Flat tow or trailer?

[DBGW5]

Everything I’ve read here and on RV forums all you do is put MANUAL Tcase in Neutral and transmission in park. Once you turn off truck leave the key in so as to not lock the steering wheel. Remove ignition key from key ring. Extra weight of all your other Keys and crap can sometime assist the key in coming out. Make sure when you are putting Tcase in Neutral your engine is off so as to not engage the front drive shafts.

 

[Jetboy]

Interesting thread and I would love to be able to flat tow my 4runner. Trailer is out of the question.

Here is what I am gathering and appreciate anyone to challenge or correct:
1) Either install the tranny lube pump or disconnect the rear drive shaft four bolts at the rear diff and hang the DS on something under the carriage.
2) Leave the key in the ignition to keep the steering column free from locking
3) Install a towed vehicle battery charger to keep the 4runner battery from draining with the key in the ignition (Is battery drain a risk with key in ignition? Not sure)

Question that still remain after reading this thread.
1) If the front drive shaft remains connected even if 4 hi is not engaged, wouldn't you still need the tranny lube pump or should the front drive shaft be disconnected and hung like the rear?

Front shaft requires nothing. It's not going to the extent it does spin at all - the front output shaft assembly is all lubricated (it's at the bottom of the case where the oil lives). So if it's in 2hi, it should be no different from normal driving in 2hi. If it's in 4 hi - incidentally it would also be fine because it's lubricated and theoretically it likely would also spin the chain assembly and at least splash lubricate the upper shaft assembly.

I don't know if that's enough to lubricate the rear output by running in 4hi, but my guess is that it would work. The problem then is that you're spinning the transmission output shaft and those bearings would not be lubricated. There is not a setting for neutral in the transfer case while engaging the front drive shaft (4x4). It's perfectly possible to do. The transfer case simply doesn't have a setting in the shift pattern for that. That's why the awd model probably works. Front shaft remains driven by the front tires while transfer case is in neutral.

So... long way to get here, if I were doing this - I'd modify the front ADD disconnect with a line lock or other electronic bypass so it remains "engaged" to the front drive shaft when the transfer case is put in neutral. I *think* that would work to flat tow without disconnecting the rear shaft. But you're doing it at your own risk.

 

[Thebeastlives]

I tow my 3rd gen, 4th gen and 5th gen behind my motorhome but always on the trailer. The additional weight and expense with lubricating my trailer's axles bearing is a small cost to pay. Toyota does not support according to the manual anything but a flat tow and this is same across most of the 4wd models for several generations. I might not follow everything in manual but important some important stuff definitely

 

[Lukie]

Everything I’ve read here and on RV forums all you do is put MANUAL Tcase in Neutral and transmission in park. Once you turn off truck leave the key in so as to not lock the steering wheel. Remove ignition key from key ring. Extra weight of all your other Keys and crap can sometime assist the key in coming out. Make sure when you are putting Tcase in Neutral your engine is off so as to not engage the front drive shafts.

I'm curious on what you ended up doing? I have a 4th gen with the AWD and V8. It would be the perfect dingy for the MH we plan on buying.

 

[DBGW5]

I'm curious on what you ended up doing? I have a 4th gen with the AWD and V8. It would be the perfect dingy for the MH we plan on buying.

Was going to just flat tow in neutral but ended up going a different route for my retirement plans.

Good luck!

 

[seatia]

Here is a cut and paste

The transfer cases operated by a switch or button CANNOT be towed 4 down as they are in essence a clutch pack type design requiring internal pump pressure to operate.

The second type used by Toyota is a manually shifted two speed, high/low with neutral, design the same as found in many off road style vehicles. This design transfer case CAN BE towed 4 down in neutral.

One word of caution, Toyota does not certify ANY of it's vehicles to be towed 4 down behind a motorhome. That said the Toyota 4Runner TRD Edition with the manual shifted transfer case can be towed 4 down as long as you are willing to accept the loss of driveline coverage.

And before the X'purts start questioning the above, I spent 28 years with Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and retired as a senior vehicle design engineer.

 

[[email protected]]

Just one more question on the topic of towing 4 down...

I read the posts on towing a 5th gen 4Runner 4 down is bad because without the engine running no lubrication to the transmission, but what if the 4Runner engine is running at idle while being towed in neutral with the transfer case in neutral? Or does the transmission pump only engage when in drive? Thx for any info, just don’t have storage for a trailer..

 

[[email protected]]

To seatia

Also thx to seatia for the expertise, I got transfercase in neutral, what about the transmission? Neutral as well?

 

[DStamper]

I read the posts on towing a 5th gen 4Runner 4 down is bad because without the engine running no lubrication to the transmission, but what if the 4Runner engine is running at idle while being towed in neutral with the transfer case in neutral? Or does the transmission pump only engage when in drive? Thx for any info, just don’t have storage for a trailer..

In my experience you can Flat tow ANYTHING with the motor running. I've been doing it for 20 years. I had two vehicles that where 2wd-automatic that I pulled with my motorhome on vacations with Roadmaster mounts/towbar while leaving the motor running and towing many thousands of miles. One was a Ford Escort and the other Chevy Tahoe. It makes no since IMHO to spend money on pumps and Driveshaft disconnects when you can start the motor, put it in neutral and go. I start it up and it runs all day and burns very little fuel in 12 hours. Sometimes we overthink stuff!