Wrangler 392 Flat tow?

[Jgorm]

Can anyone confirm this can be flat towed like other wranglers even though it's full time 4wd?

 

[Guest23421]

Can anyone confirm this can be flat towed like other wranglers even though it's full time 4wd?

I think I read somewhere u can flat tow this car differently since it is awd and not like the current wranglers...so towing is easier I believe because u don't need to put the 4wd in neutral, which is hard to find as I saw a recent video of someone putting their wrangler in 4low by accident and towing it and it blew the owners wrangler engine lol

 

[DavyBoy]

In addition to my JK, my wife has a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited-X with full time 4WD. According to the owners manual it can be flat towed. I attached a picture of the relevant page in the manual. I don't know for sure that we will be able to flat tow our 392s, but this would seem to indicate that we can. Maybe someone who has taken delivery of a 392 can share what the owner's manual says about this. I have pulled my JK several times on a trailer but never flat towed. Problem is my JK with 33" tires barely fits on the trailer with only a couple of inches to spare on the left and right sides. I am planning to put 35's x 12.5" on my 392, and not sure it will fit on my trailer. Also when towing my JK on the trailer it sets so high that it catches lots of wind, so it puts more drag on towing behind my 2014 RAM 1500 Limited.... pulling a brick through the air. Flat towing is probably much easier with less drag...

 

[DavyBoy]

Also, failed to state that the Grand Cherokee I mentioned in my previous post has the 3.6L V6, with full time 4WD. Also, attached picture of my JK being towed on a trailer, just for fun..... My 392 is scheduled for a 04/22 build date, so hoping to get confirmation soon that it's done and waiting for shipment to Kansas..... My 392 will be white with satin black grill (like my JK), reinforced tailgate, trailer tow, off-road front camera, hardtop headliner, cargo group w/trail rail system.

 

[JME617]

Can anyone confirm this can be flat towed like other wranglers even though it's full time 4wd?

As long as the 4wd has a neutral setting it can be. And it does. Just make sure it is in neutral as this disconnects the driveshafts so the vehicle will move freely

 

[Renegade]

Can anyone confirm this can be flat towed like other wranglers even though it's full time 4wd?

Yes! I read it in the manual. It has a neutral in the transfer case

 

[Lundy]

Has anyone found an aftermarket front bumper that is qualified for flat tow? I have an LOD on 2018 JL and have towed that behind an RV many times from Tx to FL and back.

 

[Guest284]

Anyone found a tow bar confirmed to fit? I'm taking a 4 month trip in the motorhome and don't want to have my 392 driven everywhere I go. I still have my tow bar from my Sahara JL but it doesn't fit regular Rubicons so I know it won't fit my 392.

 

[Renegade]

Anyone found a tow bar confirmed to fit? I'm taking a 4 month trip in the motorhome and don't want to have it driven everywhere I go. I still have my tow bar from my Sahara JL but it doesn't fit regular Rubicons so I know it won't fit my 392.View attachment 1174

Yes… blue ox makes one for the rubicon.. works perfectly.. pulled mine 3500 miles this summer

 

[zmpm01]

Renegade,

Did you happen to have a factory steel bumper with a winch mounted on the the bumper?
I was looking at the installation instructions for the Blue Ox on a Rubicon and It look's like the Blue Ox base plate utilizes some of the same mounting attachment points as a Warn Winch base plate and might cause some issue's.

Thanks for the info.

 

[zmpm01]

Never Mind Renegade I opened the picture and it show's you didn't have a winch.
Thanks Anyway!

 

[LTZ470]

I use this on my last two Jeeps for towing, have one on my JL now...

CE-9033JLS - JL/JT Tow Bar Mounting Kit (steel bumper)

DetailsRockJock’s Steel Bumper Tow Bar Mounting Kit for JL Wrangler, JL Unlimited and JT Gladiator vehicles provides you with a heavy duty, easy to install tow bar mounting plate that simply replaces the stock under-bumper chin panel on your vehicle. Our new plate bolts directly to the bottom of...

www.rockjock4x4.com

 

[zmpm01]

So I had something weird happen yesterday after hooking up the Jeep to the Motor Home and putting the Jeep in neutral on the Transfercase, and Park on the Transmission as it should be, I then put the transmission in drive and reverse to check to make sure the transfercase was in neutral, it definitely was no forward motion or reverse motion then back to park. Went to take off and the Jeep rear wheels where locked up, I went thru the same procedure as above and all was good not sure why it did that and yes the parking brake was definitely off!

 

[PNW392]

So I had something weird happen yesterday after hooking up the Jeep to the Motor Home and putting the Jeep in neutral on the Transfercase, and Park on the Transmission as it should be, I then put the transmission in drive and reverse to check to make sure the transfercase was in neutral, it definitely was no forward motion or reverse motion then back to park. Went to take off and the Jeep rear wheels where locked up, I went thru the same procedure as above and all was good not sure why it did that and yes the parking brake was definitely off!

Hmmm.....weird. Good thing you caught that right away before any damage. I've never had that issue towing my JKU and I haven't got the 392 set up yet to tow. Good luck. Hopefully it was just a fluke.

 

[OldVetteGuy]

I heard the issue with the 392 is that it didn't use the same xfer case as the 2.0 and 3.6 Rubicon and that it was a lubrication issue.

I do wonder if the tazer locking the 392 in 2wd then putting the transfer case in neutral and a FAD unit to disconnect one of the axle shaft would stop the front drive shaft from turning and completely solve the issue?

Even in its stock form without FAD and Tazer the front shaft turns all the time even with the xfer case in neutral even with the key off and xfer case in neutral. I could see where this could be a lubrication issue as the front clutch pack would be turning while being towed!

 

[I-10]

OldVetteGuy, I would be careful flat towing with a tazer installed and using it to force 2WD because the transfer case will not actually go into neutral because of the forced 2WD. Transfer case will show that its in neutral, but tires still aren’t free to roll. As a result I removed my tazer.

This would make for a bad day flat towing.

 

[LTZ470]

I heard the issue with the 392 is that it didn't use the same xfer case as the 2.0 and 3.6 Rubicon and that it was a lubrication issue.

I do wonder if the tazer locking the 392 in 2wd then putting the transfer case in neutral and a FAD unit to disconnect one of the axle shaft would stop the front drive shaft from turning and completely solve the issue?

Even in its stock form without FAD and Tazer the front shaft turns all the time even with the xfer case in neutral even with the key off and xfer case in neutral. I could see where this could be a lubrication issue as the front clutch pack would be turning while being towed!

Doesn't matter they're all wet sump lubricated, both axles and transfer case...never had an issue pulled my my 392 many times behind my motorhome...

OldVetteGuy, I would be careful flat towing with a tazer installed and using it to force 2WD because the transfer case will not actually go into neutral because of the forced 2WD. Transfer case will show that its in neutral, but tires still aren’t free to roll. As a result I removed my tazer.

This would make for a bad day flat towing.

Doesn't make sense, I tow with my Tazer installed all the time, something wrong with your shifter adjustment, your transfer case may have indicated Neutral, but it wasn't in Neutral...for sure...if the Transfer Case was in Neutral all the wheels are free wheeling, they are not engaged to the transmission via transfer case at all...

 

[I-10]

Doesn't matter they're all wet sump lubricated, both axles and transfer case...never had an issue pulled my my 392 many times behind my motorhome...

Doesn't make sense, I tow with my Tazer installed all the time, something wrong with your shifter adjustment, your transfer case may have indicated Neutral, but it wasn't in Neutral...for sure...if the Transfer Case was in Neutral all the wheels are free wheeling, they are not engaged to the transmission via transfer case at all...

Duh, I should have thought of that too. What you have pointed out makes perfect sense.
I will have to test mine again. With all the electronic nannies. It goes into park on its on if you open the driver door while in gear etc.

 

[OldVetteGuy]

This issue with flat towing with a 392 has me really thinking about the front clutch pack and the front drive shaft turning all the time (with no FAD).

Since The Tazer in effect disables the front clutch pack effectively allowing it to free wheel. So the real question is what happens when you power down and shift the transfer case into neutral does the front clutch pack stay disengaged? I am installing a FAD unit on my front axle as I want to run (with the Tazer) in the 2wd mode with no clutch pack action and have an open axle so the pinion and carrier is not turning.

Once I have the project completed I will activate the FAD and disconnect the front axle, then put the tazer in 2wd then power down. I will then shift the transfer case into neutral and then check to see if the front drive shaft if fully free to turn without any internal resistance.

If this is the case this would be the ultimate way to flat tow, no wear and tear on the front axle and the front clutch pack would not be doing anything.

After a detailed analysis of the internal of the transfer case used in our 392's maybe I am reading this wrong, but we shall see, project in the works!

 

[LTZ470]

This issue with flat towing with a 392 has me really thinking about the front clutch pack and the front drive shaft turning all the time (with no FAD).

Since The Tazer in effect disables the front clutch pack effectively allowing it to free wheel. So the real question is what happens when you power down and shift the transfer case into neutral does the front clutch pack stay disengaged? I am installing a FAD unit on my front axle as I want to run (with the Tazer) in the 2wd mode with no clutch pack action and have an open axle so the pinion and carrier is not turning.

Once I have the project completed I will activate the FAD and disconnect the front axle, then put the tazer in 2wd then power down. I will then shift the transfer case into neutral and then check to see if the front drive shaft if fully free to turn without any internal resistance.

If this is the case this would be the ultimate way to flat tow, no wear and tear on the front axle and the front clutch pack would not be doing anything.

After a detailed analysis of the internal of the transfer case used in our 392's maybe I am reading this wrong, but we shall see, project in the works!