Flat Towing Locked F/R

[poorboy_616]

Mine was owned by the forest service, so they may have modified it somewhat. From the outside it looks like a standard 231. Even the tag is correct. 1987 NP231 2.72:1 LR.

You do need to roll them back and forth to verify it's in nuetral though. Just a few feet in each direction does the trick....

ALso I have found Neutral to be very elusive, to far back on the stick and it's 4LO, to far forward and your back in 4HI.

I have E-mailed my friend who helped design these, so he may have some input aw well. It could very well come down to operator error or t-case design. Some may lock other may not.

Mine and my friends Al's both freewheel front and rear drivelines.

If they were locked together as in 4HI or LO you wouldn't be able dolly tow it either! It would try to roll of the dolly as soon as you moved it......

When in doubt, pop the DS off the rear and go that way. No harm done unless your forget to reconnect it.

 

[poorboy_616]

Do you have a operating manual for your 1987 Jeep Cherokee?

Affirmative!! I have the "bible" in my glove box. AS soon as I get a free moment to run outside, I will go and grab it. The I will post the findings directly as they are written.

If I had a scanner, I would post the page. Though I think if I get close enough the digi-cam will do too....

 

[Goatman]

Affirmative!! I have the "bible" in my glove box. AS soon as I get a free moment to run outside, I will go and grab it. The I will post the findings directly as they are written.

If I had a scanner, I would post the page. Though I think if I get close enough the digi-cam will do too....

Really, this is getting a little silly.

I don't doubt your experience at all, but it seems that you doubt the experience of all the rest of us. Everyone posting here, except you, has shared their personal experience that early model XJ's with the 231 t-case have the front and rear connected when the t-case is in neutral. Folks have shared their personal bad experinces when flat towing with lockers.

Do you think we're all crazy?

If you got one that didn't, or if you don't really know what you're doing, OK. But are you willing to go against the advice and experience of all the rest of us and guarantee to the original poster that he won't have any problems or incure any damage if he follows your advice and goes ahead and flat tows with his setup?

BTW, your onwers manual won't answer this question. It only deals with the stock condition, which has already been said is OK to tow with. It's adding lockers that is a problem, which the owners manual has no way of addressing.

 

[markw]

Richard,

It depends on the 231. I've got a 94 231 and when it's in neutral the shafts spin independent. I flat tow it all the time behind the RV with the tcase in neutral and the trans in park. Lockright up front and detroit locker in the rear. I've heard the earlier ones locked the shafts.

The easiest way to check if you can or not is to drop the front driveshaft, put the tcase in neutral, and spin the front output, if it doesn't spin, then you need to pull the front shaft to tow, if it does, then you're golden and can flat tow. I'm debating on a 2lo kit so I can thrash next week to get it installed.

 

[poorboy_616]

I don't doubt your experience one bit either.

Everbody has negative and positive experiences with towing, locked or not. I am simply stating my opinion and experience, like or hate it, it is what it is.....

If I touched a nerve, it's your issue. I am not god, nor do I want to be.

Okay, an open front diff will tow just fine (or selectable locker, even locked with the 4x4 Posi-lock system). We know that, I can also verify a LSD or locked rear will tow just fine. Mine has an LSD and my friend up the street has a locked rear, it also tows fine.

With the locked front you run into drag issues which is whats causing the problem. You could try disconnecting the front driveline, but it may not make a difference.....

The best way to tow a locked front may be a dolly or even to trailer the rig. Honestly, if it's a trail rig (or dd/fun rig) a trailer is better, if something give up front or rear the wheels won't roll, the trailer will get it home....

BTW, here is what is stated in my 87 Owner manual (stock only, not modded vehicles) for those who are curious about the true nuetral thing:
Selec-trac instructions:

Command-trac:

Here is the "helpful hints" page 1:

Page 2:

Page 3:

I always roll mine a few feet in each direction (trans in park) to verify neutral. The book says to start it and put it in drive.....