About Towing a 4x4
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All Star
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 901
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From: Dayton, TX.
About Towing a 4x4
Just bought a '95 Ram 4x4, and as luck would have it, at 180 miles the rear diff. came completely unglued. Was able to tow it about a mile with another vehicle. I have to move it 45 miles.
The question I have, is it OK to put the rear wheals on a dolly and tow it, or would this damage the front axle or transfer case?
The reason I need to tow it backwards is it doesn't seem to roll forward, only backward. This may seem contradictory, but after towing it one mile and pushing backwards into a parking space it wont roll forward any longer.
Any help I can get on this would be greatly appreciated, as I really don't need to cause more damage to the drive train.
The question I have, is it OK to put the rear wheals on a dolly and tow it, or would this damage the front axle or transfer case?
The reason I need to tow it backwards is it doesn't seem to roll forward, only backward. This may seem contradictory, but after towing it one mile and pushing backwards into a parking space it wont roll forward any longer.
Any help I can get on this would be greatly appreciated, as I really don't need to cause more damage to the drive train.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
its ok to put the rear on a dolly, tow it backwards, and let the front wheels roll.
take care to ensure the cad is unlocked, and the front drive shaft is not spinning.
and just to be doing, i'd put the t-case in neutral.
also take care to make sure the front wheels are straight before locking the ignition/steering wheel. then monitor the first little bit of towing to make sure its tracking straight and not swaying or dog walking or anything weird.
if you wanted to work on it any before you tow it home, remove the rear diff cover and take a look. you might find the spider gears broken. they can usually be removed to free up the axles by removing the pinion shaft lock bolt and shaft.
take care to ensure the cad is unlocked, and the front drive shaft is not spinning.
and just to be doing, i'd put the t-case in neutral.
also take care to make sure the front wheels are straight before locking the ignition/steering wheel. then monitor the first little bit of towing to make sure its tracking straight and not swaying or dog walking or anything weird.
if you wanted to work on it any before you tow it home, remove the rear diff cover and take a look. you might find the spider gears broken. they can usually be removed to free up the axles by removing the pinion shaft lock bolt and shaft.
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All Star
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 901
Likes: 3
From: Dayton, TX.
Thanks for the feedback, puts my mind at ease.
I swear, in my life I've spent more time underem than inem.
I'll drag it up here tomorrow or the next day and start wrenching. Working nights 45 miles from home and having this happen is a royal pain in the butt. Fortunately I have another ride, but this being a Dodge forum I won't mention the F word.
Oh yeah, there's a possibility of a tropical storm. What more do I need?
Happy Days All!
I swear, in my life I've spent more time underem than inem.
I'll drag it up here tomorrow or the next day and start wrenching. Working nights 45 miles from home and having this happen is a royal pain in the butt. Fortunately I have another ride, but this being a Dodge forum I won't mention the F word.
Oh yeah, there's a possibility of a tropical storm. What more do I need?
Happy Days All!