Weight of a CJ2A & question about flat towing

Looking at maybe picking up a CJ2A. I was wondering what the weight of a '47 CJ2A would be? I can probably borrow my buddies trailer to get it and it's a single axle 2 ton trailer. Would that be okay? I'd be pulling it with my Dad's full size GMC w/ a 5.7L V8.

Also, how well do 2A's flat tow? After I get this thing home and do a little work on it, I'd like to put a tow bar on the front so I can tow it without a trailer. Not far. It would be less than 100 miles. Just far enough to get some repairs done that I can't do myself, etc.

thoughts?

 

Wieght on a 2A is around 2000# +or - I wouldn't be to afraid to flat tow 100 miles or so. I'd probably disconnect rear driveshaft. have lock out hubs on the front?
http://www.thecj2apage.com/specs.html

 

Yes. I believe it does have locking hub in the front. 100 miles is a bit of a stretch. It would be more like 40-50 miles of flat towing. Just enough to get it to the repair shop for some repairs I can't do myself (mostly engine related work).

 

safest way to tow it would probably be to remove both driveshafts.. and remember, the stock components on these jeeps were never meant to do 50 or 55 mph so they will likely get mighty hot if you are towing them at that speed. Personally i think your best bet it to invest in a trailer (just dont tell your buddies... they'll wanna borrow it all the time!! . this page is really handy: http://www.apple.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Tech/Towing.html cheers

 

I regularly tow my 3A and 5 on a single axle 3500# trailer but don't forget your spare tire and keep it under 70MPH.

 

Make sure the wheel bearings have grease after so many years if you flat tow. I have a trailer I bought from the old man down the road after he passed. Legal or not I do use it occasionally to drag jeeps home. It's a 3500lb single axle and I've seen the old man put CJ5's on it. I dragged a 2A home last week with it. It was a 40 min trip. One time I dragged 5 engines, 4 or 5 trannies w/ transfercases and 7 fronts and rears on it. It was a close to 2 hr trip. This is a situation where I should write that I'm a trained and practiced idiot and that you should not do this at home.

 

I disconnect my rear driveshaft and flat tow my 2A 600 miles ea. year going elk hunting. As they have said, just make sure you have grease in your hubs and rear wheel bearings. Mine get warm during the tow, but by no means hot.

 

I'd heard the weight was closer to 2500 lb .?
I flat towed my 3A about 100 miles no problem behind a CJ7 .
I kept it under 60 and could barely tell it was there.
I was impressed by how well it tracked.

 

I flat towed Putt Putt to Tellico two years in a row (12 hrs one-way x4). Lockouts + remove rear drive shaft 5 minute job. I have 33" TSL's and pump them up tp 45 PSI. Smooooooth even at 70!

I like flat towing, better on gas, you don't know its back there. I swing a little wide to get the wheels to turn on corners but no effort other than that. I go through the bearings every year --not this year due to cut in gas spending.

Edit: U-haul books say the CJ2A is around 2500lbs

 

Book says my 46 weighs 2680 lbs with full tank of gas !!! I am a firm believer if you are going over 25 miles towing a Jeep I would recommend dropping the drive shafts..I seen a guy going 60 miles an hour and the front d-shaft jumped in gear by the time he got stopped he ended up calling a flat-bed to get it tore the tranny slam out of it busted the rear yoke and axle....came off the ground about 4 feet straight up...He had to change his britches after he got stopped.........!!!!!!

 

Weight -- Maximum Payload............................800 lbs.
Shipping (Less water, oil and fuel).....2,037 lbs.
Curb (Including water, oil and fuel)....2,137 lbs.
Gross (Loaded)................................2,937 lbs

weights are from www.thecj2apage.com

 

I'm not sure how much difference there is between a CJ5 and CJ2A (I don't think it would be much). I had to have my CJ5 weighed on a truck scale before i could get it insured because of some technicality, anyways, it ended up being about 2700lb. I have no hard top, and it has a F134 in it. I have a PTO winch on it that might add 100lb if you were to include the other associated parts that go with it. Everything else is stock.

 

all you guys can worry about removing rear drive lines all you want. it is a waste of time. Put the tcase in neutral and the tranny in high. 5.38 gears turn fast with or without the driveline attached. model 18 tcases have the outputs under oil all the time. I have never, in thousands of towed miles, seen a transfer case shift itself into gear.

JB

 

I've never seen one jump into gear, either. But universal joints can come apart. I wouldn't want the front joint coming apart or loose at highway speeds. New britches would be needed.

I'm glad my 44 is full floating.

 

Best thing to do. Don't worry about removing driveshafts, or lubing, or anything. Just find and borrow a tandem axle trailer and get it home. Save the work for your own garage