towing and driveshaft

Not sure which forum this applies too, so I'll ask it here...

When towing my '56 CJ5, or any other for that matter, should I remove the driveshaft from the rear differential, or is it OK to leave it on?

I've always been told by my dad and oldest brother that I should remove the driveshaft from anything I'm towing, for safety and transmission lubrication reasons, but I don't look forward to that every time I want to drag my Willys somewhere.

Does anybody else remove theirs?

 

I remove my rear drive shaft from the rearend only and wire it up to the frame. I have towed it with the drive shaft attached for short trips up to 50 miles. It only takes a couple mins. and is much safer, as I recall someone on the list had his jump in gear and did some damage. I have flat towed my Jeep several thousand miles trouble free and find it a convienent way to get it where I need it. Mike

 

X2. When faced with the choice of taking off 4 nuts and spending a little time getting grubby under your JEEP vs messing something up, take the time to get grubby.

 

it's always there.....just takes a new set of eyes to see it

 

Enjoy.

 

I Dont think its a must but if I was going to do a long haul I would , just because it would make me feel better.

 

How can a transmission jump in gear? Seen them jump out of gear but never the other way around.

 

Yes! AGAIN!

(Just had the movie "Miracle" jump into my head. I need a whistle)

*TWEEET*

AGAIN!!!

 

I would have wondered the same thing until I was behind a buddy towing his and the transfer case hulled its gears at 70 mph in front of me. Try dodging gears comming at you while doing 70 with a jeep in tow behind you.

 

You could always spend the big bucks for a Warn Full Floater Kit and unlock the rear hubs.

http://www.earlycj5.com/tech/axle/WarnFF/44_full_floater.shtml

 

When I first started flat towing my Jeep, I asked this question on WT. One of the posters there had a picture of a gear that was damaged from flat towing. Apparently at highway speeds, centrifugal forces will pump all the oil out of cavity and you get metal on metal. After that, I always disconnected my driveshaft any time I was going very far or was going to be on the interstate. Now, I have the Warn Full floater kit and I just unlock them. So much more convenient.

 

OK, that pretty much settles it! I'll plan on just removing the dang thing anyway, unless I'm only taking it a short distance. I figured that was the way to go, but I haven't driven this JEEP in 30 years, so I barely remember what it was like to drive it, let alone tow it. When I towed it from Oklahoma to Denver last December I had the driveshaft pulled off the differential and wired to the frame.

So be it.

 

I think what people are saying with all this "not again" stuff is this subject comes up real regularly. Try using the search function and you'll see some counter point arguments - if you want. Including mine - I've towed flat towed hundereds of miles with no issues and driveshafts connected. Maybe I was lucky. :? I've gone full float now tho so it's a non issue for me.