stephen@yotatech

Hi all,

I'm going to be towing a 1990 4runner with a manual transmission tomorrow (U-Haul truck, U-Haul tow dolly).
I have read mixed info regarding the need to disconnect the driveshaft: the manual says, when towing with the rear wheels on the ground, "Release the parking brake. Put the transmission in neutral. On 4WD models, put the transfer in H2." It has no mention of disconnecting the driveshaft, while other sources have said to do so (for other models of 4x4's or T4R years).
Can someone familiar with this model tell me the right way to go?

I would tow it with the rear wheels elevated, but U-Haul recommends having most of the weight at the front, over the wheels of the dolly. (But I will go with this if it's best).

Thanks.

olharleyman

If its a dolly then when you back the runner up on it that's all you are going to get no weight adjustment you can make but remember to tie the steering wheel in place so the front of the runner don't move to one side or the other going down the road and have it and you in two lanes at once crab walking I guess is what they call it

Matt16

I would think it would be fine in 2H, neutral. The truck would just be as if it were coasting down a hill which is fine.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

I tow my truck all the time with a dow dolley.
The one time I screwed up and did not take a few minutes to pull the rear driveshaft it popped into gear somehow and I trashed my transfercase and transmission.


Put it up there with the front wheels, takes only a few minutes to pull the 4 bolts @ the rear axle.

tried4x2signN

Syncros;-)

It rev matched as you were at a speed and the shifter just dropped down... You are not the 1st person to have that happen.

Manual tranny, has synchronizers and if you know how to clutchless shift, it'll do that on its own...


AT's are supposed to have (unconfirmed) a pump not driven off the shaft, and instead is driven off the engine running... Pulling and leaving the shaft the fluid doesn't circulate or some junk like that.. IDK...

DROP THE SHAFT!

And NEVER put a TC in Neutral. It's d/c'd from the tranny, yes. But lockes the front and rear shaft. It's ONLY in neutral between the tranny and TC... NOT front and rear shaft.

tried4x2signN

I never pull from the rear... B/c if the tires are even slightly turned, it'll dog tack...

Plus, the Runner is just about 50/50... And I don't like it sitting that high up...

Just pull it up on it, chain or strap it down and remove the 4 14mm DS bolts. Then using a bungee or coat hanger tie the shaft up tight to the frame or crossmember.

stephen@yotatech

thanks all. got it.

ilostmypants

i would do as the owners manual says at the very least. i would say disconnecting the rear drive shaft is just extra insurance to prevent things from going wrong.

REMEMBER!
If you do drop the rear drive shaft. that you put a big ass paint marker mark on the end of the shaft and the pinion flange or whatever. so you dont put it back on in the wrong phase and then you'll have an unneeded headache.

norcal707

wait....I tow my 4runner on neutral and put the 4wd in neutral too.....could I have damages my 4runner this way?

tried4x2signN

manual hubs or ADD?

ADD and I'd say there was no vac to lock the front diff... it turned the front shaft but drive ran out the long-shaft side b/c it was not locked... And I'll assume you have an open front diff.

Manual and I'd say it turned the front shaft but since the hubs weren't locked...duh...

I can't speak for the drivetrain though...


oh, sorry... no, none that I can see... from here... at my computer... in Nashville Tennessee...

xxxtreme22r

The only way to correctly tow something for a long distance is to unhook the driveshaft(s) like other have said, remove the differential flange bolts and bungee up the driveshaft(s). While working in a transmission shop for a while I have seen several people that have towed their vehicles with/without dollies behind their RV's grenade their transmissions. They all made it to their destination just fine while being towed, however when they went and drove them the trannies blew up. Not a pretty sight either, when I mean grenade I mean into enough shrapnel to make even a seasoned special forces veteran cringe.