Towing a 60?

[doug720]

I have 1985 FJ60 that I tow behind my motor home many times each year. I have done this for many years by using a tow bar with all 4 wheels on the ground turning.


The 5 spd trans is in neutral and the transfer is in 2H (High). I was told by SOR and Man-A-Fre this is the way to set up the Trans/Transfer so everything gets the oil moving to keep the bearings lubed. I normally drive no more than 2-300 miles max before driving the cruiser. No problems so far.

My only concern is that the ODO continues to turn when towing when the transfer is in 2H, but would stop if it was in neutral. What do you guy's think about this?

My other question is how the 60 tracks behind the motor home. Everything is great in a straight line and doing gentle turns. But i have problems in close, sharp turn, especialy if a dip or bump is part of the turn...like going into a gas station!

When we do sharp turns the front wheels of the 60 sometimes turn opposite of the direction of the turn. Not Good! The motor home has a back up camera so I can watch it. Many times, my wife just gets in the LC and steers for gas stations etc.

The key is on Acc. so the wheel is free, but it still happens sometimes.

Any idea's? I know the motor home has a long overhang, but it still happens when I tow it with my Ford E350 van.

The LC drives well with no obviuos steering issues.


Any input appreciated as vacation time is coming soon.


Thanks


Doug

 

[doug720]

Does nobody tow their LC's?


Doug

 

[REKCUT]

Tow mine on a flatbed trailer. Seems to follow me just fine.

 

[klinetime574]

You could disconnect the speedo/ odometer cable from the transfercase, just zip-tie it up so it does not drag on the pavement. Might want to see if oil could come out of that first because I am unsure of this.

Or just take off the rear driveshaft if you aren't going to use it for awhile. With the T-case in 2HI the front driveshaft is free so that means the rear driveshaft is the one that turns the odometer.

Just some thoughts I had! Happy Cruisin!

 

[Michael Hanson]

I would not tow it this way,or any 4 wheel drive. 2 cents MIke

 

[High Desert]

Never heard of not putting the transfer case into neutral when flat towing a rig that has a transfer case. I've towed everything from Heeps, Honda, Suzuki, fj40s, fj62, and fj60. Guys on this forum are always saying "don't do it". If you do it right it does no harm, runs the mileage up and puts wear on the drive train but if you wanna take it with you and you can't trailer..flat tow it. It's just a 4K lb "trailer" 40s have been towed all over the country since everyone figured out how uncomfortable they were on long trips, if folks had a pickup to tow the 40, then towed it was (and still is) You don't see many "Hunting rigs" down in Texas that don't have a tow bar on them, heep, Cruiser, what ever...

 

[doug720]

Thanks for the reply's. The trailer is not an option for us, the 60 + a trailer would be over the m/home hitch rating of 8k lbs.

I tried the odo cable...it leaks.

Been towing my 60 and my old 40 this way for many miles.

The transfer case in 2H is the only way to tow. I searched some old posts and found one that JimC posted to. He showed a way to see how what happens in 2H - only rear end and driveshaft turns. But in transfer case neutral - it locks and causes both drive shafts to turn when the rear turns.

I also found a thread about caster and towing. I'm going to check this out too.


Thanks for the info.


Doug

 

[Mark W]

putting the Tcase in neutral will not stop the odometer from turning.

Running with the Tcase in neutral will still lube everything that needs to be lubed.

It takes very little to remove the shift gate off the side of the tranny (for the transfercase selector) so that you can engage neutral in the Tcase without being in 4WD.

But there is no reason not to leave the Tcase in 2H either.

The wheels trying to turn opposite directions in a tight turn is just the nature of the beast when flat towing this way.

Your camber is non-alterable.


Mark...

 

[kling-on]

when I towed mine I did trans in gear tcase neutral still clocked miles only did it once and I got a trailer cause it was scary but I had lifted shackels and that make em bounce back and forth cause casters fawked

 

[doug720]

Thanks again...Great information...as usual from Mudder's!


Doug

 

[lehiguy]

You're doing it the right way. It could go a million miles like that with no adverse effects other than the miles clocking up.

 

[wngrog]

What I did on my Cruiser when I flat towed it was I ran a bungee cord from the bottom of the steering wheel to the brake pedal pretty tight.

That way the wheel can move some, but cannot oversteer in sharp turns. You don't need much steering wheel play to make it track in turns.

As for the speedo cable, I would unscrew it, and then stick something in the hole like plastic foam and then duct tape it shut. It will seep a little but it won't leak badly.

 

[ntsqd]

Or just pop the rear drive shaft loose at the rear differential and wire it up out of the way.

I used to flat tow a 'glass buggy a lot. 400 mile round trips were common and a couple were twice that. On the longer trips I used to remove the 12 outer CV bolts, bag the CV's in a baggie, and safety wire tie them up out of the way.

Sharp turns were a pain. With the buggy I could usually just pull through it and the wheel would straighten out. Not enough weight on the front (2 guys could lift it off the ground) to do much damage. Wouldn't try that with a 60. Once in a great while I'd have to go back there and turn the wheel straight.

Backing up ALWAYS required someone steering the buggy. Had a woman once who insisted that I back up when I was solo. She wasn't hearing what I was telling her. A coke from the mini-mart started sounding real good. I locked up and walked away.

 

[sirenmoses]

... ran a bungee cord from the bottom of the steering wheel to the brake pedal pretty tight.

That way the wheel can move some, but cannot oversteer in sharp turns. You don't need much steering wheel play to make it track in turns....

That's what I did when (2 wheel dolly) towing my mazda p-up to the shop. W/out the bungee.... not a pretty sight.

5spd tranny??? Lucky you!

 

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

Drop the drive-shaft. It comes out and back in easy.

I like the bungee idea!


Butt