You are here:

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/towing a car with another car

Advertisement

Expert: - 9/4/2006


Question

-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
i have a 1992 ford taurus 3.0 dual overhead cam great tranny great engine bum cv axle starting to go my question is i also have a 1992 toyota tercel the ford weighs in at 4800 lbs and the tercel is about 2600 lbs im moving from helena mt to salt lake city will i be ok to tow my tercel with the taurus if i take it of at major passes and drive it up and over then hitch it back up and before you say drive it down i cant really bad oil leak

Answer -
Jared,

With the bad cv joint, I wouldn't attempt to tow the Tercel.  You are running a real chance of breaking it.  Taking this chance that is up to you.  The cv joint should be repaired even if you aren't doing any towing.

Carl

well what if i clean the axle joints off and put new grease inthere then seal the boot just till i get to salt lake im not gonna tow my car but just to drive down and then fix it when i get there would i be alright do you think

Answer
Jared,

I've been known to do that sort of thing.  You may have no problems, but there is always the chance of breaking.  I'm not sure how far it is from Helena to Salt Lake, and the further you drive it, the more the gamble.

You said that the cv joint is starting to go.  If it is just a bad seal, or boot causing an oil leak, then you may have no problems.  If you can hear the axle making grinding, or clunking sounds, then it is about ready to break.

When you pull the boot, and clean the cv joints, you should be able to tell if there are major problems or not.  This would be the best idea, as then you can make a better choice as to the chance of them making the trip.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.