Service and Unhappy Results

[gio8856]

Drive shaft work is always a pain in the [moderator edit]. They never get it rite the first time, so pull it back out again and send it for rebalance, not sure why and it don't matter who or how much $$$ you throw at it, i wind up having a new shaft made. When we needed a toad we had a Audi Q7, loved it..... but you can't tow it 4 down, so now we have a new Grand Cherokee 4x4 Nice but not a Q7..... So a hard lessen to learn but you won't be happy with it till you get the rite toad....

[HD4Mark]

Wow, I had no idea there even was such a thing as a 2WD Wrangler. Learn something new every day. That said you would think any experienced shop that installed RV tow equipment would have asked "uh you sure you can tow this four down" before starting the work.

I never found this site until we purchased our first DP and was mesmerized by everything it had compared to the gas class C. Before that we would have been at the mercy of places like that to help us get what we needed. If you went to a shop that sold tow equipment with a Smart car and told them you want to tow a 40' fifth wheel should they tell you it won't work? A bit of an exaggeration but kind of the same idea.

[PbdBlue]

Originally Posted by gio8856

Drive shaft work is always a pain in the [moderator edit]+. They never get it rite the first time, so pull it back out again and send it for rebalance, not sure why and it don't matter who or how much $$$ you throw at it, i wind up having a new shaft made. When we needed a toad we had a Audi Q7, loved it..... but you can't tow it 4 down, so now we have a new Grand Cherokee 4x4 Nice but not a Q7..... So a hard lessen to learn but you won't be happy with it till you get the rite toad....

Really??? That hasn't been my experience. I've had 3 of them made and never had a problem. I just had Dave at DK build a custom driveshaft disconnect for my 2013 Xterra 4WD. Arrived in less than a week and fit perfect. Absolutely no vibration at any speed.

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by djenkins452

First thanks to all of you for your input. That is what this place is all about. I have put on my big girl panties now and realize I screwed up. So, now, my next steps.

I am not prepared to buy a new Jeep or other vehicle at this point. I am not prepared to crawl under the Jeep and remove the drive shaft.

Seems like you are misunderstanding how the "driveshaft disconnect" works. You don't have to
crawl under the vehicle or use tools.

With many, it simply a pull on the control cable from the drivers seat.

See this link

http://www.remcodsc.com/brochures/RE...C_Brochure.pdf

[RickO]

Sorry for your troubles. We all hate it when we make those mistakes (I pulled one off last week that's going to cost me ~$3K) but I'm with those who don't see it as a responsibility of the shop. You don't mention the business so we don't know if this is their forte or just a sideline with them but at the end of the day you called and set up an appointment to have tow equipment installed on you Jeep and they did it.

Driveshaft disconnect... and then put it all behind you.

Originally Posted by pasdad1

Seems like you are misunderstanding how the "driveshaft disconnect" works. You don't have to
crawl under the vehicle or use tools.

With many, it simply a pull on the control cable from the drivers seat.

See this link

http://www.remcodsc.com/brochures/RE...C_Brochure.pdf

I think she gets that part. The crawling underneath I believe is an earlier reference to the comment that the driveshaft needs to be disconnected to tow four down

Rick

[TeJay]

We purchased a 2012 Ford Fusion because it was flat towable. Now that we have the MH we determined from some info on these forums that while it is flat towable you will most likely burn up the transmission. Because it is in the owners manual Ford will replace it. So we purchased a 2002 Honda Civic manual for towing. RESEARCH, RESEARCH

TeJay

[gio8856]

Originally Posted by PbdBlue

Really??? That hasn't been my experience. I've had 3 of them made and never had a problem. I just had Dave at DK build a custom driveshaft disconnect for my 2013 Xterra 4WD. Arrived in less than a week and fit perfect. Absolutely no vibration at any speed.

Yes , REALLY.....

[Pusherman]

Originally Posted by djenkins452

I need some advice.

I called a service shop (Don't want to specify the place at this point). Told them I have a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport that I would like to tow behind my MH. The person was great, put everything in the system, told me all the parts/labor etc. I took that information, researched it and called back later getting a different person who looked me up in the system and recommended a second option because they like it better. Basically the difference between the braking system. I like her option better after doing the research. They sent me the estimate via email and we scheduled the work for yesterday and today.

I dropped off the Jeep Wed. night, they worked on it all day Thursday installing everything needed for the tow bar and braking system. Drove over 3 hours to get the MH, dropped it off Thursday night and they finished up late this afternoon.

I get there and I find out they have not tested the system. So we hook the Jeep up to the MH, getting everything exactly like we are supposed to and go to put the Jeep in tow mode. We were not sure how, so we opened up the owners manual and found the section on it. First thing is says is, if you have a 2 wheel drive Jeep, you must remove the drive shaft to tow. WHAT!!! Yes, I realize out here on this forum, you were already seeing where this was going because you are very knowledgeable about this this type of thing, but I had no idea! So there we are crawling under the jeep to determine what a big pain in the butt this would be and I am furious.

So, basically, the system is of no use to me because I am not willing or capable of removing and replacing that every time.

The Service Manager is very quick to point out that they are not at fault AT ALL for this as it is not their responsibility to determine if the vehicle is towable or not. They are the ones that had to ask me what type of vehicle I drive to know what parts to order.

Do you guys agree? Do you think that when I called up and asked for an estimate, they shouldn't have verified that the vehicle was of the right type?

I don't want to be ugly to them, but I just don't understand how this could happen. Am I being unreasonable? Shouldn't they have some or all of the responsibility on this?

Please give me your thoughts. I am sure there are many.

Thanks...

It is not the responsibility of any RV shop to guarantee that a car brought in to be set up to tow is towable. That is the manufacturer of the car's responsibility that it is towable, as documented in the car's owner's manual. Therefore, the owner takes full responsibility of whether a car is towable or not when brought into any shop to be set up for towing as a dinghy. In this case, the parts fit the 4WD version which is towable, just like they fit the 2WD version, which according to the OP is not towable.

Good shops may question the owner if they did their due diligence in choosing an appropriate toad. Sometimes, this does not happen for whatever reason, but it surely isn't the shop's fault if someone brings a car in to be set up for towing, and it isn't rated for towing. Again, that's the manufacturer's responsibility to qualify the toad for towability with the owner, and it is documented in the owners manual. The owner takes responsibility to tell the shop it is towable.

We set up toads about once a week for towing. We do challenge the owner if they have done their due dilligence to make sure the car is towable, but we offer no guarantee whether the car is towable or not.

It's also the owner's responsibility to make sure the car goes through the manufacturer's recommended sequence of events before towing each time. No shop can know all the different dinghy procedures before towing.

Sorry, but I believe it's unreasonable to ask for any credit from a shop who did what you asked them to do.

[phranc]

I too have never seen a 2wd Wrangler . I know they are made , but must be as rare as hens teeth. Now it's time to move on . Put this behind you. spend the next 'one G' or so and go camping

[HD4Mark]

Originally Posted by Pusherman

We set up toads about once a week for towing. We do challenge the owner if they have done their due dilligence to make sure the car is towable, but we offer no guarantee whether the car is towable or not.

I think that is reasonable Don. Ask if they know you can tow. (hey that rhymed) It doesn't sound like the shop even asked although I agree 2WD Wrangler is rare but you might notice when you drive it in the bay.

It also has a lot to do if the employees are on the ball, having a bad day or whatever. Yes do your research.

[wa8yxm]

Well. to the original poster.. First you have an option, I will discuss that in a bit.

Second.... I once took a "3 minute test" The first instruction on the test was something like "Read Everything before doing anything"

When I bought a jeep last spring (Alas it only lasted 4 days, never got to tow it,,, Long story, not the jeep's fault)... I read all the info I could find... The first jeep the dealer showed me was a RWD (2wheel drive) I said: NO, Can't tow that. The one I bought was 4wd

I will tell you that modern Jeeps often come with a full time electronic automatic four wheel drive system.. Under "Recretional towing" it says "NOT ALLOWED".. So make sure your jeep has a MANUAL transfer case. (mine did)

Now the option.

Remcotowing (Just add the www. and .com) sells among other things a device called a Drive Shaft Disconnect. This is a spline clutch.. Many use 'em though I've seen some discourging words from folks who got a bad one. Lets you tow a RWD as though it were a trailer.. I do mean trailer,

Also an anti-theft device since when it's activated (De-clutched) there is no way for engine power to reach the wheels. Imagine the theif, Pulls the pins, hops in and turns the key (Cause he saw the key in ignition) puts the pedal to the metal and goes... to jail cause the jeep does not move.

[terry735001]

run with the drive shaft disconnect devices , as for the lube pumps i would not go with it .. any lose in 12V power well start a fire in around 60 miles

[dsbike]

I have a question for those who have the driveshaft disconnect. I have a Toyota FJ Cruiser automatic & 4x4. The owners manual states not towable, but I know there are some who do. I know Remco makes a driveshaft disconnect for it. I use my FJ for some extreme off roading & rock crawling. Is the driveshaft disconnect strong enough to use for low torque applications when needed for crawling over rocks or steep inclines, ect. ? Does anyone who has one do off roading with their vehicle?
Sorry for hijacking the thread, but it is somewhat related.

[JFXG]

IMO, its all yours, Jenks. Sorry, but that's the way I see it. If you could've learned your jeep was untowable simply by reading the Owners Manual, then this problem is all yours. No way around it! The OM should have been the FIRST place you checked the first time you started thinking about it, long before you ever called a shop.