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Possible to Haul a 4x4 Taco with Tow Dolly?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by x2468, May 15, 2012.

  1. May 15, 2012 at 10:27 AM
    #1
    x2468

    x2468 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    My family needs to Haul some stuff from Florida to New England, and I have the ability to take my truck behind the U-haul. My step sister just moved to Austin and she used a tow dolly to bring her front wheel drive car. So I assumed I could do the same with my truck if I just put the T-case and Tranny in neutral and let the rear wheels spin freely.

    However, on the Penske site it says that the flat bed trailer is highly recommended for RWD or AWD vehicles, and the dolly is only for FWD cars? and the flatbed one is only rated for 4,000lbs, which is too week. It says somehting about disconnecting the drive shaft if the vehicle is RWD???? How involved is that???
     
  2. May 15, 2012 at 10:51 AM
    #2
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    I wouldn't and I believe your Owner's Manual will tell you not to also. Unless you have a manual transfer case or drop the rear drive shaft, I wouldn't do it.
     
  3. May 15, 2012 at 10:52 AM
    #3
    x2468

    x2468 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I have the manual transfer case. Dont have the owners manual, previous owner didn't have it.
     
  4. May 15, 2012 at 10:56 AM
    #4
    Warhorseforever

    Warhorseforever Will The Thrill

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    Drop the drive shaft and you should be fine to tow it. Just for clarification you're talking about one of these right.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. May 15, 2012 at 11:01 AM
    #5
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    With a manual transfer case, if you put it in N, you should be fine but I'll let someone with a 1st Gen confirm (no manual transfer case for 2nd Gens :(). It's obviously safer to drop the drive shaft, that way nothing can really happen to any of the drive line components since they won't be connected at all.
     
  6. May 15, 2012 at 11:04 AM
    #6
    bamma

    bamma Well-Known Member

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    Yes, you can tow with the transfer case in neutral. Another advantage that 1st gens have over the 2nd gens and the electronic transfer switch...

    I'd recommend you go to a dealer and buy an owners manual.
     
  7. May 15, 2012 at 11:13 AM
    #7
    skytower

    skytower Well-Known Member

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    Auto transmissions should not be towed with their wheels on the ground, even in neutral. The driveshaft drives the output shaft, which creates heat. With the engine off, the pump won't circulate trans fluid to cool itself. Eventually, the trans will grenade.
    Pulling the driveshaft is easy. Mark the ends so you put it back exactly how it came out.
     
    Anton338 likes this.
  8. May 15, 2012 at 11:26 AM
    #8
    x2468

    x2468 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    But isn't the transfer case between the auto trans and the rear diff? So if the t-case was manually put into neutral, wouldn't that cut the auto trans out of the equation? Now, if there is some type of lubricating issue with the t-case, then i could understand that being an issue.

    Well, my family ended up finding a good deal on a flat bed trailer from budget. I just felt bad and wanted to save them as much coin as possible, but they liked the piece of mind. But I'm still curious, just to fully understand the mechanical workings of the trucks, and in case i need to do this on a tight budget in the future. Also could be useful for other members who have the same question in the future.
     
  9. May 15, 2012 at 11:54 AM
    #9
    knucklehead

    knucklehead Well-Known Member

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    Anyone suggesting that you can tow with the transfer case in neutral, is giving bad information. The xfer case oil pump is driven by the *input* shaft, not the output shaft. In neutral, the input shaft doesn't turn, hence no oil. It is probably fine for *short* distances, but that is all.
     
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  10. May 15, 2012 at 12:24 PM
    #10
    Swimmerboy2112

    Swimmerboy2112 Well-Known Member

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    You must remove the drive shaft and put the trans in neutral with the transfer case in high.

    I have towed many Toyota 4x4's this way. Some new some old.

    I've towed as far as 600mi.
     
  11. May 15, 2012 at 12:24 PM
    #11
    x2468

    x2468 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Interesting. Before you edited your post I was also looking at the FSM, but realized I had no idea what I was looking for lol.

    Thanks for the info.

    Kinda has me wondering, is there any use for the neutral setting on the transfer case?
     
  12. May 15, 2012 at 12:29 PM
    #12
    Jdevine80

    Jdevine80 Member

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    I've moved across country several times and used both. Regardless of the situation with the vehicle, the flat bed is way better than the dolly as far as loading, unloading and generally feeling like it's something solid you are pulling behind the truck.
     
  13. May 15, 2012 at 12:31 PM
    #13
    knucklehead

    knucklehead Well-Known Member

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    X2468: there must be a disconnect between high and low because the gears otherwise would bind.
    Whippersnapper02: sure, as long as you don't bind blowing up your xfer case...
     
  14. May 15, 2012 at 12:31 PM
    #14
    x2468

    x2468 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    read 3 posts up from your post
     
  15. May 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM
    #15
    Pugga

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    If you remove the drive shaft, why does it matter what the X-fer case and transmission are set at? Without the rear drive shaft, you could have the transmission in reverse, the transfer case in lo range and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference since there's nothing connecting them to the spinning rear diff... :confused:
     
  16. May 15, 2012 at 12:38 PM
    #16
    TacoBran

    TacoBran You're Unique, Just Like Everyone Else

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  17. May 15, 2012 at 12:39 PM
    #17
    ODICA

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    I would recommend Budget's car carrier, I relocated a year ago and when I did my research it was only Budget's car carrier was longest trailer that I could safely put my truck on. In addition it was only Budget car carrier that has the ability to carry more than 5k pounds on their trailers. Penske, U-Haul car carriers were shorter than Budget's. My truck is a double cab short bed with stock 265/70/17's on it and I only had about half an inch on each side and about 1ft in the rear wheels to the end of the trailer. It's really tight, but I had to go with it because I did not want to put it in a dolly. So if you have a long bed with wider tires it would not fit on Budget's car carrier, I had my truck in the back and drove coast to coast from North Carolina to California and never had issues during my trip. I wanted to post pics but sorry could not find it.
     
  18. May 15, 2012 at 12:40 PM
    #18
    twfsa

    twfsa Well-Known Member

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    I see no reason to put the trans and transfer case in neutral with the drive shaft removed and the front wheels on the dolly.
     
  19. May 15, 2012 at 12:42 PM
    #19
    knucklehead

    knucklehead Well-Known Member

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    Whip: I've explained the neutral position. And toyota agrees that it is otherwise useless -- why do you think 2nd gens don't have access to it?
     
  20. May 15, 2012 at 12:50 PM
    #20
    knucklehead

    knucklehead Well-Known Member

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    I suppose the problem with driving it off the output shaft is that it won't pump as high a volume in low. Though I suppose that pumping zero in neutral could be worse...
     

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