A picture of my truck/RV towing discussion

[Wolfman]

I had a bit of spare time on my hands, so I decided to post a pic of my truck.

:D

[Acerguy]

Nice! Say, that's quite an assortment of vehicles you have! From big and burley to small and, well NOT so burley! :D

[Wolfman]

Hehehe, well the intent is to have the Hijet replace the F150.

[Acerguy]

Do you tow the Jeep behind the RV? I'm curious about how one might flat tow a Kei truck. Think anything special needs to be done?

[Wolfman]

Yes, I tow the Jeep behind the R.V. The drawbar was a bolt on ready made kit for the Jeep. As for towing a Kei truck, I would want to pick one that has the neutral setting in the transfer case. You need to be able to disengage the drivetrain, so you don't cook the transmission.

Beyond that, it would simply be a matter of finding, or fashioning a drawbar that would fit your truck.

[Acerguy]

Cool. Thanks for the info!

[Colin]

http://www.minitruckimports.com/Accessories.html

These guys sell a draw bar setup to fit the Sambar. :)

I'm not sure how people typically prepare their tow-behind vehicles such as Geo Metros for travel, but I would think you'd be OK leaving your truck in 2WD and putting the stick in neutral. I find it hard to believe that every geriatric towing a Metro behind their class A motorhome has disconnected the CV axles. :confused:

Colin

[Wolfman]

http://www.minitruckimports.com/Accessories.html

These guys sell a draw bar setup to fit the Sambar. :)

I'm not sure how people typically prepare their tow-behind vehicles such as Geo Metros for travel, but I would think you'd be OK leaving your truck in 2WD and putting the stick in neutral. I find it hard to believe that every geriatric towing a Metro behind their class A motorhome has disconnected the CV axles. :confused:

Colin


That's not quite so cut and dry. Whether or not a 2wd vehicle can be flat towed, depends on how the transmission is lubed. Most use the input shaft as the oil pickup in the transmission. Some use the output shaft. If the output shaft is the one that takes care of oiling, then it can typically be flat towed in neutral. If the input shaft is the lube shaft, then it will not turn when in neutral, and the tansmission will burn up. Some automatics can be flat towed, alothough I have no idea how they are lubricated, since all of them use the fluid pressure from the front pump for lubrication.

[Colin]

Oh, good call. D'oh!

[JoonTae]

Hello all I'm new here and was just reading this... if you put a car...(my 914) in neutral it rolls down a hill by it's weight alone(used for jump starting manual vehicles... Is it the increased speed that would cook the tranny?

[Wolfman]

To a point. Most transmissions are splash lubed by the gears. It's the design of the transmission that determines if the input side or the output side of it draws gear oil into the works. A good example is one of those snake oil things that lots of auto parts stores used to have, where you could turn the crank, and see the oil getting drawn up the stack of gears.

If you take a vehicle out of gear, that depends on the input side of the tranny's gears to provide lubrication, and drag it down the road long enough, and at high enough speeds, the oil coating on the gears simply gets flung or cooked off, leaving bare metal to metal contact. This will destroy the gears. Push starting a dead car will not cook or fling off enough of the oil coating on the gears to hurt anything. Every car manual that I've read, will typically state how fast and far a car can be flat towed in an emergency to get it off of the road.

Since we don't have manuals to read regarding what is and is not allowed with our trucks in regards to towing, and replacement transmissions next to impossible to get for our trucks, it's a good idea to err on the side of caution.

[abcminitrucks]

That's not quite so cut and dry. Whether or not a 2wd vehicle can be flat towed, depends on how the transmission is lubed. Most use the input shaft as the oil pickup in the transmission. Some use the output shaft. If the output shaft is the one that takes care of oiling, then it can typically be flat towed in neutral. If the input shaft is the lube shaft, then it will not turn when in neutral, and the tansmission will burn up. Some automatics can be flat towed, alothough I have no idea how they are lubricated, since all of them use the fluid pressure from the front pump for lubrication.


Wolf, Saturn uses a output shaft oil pump in there automatics. They specifically design their cars to be towed flat. I have towed a 97 Saturn for thousands of miles.

I also agree with Wolf, in that if you were going to tow a manual transmission, I would purchase a truck that has neutral in the transfer case. Makes it very easy, just hook up the truck, but the transfer case in neutral, turn on the key to unlock the steering wheel and off you go.

[JoonTae]

Alright that makes more sense, thanks! Oh and sorry to rob the thread here but I'm looking into a Kei series truck. I'd like to get a Sambar but I'm not sure. I live in southern MS on the coast. Neat little rigs.

[ukpaul]

Wolf, Saturn uses a output shaft oil pump in there automatics. They specifically design their cars to be towed flat. I have towed a 97 Saturn for thousands of miles.

I also agree with Wolf, in that if you were going to tow a manual transmission, I would purchase a truck that has neutral in the transfer case. Makes it very easy, just hook up the truck, but the transfer case in neutral, turn on the key to unlock the steering wheel and off you go.

I ahve a 2000 Hi Jet with auto transmission, I'd like to tow it flat aprx 500 miles 55-60 MPH would the same apply?
Thanks,
Paul

[Wolfman]

We don't have enough information to determine if the Daihatsu automatic will accept being flat towed. If you have a transfer case with a neutral setting, you'll be fine. If not, put it on a trailer.

[Stuff99]

it isn't like you need a very big trailer for these trucks, heck they will fit on a golf cart trailer :P