Removing Drive Shafts

[old geezer]

New to RVing and wanting to pull a toad along however, see much discussion on having to remove the drive shaft. Sounds like a rather involved job requiring a mechanics training. Can someone explain in laymans terms the process. Thanks

[JoeT]

Some cars are towable four wheels down without modifications. This will be in the manual that came with the car. My Jeep manual, for example, has a section on 'recreational towing'.
For cars that can't be towed four down, Remco makes a driveshaft disconnect that can be added to cars with rear wheel drive. They also make an add on device for front wheel drive cars that allows them to be towed.

[Gary RVRoamer]

I'd say if you have to ask how to do it, then you probably don't want to be removing a drive shaft to tow. It's not rocket science by any means, but you apparently don't have auto mechanics experience. A drive shaft disconnect from Remco ($$) would be the obvious choice, if you needed that capability. Then you just pull a lever to disconnect.

But there are plenty of cars, SUVs and trucks that don't need any modifications to tow, or you can modify most front drive cars with a transmission lube pump to make them towable. All good choices.

[dsbike]

If your toad is front wheel drive, you can also use a towdolly. You drive up onto it & secure the front wheels with the supplied straps & saftey chains.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by old geezer New to RVing and wanting to pull a toad along however, see much discussion on having to remove the drive shaft. Sounds like a rather involved job requiring a mechanics training. Can someone explain in laymans terms the process. Thanks

old geezer, Welcome to the fracas!

If I were you I would not worry about removing driveshafts BUT simply get a car that I can pull 4 wheels down without any mechanical modifications.

Please come back and visit us often!

[Lued]

Old Geezer
We like our 1999 Jeep Cherokee sport It pulls easy, 4 down.

[wa8yxm]

A lot depends on what you tow.. Older Jeeps you could place the ignition in the "unlocked but not on" position and the transfer case in Neutral and away you tow.

Some modern cars are made so the drive shaft turning can pump fluid through the trans so away you tow.. CHECK THE MANUAL

Of course you can tow a stick shift in neutral no problem save it may run up millage on the old meter.. Or not, depending on a few things.

If.. IF you have a rear wheel drive that can not bet towed in neutral then a company called REMCOTOWING (Home | Remco Towing) likely has an adapter that goes on the drive shaft.. You pull a lever, and it's disconnected,,, It remains in place, but it does not turn and away you tow.

Front wheel drive car.... They got one for them too.

In short, there are very few cars that can not be towed..

Exception.. Do not try to tow a 5500 pound ride with a gasser!

[1ciderdog]

Old Geezer, Do you have a car now that you are thinking about towing? if so what is the brand & make of the car. Also, weight of tow car is important as some RV's re limited by weight capacity. All of us will be happy to make comments or suggestions but it would be best if we have a better idea of your coach and your proposed tow car. I hope you enjoy the RV life as much as we do.

[old geezer]

Thanks folks for all the info. I guess there are a lo of options out there. It seemed that I was reading a lot of info on persons disconnecting drive shafts so was thinking that was the norm. Obviously there are a lot of other options. Just could not see myself squeezing under the car each time (big belly!) with a hammer trying to do the work. Thanks again for the info and options.

Old Geezer

[wa8yxm]

You don't disconnect drive shafts with a hammer.. You use a wrench.

However,, Most folks who disconnect drive shafts use a RemcoTowing drive shaft disconnect adapter.. So it's done remotly from the cockpit of the car.

Imagine a theif.. He's punched the lock, and of course you left the key in the ignition, he's started it up, pulled the pins, puts the thing in gear (As the cop watches) puts the pedal to the metal... And goes to jail for attempted auto theft cause the car did not move.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Quote:

Of course you can tow a stick shift in neutral no problem save it may run up millage on the old meter.

That's a bit of an overstatement. Some FWD manual transmissions can't be towed as is. There a thread going on right now about a Chevy Aveo stick that burned up the tranny due to insufficient lubrication.

Anyone towing a Chevy 2009 (1/2) AVEO ?

[JimM68]

Bottom line is, if the car is towable 4 down, there will be a section in the owners manual where the procedure is specified.

[faye]

we tow a chevy cavalier with 4 down and it does not have to have any modifications, the hhr and chevy cobalt can also be towed without modifications and there are others, that you can find on a towing guide.

[BABrede]

We tow a 2008 Pontiac G6 Convertible. Owners manual says it can't be towed 4-down. BUT Remco lube pump was the answer to my problems. That and the Roadmaster baseplates and we've towed it nearly 2000 miles so far with no problems. You should see the looks we get when we unhook the toad, then hit the switch and the hardtop folds into the trunk! SWEEETT!

Also I am building a 1964 GMC pickup with an automatic tranny for a toad also. I convinced a local Remco dealer that it could be done,and he went the extra mile with Remco and I now have a driveshaft disconnect installed on it.

If there is a will, there is a way. Sometimes you have to be persistent and smarter than the sales person with a catalog.

Kerry