Towing on a tow dolly

drumset5994 · January 2, 2007

Ok, i figured i'd ask you guys cuz i trust all of you.

The vehicle im towing with is not a problem. If my 99 Silverado 4.3L Auto with 3.08's wont pull it (and i know it prolly wont)...my friend's 96 GMC Sierra Longbed 5.7L 250 V8 with 3.73's will...but here's my question...

Im towing for 45 miles home, a 1995 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 4-Door 4.0L I-6. I wanna use a tow dolly.

I've heard people say PARK on the tranny and NEUTRAL on the T-Case

I've heard people say NEUTRAL on both.

I've heard remove the drive shaft.

So my question is, wtf do i do? Do i really have to remove the driveshaft? Is it safe to leave it?

ratchet · January 2, 2007

I always remove the driveshaft because the driveshaft will turn the internals in the transmission and may cause some heat build up in there.

General Lee 01 · January 2, 2007

I agree with Ratchet.

I had to call AAA and get my old 4x4 Ranger towed, it was about a 20 mile haul.

The first guy that showed had a wrecker (the kind that only has the wheel lift) and he would not tow me, he had to call one of his compadres with a Flat bed.

if 20 ain't safe, 45 sure isn't.

ChevyMan23 · January 2, 2007

Yea, you dont want the shaft turning.....when folks tow their vehicles w/ their RV, if they're smart they go and get an aux. pump installed in their tranny...for jus that reason....id say get a trailer..or a rollback

95Sierra2500 · January 3, 2007

Put the trans in park, the transfer case in neutral (if possible). Otherwise remove the driveshaft.

drumset5994 · January 3, 2007

So most defenitly, remove the drive shaft?

95Sierra2500 · January 3, 2007

Not necessarily, I would call that a last resort. Since it's a Jeep, I believe all of them can be put into neutral on the transfer case. Try that first (with the trans in park). If it won't move or if it binds, then drop the shaft. You should be okay to leave the shaft in though.

J45p3r · January 3, 2007

If the t-case can be put in neutral, do that. Seems to me, if the t-case is in neutral, it is independent of the transmission, hence why the vehicle will roll if even if the tranny is in park. I towed a Cherokee (only 10 miles) with my 03 Sierra 5.3 and the truck towed it fine, it's stopping that was the issue. I say t-case in neutral and rock and roll.