I have heard differing opinions about whether or not to disconnect the rear DS when towing my 62. The Owners Manual, and the dealer say to, but when I ask other cruiser owners the opinion is almost split 50/50? My question is if you put the tcase in nuetral, doesn't that disconnect the DS completely? If so why disconnect the DS from the rear diff?
Can someone explain this to me...
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Putting the tranfser case in neutral is not really the same as disconnecting the drive shaft. When the drive shaft is disconnected neither the drive shaft nor the transfer case output shaft is spinning. If the front hubs are unlocked, the only thingd that are turning as the truck moves are the front wheel bearings, the rear wheel bearing and the rear differential.
With the transer case in neutral. The drive shaft will be rotating, the u-joints flexing, and the rear output shaft on the transer case will be spinning. With the stock transfer case linkage, the only way to get into neutral is to also have it in 4wd, which means (I think) the front output shaft is locked to spin with the rear output shaft. This means that both diffs (front and rear) and the transfer case input & output shafts would be spinning. You could disconnect the linkage and put the transfer case into neutral without going into 4wd, but the rear output shaft would still be spinning.
With the transer case in neutral. The drive shaft will be rotating, the u-joints flexing, and the rear output shaft on the transer case will be spinning. With the stock transfer case linkage, the only way to get into neutral is to also have it in 4wd, which means (I think) the front output shaft is locked to spin with the rear output shaft. This means that both diffs (front and rear) and the transfer case input & output shafts would be spinning. You could disconnect the linkage and put the transfer case into neutral without going into 4wd, but the rear output shaft would still be spinning.
When the transfer case is in neutral, the rear shaft spins and some stuff in side spins..not the front out put shaft though unless you do not unlock the hubs, then it won't track correctly behind you any way.
I hauled my 62 with it in neutral (transfer that is). Look at the schematic and get someone to explain it to you. No harm in not disconnecting the drive shaft. No harm if you do. Seems I read you were only going 80 miles anyway. Unless going thousands of miles I would not bother discconecting. Neutral is neutral on the 60/62 transfer case.
it only takes 10min to have the piece of mind that if something goes wrong you won't nuke something. and when I say nuke I mean nuke! I didn't pull the shaft on my 40 and ended up getting lucky that I only lost the rear shaft and two big holes punched in the floor. what caused the shaft to let go...i don't know but wish I could have seen it happen.
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On a stock 60 case, neutral is 4WD. Though it is not spinning the transmission, it is spinning the front driveshaft and differential and axleshafts.
If the shift gate is modified, then 2WD Neutral can be accessed.
never heard it put that way. I'm gonna have mine off the ground in a few days I'll give it a spin and see what happens. I don't doubt your knowledge...just wanna see it happen.
I went around and around with all this a few years ago. No one mentioned 4wd neutral..so that is new to me, I always thought neutral meant..neutral. Ended up towing my 62 wheels down transfer in neutral tranny in D (i think?) never had a problem. I've towed CJs fj40s fj 60/62, Cherokees, Suzuki, Honda, never disconnected a drive shaft. YES, i would disconnect if driving for thousands of miles..but I'd drive it up on a trailer before I'd do that. Yeah had a flat or two that's hell too if you burn a tire off the rim
. I'd wager that a drive shaft that breaks being towed was gonna break anyway, I'd also wager if you tow a 24 year old rig over 55mph something will break any way.
tow it
disconnect it
my $0.02 - disconnect the drive shaft. If something in the system fails, it would be a bitcch to wish you had. It take only a few minutes. One note though - mark both sides of the shaft and the u-joints so that you reintall the shaft exactly the same with respect to the diff and t-case u-bolt flanges. I have never completely understood why, but I am told the shaft is balanced or some such and needs to be installed in the same way. I know when the dealer pulls them they mark them as such.
my $0.02 - disconnect the drive shaft. If something in the system fails, it would be a bitcch to wish you had. It take only a few minutes. One note though - mark both sides of the shaft and the u-joints so that you reintall the shaft exactly the same with respect to the diff and t-case u-bolt flanges. I have never completely understood why, but I am told the shaft is balanced or some such and needs to be installed in the same way. I know when the dealer pulls them they mark them as such.
You don't need to have the truck off the ground. I just did the test tonight. With the transfer case in 2wd and the front hubs unlocked, I can spin the front drive shaft by hand. When I put the transfercase in 4WD High, I can not spin the front drive shaft by hand. It is locked to the rear drive shaft and therefore to the rear wheels. When I put the transfer case in neutral, I still can't turn the front drive shaft by hand. I know the truck is in neutral because with the transmission in gear and the e-brake off I can roll the truck back and forth, but with the e-brake on, I can't turn the front drive shaft by hand.
The transfer case has two independent shift forks. One engages 4wd (locks the front output shaft to the rear) and the other engages hi-neutral-low. The shift forks operate independently. With the stock transfer case shift gates when the transfer case is in neutral, it's also in 4wd.
Okay 2mbb..I do live, and I hope, learn. given that amount of movement going on under there..I'd drop the drive shaft..
