Community Forums

Texasranger · 07-18-2016, 08:22 PM

The reason you can't flat tow the majority of cars is without engine running the trans does not get lubed.
For over 40 years as a used car dealer I flat towed everything...just left the engine running. Takes very little gas to leave it running as well.

DrDaveMA · 07-18-2016, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

The Civic hasn't been towable for years now according to Honda and the published towing guides. The only ones left are the manual transmission Fit & HR-V.

But then our '05 Odyssey isn't approved either and we've towed it at least 40,000 miles now.

Actually the FMCA towing guide, page 51, shows the Honda Civic LX & SX manual transmission is 4 wheels down towable, 65 MPH and 8 hour restrictions, oh and I bet you have to remove a fuse, but the towing guide does not show that. It also shows the Fit and HR-V are towable, but published guides have been wrong before, check the users manual for the rest of the story.

DrDaveMA · 07-18-2016, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texasranger

The reason you can't flat tow the majority of cars is without engine running the trans does not get lubed.
For over 40 years as a used car dealer I flat towed everything...just left the engine running. Takes very little gas to leave it running as well.

The only issue with having the engine running is you have power to the brakes and if you use a supplemental brake system you will have SUPER brakes that will lock you up when you are just thinking about stopping. The supplemental brake systems provide all the muscle required to stop the vehicle, add to that your power brakes and look out.

Texasranger · 07-19-2016, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDaveMA

The only issue with having the engine running is you have power to the brakes and if you use a supplemental brake system you will have SUPER brakes that will lock you up when you are just thinking about stopping. The supplemental brake systems provide all the muscle required to stop the vehicle, add to that your power brakes and look out.

Very true..we had no such thing as supplemental brake systems...all wheel drive was not around either.

Atom Ant · 07-19-2016, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texasranger

The reason you can't flat tow the majority of cars is without engine running the trans does not get lubed.
For over 40 years as a used car dealer I flat towed everything...just left the engine running. Takes very little gas to leave it running as well.

How do you just flat tow any car temporarily? It's not like the 60s when you could clamp a Hertz tow bar around the chrome bumper. How do you attach a tow rig? I'm just curious.

Texasranger · 07-19-2016, 07:00 AM

I sold my car business in 2001. Majority what we bought was trucks but lots cars had bumbers and I used a stinger behind a wrecker so the rear tires still on the ground so leave the engine running.

Atom Ant · 07-19-2016, 08:43 AM

ah, that makes sense.

Heavy-13 · 07-19-2016, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atom Ant

We are talking Grand Cherokee, not the Cherokee, right? Dealer said I couldn't flat tow a Cherokee because they are front wheel drive based.

To tow a Cherokee you need the Active Drive II transmission. Regarding the "death wobble" mentioned by another reply, only those produced prior to Feb 16, 2016 require the wiring bundle for the power steering. Dealers received a service bulletin on the issue.

Atom Ant · 07-19-2016, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavy-13

To tow a Cherokee you need the Active Drive II transmission. Regarding the "death wobble" mentioned by another reply, only those produced prior to Feb 16, 2016 require the wiring bundle for the power steering. Dealers received a service bulletin on the issue.

Ah thanks! I do see that as an option. We probably would go with the GC V8 to get the tow capacity up high enough we could at least move the boat around. Little TJ we have now can launch, that is about it.