Towing a vehicle with an auto transmission

[JDMLOL]

I've heard mixed input about towing an automatic vehicle with a tow bar. Is it necessary to disconnect the drive shaft when towing my auto Ford Bronco? Some say my transmission will be fried because fluid won't pump yet I see automatic cars towed behind rv's all the time and I don't believe that all of the older folks towing them remove/install the drive shaft every time they tow or drive it. Does anyone have first hand experience?

[Pat McCrotch]

You should definitely pull it...

[downtime!]

Flat towing an auto car definitely calls for disconnecting the drive shaft. No pump running, no fluid circulation. That's a bad thing. UHaul rents trailers for $50/day. That's what I'm using to take the green monster to Ohio next week.

[JDMLOL]

Flat towing an auto car definitely calls for disconnecting the drive shaft. No pump running, no fluid circulation. That's a bad thing. UHaul rents trailers for $50/day. That's what I'm using to take the green monster to Ohio next week.


What about the front shaft? If the transfer case is in neutral will towing do any damage?

[Pat McCrotch]

Yes it will.. Either pull them off, or get a trailer from U-Haul.. Be safe..

[downtime!]

What kind of vehicle are we talking about? Sounds like a 4WD truck of some sort. And yes, the driveshaft(s) need to be pulled. From the axle ends at least. The downside is, if you remove them completely, there's a good chance the fluid will leak at the trans. Unbolt them from the axles, then tie them up with some strong wire.

Or get the trailer. It's a lot easier.

[five.slow]

im a recovery guy in the army so i tow a lot of vehicles. just make damn sure the vehicle you plan to flat tow supports that. all of out equipment is designed to be towed a decent distance with out it messing anything up. some of our big trucks like the LMTV need the drive shafts removed if they are going to be flat towed more than 25 miles. in theory you can flat tow everything as long as you don't go very far. HMMWVs (hummers) just need the transfer put in neutral and trans in neutral then i can drag its ass all over the world with no issue what so ever BUT its designed to do that because the transfer doesn't circulate fluid like a transmission, its more like a diff in that aspect.

if you are worried even if the vehicle is designed to be flat towed just put it on a trailer and be worrie free.

[JDMLOL]

What kind of vehicle are we talking about? Sounds like a 4WD truck of some sort. And yes, the driveshaft(s) need to be pulled. From the axle ends at least. The downside is, if you remove them completely, there's a good chance the fluid will leak at the trans. Unbolt them from the axles, then tie them up with some strong wire.

Or get the trailer. It's a lot easier.


It's a 1991 Bronco. I guess I will just drive it out to the lease. I thought it would be easy just to put a tow bar on it and be done with it, but I guess not. I figured if the transfer case was in neutral everything would be ok. So if the hubs are unlocked, the front ds is still spinning?