Towing Question

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 28, 2010 11:44 pm

Good luck on your journey,and definately want to stay out of 4WD unless you need it.

geordi wrote:

That is funny stuff - So lots of other people use the VW Beetle trick to get past the U-haul computer too? hehehehhehehehhe And here I thought I was a smart cookie.

You're no dumb newton,I'll tell ya that. :mrgreen:

coldkj · **Posted:** Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:15 am

An update....I disconnected the drive shaft from the rear axle of the Scout, weighed the whole combo on a truck scale and recorded a total GVR of 10400 lbs. And with that, I took off.

First day up past the Matanuska glacier through Tok and into Yukon Territory to spend the night just across the border at Beaver Creek. Nice, easy day except lots of wind.

Second day, more wind. Beautiful, clear fall day (will post pics of Kluane Lake). Drove through YT and had dinner in Watson Lake. Fuel consumption right at 20mpg, with strong head wind going about 55 to 60mph most of the day.

After dinner decided to push on a little bit and spend the night at Liard River Hotsprings in British Columbia. About thirty miles outside of Liad River, began to smell an unusual odor, intermittently, a little like burnt onions (know where this is going?). About five miles from Liard, transmission shifts out of OD and stays out. I coast downhill the last little bit to Liard, check under the hood (as I did each time I emptied one of the 15 5 gal diesel plastic jerry cans I took with me). This time, transmission fluid every where, no forward motion. Put up the roof tent at 2300 and slept for a few hours, as there is nothing there. Next am awoke before dawn at 0500. Tranny fluid on the ground, no forward motion, transmission dipstick dry.

doo doo.

Hitched ride to Ft Nelson with sympathetic fellow Alaskan, secured a tow for Jeep and Scout to Ft Nelson (thank you USAA towing insurance). Spent the night in Ft Nelson, then next day towed to Ft St John, BC.

Leave Jeep in Ft St John at closest Chrysler dealer to breakdown, rent UHaul and tow Scout and take dog to Idaho.

Chrsyler dealer calls, says transmission cooler return line "rubbed through" causing catastrophic failure, you need new tranny, we can do the job in ten days for CAD 5700!

coldkj · **Posted:** Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:21 am

So I fly back to Ft St John, rent another UHaul with auto transporter, and am on my way to Boise. I can get the same transmission in Boise for about 2800 USD.

The math re taking the Jeep to Boise for repair is easy.

Here's where I need help. The Jeep went into a Chrysler dealer in July (in Anchorage) for a chirping noise I could hear intermittently and they replaced the front belt. No change in noise. "We didn't find anything else wrong with your vehicle" say Chrysler. The pulley that eroded the transmission line was probably the source of the noise, and they repositioned the pulley against the line in July. How do I effectively make this case so that Chrysler will pay for the transmission?

Rixram · **Posted:** Fri Oct 08, 2010 9:27 am

Joe Romas wrote:

Doc.

Yes he's thinking in the 6500# range. But 6500 with brakes is miles better then 6500# without :dizzy:

I think the KJ is rated for 7000 in Europe. I'm not condoning it but a few have towed trailers in that range with brakes.

Joe

Per Wobbly's post above:

Wobbly wrote:

Considering that the export version of the Liberty diesel, which is called the Cherokee in Europe, has a tongue weight rating of 740# and a tow weight rating of 7400#, and has the same hitch receiver as the US version, this combination seems to be OK for weight.

coldkj · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 1:01 am

So I didn't have any trouble stopping the Jeep/Scout combo. Until I cooked the tranny, that is. Then it stopped too easily.

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