Towing my CJ-7 across country

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Anthony T - 01 Jun 2007 02:34 GMT

I am towing my 1986 Jeep CJ-7 on a U-Haul tow dolly (front wheels off the
ground, rear wheels on the ground) I think I have a T-176 manual tranny.
Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put the tranny in
nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

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L.W. (Bill) Hughes III - 01 Jun 2007 05:48 GMT

Hi Anthony,
You could get by with idling it in gear, transfer in neutral every fifty
miles to lube out put bearing, but removing the driveshaft sounds like a
better idea, seeing you have a Real Jeep, that won't leak if you do.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:LWHughes3rd@aol.com http://www.billhughes.com/

> I am towing my 1986 Jeep CJ-7 on a U-Haul tow dolly (front wheels off the
> ground, rear wheels on the ground) I think I have a T-176 manual tranny.
> Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put the tranny in
> nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

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Mike Romain - 01 Jun 2007 14:34 GMT

> I am towing my 1986 Jeep CJ-7 on a U-Haul tow dolly (front wheels off
> the ground, rear wheels on the ground) I think I have a T-176 manual
> tranny. Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put
> the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

As others have mentioned, unhooking the driveshaft at the rear end is
the best.

I have a T-5 and D300 T-case in my 86, but no matter, the owners manual
says you can flat tow an 86 in gear with the T-case in neutral for 200
miles. You then need to stop and run the engine with the transmission
still in gear and the t-case still in neutral to lube up the t-case
bearings.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

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Jeff Strickland - 01 Jun 2007 16:37 GMT

You should disconnect the driveshaft at the rear diff and suspend it with
some rope or bungee cords.

Obviously, you want to secure the the shaft so it will not fall out, but it
is okay to leave it connected to the tcase.

The problem you have with leaving it connected is that you have to stop
periodically and allow the motor to run so that the tcase spins and throws
oil onto the Output Shaft Bearing. This bearing will dry out and suffer
damage, but you can avoid all the fuss by disconnecting the driveshaft.

And, you do not want the tranny in Neutal, you want the tcase in Neutral.
The tranny should remain engaged in 1st or Reverse.

>I am towing my 1986 Jeep CJ-7 on a U-Haul tow dolly (front wheels off the
>ground, rear wheels on the ground) I think I have a T-176 manual tranny.
>Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put the tranny
>in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

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Anthony T - 02 Jun 2007 17:39 GMT

Thanks folks.
Just out of curiousity; If I were to leave the drive shaft connected and
leave the tranny in gear and the transfer case in nuetral, why do I need to
start the engine every couple hundred miles? It seems to me if the drive
shaft is spinning, so are the gears inside the transfer case and Tranny. I
dont get it.

> You should disconnect the driveshaft at the rear diff and suspend it with
> some rope or bungee cords.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>>Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put the tranny
>>in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

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Mike Romain - 02 Jun 2007 17:59 GMT

The t-case gets lubed from the input shaft from the transmission spinning.

When the t-case is in neutral, only the output shaft to the rear spins
as you tow, the rest and the transmission stay still which is the idea.
Spinning the driveshaft only will lead to a dry tailshaft bearing.

It is only 4 small bolts to remove the rear of the driveshaft, then you
can tie it up to the frame with a bunjy or coat hanger. It will 'not'
fall out, it has a u-joint and a fixed yoke at the t-case. I recommend
duct taping the bearing caps in place on the u-joint though.

Some newer ones will fall out when the back u-joint is unhooked.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

> Thanks folks.
> Just out of curiousity; If I were to leave the drive shaft connected and
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>>> put the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be
>>> helpful. Thanks

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Anthony T - 02 Jun 2007 20:52 GMT

Thanks Mike.

> The t-case gets lubed from the input shaft from the transmission spinning.
>
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>>>> the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful.
>>>> Thanks

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Jeff Strickland - 02 Jun 2007 21:22 GMT

The drive shaft will not physically fall off and get lost along the highway,
but it can drag on the ground if it isn't secured well.

> Thanks Mike.
>
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
>>>>> the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful.
>>>>> Thanks

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Jeff Strickland - 02 Jun 2007 21:20 GMT

> Thanks folks.
> Just out of curiousity; If I were to leave the drive shaft connected and
> leave the tranny in gear and the transfer case in nuetral, why do I need
> to start the engine every couple hundred miles? It seems to me if the
> drive shaft is spinning, so are the gears inside the transfer case and
> Tranny. I

Because the output shaft of the tcase is above the oil level, so it spins
dry unless the transmission is providing input -- which it isn't doing while
being towed on a dolly. When the tcase is set to N, the output shaft is
disconnected right where it enters the tcase from the rear end. The tcase
internals are at rest in this condition, causing the bearing on the output
shaft to be dry.

The Front Driveshaft is below the oil level, so one could surmise that if
the front hubs were locked and the Jeep was being flat-towed, then the front
tires would drive the front driveshaft which would drive the internals of
the tcase which would throw oil onto the output shaft connected to the rear
wheels, and thereby keep the bearing we are worried about bathed in oil.
But, you are using a tow dolly, so this doesn't apply to you.

> dont get it.
>> You should disconnect the driveshaft at the rear diff and suspend it with
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>>>Do I need to disconnect the rear drive-shaft or can I just put the tranny
>>>in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks

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Anthony T - 03 Jun 2007 16:34 GMT

Thanks Jeff, et. al. Looks like I will disconnect rear shaft.

Trip is from Seattle to San Antonio (approx 2300 miles)
Towing my Jeep on a U-Haull dolly behind a Jeep Grand Cherokee. With gas at
$3.00 + a gallon, it will make for a pricey trip. Oh well.

>> Thanks folks.
>> Just out of curiousity; If I were to leave the drive shaft connected and
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
>>>>the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful.
>>>>Thanks

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Jeff Strickland - 03 Jun 2007 17:59 GMT

You're welcome. Drive safe ...

I don't know the difference in price between the dolloy and a trailer, but I
think I'd be more comfortable with the trailer. For one thing, the dolly is
a royal bitch to back up, indeed I think it is impossible because it will
jack knife. When I was dragging my Jeep to the desert, I flat towed, and on
the few occasions I needed to back up, I had to have my daugher hold the
steering wheel straight, and even then I could only back up a couple of
feet, just enough to give room in front of the mo'home to clear whatever was
there. The dolly has a pivot point that will make the unit jack knife even
if you have somebody to hold the steering wheel for you.

I don't know if the trailer would be a cheaper pull in terms of rolling
resistance and that sort of thing ...

Anyhow, have a nice drive and keep the greasy side down.

> Thanks Jeff, et. al. Looks like I will disconnect rear shaft.
>
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
>>>>>the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will be helpful.
>>>>>Thanks

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twaldron - 04 Jun 2007 07:19 GMT

The biggest benefit to a real trailer would be trailer brakes.

tw

> You're welcome. Drive safe ...
>
[quoted text clipped - 64 lines]
>>>>>> I just put the tranny in nuetral and tow it. Any suggestions will
>>>>>> be helpful. Thanks

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