Towing without trailer?

[Scoop]

Theoretically, if the front end was high enough so the rear bearing was bathed in oil, you wouldn't need to disconnect the driveshaft. From ztoolman44's response, it sounds like it doesn't get it high enough.

I am not doubting what ztoolman44 said but I gotta think that his output shaft was about to go anyway. I don't think a single 100 mile trip would hurt a t-case that was in good shape at the start of the trip. I once flat towed a 69 from northern CA to Austin TX (>1500 miles) without disconnecting (before I knew better!) and had no problems. But yes I agree with the advice - disconnect!

 

[67u13]

Flat towing is ine, that is how I got mine home.

 

[telcolineman]

install a warn full float axle kit with hubs and you can just unlock them and go, Of course thats if you can find a kit. Warn discontinued them. You can find a true FF 9" rear on ebay for around $700 with out a pumpkin

 

[feitctaj]

I have a tow bar that I used to use to flat tow mine you want it come and get it. It is Setup for my 68, hell I'll even cut the ears off my front bumper to match the Tow bar.
It was a stupid way to transport an Eb. I did a few times and bought a trailer. Hell the risk of a short dancing rig on your donkey , is not worth it.I pull trailers for a living and it is not safe.Of course 120,000 miles a year might not give me the right to give such a negative opinion.
I am gonna toss the bar as soon as I make another steel run.

 

[Case]

I had my Bronco towed a short distance (in town) and the truck driver put the dollies on and charged me extra for it. Are dollies required even for short towing?

i think you are talking about a different dollie. the one that you are talking about it think is the kind that has 4 small wheels and lifts the rear wheels off the ground when being towed behind a tow truck.
the kind that others are talking about http://www.mastertow.com/tow_dollies.html
you can get brakes on a flat towed vehicle, they make a device that applies the towed vehicle brakes when needed. they are expensive though. http://store.generalrv.com/pc-1470-191-brakebuddy-the-classic.aspx

 

[pinenuts]

In most states it would be illegal to tow a truck as heavy as a Bronco with out brakes on the towed vehicle. For good reason too. If you have to brake hard in a turn, the towed vehicle will try to push the towing vehicle's rear wheels off to the side.

 

[Buckin'77]

Hey Slick take it easy! I searchd for a F250 but had no luck in the time frame I am working in. Believe me I prefer Ford over Chevy but it is going to be a work truck so its going to get beat up.

Uhaul quoted me 350.00 one way to Charlotte NC. They said that area was high right now.?

 

[Socal Tom]

I learned the hard wahttp://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/imagesCB/editor/separator.gif
http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/imagesCB/editor/separator.gify a few years ago that you must disconnect the rear driveshaft. Put my bronc on a dolly, put everything in neutral and went about 100 miles before the t-case seized up, rear axle stopped turning and went into a skid. Fortunately I was able to pull off the road safetly. The t-case was so hot the carpet was smoldering. In short, undo the drive shaft. It takes 5 minutes.

I've towed my hundreds of miles and never pulled the D/S. The official ford recommendation is to pull the rear D/S to tow, however If you lock the front hubs and put the Transfer case in nuetral, and put the tranny in gear ( or park for an autotranny) the gears in the transfercase will spin providing oil for the rear output bearing.

The auto needs to be in park other wise it will spin from the little bit of friction that passes through and destroy the auto.


Before I figured out the lock the front hubs trick I pulled it without locking them for multiple trips of 150 miles plus without a problem. If your T/C siezed you had some other problem in there besides the towing issue.
Tom

 

[72Sport]

I don't doubt that you tow long distances without disconnnecting the rear driveshaft. Locking the hubs is only wearing out your front end drive components and keeping your front differential oil warm. The front drive slider is what gets the oil to the top of the case. The slider gear spins freely on the front input shaft when the case is in neutral. The slider may turn but if it does you must have a galled front output put shaft and it should be very difficult to shift.

When I first got my Bronco I towed it everywhere with the driveshaft on with the case in the neutral position only because the friends that got me involved with Broncos said they had done it since 1972 and 1973 with no problems. Since that time I have modified my case and have the rear bearings oiled whenever the rear wheels turn whether towed or otherwise as long as the driveshaft is on and it is moving.

During my messing with the transfer case I decided that one cause of the burned up cases is packing the 13 needle bearings with some nice stringy wheel bearing grease and plugging up the 3 little holes in the back of the rear output shaft. Most of the oil to the rear output bearings passes through the three little holes. If you work on your case and drive it a few miles at low speed you will burn up the output bearings when you flat tow because very little if any oil is getting to the output bearings because of the plugged up oil passages.

The source of oil for the rear bearings is either the oil that is trapped between the two bearings in the output housing from when you last drove it or the oil that is splashed when are driving it. No matter what you turn from the outside of the case it does nothing to oil the inside when the case is in neutral on a stock case.

There was a lot more testosterone on this site when I asked about flat towing with the driveshaft on several years ago. I was ponced on in short order. I bought a used case and set it up on the bench with a plexiglass window and spent hours of experimenting with a drill motor turning the output shaft. One of my conclusions was that oiling of a Dana a low speed is very poor.

 

[Socal Tom]

I don't doubt that you tow long distances without disconnnecting the rear driveshaft. Locking the hubs is only wearing out your front end drive components and keeping your front differential oil warm. The front drive slider is what gets the oil to the top of the case. The slider gear spins freely on the front input shaft when the case is in neutral. The slider may turn but if it does you must have a galled front output put shaft and it should be very difficult to shift.

I was going to , rebut your comments but upon further review I think you are right The front gear should be free running so locking the fronts shouldn't matter
Tom

 

[ztoolman44]

When I burned up the t-case I was bringing the bronco home after purchasing it. It ran OK, everything seemed to work. I didn't bother to check the fluid level before leaving so I am not sure whether there was sufficient fluid to keep everything cool. By the time I pulled over what was left of the fluid was black as hell, hot and stinky. I don't doubt that others have hauled their trucks this way for millions of miles with no problem but I can tell you for sure that I will always disconnect the rear shaft on mine from now on. Like I said before, only takes 5 minutes. Even better, I'll put it on the trailer.