Towing

Expert advice required....

I have often wondered why tail shafts are removed when trucks are being towed????

It is not done with cars....

and why do I ask.... just in case when traveling to Alice, I need to test the theories...

/me

Gday Sarge

First I should say I am not an expert.

But I think the answer to your question is that as trucks are rear wheel drive, when the wheels turn, the driveshaft and the transmission turn, causing unnecessary wear and tear and possible damage to the transmission.

Many cars are front wheel drive and can be safely towed with the front wheels off the road.

4WD vehicles need to go on a tiltray or similar to get all wheels off the road.

Basically driveline disconnection is a good idea for any rear wheel drive vehicle, inc, cars, vans and small trucks.

I hope this all makes sense.

Cheers
RS

Sarge,

Some of the larger trucks have lube pumps driven off the input shaft in the front of the tranny....no engine turny no pumpy da oil. If your being towed the gizzards in the box are being turned by the tranny output shaft with no lube....not good.
Normal constant mesh gearbox like in a Butterbox you can tow them all year with no drama as they rely on splash spit slurp slop mist type lubrication.

Optimism and a big smile will get you to Alice.

Basil

Would suggest you pull shaft off as this is very cheap to the alternative. Alice is a long way with no gearbox.

I remember in !980 a new dodge AT4 travel tower with a 5 speed box and 345 motor being towed a short distance for an engine problem, with the front picked up behind a ACCO 4x2 and a Holmes 750 wrecker. The truck made it back to the workshop but the bearings in the box was shot. You could use a colour chart to see how hot the parts had got.

The tailshaft turns around and inside the box the mainshaft will spin within the gearsets which are stationary because the countershaft is also not turning. There will be no oil being splashed around far enough to feed the gears and mainshaft. This is why they put stickers on things.
Do not coast in neutral.