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Towing a Trooper

1K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  Enemigo 
#1 ·


So I am fixing to tow my 86 with my 89.
It has auto hubs. Do I just disconnect the drive shaft at the rear diff and put it in neutral?

Also I was told the tow bar should be level. Hard to see in the picture but it is in a pretty steep angle, is this a big deal?
Tow bar is attached to the frame.

I appreciate any info, thanks.
 
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#4 ·
Question is how far are you towing it? Short distance (50 miles) I wouldn't even bother to un hook the drive shaft - just put it in neutral and tow it. If functioning properly, the auto hubs are just like regular RWD front hubs - nothing more than a set of bearings. So don't worry about them. Auto hubs (again, if functioning properly) are engaged from the INNER (CV) axles.
If towing longer distances, it wouldn't hurt to disconnect and secure the rear drive shaft (at minimum, this makes it easier on the carrier bearing and tranny output bearing. It also makes it a minimum of drive train drag.
Tow bar angle: Yeah, straight and level is BEST, but a bit of angle isn't the worst. For the angle you show, I would advise a drop hitch on the towing vehicle. I also advise a good STRONG safety chain BOLTED to each vehicle. Dennis
EDIT: FWIW, I have towed vehicles with a tow bar for distances of 100 miles. Most recently, I towed (using a second gen Trooper) a pickup for 100+ miles. Towed my Spacecab (using a first gen Trooper) about 40 miles. Professionally, I have towed heavy trucks (with a 50 ton wrecker), towed I don't remember how many wrecked or broken Cop cars with smaller wreckers (before we got our slide bed).
As a kid (well, under 30), I don't know how many miles we logged dragging cars across this county with a chain ( I certainly don't recommend THAT any more.
 
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#5 ·
Thank you Dennis!
We re are going over 1000 miles. I don't see a problem towing the 86 with my 89 and will disconnect the driveshaft at the rear diff.
Technically the weight of the 86 is the maximum for the 3500 pound rated hitch that is attached to the rear with the 4 bolts.
So I will only put some light weight camping gear in the 86.

I am planning to stop on the way and remove the trailer ball in.
Then have the 2" receiver tube welded on and will buy a 10" drop hitch. We should be good to go.

Mike from the Oregon Coast

DSUZU said:
Question is how far are you towing it? Short distance (50 miles) I wouldn't even bother to un hook the drive shaft - just put it in neutral and tow it. If functioning properly, the auto hubs are just like regular RWD front hubs - nothing more than a set of bearings. So don't worry about them. Auto hubs (again, if functioning properly) are engaged from the INNER (CV) axles.
If towing longer distances, it wouldn't hurt to disconnect and secure the rear drive shaft (at minimum, this makes it easier on the carrier bearing and tranny output bearing. It also makes it a minimum of drive train drag.
Tow bar angle: Yeah, straight and level is BEST, but a bit of angle isn't the worst. For the angle you show, I would advise a drop hitch on the towing vehicle. I also advise a good STRONG safety chain BOLTED to each vehicle. Dennis
EDIT: FWIW, I have towed vehicles with a tow bar for distances of 100 miles. Most recently, I towed (using a second gen Trooper) a pickup for 100+ miles. Towed my Spacecab (using a first gen Trooper) about 40 miles. Professionally, I have towed heavy trucks (with a 50 ton wrecker), towed I don't remember how many wrecked or broken Cop cars with smaller wreckers (before we got our slide bed).
As a kid (well, under 30), I don't know how many miles we logged dragging cars across this county with a chain ( I certainly don't recommend THAT any more.
 
#6 ·
I think the rule of thumb is within 3" of level is good enough. I'd deffo disco the rear shaft at the diff and double or triple strap it up under the rig (fail safe in case one strap falls off). I'd probably not pull it out of the case since you'd have to plug the slip yoke somehow to keep your oil in it.

Good luck on the journey!
 
#7 ·
DSUZU said:
Question is how far are you towing it? Short distance (50 miles) I wouldn't even bother to un hook the drive shaft - just put it in neutral and tow it. If functioning properly, the auto hubs are just like regular RWD front hubs - nothing more than a set of bearings. So don't worry about them. Auto hubs (again, if functioning properly) are engaged from the INNER (CV) axles.
If towing longer distances, it wouldn't hurt to disconnect and secure the rear drive shaft (at minimum, this makes it easier on the carrier bearing and tranny output bearing. It also makes it a minimum of drive train drag.
Tow bar angle: Yeah, straight and level is BEST, but a bit of angle isn't the worst. For the angle you show, I would advise a drop hitch on the towing vehicle. I also advise a good STRONG safety chain BOLTED to each vehicle. Dennis
EDIT: FWIW, I have towed vehicles with a tow bar for distances of 100 miles. Most recently, I towed (using a second gen Trooper) a pickup for 100+ miles. Towed my Spacecab (using a first gen Trooper) about 40 miles. Professionally, I have towed heavy trucks (with a 50 ton wrecker), towed I don't remember how many wrecked or broken Cop cars with smaller wreckers (before we got our slide bed).
As a kid (well, under 30), I don't know how many miles we logged dragging cars across this county with a chain ( I certainly don't recommend THAT any more.
oh man, does that bring back memories...towing with a ' chain'...did it more than a 'few' times...and never did any damage...let alone SNAPPED the chain...
 
#8 ·
Skeletor said:
oh man, does that bring back memories...towing with a ' chain'...did it more than a 'few' times...and never did any damage...let alone SNAPPED the chain...
My brother and I did some sketchy stuff back in the day, but I don't think we ever used a chain. One time he bought an old '60 Jimmy 305 V6 pickup with bad timing set for something like $225 and we towed it back to my house (maybe 25 miles) with my '72 Datsun 1600 521 pickup. Man that was a tough little truck, you couldn't kill it! He had to ride in the Jimmy (totally illegal now, eh!) because the drum brakes on the Datsun weren't strong enough to stop our combined weights. So he would slow down first to take the slack out of the tow strap, then I'd use my brakes, too.

We were doing quite well until we got to a hill close to my house and the little Datsun didn't have enough poop to get up the hill in 2nd. I had to back down, get a run at it in 1st and away we went! Made it the rest of the way without event.

I pulled my '90 LS all the way from Bellingham, WA to the Bremerton area (about 180 miles) with my old 2.8 "S" Trooper. The LS was on a 2-wheel car tow dolly. So combined towing weight of what, maybe 4300 lbs given a 3800 lb Trooper and 500 lb dolly? I kept it around 50-55 all the way, used 4th gear, and was really really careful about braking when going downhill. The 2.8 handled it with aplomb. I disconnected and tied-up the driveshaft with a rope, the rig did great.

Towed a 4ZE1 parts Trooper across town on a dolly with the 3.4 LS. It didn't even breathe hard. That Trooper had a custom-made, 3-point-mount (middle, and both frame rails), heavy-duty trailer hitch. I took it off the parts rig, went home and put it on the 3.4, ran back and towed the mess home. It was a treasure trove of parts and I wish I'd kept more of it before I sold it.

Towing Fun! Those were the days. Gotta be really really careful nowadays, given the litigious society we're living in.

Cheers...........ed
 
#10 ·
ALWAYS had someone in the towed vehicle (until tow bars). They were the brakes for both and the steering for the "towed". We used hand signals to signal slow down or stop. Never forget one time the tower driver forgot and was letting his hand "float" in the wind - about drove me crazy.
As a kid, my mother towed most of the cars home for me. She was pretty good at towing. This included at least three 3 wheeled mail scooters - which STILL had to be the brakes for both vehicles. Dennis
 
#11 ·
Well, we pulled the 86 from the Oregon coast to Phoenix, even climbing steep hills and in triple digit heat, my 89 did great.
The angle on the tow bar was reduced quite a bit because the red 89 was loaded to the roof and all that weight lowered it.
I appreciate all the comments and some of your stories reminded me of towing with a rope for many miles and using hand signals.
I am glad we towed the 86 because I found a few things wrong with it as I finally got it back from the shop after 2 years. A few missing bolts and nuts here and there.
Getting her all fixed up now.
 
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