Towing 2000 Cherokee with tow dolly

[rsteffy]

I will be bringing a tow dolly to the WOG next week (selling to another member). I would also like to bring my 2000 Jeep Cherokee (automatic/4 Wheel Drive). My question is this "With transfer case in neutral, will it hurt anything to tow the Jeep with only the rear wheels down?" I wouldn't think it would but I can't find anything definitive one way or the other. I could hook the dolly to the Jeep while towing it but would rather not.
Thanks

[kg4rrx]

I don't like the idea of only one driveshaft spinning. I would consider disconnecting it.

[hexspeed]

Originally Posted by rsteffy

I will be bringing a tow dolly to the WOG next week (selling to another member). I would also like to bring my 2000 Jeep Cherokee (automatic/4 Wheel Drive). My question is this "With transfer case in neutral, will it hurt anything to tow the Jeep with only the rear wheels down?" I wouldn't think it would but I can't find anything definitive one way or the other. I could hook the dolly to the Jeep while towing it but would rather not.
Thanks

Differing opinions (duh) but there’s a pic from the owners manual that would I would interpret as a “no go”. YMMV

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/dol...ing-xj-255660/

[rsteffy]

Originally Posted by hexspeed

Differing opinions (duh) but there’s a pic from the owners manual that would I would interpret as a “no go”. YMMV

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/dol...ing-xj-255660/

Thanks. Missed this in the manual. I’ll be disconnecting the drive shaft. Thanks to all.

[1984Lodge]

If you can verify you have a true open neutral position on the transfer case it will be fine. You can do this by picking up the front or rear and spinning the driveshafts to see if either one is connected. According to what I have heard it’s an open neutral. Then the only other concern would be oiling and that is driven off the rear output shaft on both the NP231 and NP242 which is what the 2000 Cherokees would have come with. I think the note in the book may have been a carryover from the earlier transfer cases that did not have an open neutral.

[cm_shannon]

You should be fine with a 2000 model Cherokee. I agree with Jeff that it is probably a carry-over from the older models that used a vacuum disconnect for the front axle and so were not in complete neutral. Later NP231's are indeed oiled by the rear driveshaft spinning.

[Dieselbird01]

For what it's worth, our 2016 Wrangler Owner's manual and our 2022 Grand Cherokee Owner's manual both say "DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle.".


2016 Wrangler
CAUTION!
• DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Towing with
only one set of wheels on the ground (front or rear)
will cause severe transmission and/or transfer case
damage. Tow with all four wheels either ON the
ground, or OFF the ground (using a vehicle trailer).
• Tow only in the forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage to the
transfer case.
• Automatic transmissions must be placed in PARK
for recreational towing.

2022 Grand Cherokee
CAUTION!
 DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Towing
with only one set of wheels on the ground
(front or rear) will cause severe transmission
and/or transfer case damage. Tow with all
four wheels either ON the ground, or OFF the
ground (using a vehicle trailer).
 Tow only in a forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe damage
to the transfer case.
 The transmission must be in PARK for recreational
towing.