FLAT TOW A 200??? ARE YOU CRAZY??? I AM!

Are you crazy enough?

  • Nope, Your nuts, not possible!

  • I think it could be done but I don't know how?

  • Find the trick, I'm crazy enough to do it once you prove it!

  • Yup, Im the nuttiest and I've done it!

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MattAZ said:
Let's get this out of the way: new member here, first post, shopping for first LC/LX...

@jkilcullen - I do not think you are crazy or perhaps I am equally crazy. I am a new owner of a diesel pusher and am in need of the perfect "toad" (vehicle towed four wheels down) and have decided on a Land Cruiser or LX for my mission. While most owners would buy something on one of the published towing or "dinghy" guides, I want something different. I have read enough success stories of the LC 100 and LX470 being towed for thousands of miles without issue to feel comfortable planning to do the same. A friend of mine and member here gave me many reasons to consider an LC 200 or LX570. I have scoured the Internet for any evidence to support the capability and this seems to be the only instance of someone trying to determine the feasibility of flat towing an LC 200 or LX570. Eager to provide value and not just receive it from this forum I would like to contribute the following:

http://gershon.ucoz.com/TOYOTA/landcruiser200/4x4/m_ch_0093.pdf

The link above shows a JF2A transfer case diagram and describes what happens as it shifts between 4H and 4L. It confirms that there is a neutral position but doesn't provide much more detail on what the transfer case looks like when set to neutral. It does have a cut-away view which may help someone more informed than me determine the lubrication of the components.

Second - I just spoke with Blue Ox. I was able to confirm that they have sold many of the BX3772 base plates (confirming the reference above as being compatible with the LX570) ; however, since the base plate is also compatible with the Toyota Tundra there is no way to determine if the hundreds that have been installed to date are on Tundras and only one on an LX570 which later imploded its transfer case (please don't say it is so). I got excited when she told me that they had sold a lot of them thinking that there were a bunch of anonymous people out there towing their LC 200s or LX570s. That may or may not be the case.

I would like to buy the newest LC/LX I can afford and this would include an older LC 200 or LX570; however, I don't want to buy one only to learn it is not feasible to flat tow compared to the LC 100 and LX470. I don't want to get in a debate on the merits of one series over the other. If I need to find a nice LC 100 or LX470 I will continue my search in that direction. This will be a vehicle that I will own for a long time and tow with me around the country to use for overland expeditions out from our base camp which may include fire roads and mild OHV trails on one end of the spectrum and highway miles at 75MPH on the other end. I also need something that the wife doesn't hate driving or riding in as a passenger. Her daily driver is a nice preowned MB GL450 (she secretly dreams of a G55 as a tow vehicle but the lack of reliability and an incompatible transfer case eliminate it from the possible options).

Please help me be different than the 9 out of 10 diesel pushers seen traversing our highways with a Wrangler in tow.
Click to expand...

Like you, hoping someone else here is in the know. Really want to drag my 200 sometimes but enjoy the 80 so much I haven't really bothered past this thread. Also setup a JK for my most recent trip.... I know shame on me, but I'm in the Keys now and no top or doors is the best down here. If I could "trick" my '13 into neutral I would try it but can't get it to work!
 
I'm bumping this because we are seriously considering upgrading our triple locked and slightly armored 100 to a 200 series LX 570. But we live full time aboard a tour bus, so we definitely need to flat tow the 200 or else we can't buy one. If anyone here has a 2008 that they can attempt to put the transfer case into neutral with the aforementioned instructions, I would love to know.
 
Haven't had time to go beyond this thread myself. Wishing it could happen but 2 out of 3 vehicles towable in my fleet so really can't be complaining.
 
We have successfully flat towed our 100 for probably 50,000 miles or more without any issues. Our truck has over 250,000 miles on it now, and we are interested in an LX 570 to replace our 100 over the next couple of years...it would be a done deal except the flat towing issue. If I knew we could flat tow while in Neutral with the truck idling or install some sort of circulation pump, I'd do that....I've researched the daylights out of this and haven't come up with anything.
IMG_7927.JPG
 
Lol. Thanks :) we converted it ourselves in about 13 weeks. Our second coach conversion in 7 years. We bought it like this:
06BB8EB1-ACFC-46AA-9878-FA06D54354B9.JPG

CB1728B1-45F0-48C0-8CC4-CF3B1B16B3A8.JPG
 
Last edited:
Muddy Bean said:
Lol. Thanks :) we converted it ourselves in about 13 weeks. Our second coach conversion in 7 years.
Click to expand...
Is this a hobby/ business? Did the first one take about the same about of time or turn out as good? Great idea to convert and repurpose the old bus. I'd have no idea where to start if we were to take that kind of project on. Great job!
 
Sort of both. I have music contracts all over the U.S. that require me to be on the road all year. I sing and play the keys for Christian conventions etc. My wife and I realized we were literally never home and always flying or driving somewhere and living out of hotels and just got tired of it. So we bought an old charter bus in 2010 and converted it and lived in it for 5 years. Then we wanted a newer faster bigger coach so we bought the above chassis two years ago and converted it last summer. We have a 21 month old daughter now so the extra space is nice. And it has a 500hp 8v92 in it so it sails through the mountains. Here's a pic of our first bus conversion we sold last year:
0EB07428-20AB-4A1A-9243-4E101051C4FF.JPG


And here's a link to a ton of interior photos of that bus:
https://goo.gl/photos/jrvcJVsNVohxpKdw8

Sorry this thread drifted...op, I'm staying subbed so that we can maybe get someone to experiment sometime soon with their 200 before we jump in.
 
White Stripe said:
Could you use a dolley and disconnect the rear driveshaft only? Then if u need to drive around and don't have time to install driveshaft just engage the center diff lock and drive around with fwd?
Click to expand...

The problem with this is several fold.
First, I hate dollies. I've used them and hate them.
Second i have nowhere to store a dolly at a lot of the places we go.
Flat towing is incredibly easy, simple , and effective and absolutely the only way I'll ever tow.
 
Muddy Bean said:
The problem with this is several fold.
First, I hate dollies. I've used them and hate them.
Second i have nowhere to store a dolly at a lot of the places we go.
Flat towing is incredibly easy, simple , and effective and absolutely the only way I'll ever tow.
Click to expand...
I have one of the beefiest dolleys they make. It handles 6k pounds, can take vehicle up to 82" wide, has brakes, costs about 1500 new, is powdercoated black, and comes with straps for up to 37" tires. As far as storing it, you just roll it in front of your rv with the tongue facing the rv and then drive over the top of it until just the wheels stick out. Takes up about 3' of space when done this way. However when towing my 40 next time I will be using straps on the axles rather than over the tires. Its too hard to get the straps to stretch over BFG Krawlers.
 
They do work. I used one for years but I don't miss it. My current setup is basically two pins pulled, 7 pin light plug pulled and two safety cables removed and I'm free. Easy as pie. Since we are full timers and I travel so much for work, we are constantly hooking and unhooking and I can tell you I would shoot myself if I had to use a dolly every time.
 
Muddy Bean said:
They do work. I used one for years but I don't miss it. My current setup is basically two pins pulled, 7 pin light plug pulled and two safety cables removed and I'm free. Easy as pie. Since we are full timers and I travel so much for work, we are constantly hooking and unhooking and I can tell you I would shoot myself if I had to use a dolly every time.
Click to expand...
That is a simple process. It just sounds pretty risky trying that with a 200.
 
Muddy Bean said:
Sort of both. I have music contracts all over the U.S. that require me to be on the road all year. I sing and play the keys for Christian conventions etc. My wife and I realized we were literally never home and always flying or driving somewhere and living out of hotels and just got tired of it. So we bought an old charter bus in 2010 and converted it and lived in it for 5 years. Then we wanted a newer faster bigger coach so we bought the above chassis two years ago and converted it last summer. We have a 21 month old daughter now so the extra space is nice. And it has a 500hp 8v92 in it so it sails through the mountains. Here's a pic of our first bus conversion we sold last year:
View attachment 1493461

And here's a link to a ton of interior photos of that bus:
https://goo.gl/photos/jrvcJVsNVohxpKdw8

Sorry this thread drifted...op, I'm staying subbed so that we can maybe get someone to experiment sometime soon with their 200 before we jump in.
Click to expand...

No apologies necessary thanks for sharing... this is my current setup... hoping to one day have the 200 back there but realizing it may be in a trailer :/
IMG_20160914_093920525_HDR.jpg
 
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