How to properly tow your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Ranger_b0b said:
Transfer case is in neutral, so the parking pawl (what keeps the thing from moving in part normally) won't actually stop the wheels.
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Interesting. I just assumed if it was in park the transmission wouldn't be lubricated.

So is the OP wrong for stating that an automatic should be in Drive? It should be in Park instead?
 
Chris said:
Interesting. I just assumed if it was in park the transmission wouldn't be lubricated.

So is the OP wrong for stating that an automatic should be in Drive? It should be in Park instead?
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Transmission won't be moving in this case...I don't think. That is weird though, isn't it. Manual in a gear, Auto in Park? They should both be "disconnected" if the Tcase is in neutral...Also interesting is that the section of the owners manual posted earlier is missing any mention of leaving the Manual Transmission in a gear.
 
Ranger_b0b said:
Transmission won't be moving in this case...I don't think. That is weird though, isn't it. Manual in a gear, Auto in Park? They should both be "disconnected" if the Tcase is in neutral...Also interesting is that the section of the owners manual posted earlier is missing any mention of leaving the Manual Transmission in a gear.
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That really is weird. I've never actually towed my vehicle, so this is all new to me!
 
I leave my manual in 4th gear when flat towing, but I think any gear would work fine. Bolting the tow bar mounts to a factory bumper would make me a little nervous. Do you think the backing plates the OP used are sufficient? I have the tow bar mounts that bolt to the frame.
 
So then I'm ultimately confused. Is the OP wrong in stating this:

"For automatics, place the transmission into drive (D)."

It's supposed to be in Park instead of Drive?
 
CodaMan said:
I would edit the original post or ask the OP to edit it. Don't want to pass out bad info.
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OP hasn't been online for a while, so I'm going to edit it for him. Like you said, I don't want to pass on bad info, especially with something this important.
 
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This is straight from my 20003 owners manual,
Scan0014.jpg


Scan0015.jpg


I think the confusion in in the setting of the transfer case into neutral instructions. They want you to insure that the TC is indeed in neutral testing it by putting the trany in drive to make sure the jeep won't move. You then turn the jeep off and put the trany in Park for towing.
 
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Kind of hard to write but the reason to place the auto in P and manual in gear is to keep them from spinning. Even though the tcase is in N, there can be some slow parasitic drag created within the tcase which in theory could spin the trans. The trans would not be lubed in that condition so placing them in P/gear creates enough resistance to keep them from moving. That is how I recall understanding it.
 
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So I have researched quite a bit today and the consensus is transfer case in N and the auto tranny in Park. I am going to try it try it when we get back and before a trip 1/2 way across the country in October....
 
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