towing a bronco

flat towing does ,the rear drive shaft need to be disconnected ? an is there any other tip i should be aware of when towing

Just pop your tcase into neutral and your good to go. Wouldnt hurt to be sure the front hubs are unlocked too.

If you are towing any distance though, I would disconnect the rear driveshaft. By distance I mean 200+ miles. Reason is that even though the vehicle is in neutral, the top gears aren't being lubed in the transfercase & can cause unprotected (oil lubrication) wear because the driveshaft will still be turning. Anything less mileage wise & you will be ok.

ALLENP7 said:

an is there any other tip i should be aware of when towing

Click to expand...

Make some test runs 'round the block.., left & right turns 90deg. This, to be sure you have "following" steering.!

Mine turns left during ,right turns after the lift. (It's correctable., just haven't done it yet)

Would love too learn how too tow the bronco, I have a flat bed but for a quick tow(50 miles or so), what would it take?

You may have the same prob. with that lift. (reverse steering while turning)

But, the tow bars just need bracketry attached to the frame, (welded &/or bolted--- mine's both) both sides.

You can get yourself a tow bar that mounts to the front bumper or preferably the frame. And a tow vehicle. Pop the tcase into neutral and tow it anywhere you wanna go. I think I paid 100 bucks for my tow bar, its rated for 5000 pounds I think. Mines kind of a cheapo. I have towed my F250 supercab quite a few times with it.

thanks for the tips. I will use them this weekend on my way to ter del soul.

S_bolt19 said:

If you are towing any distance though, I would disconnect the rear driveshaft. By distance I mean 200+ miles. Reason is that even though the vehicle is in neutral, the top gears aren't being lubed in the transfercase & can cause unprotected (oil lubrication) wear because the driveshaft will still be turning. Anything less mileage wise & you will be ok.

Click to expand...

I love this place and have learned a lot from you guys who know more than me.

S_bolt19 is this condition particular to the early bronco's? OR is it accurate for all years?

Last year I was involved in a discussion reagrding flat towing a bronco in the '80-96 section, and if I remember correctly it was ok to flat tow with the transfer case in neutral, and further that the transfer case gears got lubrication from the spinning of the rear driveshaft.

"is this condition particular to the early bronco's? OR is it accurate for all years?

Last year I was involved in a discussion reagrding flat towing a bronco in the '80-96 section, and if I remember correctly it was ok to flat tow with the transfer case in neutral, and further that the transfer case gears got lubrication from the spinning of the rear driveshaft."

Hi Joe...!

"The jury is still out" on this one.

The theory is; the output shaft is "above" the oil level....therefore, in neutral, the gears aren't spinning but the output shaft & bearing is. (with dr. shaft hooked up while towing)

The gears are not in any danger...., the bearing is.

However., my friend at work (Trane A/C) tows his EB with his motorhome all over the west., & has for yrs. hundreds of miles & never a prob.

My theory is; that bearing never gets hot enough to dry out W/O a load & heat trans. from the eng.

One way would be to point a thermal reader at it (the bearing housing) aft. a long tow & get a reading.

Flat towing is always a risk anyway...W/O a heavy tow rig.

Having said all this.., I would suggest un-hooking the shaft on a "Dana 20" until the jury is in.

Hey BUlly_Bob! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

OK.. so you made me look up my reference...

http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?s=&...ost&p=69177

It states:

"I was just flipping thru the factory manual the other night and noticed that the BW1356 section had a notation that the Xfer case oil pump was driven via the rear output shaft and this would specifically allow the case to be lubricated while the truck was being towed"

I don't know what years the BW1356 was put into broncos. It would seem that it was OK for THAT transfercase.

Also as a side note, if I remember correctly the owners manual of an '96 states that it is fine to flat tow a bronco, and there were no caveats in it.

i just learned this a couple of days ago put the tcase in neutral and unlock the front hubs and leave the transmission in PARK its not the tcase that u r worried about is the tranny. If the engine isnt running the tranny is getting lubed and ur lower reverse piston clutch assembliy will be welded to the case and ull have to buy a new case hope that helps

Allan never stated this being an auto or stick.

But the t-case being the 1st. gear-box driven by the dr.shaft...if it's in neutral...the auto-trannie can't poss. spin.. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

& Joe.., the dana 20 in the EB's don't have a pump....that I'm aware of...

Hey Bully_Bob!

Were you on vacation? /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

& Joe.., the dana 20 in the EB's don't have a pump....that I'm aware of...

Is the dana 20 the front diff, or the transfer case? It wouldn't matter if it is the front diff, because with the transfer case in neutral, it wouldn't spin, right?

Hi Joe...!

"..because with the transfer case in neutral, it wouldn't spin, right?"

--------"It" being the trannie-----------

Seems right to me...,& yes., D-20 in the EB's are the (stock) Transf. cases....

Early., "T" shift......later models., "J" shift.

transfer case in neutral,trans in park,bad deal.transfer case rear bearing won't oil.will go bad.don't be lazy,just pull rear drive shaft from rear diff and tie it up and out of the way so it don't fall off.