Flatt Towing with one of these ? (1 Viewer)

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Razor

Razor

Joined
Sep 27, 2003
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Location
Berthoud Colorado
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www.w2m.com
bought a cruiser equipped with this tow bar attached...what is the proceedure with towing it.....do I need to take out the drive shafts ? tie the steering wheel or simply hook it up, stick the transfer in nuetral etc.....

thanks for your help, we are going camping and I would love to drag the cruiser along.... :D

sky6.jpg
 
Put the front hubs in "free", drop the rear driveshaft, put everything in neutral and hang on. I tried to flat tow with a '99 Taco and didn't make it around the block. My '96 4Runner was a little better but still gopt pushed around by the 40. My 80 worked best but it's still not like towing on a trailer.
 
Make sure your front alignment is good and your TREs are in good shape. Otherwise, your 40 may go in a direction all it's own. Try to avoid sharp turns. Plan your stops far in advance. Don't forget the trailer lights and safety chains. Good luck.
 
Flat towed mine (altho short distances, say 50 miles) quite a bit with a 1/2 PU with no problems. Didn't even disconnect the shafts. Did have to watch the turning bit.
 
I have a similar setup. The PO used to tow it all over the place. I don't do anything extra, just hook it up, put it in neutral, attach the safety chains and go. It tows great. Having a bigger pickup would probably be ideal, but I tow mine around with a Cherokee (I know, its sacralidge). :D
 
I hooked up a tow bar on the front of a '78 FJ40 I had years ago after I had sheared off the drive shaft. I was being towed by a full size Bronco back to the garage and it was a nightmare. The 40 was pushing and pulling the Ford all over the place and eventually it pushed the Ford sideways and almost rolled it. Off came the tow bar and on went the tow chain. Scary.
 
I would maybe tie the steering wheel. Kinda like towing a trailer, there wheels don't turn left to right so that would help prevent that swirving side to side motion. Or atleast that is my theory. Nice lookin 40 by the way.
 
CruisinTiger said:
I would maybe tie the steering wheel. Kinda like towing a trailer, there wheels don't turn left to right so that would help prevent that swirving side to side motion. Or atleast that is my theory. Nice lookin 40 by the way.
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You can't secure the steering. The wheels need to turn to follow the tow vehicle in a turn. Flat towing a 40 is not much of a problem, until you start to turn. Softer road surfaces sometimes make the 40 wheels turn the opposite way in a turn.

Best to get a trailer or a tow dolly. Avoid extreme turns and evasive maneuvers.
 
I was going to buy one of those for my 74 FJ40 and decided against it. The roads going to the hunting area in Eastern Oregon are twisty-turny -hilly. I don't want to get shoved off an embankment. If it were all highway I would probably do it. I have a full-sized Chevy truck to tow it with and I've opted to rent a drive-on trailer this year until I can buy my own trailer. I don't want to flip and crash and regret not spending the money to be safe.
 
hook it up , nuetral and go, the wheels will do there own thing and be fine.
 
If I have a 40 that won't "follow", I use a rubber bungee tied to each side of the bottom of the steering wheel, then to the seat mount on either side...you don't want it to be real tight, just snug, so the wheel can move. Haven't had any problem using this method.
 
camcruiser13 said:
hook it up , nuetral and go, the wheels will do there own thing and be fine.
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Yep, most of the problems with a cruiser wandering are caused by improper caster. That cruiser has stock shackles in the front. You should be golden. I have flat towed my 40 all over the western US. I have never pulled the rear DS. Run it in 2WD and neutral.. Ore remove the shifter gate to get 2WD neutral.


do not put it in 4WD neutral.
 
What's the purpose of 4WD neutral on the TC?
 
still want this rig....its getting more expensive every day.....Ha ha

ordered up a bakini top and full TUFF DUCK Cover set.., its in the shop today getting a new water pump/belts....new Manifold gaskets..

Yesterday, got a new complete axhaust....

Got a quote on the Full Body Resto.... :eek: :eek:

Better Hurry !!!!





MDH33 said:
What's the purpose of 4WD neutral on the TC?
Click to expand...
 
I've bought and flat towed cruisers from all over the west coast back to AZ. Towed my FJ45LPB back from northern California behind my FJ62 no problem. Pull the rear drive line on long tows, the rest of the time I make sure the transfer case is netural. I check the rear axle gear oil and the front wheel bearings. While towing I just check the hubs and rear third member to make sure they are not running hot every time I stop. Last five years I've towed with 4WD Tundra. Doesn't really handle better than the FJ62 just more power. Still towed with the cruiser if running thru snow and ice until we got a 04 4Runner, towing on icey roads with a pickup with a light tailend and a trailer with no tongue weight is accident waiting to happen.

John
 
Razor said:
still want this rig....its getting more expensive every day.....Ha ha

ordered up a bakini top and full TUFF DUCK Cover set.., its in the shop today getting a new water pump/belts....new Manifold gaskets..

Yesterday, got a new complete axhaust....

Got a quote on the Full Body Resto.... :eek: :eek:

Better Hurry !!!!
Click to expand...

Sounds like it's going to be a pretty nice rig when it's all set up. I would have built it up the same way you're describing but keep the hard top of course and maybe a bikini top for the really nice days. I think it's probably not in my price range any more with all the work done to it. I hope I can find a nice clean like you did and do the work myself. Save some money and have fun doing it. What did you decide for a lift and rubber?
 
OME...SUA....w/ 33x10.5 MUD.

about that flatt towing....sure seems to be mixed feelings on the issue..hmmmmmm
 
Last edited:
Wish that '74 was mine

mine had 35's under it when it was pushing around the Bronco, so maybe it won't be so unruly with your stock set-up. On a personal note, in the event you had sold it to me, I was thinking that front end tow bar would make an excellent anchor and the mounts might work well for a high lift jack hook-up. :)
 
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