TOWING M38A1 four wheels down

[Grant Bowker]

If you are nervous about the condition of the transmission or transfer case you could disconnect the driveshafts from transfer case to axles.

[rob love]

Put the transfer case in neutral and the tranny in gear. You do not want the transmission output shaft turning for a long distance as there is no lubrication for the small bearing in between the input shaft and the output shaft. The lube comes from the input shaft, which can't splash oil if the engine is not running.

Along with the A frame and lights, you shoudl also have a safety chain between the two vehicles, and hooked up in such a way that if the tow bar lets loose, the towed vehicle will be pulled towards the ditch rather than the center of the road.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The term I've seen on this topic is called flat towing. There are guys who will tell you this is very bad on the front end of the M38A1. You'll tow it once and then regret it - so THEY say.

I brought 70-08876 from Oshawa on a U-Haul two-wheel dolly behind the family minivan with exactly the same rigging the guys have described. Whenever I've moved it around town, it goes on its 4 wheels.

[rob love]

I'm not sure I understand how towing will effect the front axle of the M38A1. I have towed a number of this family of Jeep many, many miles and never experienced any problems.

One problem that can be experienced with any A framing, is that on a corner, you can end up with the wheels of the towing vehicle turning sharply over and not returning to center, and then dragging the vehicle doing the towing somewhere where it shouldn't be. It is always desirable to have the vehicle doing the towing to outweigh the towed vehicle. Also, try and keep the corners as wide as you can make them, rather than really tight.

Quite frankly, I started using a flat deck trailer many years ago and all my A frame towbars have just sat unused since then.

[Robin Craig]

Be very Careful!

Yes you can do it, alot do. If you were towing a trailer you would have the option of having it braked.

You will always be incrementally better off the larger the towing vehicle is in relation to the flat towed one.

We do it on a regular basis with a 2003 Dodge Ram Dually 1 ton towing a Land Rover 90.

The only problems i have personally had, have been preventable if you think about them.

Firstly, avoid at all costs atempting to reverse where possible, trust me.

Second, dont be doing this on the road when anything that will reduce the grip of the towed vehicle to the road. Those kinds of things are heavy rain and snow and ice.

Going around a corner with what in effect is a large pendulum behind you gets very exciting if the towed vehicle starts to loose traction and develop a mind of its own. Its a classic brown trousers moment.

Going around a corner in snow or on ice or during heavy rain, if the towed vehicle's front wheels loose grip it will want to go straight on and not make the corner. If you are decelerating the effect will be amplified as the towed vehicle will have the ability to push the rear of the towing vehicle sideways.

I have been driving and towing for a good number of years and have made most of the mistakes one can make, I'm not perfect, I have just been lucky so far.

Ensure your hardware is of a good grade and dont take chances.

Robin

[pzrwest]

A quick note on the safety chains.... always run your safety chains below the towing bar and cross them. If for some reason the towbar fails the bar cannot drop down and hit the ground and with the chains crossed the towed vehicle will track strait