Flat Towing An Older Jeep

[VIKE]

Sure. There’s really nothing to it. These Jeeps are made for flat towing. Just follow the steps very carefully.
First & most important is your hitch set up. Be sure that you have purchased good equipment. I use a Blue Ox tow bar & it’s great. If you are using the recovery lugs on your bumper just be sure that it is adequate for the job. I bought a Smittybilt XRC bumper for this purpose. I’m sure there are other bumpers that would work well too. The recovery lugs go through the bumper & are welded on both sides.
Here are the steps for hitching up:




NO! In the owner’s manual under “Recreational Towing” it stated that automatic transmissions must be in park & manual transmissions must be in a gear, 2nd or 3rd is suggested. I don’t know the reason for this, but it’s what I have always done & it works great.
What you do have to do is make sure that the transfer case is in neutral. I test this by putting it in gear with the transfer case in neutral. I hitch up, put the transmission in gear & let out on the clutch like I’m trying to drive the jeep either in forward or reverse. Of course, the RPMs will rev up & the Jeep won’t move. If you do this check you will know that your transfer case is in neutral & everything is good to go.
The final, but very important step is to be sure that your steering us UNLOCKED. Failing to do this will cause excessive tire wear & damage to steering components & tires. To unlock the steering simply turn the key back one click from the run position & leave it there. You will not be able to remove the key & this is perfectly OK. When the motorhome is parked we have an extra set of Jeep keys attached to the steering wheel with a Velcro strap so that we don’t forget this step.

This is great information Mudflat! I’m heading to a trailer outfit now to have him check my bumper. I too have the XRC bumper added onto the frame, so hopefully that’s all I need. They also sell the Blue Ox system i believe , so will have to ask about that as well as breaking system, and lighting.thanks again!

 

[TurboTJ]

Call me paranoid but I would put a shield on that lower radiator cap. I worried about stones being thrown up by the tow vehicle hitting that plastic cap. Overkill? Probably but it is cheap insurance.

 

[chateau_nomad]

Flat towing a manual transmission TJ. Transfer case in neutral... transmission in 4th or 5th gear. Question for the transmission experts...

Do the gears in the transmission TURN and get "splash lubed", OR is the transmission "locked" and not turning... which wouldn't require lube?

 

[BillW]

If the transfer case is in neutral, only the output gear of the transfer case would be turning while towed. Everything forward of that would not turn, The transmission itself is isolated by the transfer case.

 

[chateau_nomad]

If the transfer case is in neutral, only the output gear of the transfer case would be turning while towed. Everything forward of that would not turn, The transmission itself is isolated by the transfer case.

I have looked everywhere for an animation... So is the output gear actually INSIDE the transmission making contact with anything, which would require lubrication? What's the difference (it's required) between having the transmission in gear (4th or 5th) and being in neutral while towing? Can you give specifics please?

 

[KennethS]

From what I see, an automatic in Park with the transfer case is in neutral, the transmission is locked and none of the transmission gears can turn. The same scenario with a manual transmission, in any gear will be similar, with none of the transmission gears turning as the transfer case in neutral isolates the transmission. Please correct me if this is inaccurate.

 

[chateau_nomad]

From what I see, an automatic in Park with the transfer case is in neutral, the transmission is locked and none of the transmission gears can turn. The same scenario with a manual transmission, in any gear will be similar, with none of the transmission gears turning as the transfer case in neutral isolates the transmission. Please correct me if this is inaccurate.

This is a manual transmission. I'm aware of the "locking" of the automatic. But I can't find anything stating that the MANUAL transmission also locks (prevented from turning) when in gear while towing.

 

[lBasket]

This is a manual transmission. I'm aware of the "locking" of the automatic. But I can't find anything stating that the MANUAL transmission also locks (prevented from turning) when in gear while towing.

What happens when you park your jeep on a hill in gear without the parking brake engaged?

 

[chateau_nomad]

I finally found an in-depth explanation of the difference between automatic and manual Jeep TJ transmissions, and why there's different procedures for flat towing setup.

The automatic uses an engine driven pump for lubrication... which obviously isn't working during flat towing. Placing the automatic transmission in park locks the transmission to prevent the viscous oil vortex created by the spinning output shaft from turning gears.

However, the manual transmission doesn't use a lubrication pump. It relies on "splash" lubrication - even when flat towing - because there technically is no "park" like an automatic.

With the manual transmission there's only two choices... neutral or one of 5 gears. Without a lubrication pump, the cluster gear in the manual transmission is responsible for lubrication... and it doesn't turn when in neutral. So there "could" be an oil vortex from the output shaft turning gears without proper "splash" lube.

When in gear the cluster gear responsible for splash lube turns and does it's job. The result is the gears are engaged AND turning, plus being properly lubed in the process.

 

[KennethS]

I finally found an in-depth explanation of the difference between automatic and manual Jeep TJ transmissions, and why there's different procedures for flat towing setup.

The automatic uses an engine driven pump for lubrication... which obviously isn't working during flat towing. Placing the automatic transmission in park locks the transmission to prevent the viscous oil vortex created by the spinning output shaft from turning gears.

However, the manual transmission doesn't use a lubrication pump. It relies on "splash" lubrication - even when flat towing - because there technically is no "park" like an automatic.

With the manual transmission there's only two choices... neutral or one of 5 gears. Without a lubrication pump, the cluster gear in the manual transmission is responsible for lubrication... and it doesn't turn when in neutral. So there "could" be an oil vortex from the output shaft turning gears without proper "splash" lube.

When in gear the cluster gear responsible for splash lube turns and does it's job. The result is the gears are engaged AND turning, plus being properly lubed in the process.

How does this happen when the transfer case is in neutral and the transmission output shaft is not turning?

 

[DEValken]

I finally found an in-depth explanation of the difference between automatic and manual Jeep TJ transmissions, and why there's different procedures for flat towing setup.

The automatic uses an engine driven pump for lubrication... which obviously isn't working during flat towing. Placing the automatic transmission in park locks the transmission to prevent the viscous oil vortex created by the spinning output shaft from turning gears.

However, the manual transmission doesn't use a lubrication pump. It relies on "splash" lubrication - even when flat towing - because there technically is no "park" like an automatic.

With the manual transmission there's only two choices... neutral or one of 5 gears. Without a lubrication pump, the cluster gear in the manual transmission is responsible for lubrication... and it doesn't turn when in neutral. So there "could" be an oil vortex from the output shaft turning gears without proper "splash" lube.

When in gear the cluster gear responsible for splash lube turns and does it's job. The result is the gears are engaged AND turning, plus being properly lubed in the process.

Parasitic drag

 

[TurboTJ]

I finally found an in-depth explanation of the difference between automatic and manual Jeep TJ transmissions, and why there's different procedures for flat towing setup.

The automatic uses an engine driven pump for lubrication... which obviously isn't working during flat towing. Placing the automatic transmission in park locks the transmission to prevent the viscous oil vortex created by the spinning output shaft from turning gears.

However, the manual transmission doesn't use a lubrication pump. It relies on "splash" lubrication - even when flat towing - because there technically is no "park" like an automatic.

With the manual transmission there's only two choices... neutral or one of 5 gears. Without a lubrication pump, the cluster gear in the manual transmission is responsible for lubrication... and it doesn't turn when in neutral. So there "could" be an oil vortex from the output shaft turning gears without proper "splash" lube.

When in gear the cluster gear responsible for splash lube turns and does it's job. The result is the gears are engaged AND turning, plus being properly lubed in the process.

What the f$%k? With the manual in gear nothing in it is turning.

 

[BillW]

I finally found an in-depth explanation of the difference between automatic and manual Jeep TJ transmissions, and why there's different procedures for flat towing setup.

The automatic uses an engine driven pump for lubrication... which obviously isn't working during flat towing. Placing the automatic transmission in park locks the transmission to prevent the viscous oil vortex created by the spinning output shaft from turning gears.

However, the manual transmission doesn't use a lubrication pump. It relies on "splash" lubrication - even when flat towing - because there technically is no "park" like an automatic.

With the manual transmission there's only two choices... neutral or one of 5 gears. Without a lubrication pump, the cluster gear in the manual transmission is responsible for lubrication... and it doesn't turn when in neutral. So there "could" be an oil vortex from the output shaft turning gears without proper "splash" lube.

When in gear the cluster gear responsible for splash lube turns and does it's job. The result is the gears are engaged AND turning, plus being properly lubed in the process.

When flat towing a Jeep with a manual transmission, if the transfer case is in neutral, only the rear axle, drive shaft, and output gear of transfer case will turn. the rest of the drive train is disconnected.....