Flat towing Humvee with 40,000 lb military tow bar

[TNDRIVER]

I have rebuilt a 4L60 that had ratchetted the pawl and it was for about 10 secs... it looked pretty bad when I got it out. Had to replace the sun shell also.

If you happen to pull apart one of the late model 4l80e's we need to chat.

 

[Davetheplumber]

Well... this is the week I flat tow the M1151A1 about 300 miles.. Using the 14k tow bar and all parts recommended. I still can't decide if I need to pull those drive shafts or not but I think I want to hit the hwy for 5 miles and check the temp of the Tcase... then go 30 miles and check again and so on. I will definitely update (with pics) everyone on what happens. I have been looking for a wireless temp sensor to stick to the T Case that can communicate with my phone but haven't found anything that could give me live temp data as I drive. Any ideas?

 

[G744]

It has been some 25 years ago, and things were a bit different back then referenced to "legality".

Twice I flat towed w/military towbar HUMVs from Phx to Oakland, Ca with a big rental box van. Figure some 900 miles, with a Mutt in the back of it, too.

B4 and at several stops checked tires & oils. No problems, no "Forced" stops, and no regrets. No plates on it, either.

C'est la vie.

 

[Davetheplumber]

It has been some 25 years ago, and things were a bit different back then reference to "legality".

Twice I flat towed w/military towbar HUMVs from Phx to Oakland with a big rental box van. Figure some 900 miles, with a Mutt in the back of it, too.

B4 and at several stops checked tires & oils. No problems, no "Forced" stops, and no regrets.

C'est la vie.

Thank you for the info...
Did you pull the drive shafts to flat tow? These must have been the 3 speed trucks?

 

[G744]

Pulled no shafts. Xfer in N.

 

[Davetheplumber]

Ok... Its official! NO NEED TO PULL DRIVE SHAFTS... 4speed trans in Park, Transfer Case in Neutral, (just like any other GM) towed it 280 miles at 60 mph most of the time, I5 from WA to OR and then down the stupidest hwy in America (US 6 to Tillamook in Oregon), very UNDER maintained.

I pulled over server times to check the temp of the Tcase... at 10 miles, at 50 miles and then at 100 miles. Then I towed it all the way back without stopping. All is good and no damage to report.. just drove the truck 15 miles up to the store and back without issue.

I will be making some kind of splash shield if we tow in the rain again, it covers the truck in road gravel and "mud". Couldn't even see out the windshield.

THIS IS IMPORTANT... I will bring an extra set of shackles... (the brackets that bolt to the HMMWV with the D-rings on them). I went into 2 parking lots to fuel up and made the best wide turns possible but I'm pretty sure it tweaked a shackle. I did make several turns that freaked me out but nothing broke. It also could be my paranoia because of someone else's stories but I'm 80% sure I bent on a bit. The only doubt I have in this, is that everything is still free and moving as it should and I would think ANY bend in this setup would bind things because everything is so tight where it connects at the HMMWV.