Possible Issue Flat Towing LC

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Muddy Bean

Muddy Bean

Breaking something or fixing something
10 Year
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
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62
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1,080
Location
Michigan
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www.scottmichaelbennett.com
I know a very small group of us are actually flat towing our LC behind motorhomes, but I thought I'd reach out to MUD for some help with an issue I can't quite figure out. We've flat towed our 100 for 15,000 miles now without any issues whatsoever. Recently though, I noticed that the power steering reservoir is empty after I flat tow. And now we have a power steering leak somewhere. Once I fill the reservoir, it's fine until I flat tow again. It almost seems as though flat towing the cruiser is causing some sort of pressure build up in the steering system and it's pushing fluid out the seals...maybe this is happening as I tow around turns and the steering system is forced back and forth as the truck follows our bus? Maybe Christo can chime in...I know he flat tows...

Thanks guys
Scott
 
So my brother flat ties his lx maybe 1000 miles a year or more. Have not noticed anything but his rack does leak. Your post has me wondering if flat towing has maybe sped up the rack failure.
 
We run into that when we push rigs around the shop and turn the steering a lot. Causing fluid to puke out of top of reservoir ...racks are not meant for that. Some guys actually bond a nipple on top of reservoir cap and put a hose into another overflow bottle like a radiator. It has worked for my friend for like 10 years flat towing his 80.. similar cap design as you see on Heep Cherokee
 
copper204 said:
We run into that when we push rigs around the shop and turn the steering a lot. Causing fluid to puke out of top of reservoir ...racks are not meant for that. Some guys actually bond a nipple on top of reservoir cap and put a hose into another overflow bottle like a radiator. It has worked for my friend for like 10 years flat towing his 80.. similar cap design as you see on Heep Cherokee
Click to expand...

Nice. This is exactly the response I was looking for. I may just have to do this for our cruiser.

Ok so excuse my ignorance but if I leave the truck idling while towing, would this alleviate the issue? I only seemed to notice the problem when I started leaving the truck turned off. I used to leave it running cause I used the truck lights for extra visibility from behind. But then I got another set of tow lights so now I leave the key in accessory and call it a day.

Sent from my iPhone
 
really you left the cruiser running when you flat towed? I've flat towed different vehicles for 100's of thousands of miles and never heard of leave'n one running... a rack with power steering does push/suck circulate fluid as it is forced to move so I could see where it might puke some out... as it is valved and be pushing against the valve... the catch tank idea would work... look at speedway motors they have several catch tanks we use to use for dry sumps and even breathers for the crankcase... keep us posted on what you find...
 
ponytl said:
really you left the cruiser running when you flat towed? I've flat towed different vehicles for 100's of thousands of miles and never heard of leave'n one running... a rack with power steering does push/suck circulate fluid as it is forced to move so I could see where it might puke some out... as it is valved and be pushing against the valve... the catch tank idea would work... look at speedway motors they have several catch tanks we use to use for dry sumps and even breathers for the crankcase... keep us posted on what you find...
Click to expand...


NO he said "IF". I would never dream of towing a rig idling.. So I do not recommend that at all.
 
Two things, leaving it idling while towing isn't as dumb as it sounds. I can run extra visibility lights without draining the battery, and if indeed it prevents me from messing up my steering seals then it is worth it to me. I was told that the tranny pump circulates fluid too if the vegi is running but I can't verify that as fact or fiction. Our private coach bus is a 24volt system so it doesn't play nice with the trucks 12volt. Someday I'm building a series of relays to handle that but for now, no go


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I didn't say it was dumb... just that I'd never heard of it... most prevost mci eagle vanhool spartan, freightliner coaches that I ever saw had 12v if you have a power port in the coach you have 12v...
we never flat towed a cruiser but about everything we pulled was rack & pinion... except full size pickups with golf carts in the bed... pumping trans fluid with the engine running ? I can see that... the torque converter is still spinning so I would assume fluid is pumping... but not sure there is any benefit vs engine off & the transfer case in neutral which completely decouples the trans where nothing is spinning...
 
I pm'd muddy bean but wanted to post up as well. When I owned a transmission shop we had to push cars around all the time and it was common to puke some fluid out when they weren't running. Personally I don't think it's going to cause any problem but if you left it running then I think it would take care of it but I don't think it's needed. The engine idling is going to turn the power steering pump so you would be just fine but I would rather not have my truck running for hours on end while towing. Once the t-case is put in neutral nothing is engaging the trans so the engine doesn't need to be running for the trans to pump fluid.

I like the idea of making an overlow and/or vented setup. I would first try a cheap route to test and simply use something like an old ozarka water gallon jug or 2 liter bottle as an overflow tank. Toughest thing will be finding cap with a vent tube or buying a new reservoir cap and then drilling out the old one. I would find a plastic fitting that you could RTV to the cap and then clamp on a piece of tubing to run to the tank. Drill another hole in the cap of the old plastic jug and push the tube through.
Along the same lines would be doing the same thing to a vent tube with a breather attached that was wrapped in oil absorbent cloth. Yet, I don't think there is the issue of it needed to be vented due to pressure as its just the fluid being pumped.

Other thoughts are just sucking some of the fluid out of the reservoir before you tow but also trying to limit frequent tight back/forth turns while towing-I know-easier said than done.

Either way update us and if you need help I can see about sourcing some parts to build a setup.
 
lead62 said:
Get a part time 4wd kit from Slee, remove rear drive shaft, put a rag around reservoir.
Click to expand...

?

Ok back to earth, pony i think you're right in that since nothing is connected the Trans pump doesn't need to circulate fluid. I did experiment today going back to towing with it idling and indeed the system doesn't leak and the fluid is at the same level in the reservoir as before. So leaving it running does solve the issue but it is definitely a waste of fuel, wear and tear on the engine, and worst of all, ticks miles onto the odometer that I don't want on there. So, I think I'll leave it off, disconnect the battery (leaving it in acc drains the battery after a long day and evening of towing) and just have a bottle of ps fluid handy for now. As for the 12volt vs 24 dealie just because a coach has a cigarette lighter or 12 volt accessories doesn't mean the charging system and lighting is 12 volt. A ton of coaches are 24volt. That means tail lights, brake lights and turn signals are all 24 volt. Which means I can't easily tie into my land cruisers lighting to enable brake running or turn signal. So I was leaving the truck parking lights on for extra visibility. At some point, I'll be able to use relays to get everything to play nice. Just haven't had time.


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So after towing another 1200 miles with the truck idling I still had fluid loss. So that pretty much convinced me that there is no point to leaving the truck running so I'm going to just keep a bottle of ps fluid handy I guess when I flat tow....which is pretty much all the time. :-/


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I understand that the coach is 24v But if you have 12v anywhere that means there is already a step down transformer in the coach... that transformer is a "12v battery charger"

If you are puking fluid running or not.... and I assume you have no fluid loss in normal driving the input to the rack via the tires is NOT the same input as you get via the steering wheel... the rack actually acts as a "damper" so that you don't feel all the input back through the steering wheel unlike an old worm screw and draglink...
 
I agree with you, there is some sort of different dynamic when steering versus being towed. It's not a big deal I will just carry power steering fluid around with me all the time. As for the 24 V versus 12 V issue, no there is no step down converter. A lot of buses just center tap the batteries to get 12 V to all the lights. And actually the only 12 v in the coach are the headlights. Some coaches do come with battery equalizers that give you 12 V and equally pulls it from the 24 V set of batteries. I know coaches very well, I've owned one for many years I actually own two now. I work on all of them all myself. I've converted the one I have right now myself for the past five years. Trust me there is no easy way to get 12 V signals through the taillights brake lights turn signals to your towed
vehicle. I need to build a series of relays to do this.


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