Towing Question: Remove Driveshaft?

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
10/14/2016 at 09:02 • Filed to: None

I have to tow this van 90 miles with a tow dolly. The van has a manual transmission. Can i place it in neutral and leave the driveshaft in place? Rear tires are inflated.

DISCUSSION (12)

random001 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:05

I think you’d be alright as long as you keep the speed down, 55 mph or so if possible. And you’ll likely want to stop every 30 miles to let it all cool off. Unless you can easily take the driveshaft out, then do that.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:06

Why risk it? Drive shaft is pretty easy to remove.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:07

Yes. The reason you don’t want an auto trans in neutral traveling long distance is that the fluid won’t be circulating through the torque converter and the clutches as it should (because the pump is on the engine side), and things will get toasted. Typically a mantrans as old as the one in the van is effectively splash/self-lubricated, and the layshaft will transfer gear oil to the mainshaft, etc. Totally fine.

crowmolly > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:31

Yank the driveshaft. Not too hard and worth it to be on the safe side. I’d be concerned that the trans is sketchy in this case.

If the van was in known good shape I’d leave it in and put the trans in N.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:31

Owner’s manual for my dad’s ‘85 said an automatic could be flat-towed in neutral for something like 60 miles IIRC. You should be fine is my guess, but for how easy it usually is to pull a driveshaft? I’ll say your call.

Urambo Tauro > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:40

Make sure the shift lever is strong enough to not fall into gear while moving. I know a guy who grenaded his Escort’s transmission when it slipped while towing.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 09:44

Manual transmission = easy towing. Throw it in neutral and you are good to go.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > crowmolly
10/14/2016 at 09:44

I towed my Ranchero when I got it about a hundred miles on a “who knows” trans and rear diff. Of course, it didn’t have the engine in it at the time, and a peewee Falcon three-speed and Ford 7 1/4" rear would not have been a great loss anyway. Even (as I found later) with the rear as a rare special order 4.10.

Die-Trying > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
10/14/2016 at 10:59

this.................

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 11:33

I’ve done a bit of research on this, because I’m planning to flat-tow the Metro to rallycrosses. You can leave the driven wheels on the ground in neutral if the transmission is internally lubricated. So, you need to find out whatever transmission that van has, and if they’re internally lubricated.

Or, you could just put the back wheels on the tow dolly. You can lock the steering with a ratchet strap or something. When I busted the Roadmaster’s radiator, they towed it front wheels down/rear wheels lifted for like 125 miles.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro
10/14/2016 at 11:34

Oh, good call. I’m planning to flat-tow the Metro to rallycrosses. I’ll have to make sure to secure the shift lever if need be.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/14/2016 at 15:16

99% of the time, a manual transmission vehicle can be towed with it in neutral and 4 wheels on the ground. As RamblinRover said, manual transmissions are splash/self lubricated. They don’t rely on any pumps to circulate transmission fluid.

And for future reference, with automatics, it depends on the car/transmission design.

You can get info on which you can, you can get that info here:

http://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/