road towing

[notsofine69]

Hello everone. Just purchased a 69 F-250 2wd with the 4-speed manual. what is the rule on towing it back home if I happen to use a tow dolly to do it? Just leave in N or disconnect drivehaft as in an Auto. Thanks.

[ToughOldFord]

I'd just leave it in neutral myself. You pull the drive line on an auto due to the pump isn't moving any fluid and you could burn up the tranny if you tow with it hooked up.
A manual is lubed by the moving parts sitting in the gear oil in the box and the ones moving while being towed will still be lubed.

[fordman]

neutral should be ok but pulling the shaft will make sure that it doesn't jump into gear.

[notsofine69]

Thanks guys i forgot about that big jumpy shifter

[binder56jd]

i'm not gonna say it can't happen, but i have never heard of one putting itself "in" gear

['75-4x4guy]

pull the drive shaft you can cause damage to the tranny due to improper lubrcation ..how far are you towing it? .. less then 10 miles you should be ok but keep the speeds below 30mph.

By the way that info is out of the ford pre-delivery and maintaince shop manual ..

[72hiboy4x4]

using a tow dolly, just back it onto the dolly.
use the seat belt wrapped around the steering wheel to keep the front wheels pointed straight. make sure its tight!
problem solved, no hassles!

[Leadfoot]

never flat tow an automatic trans with the drive shaft in. unless trans is N.F.G.
as a operator owner of a tow truck I can say I have seen the trans mess up in a 5 mile tow at low speeds.
and towing in revers with a dolly is a no no in most areas so I would check on that first.

[rjewkes]

hmm my truck was flat towed with the driveline still connected in nmuetral at atleast 50 mph for 10 miles and ever since it has had problems. Some tow companies... And this guy was tripple a aproved. Come to think of it he did have a few ford pickups 67-72.

[72hiboy4x4]

and towing in revers with a dolly is a no no in most areas so I would check on that first.

really? i've done it that way for years when it needed to be done.
Lots of RV'ers I know or have seen also tow that way.
Maybe different rules US and BC?

[FORDification]

While we're on the subject, I thought I'd throw this in. This warning is posted on the Novak Conversions site. It deals with 4WDs, but is still worth mentioning:

A Cautionary Issue on Towing

Improperly towing any vehicle with the NP435 transmission can cause the very prompt destruction of third gear bore and its mainshaft journal due to insufficient oiling.

If you must flat tow, and have a transfer case, you may set it in full neutral and place the NP435 in any gear to prevent mainshaft spin. However, note that many transfer cases themselves do not allow for flat towing.

Preferably, you may wish to disconnect the rear drive shaft. Rear axle lockout hubs may be a worthwhile addition for this reason.

We have seen and heard of a few incidents of this over the years, the worst of which producing a complete friction welding of third gear to its mainshaft.

This is one of the only quirks of the 435, and easily avoidable.

[72hiboy4x4]

well thats good to know. I have a tow-bar set-up for my '72 that gets occasional use.
I always put the transfer case in neutral and the tranny in....... well I guess I have always put it in neutral, too.
Guess I'm lucky it hasn't gone far enough to kill the tranny!

[notsofine69]

I made it home 550 miles on a tow dolly with the t-18 in N. (2wd).should have backed it up per your suggestion with the seat belt trick. I racheted the steering wheel to the pedals with the front end on the dolly tray. next time I get a hold of a car trailer instead.

[averagef250]

I've done alot of flat towing and never had a problem with a 435 getting hurt. Flat towed a friends 77 4 speed highboy 95 miles once. Would rather not do that again. I never really thought about it before, but I guess when a manual is having power put to the output without the input spinning the mainshaft is the only thing turning. The countershaft and all the gears aren't turning so oil isn't getting anywhere on the mainshaft that needs it. Makes sense. Although if you're flat towing, all you'd have to do would be to push in the clutch and put the tranny in fourth or just spin the synchros for a second or two if it won't go in gear every ten miles or so and I'm sure you'd be fine.