Re: [ihc] Towing Tips reminders needed!

["Dennis Bernth" <scoutdude@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

There is very little tongue weight on a tow dolly, no matter which way the
toad is loaded. With the wheels sitting directly over the dolly's axle, the
axle carries almost all of the weight. You can easily uncouple a loaded tow
dolly from the tow vehicle for just that reason, so I don't think the tongue
weight argument is justified. Much different on a trailer of course. My
personal experience with towing an 800A on a tow dolly was backwards. That was
due to a 'traumatic seperation' of one of the rear axle shafts from the rest
of the vehicle at about 65 mph while flat towing with a tow bar. An emergency
purchase of a used tow dolly, and loading the Scout backwards got me the 600
miles home with zero problems. Since Scout II rear axle shafts seem to be kind
of a crap shoot (depending on the year, whether or not they are lubed by
grease or the gear lube, and the care they received in the last twenty plus
years) I would vote for front wheels on the ground, hubs unlocked. Since the
Scout you are towing sounds like somewhat of a 'mongrel', it may or may not
have a locking steering column. Regardless, if it does, don't trust the lock
to maintain the front wheels straight. Tie it off, bungee it off, whatever-
and in this application, overkill is your friend. You don't want that wheel
turning at all. In my case (strange city on Memorial Day), I had to make do by
cleaning out all of the 72 inch nylon bootlaces that one store had (at my
son's suggestion, I was bummed cause I couldn't find any rope or bungee
cords). By tripling up on the bootlaces and tying them off to several points,
I had no movement in the front wheels that were on the ground all the way
home, including on some rather 'thrilling' narrow two lanes. Stop after 30-40
miles and do the hand test on the front hubs; if they're cool, keep going, but
I'd recheck them at a hundred miles or so, and probably every hundred after
that. I'm sure other people have differing opinions; but if I was going to tow
that 800A I had bought home the 750 miles today like I was back then, I'd take
or rent a dolly straight off, and load it backwards. I have a lot more faith
in the two front wheel bearings on each side, that probably still have enough
lube to do the job, than the iffy semi-floaters on the rear.
Dennis

<If rear wheels are on the ground the driveshaft <(rear) should be removed.
<I'd put the fronts on the dolly, seems (to me at <least) that it might be a
<bit more stable that way, especially since so <much weight will be on the
<front of the vehicle due to the engine.  That <weight can put more downforce
<on your hitch (if loaded properly on the dolly) <and make your towing
<experience go better...

- -Ryan