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Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start


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Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 3:33 PM

Post #1 of 12 (1997 views)
Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

1989 jeep wrangler
Chevy 350 vortec engine
700r4 automatic transmission
I want to flat tow this jeep so I won't have to call a tow truck every time i have to move the car from place to place until I can get the engine replaced. The jeep won't start. What I want to know is, how can i flat tow it safely without ruining the transmission. Ill put out there all the information I've gathered.

1. I can safely flat tow if I put the transfer case in neutral and the car in park.
Can i still use this method if I can't actually start the car? So far everyone who's said this says to start the car at one point of the instructions and I cant actually start the car. I can turn the key once or twice and everything works as it should, but not start it.

2. If I disconnect the driveshaft, I can safely tow it.
So apparently there's 2 ways of doing this.
You can unbolt one side and hang that side with a bungee cord or something or you can remove the driveshaft completely.
If i remove one side, and hang it, which side do i remove and wont it spin anyway? Someone suggested putting the transfer case on 2wd because putting it in neutral would make it spin and i wouldn't want that. Is that right? Can I still put it in 2wd if it doesn't start?
If i removed the driveshaft, would that cause any problems at all or is that the safest way to go with this?
Also, apparently there is a rear and a front driveshaft. Do I have to remove both? Or can I just remove one end from each one, hang them with a bungee chord and call it a day?

I just moved around here so i dont have anyone to help me push it onto a dolly or trailer so flat towing seems like my only option. And im already replacing the engine, I dont want to have to replace the transmission too. Feel free to ask any questions. Im not a mechanic. I just like to do my research before taking on something I've got no clue about.


(This post was edited by Wrecklessdiy on Jul 15, 2020, 3:35 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 15, 2020, 3:59 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1980 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

How far do you plan on towing this in any one trip?



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 4:08 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1970 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

The mechanic who's doing the job is about 40 miles away. He wants to take a look at it first and then set up a date to have the engine installed. So maybe four 40 mile trips.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 15, 2020, 4:15 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1964 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

Yes, I would probably disconnect the driveshafts, both of them.

Disconnect them at the differential and tie them off far away from the differential yoke.

You have to leave them connected at the transfer case so you don't lose any fluid.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jul 15, 2020, 4:16 PM)


Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 5:42 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1953 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

Awesome! Thank you for the fast reply! Would I have to worry about them spinning at all? And should I put the car and the transfer case in neutral or leave the transfer case in 2wd?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 15, 2020, 5:44 PM

Post #6 of 12 (1948 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

It doesn't matter what gear it is in if the driveshafts are disconnected and the engine is not running. Nothing is moving beside the differentials.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jul 15, 2020, 5:46 PM)


Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 5:48 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1940 views)
post icon Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

Thanks! There's very little clear information anywhere about this topic unfortunately. 🙌


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 15, 2020, 6:00 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1926 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

One more very important thing is to make sure the steering wheel is UNLOCKED.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 6:06 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1921 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

How do I do that?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 15, 2020, 6:09 PM

Post #10 of 12 (1916 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

Just turn the key to unlock it. Not all the way to "ON" but just the first click should unlock it.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Wrecklessdiy
Novice

Jul 15, 2020, 6:34 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1909 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

I'll make sure to do that. Thanks again! 🙏


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jul 16, 2020, 4:10 AM

Post #12 of 12 (1889 views)
Re: Flat Towing a 1989 jeep wrangler with a chevy 350 vortec engine that won't start Sign In

Good suggestions from Hammer on the towing thing is worth paying attention to. Since this is a project "creation" of a thing look at shafts that may turn with wheels turning into what items?


Gear cases that use a large gear and pinions (differentials for example) can go with just splash lube. Others require engine running or are without lube so distance matters or that item harmed or ruined.
Tie up unknowns (this case IDK just what creation you have) and YOU said "bungees" caught me.


Neat and better is tape off any U-Joints well so don't lose caps if applicable to this. NO on the bungees rather look for the right wire or I would use the large and stronger also in stainless clamps for clothes dryer venting! YES you can add one to another and make to size are much stronger, easier to put on and take off you said a few times doing this.


Home centers (I think I live if one sometimes) ask if you don't see them they have them or ones I frequent do.


The SS makes them last could re-use them will hold for ages for other type uses just unsightly for fix of something else.


Other for why stainless steel? > It's pretty strong and REAL higher quality is marked but bring a pen like pick-up magnet proves if it wont stick it's the better grade! Not all that costly - wrecking a bearing or part of this thing presumably good now would be a shame for an interesting project,


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