Somewhat urgent info needed: flat tow 2wd XJ?

Hey I posted this in the towing/other section, but really need an answer, even someone could read their owner's manual for me and just tell me what it says.

I'm tempted to pickup a 2wd 1995 XJ sport for cheap. This will be my third XJ, and I flat towed the other two and my YJ with a tow bar, but they were 4wd. Can I flat tow this 2wd XJ? If so, would I leave it in drive instead of park, since there is no transfer case? It will be a hunting rig, and taking the drive shaft on/off in wet winter is not something I have any desire to do. I would have to drive an hour to buy this thing and the seller doesn't have an owner's manual, so I can't ask him to look to see what Jeep says about it. If anyone has an owner's manual they can look at for me, I'd appreciate it. IIRC, the owner's manuals are the same for 2wd and 4wd XJ's and any 94-96 should cover it. Thanks in advance.

drop the drive shaft and then it will not be possible for anything bad to happen

Tow with the rear up in the air, remove the driveshaft, or flatbed the thing.

Just wondering - how is towing in neutral any different from just coasting when you are in the heap every day as far as the drivetrain is concerned? Always wondered.

An automatic transmission is lubricated by the hydraulic pump that is driven by the crank. If the engine isn't running, the fluid isn't moving. With 4WD the transfer case has a pump that is attached to the rear shaft, so you put the transfercase in Neutral and let the driveshaft work the transfer case pump, and put the transmission in Park so that the trans won't turn.

Jesse_Hallum said:

Tow with the rear up in the air, remove the driveshaft, or flatbed the thing.

Click to expand...

I can't actually put the jeep backwards on a tow dolly, could I?

Planetcat said:

I can't actually put the jeep backwards on a tow dolly, could I?

Click to expand...

The weight is all wrong for that.

Don't have a friend with an actual trailer?

What are you going to flat tow this to the mountains with? Whose hunting rig is 2wd?

Pull the driveshaft to get it home this time?

XJ_ranger said:

The weight is all wrong for that.

Don't have a friend with an actual trailer?

What are you going to flat tow this to the mountains with? Whose hunting rig is 2wd?

Pull the driveshaft to get it home this time?

Click to expand...

Towing with my 04 Ram 2500 diesel. A locker in the rear axle will get me to all the hunting spots I frequent any time of the year. 2wd = same lift, same mud terrain tires, same winch, same rear locker, half the purchase price. My atv trailer is about four feet too short and 1,000 lbs capacity short as well. I'm still on the fence about it though.

I have flat towed my XJ 60,000 miles over the last ten years behind out 24' RV, it flat tows just fine.
Put a base plate and tow bar on it.

With a 1/4" ratchet and a 5/16" socket, it take less than a couple of minutes to remove the u-joint straps.
Tape the u-joint to keep it intact, strap the shaft up and go.
Make sure the steering is unlocked, when towing.

Tow dollys are used under the front steering axle and have their own problems, there are reasons why you don't see many of them,
most RVers prefer to flat tow their tow vehicles.
The only real concern I have with flat towing is the lack of brakes in the tow vehicles. My XJ weighs a little over 4000-lbs when loaded.
That's a lot of dead weight for a pickup to handle. Most states and many truck manufacturers have a 1500-lbs limit for trailers without brakes.
A flat bed, with brakes, or a tow brake system is ideal.
This is what I use.
https://smibrake.com/stay-in-play-duo.html
Pricy, still cheaper than lawyers.