Consequences of Dragging Modern Auto-Tranny Vehicles

[TonyC]

Hi, all,

I have a fact-or-fiction question, but it isn't Lincoln-specific, which is why I'm posting it here. For years I've been seeing all these motor homes rolling ("lumbering" is a better verb, I think) down the interstate dragging regular vehicles behind them, not on dollies or trailers (well, a few of them do, but very few) but dragging them with only a tow bar. Now I can tell that these vehicles being dragged are not equipped with manual transmissions.

I'm from the old school, and the old school has established that you are not to drag an auto-trannied vehicle with its drive wheels on the ground, except for a limited distance (about 7 miles) and at a limited speed (less than 40 mph), and only if absolutely necessary. The drive wheels need to be off the ground on a trailer or dolly of sorts, or at minimum the drive shaft(s) need to be disconnected, if any further distance or higher speed is called for. Failure to do so will destroy the innards of an automatic transmission because the innards must be pressure-lubricated by the fluid inside to prevent grinding each other to oblivion. Manuals don't have that problem because they aren't pressure-lubricated; the fluid (or gear oil) is transferred by the gears themselves.

So my question is, where 21st-Century vehicles are concerned, does the old-school edict still ring true, or is there something I don't know about 21st-Century automatic transmissions? Will those vehicles be okay, or will they end up in a repair shop or junkyard due to the owners' irresponsibility? Naturally, I would never do that to Frankenstein, I know the fact about doing that to a 52-year-old C-6.

---Tony

[action]

Towed load or sometimes called a toad

To clarify the question to:
Rear wheel drive
Front wheel drive
Four wheel drive.

Read this article. There are a number of aftermarket things that can be done. And face it, if you own a six figure motorhome the price of an after market devise is nothing so you can have it all when you reach your destination. (Because most of my disposable income goes to vehicles that have a four pointed star, I prefer a travel trailer behind my Navigator.)
https://rvshare.com/blog/rv-towing-guide/

Towing on the cheap -
Four wheel drive is EZ. (Like a Jeep) Transfer case in neutral and transmission in neutral, good to go. many vehicles are designed for this type of towing
Rear drive almost always no. A notable F- M exception is any full sized F - M with a Cruise O Matic. Not sure if that transmission made it in the Lincoln. That automatic has two oil pumps. One in the front and one in the rear. In fact this is one of the transmissions that can be used to push start an engine with a battery that is not dead however it has enough power to operate the ignition system. (Ask me about my high school days)
Front wheel drive. Some of these are good to go in neutral because the oil pump is engaged and oil is moving around

And for a list of vehicles that this is possible, go here http://images.goodsam.com/newmotorhome/ ... yGuide.pdf

And for those that are into RVing know the type of vehicles well before they plunk down the cash to drive a bus errr motorhome down the road.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[Steve K]

Tony, my brother is one of those guys who lumbers down the road with 40 feet of diesel pusher with a Toad (and sometimes a boat behind that). Right now he is using a Jeep and with that he just shifts the transfer case into neutral and away he goes. He also occasionally tows a big Buick Crossover. I forget what they are called. Anyway, for that, he has an automatic electric oiler for the transmission. It hooks up when he plugs the car into the lighting and braking connection. Both vehicles have a device that applies the brakes on it electrically when the coach brakes are applied..

I have not looked into it for any of my current cars, but I had an 09 MKS Ecoboost with AWD. FoMoCo provided me with instructions for towing that 4 wheels down. I never did it, but as I recall, there was a sequence involving starting and stopping the motor with the shifter in neutral when you shut it off. Then, you were supposed to be able to tow at speeds under 70 mph but were supposed to stop every so many hours - I think 6 - and run the engine and run the shifter through the gears. I think there was also a fuse you were supposed to pull. Like I said I never actually did this, but according to Lincoln it would not have voided my warranty if I followed those instructions. I can remember thinking what if I forgot and took off with it in park or something. Probably leave skid marks and parts along the way behind me. Ha.

If you google it, you can find recommended makes and models for flat towing and also advice for particular models. As you would expect, most car companies say something along the lines of...yes, you can do it and if you do, here's what you do...but we don't recommend it.