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Flat towing tips

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Offline rkteckt

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Flat towing tips
« on: February 27, 2006, 08:34:26 PM »
Im gearing up for my first long distance trip towing Trogdor behind my avalanche and would appreciate any advice that experienced flat towers can offer.

i'm ordering a custom hitch because i need an 11" lift to get from the hitch reciever on the avalanche to the tow bar coupler on the samurai. And i need 24" clear between vehicles to open the tailgate without disconnecting the hitch.

I cant imagine that a samurai would strain a 2" steel tube over a 24" legnth since most of the force is parallel to the shaft, but criticism would be appreciated.

I've never flat towed anything before and im picturing my sammy bouncing from right to left tires and then flippng over suddenly...... :-)

Is it safe to load up the sammy with camping gear as long as i stay away from the shifters and the steering wheel?

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1991 samurai , Mall Crawler, neon green, YJ lift, Wifes vanity plates.
1988.5 tintop too many mods to list. The work samurai.
2005 Avalanche Z71
2003 Matrix XRS
1993 sidekick 4dr 2wd donor thats too nice to destroy yet. 1992 Toyo Pup POS
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2006, 10:57:12 PM »
post a pic of your tow bar, I just disconnect the rear drive shaft,unlock the front hubs, turn the key untill the steering wheel unlocks and go for it.  ok hook up towbar safty chains x2 and plug the lights in, I just towed a tracker 250 miles no problem.
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1987,1988,1988,1990 samurai's,  1953 m38a1,  1996 x-90,blue.1996 x-90 red.1994 2 door tracker.   only Dead Fish go with the flow.                No Hairy Nosed Wombats were ran over on the trail today.       My ZUK is Xenophobic.
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Offline dowry

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2006, 12:54:22 AM »
I've flat towed my Sami thousands of miles with no problems.  If you really want to avoid issues, some people remove the rear drive shaft to avoid the risk of it separating.  Judging from experiences on several BBs, this doesn't seem to be an issue if your drive shaft is the correct length for your lift, has enough slip yoke length for your suspension travel, and is well maintained.  (I'm lifted 2.5" with stock shafts and don't bother pulling the dshaft.)  You might consider pinning missing links if you've got them to minimize droop.

The 2" shaft is akin to most receiver hitches on the other end.  A pic would tell a lot here.

I often load the sami under tow with a few hundred pounds of firewood, etc and it's fine.  I usually load it either behind the front seats or on the passenger side floor to avoid shifter conflict.  Note that the owners manual suggests TCase in neutral, Trans in 2nd while towing.  Stop every 200 miles to idle the engine thus lubing the tcase.

A trick I learned is to turn the key on then turn it all the way off.  If you don't remove it, the column remains unlocked.

Cheers,

D
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Offline rkteckt

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2006, 05:50:21 PM »




heres the hitch idea
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1991 samurai , Mall Crawler, neon green, YJ lift, Wifes vanity plates.
1988.5 tintop too many mods to list. The work samurai.
2005 Avalanche Z71
2003 Matrix XRS
1993 sidekick 4dr 2wd donor thats too nice to destroy yet. 1992 Toyo Pup POS
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Offline ack

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2006, 07:31:13 PM »
Do a search for flat and tow at Ack's FAQ.  The link is in my signature.

Although there is a lot of information on the Tracker (auto locking hubs, Automatic Transmission, etc.) The basic material also applies to a Samurai.

I generally drop the rear driveshaft and unlock the front hubs when flat towing.  That way everything is disconnected (more or less in the front...) from the tcase/transmission.
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Ack

'88 Samurai, '88.5 Samurai TT, '11 Ford Transit Connect XLT
Ack's FAQ  http://www.acksfaq.com
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2006, 09:43:28 PM »
I would put some perty thick paint on the new part and drive it around the block a few times and look for any stress marks on the paint, they make hitches for setups like that for trucks with campers but it has another 2" reciever below the stock one and a bar coming out of it and welding to your 24" piece, but like you said there is no tounge weight, so try it out close to home first, then go for it.
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1987,1988,1988,1990 samurai's,  1953 m38a1,  1996 x-90,blue.1996 x-90 red.1994 2 door tracker.   only Dead Fish go with the flow.                No Hairy Nosed Wombats were ran over on the trail today.       My ZUK is Xenophobic.
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jauguston

Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2006, 09:08:24 AM »
New member here.

I don't believe the hitch extension you have drawn will be very successful. The long distance back and the offset will create a lot of movement at the ball. The only way I can see it being safe would be if you could get it fitted to the reciever so there is NO slop in the connection. If there is slop the towed vehicle will wander and be a PITA to tow.

I built the tow bar and attaching brackets for my '87 Sammi. I used 1 1/4" square steel tubing with 1/8" wall. I am 38" from the ball to the connection on the Sammi front shackles. I made replacement front spring shackles out of 1/4" plate shaped in kind of a triangle shape with  5/8" holes in a third hole in the new shackle plates. If you look at the shackles in your picture and visualize that center hole being about 2" forward that is where the bar is connected. That will eliminate the need for so much rise in your hitch.

I tow with the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in second gear as recommended by Suzuki. No shaft removal.

Jim
Bellingham, WA
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2006, 02:28:49 PM »
"I tow with the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in second gear as recommended by Suzuki. No shaft removal. "
   

That is fine if your stock and not lifted, the front drive shaft turns on a sammie when the t case is in nutral, mine has a nasty vibration and tends to loosen all of the drive line bolts, who knows what other damage it does inside the t case.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2006, 09:56:38 PM by mrfuelish »
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1987,1988,1988,1990 samurai's,  1953 m38a1,  1996 x-90,blue.1996 x-90 red.1994 2 door tracker.   only Dead Fish go with the flow.                No Hairy Nosed Wombats were ran over on the trail today.       My ZUK is Xenophobic.
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Offline rkteckt

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2006, 08:13:29 PM »
So lemme see if i have this correct.....

Its probably ok to tow a lifted samurai by following the manufacturers suggested tranny in 2nd and tc in neutral.....Idle the engine for five minutes or so every 200 miles.....

If im mechanically inclined and paranoid i should disconnect the drive shafts for the tow....

I should take it for a test run to see if i can hear any vibration from the front drive shaft.....

And finally i should redesign my hitch for less lateral play in the receiver?

Actually i could probably get away with a much shorter hitch arm if i padded the top of the coupler while opening the tailgate.....Avalanches have this plastic tailgate panel that will probably shatter if it hits the coupler.....but still, opening the tail gate is a conveniance issue on the road, could just be less conveniant.

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1991 samurai , Mall Crawler, neon green, YJ lift, Wifes vanity plates.
1988.5 tintop too many mods to list. The work samurai.
2005 Avalanche Z71
2003 Matrix XRS
1993 sidekick 4dr 2wd donor thats too nice to destroy yet. 1992 Toyo Pup POS
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2006, 09:59:07 PM »
PULL YOUR REAR DRIVE LINE.      you would probably not make it fifty miles befor you destroyed something with the lift that you have.
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1987,1988,1988,1990 samurai's,  1953 m38a1,  1996 x-90,blue.1996 x-90 red.1994 2 door tracker.   only Dead Fish go with the flow.                No Hairy Nosed Wombats were ran over on the trail today.       My ZUK is Xenophobic.
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Offline kymike

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2006, 05:40:09 PM »
I LIVE RIGHT BY U I HAVE ATOW BAR IF U WANT TO BORROW IT
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Offline rkteckt

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2006, 01:06:26 PM »
Thanks for the Towbar offer, my front bar has one that bolts right one.


SO what kind of damage are we talking about to the rear drive shaft if it is not disconnected?

I guess i can go get a quick lesson on how to remove it and re-install it, just seems wierd that a part of the car thats supposed to turn while its moving would be in danger of damage when the power is coming from the wheel end instead of the TC end.
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1991 samurai , Mall Crawler, neon green, YJ lift, Wifes vanity plates.
1988.5 tintop too many mods to list. The work samurai.
2005 Avalanche Z71
2003 Matrix XRS
1993 sidekick 4dr 2wd donor thats too nice to destroy yet. 1992 Toyo Pup POS
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Offline Vagabond

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2006, 12:04:40 AM »
You don't have to drop the front driveshaft as long as your front hubs are unlocked.  To be safe, disconnect the rear driveshaft.  No big deal, only four bolts.  Just remember to make sure that the u-joints are in phase when you reconnect it.
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Offline rkteckt

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2006, 12:01:45 PM »
FOur bolts.....Meaning just disconnect one end? I assume the end closest to the differential?

And what do you mean by u-joints in phase?

Im a real novice at car repair.  I think i may have my mechanic give me a class on dropping the drive shaft.  Maybe have him put some new bolts on it while he is at it so im sure i can get them loose.

When i re-connect it do the bolts have to be torqued on? or can i just tighten them up pretty tight?

Thanks, you guys are saving me from buying a 1200 buck trailer by the way.
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1991 samurai , Mall Crawler, neon green, YJ lift, Wifes vanity plates.
1988.5 tintop too many mods to list. The work samurai.
2005 Avalanche Z71
2003 Matrix XRS
1993 sidekick 4dr 2wd donor thats too nice to destroy yet. 1992 Toyo Pup POS
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Offline mrfuelish

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Re: Flat towing tips
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2006, 01:47:41 PM »
When you put a sammie tranfer case in nutral it locks the front and rear drive line together, so when you tow it down the road with a lifted samurai the front drive line is trying to come off of the t case which in turn telegraphs all of the vibrations right on through the t case and will eventually loosen all the bolts in your drive line and your drive shafts will fall off on the road doing sixty that will probably take out your brake lines and a few other things in the immediat area.
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1987,1988,1988,1990 samurai's,  1953 m38a1,  1996 x-90,blue.1996 x-90 red.1994 2 door tracker.   only Dead Fish go with the flow.                No Hairy Nosed Wombats were ran over on the trail today.       My ZUK is Xenophobic.
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