Towing a Four Wheel Drive Toad

[Fredward]

I've found various threads here on toads. What are you doing when you tow your 4WD toad? I purposely bought a toad with manual transfer case and automatic transmission. I believe that the proper approach is to put the transfer case in neutral and leave the tranny in Park. I have pulled the vehicle (2002 Nissan Pathfinder) with the transmission in Park and in Neutral. Both seem to work. I think that Park is better because the transmission doesn't spin at all then?

If you've been towing a 4WD, how have you been doing it? I don't think a driveline disconnect kit would help as the front wheels are always connected to the transfer case.

Fred

[JackConrad]

If you've been towing a 4WD, how have you been doing it? I don't think a driveline disconnect kit would help as the front wheels are always connected to the transfer case.
Fred

Fred,
  That is the way we tow our Jeep Grand Cherokee (transfer case in neutral & transmission in park) as per our owners manual.  MAKE SURE STEERING COLUMN IS NOT IN LOCKED POSITION!!!   Jack

[MacGyver]

Uh, yeah...  What Jack said!

I found it both disturbing, and amusing, to have come across a couple of guys towing their car on the way back from FL with my bus...

He couldn't figure out why the car kept peeking at him from behind the motorhome he'd just bought...  I asked a few basic questions, and he told me pretty quick (and without hesitation) that he locked the steering wheel...

I asked how he thought the car was going to track his motorhome's directionality if it couldn't turn its own wheels...  He thought about it a moment and promptly unlocked the steering wheel and disconnected the battery...  It didn't help that his tow bar was bent, but it didn't appear cracked at the bend and the weld lines looked OK...  I told him he'd be better off getting another tow bar...  He said he would 'eventually'...  What can ya do?

Nice guys though...  We sat around and BS'd about the bus for a bit...  He couldn't believe the price I picked it up for and by the time we got done talking and I got done showing him around the bus...  He wished he'd bought a bus... especially after I told him how S&S vs. buses do in rollovers and crashes...  But, alas, he'd already spent everything he had on the S&S.

I didn't get his info, but I imagine he's saving up for a bus conversion.  ^.^

Ya meet all kinds of people on trips, usually it's great socialization.. 

-Mac

[Nusa]

The exact answer may vary some depending on the vehicle and transmission/transfer case setup. However, this is one area the owners manual nearly always covers, assuming it's ready-to-tow from the factory.

[cody]

The owners manual should have it listed under 'recreational towing'.

[NewbeeMC9]

Fredward,

Is there a issue that you are having? 

If you have Transfer case in neutral,  then transmission wont spin from pulling regardless of the gear that it is in.

Do what the book says!


Also in "N",  you shouldn't be able to lock the steering wheel accidentally.

[TomC]

Even thought the transfer case is in neutral, there is the chance that the spinning gears in the transfer case will still spin the input shaft from the transmission in left in neutral.  While the shaft may only turn at a slow rate-during a drive-that could still mean the shaft turning several thousand times without the oil pressure from the engine running.  So unless the owners manual says so, always put the transmission in park, with the transfer case in neutral.  Good Luck, TomC

[gumpy]

We have the electronic transfer kit in our explorers. They shift the transfer case to neutral, but to do that, the transmission must be in neutral, and it stays in neutral. The advantage here is that when the transmission is in neutral, the key cannot be turned into the lock position, so the steering remains unlocked. No chance of forgetting to unlock the wheel if you properly engage the neutral transfer kit, and there's an LED indicator to tell you when it's engaged. Very simple.

Bottom line. I would leave the transmission in neutral. If the transfer case gets shifted out of neutral while being towed (yes, it can happen), you will do less damage if the transmission is in neutral, than if it is in park.

[Don Fairchild]

I have a 03 Chevy 3500 4 by I tow and the manual says to leave it in park with the key in the off position, when I do this the wheel lock is disabled. I have towed it through out the midwest and the west. The only trouble I have had is people think the tow lights are for looks only and have run into the back of it. I changed the lights to led's and it didn't help they still run into the back so I leave the trailer ball in the receiver in the back. Really does a job on the hoods of the cars that run up under it.

Don

[Busted Knuckle]

I have a 03 Chevy 3500 4 by I tow and the manual says to leave it in park with the key in the off position, when I do this the wheel lock is disabled. I have towed it through out the midwest and the west. The only trouble I have had is people think the tow lights are for looks only and have run into the back of it. I changed the lights to led's and it didn't help they still run into the back so I leave the trailer ball in the receiver in the back. Really does a job on the hoods of the cars that run up under it.

Don

And here I thought that it only got back over by Dina's when parked! LOL!
  BK 

[Dallas]

Twice 

I have a 03 Chevy 3500 4 by I tow and the manual says to leave it in park with the key in the off position, when I do this the wheel lock is disabled. I have towed it through out the midwest and the west. The only trouble I have had is people think the tow lights are for looks only and have run into the back of it. I changed the lights to led's and it didn't help they still run into the back so I leave the trailer ball in the receiver in the back. Really does a job on the hoods of the cars that run up under it.

Don

And here I thought that it only got back over by Dina's when parked! LOL!
  BK 

[Don Fairchild]

A girl in baton-Rouge ran up under the ball with a Pontiac and cut up the hood before wolf had a double shot at it. I also had a girl try to center punch it in ten. on the way up to your place Bryce. Go figure, a big ol bus and a one ton truck in tow and it can't be seen.

I also had a guy in MO. run into the back of it after I left your place.

I have never had it run into in AZ NM Texas or Okla.  (yet)

Well see what happens on my way back there the last week of Sept.

Don

[Lin]

Don,

People do not have to know how to drive to get a license in Louisiana.  I lived there for 11 years and was absolutely amazed.  When I first moved there from the LA area, my insurance rates went up.  When I questioned the agent about that, he just said, "Haven't you noticed how people drive here?"  I had a friend that went to for road test having never driven before and passed.  Maybe there was a bribe involved.  Anyway, he then moved up to NYC, got I job as a cab driver, and learned as he went along.

Anyway, what color is the truck?  There may be an issue regarding contrast causing depth perception problems.  Hang an American flag over the back and see if anyone dares to hit it.

[kyle4501]

Not all 4x4s can be flat towed, & of those that can, some must have the transmission in park & some must be in neutral.

It all depends on how the lube is circulated in the transmissions/ transfer cases. The transfer cases that are safe to tow have an output shaft driven oil pump.

I'd always leave the automatic transmission in park unless the owners manual stated otherwise, since all the automatics I am familiar with have the oil pump driven off the input shaft.

The more you run the gears together without oil on 'em, the sooner they wear out.


YMMV

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Fred,

I leave the bus in nutral and keep the Hummer in gear so I can push..

Seriously, Just do as your owners manual states. I electronicly shift the transfer case into nutral and then put the trans in park.

I think the Hummer might be able to push if it had to. Lol

Nick-