OT Tow question
 

My son is moving back East after spending 8 years in Boulder,Co. He will be renting a 17' truck to transport his furniture, etc. He plans to "TOW" his 91 Ford Explorer behind the van. The question I have is, can this be done without causing any damage to the Explorer's drive train. Any ideas and thoughts will be helpful.

TIA<> Paul

As always, the best solution is to transport the vehicle with all axles OFF the ground for long trips like that. The next best thing is to tow with the driven axle off the ground, allowing (in your case) the front axle to trail. The next not-so-best thing is to tow with the driven axle on the ground, transmission in neutral. Trans fluid will be able to circulate as long as it is towed in the drive direction (NEVER tow an automatic trans in the backwards or "reverse" position). If the Explorer is a 4x4 make sure the transfer case is in neutral also- will save wear and tear.

Keep speeds low and take breaks often if a driven axle must be on the ground- this is really not an optimal solution, despite the Winnebago's towing the family sedans you might see.

-d

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Dave
'72 911T to '73 RSR Replica Project

NEVER tow a vehicle having an automatic tranny with the drive wheels on the ground for any significant distance. The turning gears will burn up the tranny.

Remove the driveshaft and cap the tail shaft. Takes about 15 minutes.

Guys,

Thanks for your response! I think that disconecting the drive shaft and caping the tail shaft sounds like the way to go.

Paul