Tow dolly and rear wheel drive

[Fostfreez]

I was wondering if I can tow my Jeep Liberty safely 4 down by putting the transfer case in neutral, why can't I tow it on a dolly with it in neutral? Has anyone done this?

John & Lorraine
04 34' Alpine
03 Jeep Liberty 4x4
08 Mini Cooper

[Submustang]

We had a 4x4 Chevy Tracker. It could be towed 4 down with the transfer case in neutral, but the manual required it be towed with the rear wheels on a dolly. Not a jeep, but I saw no one answered your question so I thought this might help as they are somewhat similar. I don't have any idea why the manufacturer wanted it this way.

[Healeyman]

In MY opinion, loading ANY car or truck on a dolly backwards is FOLLY!

The problem has to do with the caster and the toe-in that is adjusted into the front suspension.

Caster is what makes the front wheels of a grocery cart track parallel through a turn. Try pulling a grocery cart backwards and see what happens. Admittedly, the front wheels are tied together with linkage that serves to prevent the grocery cart example of the front wheels flipping around from happening.

That leaves us with the toe-in adjustment. When rolling forward, the suspension has both front tires slightly pointed inward.

When you tow backwards on a dolly, the rolling front wheels are spayed slightly outwards. That is called toe-out.

Raising the rear wheels off of the ground makes the king pins angle less perpendicular to the ground. This causes the caster to make the toe-out worse, not better.

When rolling with toe-out, ONE front tire is always dominant and trying to steer the on-the-ground front end. As the car is rolled and the weight shifts from one front wheel to the other through normal cornering, bumps, etc. the dominant wheel steering the front of the car can rapidly change from one side to the other, causing sway. This sway can make the towed vehicle extremely unstable to the point of uncontrolability.

Sure... Some people get away with it, but that is why no rental agency will condone this type of vehicle towing.

Tim

[ahicks]

From what I remember on this topic:

Many 4x4's use a differential of some sort between the front and rear drive systems. Towing with one end or the other on the ground and the other not turning is going to leave this diff working overtime. Kind of like towing with one rear wheel on the ground and the other stationary on a rear wheel drive vehicle?

If you have a 4x4 with unlocked manual locking front hubs, you might be OK?

[Monacoach]

I have two family members that both have Jeep Liberty's that they pull behind their motorhomes in the manner you mentioned.. They leave the gear in park position and put transfer case into neutral... They have been doing it this way with no issues for years.

[Monacoach]

Oh and I personally dont see why it would be a problem pulling the jeep on a dolly with the crankcase in neutral.. seems to me that the only difference is that the front wheels wont be spinning....

[Fostfreez]

Thanks for all of the input.

John & Lorraine
04 Alpine

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monacoach Oh and I personally dont see why it would be a problem pulling the jeep on a dolly with the crankcase in neutral.. seems to me that the only difference is that the front wheels wont be spinning....

Which is exactly the problem! If the transfer case is anything like my '97 GC was it'll ruin the transfer case in very short order. Both shafts have to spin at the same RPM.

[wa8yxm]

Several reports in several forums of people successfully towing a Liberty 4-down.

In fact. enough of them that when I go looking for a new towed (Likely 2 years from now) that is one of the vehicles topping my search list.

[nalcon]

I think the OP was talking DOLLY. A friend of mine has a Honda Pilot 4wd. He has to disconnect the transfer case drive shaft to tow on a dolly.

[daveshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D Which is exactly the problem! If the transfer case is anything like my '97 GC was it'll ruin the transfer case in very short order. Both shafts have to spin at the same RPM.

QFT! Read the owner's manual, the above is gospel when it comes to Jeep transfer cases. It's 4 down with transmission in park or 1st/2nd gear and transfer case in neutral OR on a trailer only.