the transfer case in neutral, now if it was only a two wheel drive then yes it would. Read post about his breakage in the MIdwest LOST section

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:43 am

tommudd wrote:

1300ZUK wrote:

better yet, remove rear driveshaft flange bolts and secure the rear driveshaft up and out of the way,

then tow away :wink:

true , true then would not have to worry about a thing

Forgive my unknowledge with the rear ds on the liberty,but with it unbolted from the differential will it not slip out of the transfercase? Or is there no slip yoke? Again, just for my knowledge...

Uffe · **Posted:** Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:09 pm

tommudd wrote:

will not smash the transmission as you have the transfer case in neutral, now if it was only a two wheel drive then yes it would. Read post about his breakage in the MIdwest LOST section

You got him wrong, he mentions nothing of changing the transfer into neutral, he actually says he wants to keep it in 2wd position and going into park on the transmission. That is a cocktail of destruction.

towing with a tow dolly?

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