Towing Question

[JRLCrist]

Okay, so this is a really noobish question, but there's reason for it :

I just bought my brand new'ish '93 Eddie X Totally decked out.

The PO gave me all his old paperwork and his old owners manual and Haynes guide. I figured I'd take a look at it during my normal weekend bordom, and found a part in one of them (don't remember which one) where it mentioned towing the vehicle and said that, because it's a 4x4 vehicle, to tow with the back wheels off the ground and the steering wheel locked. Now, I always envisioned towing this truck with the tranny in neutral and the fronts off the ground, but it makes sense not to, but now I'm confused. What should I do?

[EDIT: The part that gets me is locking the front wheels. Anyone do this before?]

I should also mention that this truck has a major tranny leak, but I intend on pulling it and rebuilding it using Glacier's diary and his help, but with a few more improvements to make it even more state of the art This will lead into an entire video series about all three steps in the project, and depending on popularity, may even open up to a video documentary about rebuilding the engine and fixing up the interior/exterior, along with maybe some electrical work? Who knows.

LJ

 

[Bruce R Leech]

I think they mean to lock the steering not the wheels.

 

[Bruce R Leech]

actually if it were me I would find someone with a roll off that can just hall it with no wheels on the ground.

 

[mikeinri]

Nice looking 93, very nice!

I'm confused about what you're attempting to do. Is this a one-time tow just to get it home? If so, use AAA.

If you're planning to tow this vehicle often (such as behind an RV), I've heard that some people disconnect the rear diff, but to me, that seems extreme.

I did have a conversation with a tow truck operator recently (guess why?), and I asked him why they always send a flatbed to pick up Explorers (guess how I know that?).

He said that basically, it's to cover their hides. For Gen 1 Explorers, it's completely unnecessary, as they are essentially RWD vehicles when the t-case is disengaged. The newer versions use variations of full-time 4WD, which does create issues with "normal" towing procedures (front wheels raised, rears on ground in neutral). To play it safe, they just send a flatbed for all 4x4 vehicles.

I really don't understand how it makes sense to lock the steering wheel for towing, since you need to have the truck in neutral to tow, which means the key needs to be in and the wheel unlocked, correct?

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[general x]

Well if you tow with the rear wheels on the ground it would be a good idea to disconnect the driveshaft. If i remember correctly, the tranmissions oil pump is driven by the engine and you will burn out the tranny by towing in neutral with the rear wheels on the ground (for auto anyway, its an auto right?) You wanna take the keys out of the ignition with the wheels straight so the steering will lock and the wheels cant turn (left to right) otherwise the vehicle can wander while being towed with the front wheels on the ground thou I recall being told thats not a smart way to lock the steering because the steering wheel lock wasent designed to be used to keep the wheels straight while towing. Then again, i also recall watching a F250 being towed with the front tires on the ground and steering locked in a turned position....the towed vehicle was crooked and kinda taking up 1.5 lanes

 

[JRLCrist]

Thanks for the advice, guys. It is an auto that I intend on towing only once to get it to it's new home. Aren't the newer X's automatic awd?

I do have access to a flatbed trailer, but one problem I'll have is getting it on the trailer. The tranny leaks fluid like a little kid who hasn't peed in 3 days, so I'm wondering if this'll cause a problem with putting it in neutral so we can push it (if we can push it)? I'm not too sure how to tackle this.

 

[mikeinri]

Not sure why you're asking, because you don't have a newer Explorer, but yes, they have various versions of automatic 4WD (some call it AWD).

Anyway, don't even think you're going to push this onto a trailer by hand, that's super dangerous because when you hit the ramp, it will want to roll back (assuming you could even get enough momentum to get it up the ramp in the first place, which is unlikely unless you have a football team nearby to give you a hand).

Get a come-along ($40 tool at Home Depot or Lowe's) and winch it up. Connect one end to the tongue of the trailer, run the cable back over the trailer bed, and connect the other end to the Explorer's frame. Get the trailer ramp as close to the tires as you can before you start. If you fill the tranny fluid before you start winching, I can't imagine you'd lose enough fluid to do any damage.

Good luck, keep us posted!

Mike

 

[general x]

Getting non running vehicles onto a flat bed trailer can be a real pita. I had to get a 87 jimmy onto a flatbed during the winter once and I had to push the jimmy onto the trailer with my f150. I burned alot of clutch getting it up there

Getting it onto the trailer should'nt be a problem as far as tranny fluid goes as long as its not running. It should be able to roll in neutral with the engine off. You just dont wanna do this for very far (such as rolling down a hill) because no lubrication will be provided to your tranny and it wont last very long. It should be fine for pushing onto a trailer thou. There is a good chance for damage if you try to start it and drive it up with the tranny pissing out fluid like that thou.

BTW i think its only the 95+ explorers with the v8 that have the AWD t case but im not positive

Happy towing, make sure you strap her down really good. Hate to see you lose your explorer before you even got it

 

[glfredrick]

You can pick up a cheap come-a-long puller that will help you winch the truck onto the trailer for under $30. Worth its weight in gold for that sort of thing. Also works good for pulling motors in a pinch, getting something un-stuck, and even for taking out fence posts and such. I use mine all the time, even though I have a winch also.

 

[Maniak]

I have an 8000 lbs come along from harbor freight tools. I recently used it to pull an old Gremlin onto a trailer that didn't have ramps (even using the curb we still had a 4" jump onto the trailer). A block of wood and a chain (so I could reach the car with the cable doubled up) and it was a simple pull. It was easier than I expected.

For the orig question..
Long tows you want the driveshaft disconnected. On a short tow you can get away with (but shouldn't) with rear tires on the ground. A flat bed tow truck is better.

BTW.. they do make cable actuacted drive shaft disconnection systems now (you see them in the back of RV mags)

~Mark

 

[JRLCrist]

It makes sense now why not to tow it in Neutral with the rears on the ground. Everyone I talked to here at my office said it was okay, but I never mentioned the oil pump being driven by the engine, which would make PERFECT sense in terms of not towing with the rears on the ground.

I'm going to try to get my buddy to use his flat-bed instead of the dolly, and I think he has a come-along we can use, too. Push comes to shove I'll load it up with ATF and try to drive it up (it'll be a good test to watch it leak, too, as well as finally see it move under it's own power )

 

[Gatorblazer]

If you can keep the tranny full enough to drive it up, that is obviously the easiest way to do it.

 

[Burns]

If you can keep the tranny full enough to drive it up, that is obviously the easiest way to do it.

Thats what i did when my front seal went out. Filled it up and make a one shot drive.

 

[JRLCrist]

Thats what i did when my front seal went out. Filled it up and make a one shot drive.

Now, I don't know anything about transmissions or how much fluid they fold, but the guy said he had to give it 9 quarts (maybe liters, I don't remember what he said, jsut the number 9) just to get it up his driveway. Is that a lot? I don't know how effective it'll be for a drive back up.

 

[Burns]

Now, I don't know anything about transmissions or how much fluid they fold, but the guy said he had to give it 9 quarts (maybe liters, I don't remember what he said, jsut the number 9) just to get it up his driveway. Is that a lot? I don't know how effective it'll be for a drive back up.

Are you wanting to drive it homw or onto a trailer?

 

[JRLCrist]

The plan right now is to tow it back on either a dolly or flatbed (I'd prefer a flatbed, but that's up to my buddy who's doing the towing, unfortunately). But, if I can safely drive it back, I'd rather do that.

Question is, armed knowing that someone else has done it with a broken seal, can I safely do it? I haven't seen it bleed, but the guy said it took 9 something to get it up his driveway. If that's a lot, obv I won't be driving it

 

[Burns]

If it is losing that much fluid you will need to tow it home. Either on a flatbed ro a dolly. Both are fine. If you do it on a dolly just take out the rear driveshaft and go.

 

[JRLCrist]

Sweet deal. Wouldn't it be awsome to have a shortbus like that in your avatar?

 

[Burns]

Yeah i wish...lol

We just got one home on a dolly a few weeks ago. It was not bad at all.

 

[JRLCrist]

When all is said and done, I'm hoping to get the front seal fixed ASAP and start modding it out. I don't particularly want a rock crawler, but maybe a nice trail rider to do some offroading in. I tried it in my '00 Olds Alero... didn't work out so well