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towing a 4X4 (dolly)

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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 08:28 AM
  #1  
jj3500's Avatar
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From: NEW YORK
towing a 4X4 (dolly)

Is it safe...good idea to tow a 4x4 on a car dolly, just two wheels off the ground. My plan is to put the rear on the dolly and have the front on the street. I'll have the hubs free.

I'm trying to avoid a roll back to tow.

Comments...suggestions.
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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 08:31 AM
  #2  
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From: 14mi North of North Pole
It'll work but be careful. With the front end on the ground if the wheels aren't straight the towed vehicle will wander all over the place.
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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 10:57 AM
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Personally, I'd be more inclined to put it on the dolly forwards and just unbolt and wire up the driveshaft if you're transporting any distance. The big problem may be finding a dolly wide enough if you have oversize tires. May need to put stock width tires back on the front just to get it to fit on a large dolly.
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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by 12valve@heart
Personally, I'd be more inclined to put it on the dolly forwards and just unbolt and wire up the driveshaft if you're transporting any distance. The big problem may be finding a dolly wide enough if you have oversize tires. May need to put stock width tires back on the front just to get it to fit on a large dolly.
Agreed. Just unbolt rear driveshaft.
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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 11:22 AM
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Never towed one backwards before. Why?
I've towed a couple 4x4 trucks cross country with a dolly. Put front wheels on the dolly, transfer case in neutral. (The 5sp truck I left the trans in neutral too. The auto truck, I had the trans in park).
No problems
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Old Jan 11, 2010 | 07:16 PM
  #6  
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From: East Central OK
Originally Posted by Grit Dog
Never towed one backwards before. Why?
I've towed a couple 4x4 trucks cross country with a dolly. Put front wheels on the dolly, transfer case in neutral. (The 5sp truck I left the trans in neutral too. The auto truck, I had the trans in park).
No problems
I suspect that the theory is that the unlocked front hubs would eliminate the need to drop the driveshaft.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 03:02 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by 12valve@heart
I suspect that the theory is that the unlocked front hubs would eliminate the need to drop the driveshaft.
Yeah, but if it's a 4x4, putting the t-case in neutral will do the same thing. Could see it with a 2wd to not have to drop the driveshaft.
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 03:33 PM
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will the rear xcase output bearing lube properly with xcase in neutral?
Clark
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Old Jan 12, 2010 | 05:29 PM
  #9  
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Are you towing a CTD? U haul and Ryder would not rent me one to tow a CTD......said it was too front end heavy with the diesel.
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 09:20 AM
  #10  
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From: Auburn, WA
Originally Posted by annabelle
Are you towing a CTD? U haul and Ryder would not rent me one to tow a CTD......said it was too front end heavy with the diesel.
Uhaul won't rent you a dolly to tow anything bigger than a compact car! He!! they even turned me down once to tow a 4Runner...but because they said my Chevy 2500 4x4, 454 didn't have the proper towing capacity acoording to their books had to be a 3500!
Ended up going back to pick up the dolly with a F450 diesel, then they wouldn't let me out of the lot because the F450 didn't have 4 prong light plug (and no adaptor with me).
Last Uhaul dolly I used to tow a fullsize, I told them I was pulling a Honda Civic with it and they let me have it using a GMC 1500 as the tow vehicle.
BTW, the Uhaul dolly wasn't wide enough to put a 2nd Gen Ram 1500 with 285 tires on. Ended up towing the GMC 1500 because the front track width was a little narrower.
Uhaul sux! (Got more Uhaul horror stories!)
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 09:23 AM
  #11  
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From: Auburn, WA
Originally Posted by darkvader
will the rear xcase output bearing lube properly with xcase in neutral?
Clark
?? I dunno for sure, but have towed 4x4 pickups on dollies, GM Ferd and Dodge and never ahd a problem afterwards.I don't think t cases have oil pumps, just an oil bath like a manual trans, plus with the front end up on the dolly, teh t-case oil should be swamping the rear output bearing.
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Old Feb 23, 2020 | 06:21 PM
  #12  
Alvin Gardner's Avatar
 
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Originally Posted by Grit Dog
Uhaul won't rent you a dolly to tow anything bigger than a compact car! He!! they even turned me down once to tow a 4Runner...but because they said my Chevy 2500 4x4, 454 didn't have the proper towing capacity acoording to their books had to be a 3500!
Ended up going back to pick up the dolly with a F450 diesel, then they wouldn't let me out of the lot because the F450 didn't have 4 prong light plug (and no adaptor with me).
Last Uhaul dolly I used to tow a fullsize, I told them I was pulling a Honda Civic with it and they let me have it using a GMC 1500 as the tow vehicle.
BTW, the Uhaul dolly wasn't wide enough to put a 2nd Gen Ram 1500 with 285 tires on. Ended up towing the GMC 1500 because the front track width was a little narrower.
Uhaul sux! (Got more Uhaul horror stories!)

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