Flat Towing an MJ?

[FXWorks]

I've been looking for a MJ lately. Bought a rusted out `98 XJ with a whack of parts on it that I want to transfer to an MJ (if I can find a decent one).

 

Lots of the MJs I'm seeing are a considerable distance away. If I find the right one I'd like to tow it home using a tow bar.

 

Is there a easy/good way to hook up a tow bar to the front of a stock MJ?

 

The tow bar that I have has brackets that are bolted (one big bolt per side) to a flat surface on the towed vehicle. When I towed my YJ home I drilled two holes in the bumper and hooked up the bar brackets and brought it home.

 

Will an MJ stock bumper hold up to this? What about adding a piece of steel behind the bumper to keep the bolts from ripping out? Will that work? MJ bumper is same as Cherokee bumper, right?

 

Any input appreciated.

 

TIA

[cracker]

I've been looking for a MJ lately. Bought a rusted out `98 XJ with a whack of parts on it that I want to transfer to an MJ (if I can find a decent one).

 

Lots of the MJs I'm seeing are a considerable distance away. If I find the right one I'd like to tow it home using a tow bar.

 

Is there a easy/good way to hook up a tow bar to the front of a stock MJ?

 

The tow bar that I have has brackets that are bolted (one big bolt per side) to a flat surface on the towed vehicle. When I towed my YJ home I drilled two holes in the bumper and hooked up the bar brackets and brought it home.

 

Will an MJ stock bumper hold up to this? What about adding a piece of steel behind the bumper to keep the bolts from ripping out? Will that work? MJ bumper is same as Cherokee bumper, right?

 

Any input appreciated.

 

TIA

 

 

I don't think I could trust the stock MJ front bumper enough to flat tow it.

 

Too old and too many peoples lives at stake.

[87Warrior]

I drove 4.5 hours to look at an MJ. Decided I had to have it and rented a U-Haul car trailer. Loaded up and drove home. I assume there is something like Uhaul in the great white north.

 

If you do flow tow, or dolly tow, disconnect the drive shafts.

[cracker]

I never recommend pulling both the drivelines. One should be installed in case one gets in a pickle and has to get out of a tight location/spot (backing with a flat towed vehicle just doesn't work). Also, if one does not have a SYE, one may dump fluid out the back of the TC.

[LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW]

I've flat towed my MJ quite a bit.

 

There is no need to disconnect the driveshafts if you setup your Jeep correctly. I guess it wouldn't hurt but I just do not see any need for it. You can't just take the back off unless you have SYE as it will loose fluid out of the TC housing. I won't debate this fact about disconnecting the d-shafts as it seems like everytime it gets brought up it ends up being a huge debate. I'll just leave it as I've NEVER disconnected the d-shafts and have probably lose to 2000 miles flat towing my MJ.

 

DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT connect a tow bar to the factory bumper. It will not hold up. I used a set of C4x4 tow hooks and made my bracketry mount off of them. It works well and has held up great. The C4x4 mounts tie back into the frame rails as well as have a side support brace. If it has a set of factory mounts you could probably do something similar.

 

Here is a pic of my setup. Let me know if I can be of any further help.

 

 

 

EDIT: Here is a better picture of how I have the mount setup. 2 bolts per side at the tow hooks, than 2 bolts in the center tied into the cross support with spacers to make it tight.

 

 

We were just hooking it up, best advice I can give you is have the tow bar point down towards the tow vehicle so it won't push you around as much. An adjustable height hitch is a great investment with a towbar setup.

 

[Eagle]

Will an MJ stock bumper hold up to this? What about adding a piece of steel behind the bumper to keep the bolts from ripping out? Will that work? MJ bumper is same as Cherokee bumper, right?

If the stock bumper is solid, and if you attach the tow bar as close to the bumber mounts as possible, and if you drive gently (especially when accelerating), you MIGHT be able to do it. A friend and I towed an MJ from Massachusetts to Connecticut that way. But the MJ had no engine, so it was a bit lighter than stock.

 

I have seen a few where attempts to tow with bolt-on tow bars ripped the front bumper apart.

 

It would not be my first choice for how to tow an MJ.

[jpdocdave]

ya a yj bumper is a solid piece of c channel bolted to a full frame. mj....not so much

 

the most important thing is the trans, the owners manual explains how to flat tow. put the t case in nuetral and the trans in park is what i believe it says. the point is you can't have the d shaft spinning without the jeep running cuz the transmission fluid pump is not pumping fluid and it will burn up if it is spinning.

[FXWorks]

Thanks for the insights.

 

I'll likely pull the shafts and zip tie them up. If I'm picking up a ~$1000 MJ of questionable condition I might as well spend the 5 minutes per end to undo the differential end of the shafts and zip tie the loose shaft to the frame or something.

 

Is the tow hook area of the MJ identical to a XJ? I can fab up an arrangement like the above pictures in an afternoon I'd guess and go that way. I have a RENIX era XJ behind the barn I can use as a "template" to build against if it will be identical. I think it is the same but defer to the experts here.

 

TIA

[Eagle]

Yes, the front bumper, subframe, and brackets for an MJ are identical to an XJ.

[Lewt2007]

ya a yj bumper is a solid piece of c channel bolted to a full frame. mj....not so much

 

the most important thing is the trans, the owners manual explains how to flat tow. put the t case in nuetral and the trans in park is what i believe it says. the point is you can't have the d shaft spinning without the jeep running cuz the transmission fluid pump is not pumping fluid and it will burn up if it is spinning.

 

there is a pump on the tail shaft of the transfer case that pumps oil

[mvusse]

That keeps the transfer case lubricated. Transfer case oil is completely isolated from transmission oil.

 

One nit I have is the manual does say transfer case in neutral, transmission in park, but a 231 transfer case does not have a true neutral. In the neutral setting the front and rear drive shafts are connected. At least, in mine they are. This forces the front wheels and rear wheels to spin at the same speed and will result in at a minimum tire scuff, and possibly even hopping through tight turns. Hopping is a great way to brake u joints.

 

There has been a debate in the past about whether an NP231 does or does not have a true neutral. I tested mine 2 days ago when I had the rear off the ground anyway to check some things with the new axle. Yes, I was playing with the fork lift again.... No pics this time, though.

[FXWorks]

I've found my MJ. It is four hours away and I am going to go get it on Saturday. Really great friends are lending me a truck and trailer to retrieve it so I won't be flat towing.

[Eagle]

There has been a debate in the past about whether an NP231 does or does not have a true neutral. I tested mine 2 days ago when I had the rear off the ground anyway to check some things with the new axle. Yes, I was playing with the fork lift again.... No pics this time, though.

It depends on the year. The older ones lock the two driveshafts together even though the t'case is divorced from the tranny. I think they changed it around 1994 but I'm not certain on the year.

[cracker]

There has been a debate in the past about whether an NP231 does or does not have a true neutral. I tested mine 2 days ago when I had the rear off the ground anyway to check some things with the new axle. Yes, I was playing with the fork lift again.... No pics this time, though.

It depends on the year. The older ones lock the two driveshafts together even though the t'case is divorced from the tranny. I think they changed it around 1994 but I'm not certain on the year.

 

 

My 1994 XJ wasn't a true neutral :doh: