Towing speed (w/driveshaft disconnected)

What would a wise man consider the maximum towing speed for a 59 CJ5 (w/driveshaft disconnected) to be? The vehicle is restored to original specs with narrow tires on 15" rims for that factory look..

We're contemplating taking it with us on a cross country trip, but, wonder how it will deal with 75 MPH highway speeds behind an 06 Exterra

 

I pull mine behind my motorhome. I keep it at 65 tops.

 

Basicly you speed will be limited to how safe you feel. With the exterra I would guess around 65-70 max because it is not that big of a vehical. Just when you stop feel the diffs and see if they are getting too hot, if they are slow down some.

 

I have an elderly friend who has pulled his CJ3B over 800 miles each way Elk hunting. He has don it for over 20 years and at whatever speed he felt safe at. Wow! Everything in neutral and with hubs locked out. I guess it doesn't hurt. Doug

 

You can tow it at 60-65 or more, but the important factor is what can you do in a panic stop, or in a sudden lane change. I see people on the Highway all the time that think just because they can go fast means they are in control, until something happens and then they have no sticken clue what to due then.

 

Keep in mind your pinion's are probably 5.38's. even with the drive shafts disconnected and lockouts in front disengaged your rear wheels, axles and pinion will be rotating at an extremely high rpm for an extended period of time. 55 mph on 3.73's might be equivalent to 80-90 mph on 5.38's

 

highly recommend you adjust your rear brake shoes to reduce drag, stop periodicly at first to check wheel bearing and pinion bearing areas to see if they are heating up. 65 is my limit while towing, have had a few fish tail incedents at higher speeds and am probably lucky to still be around

 

You said behind an Exterra? Have you thought about brakes? If the vehicle being towed exceeds 40% of the towing vehicles weight you have to have brakes, or anything over 3000 lbs. (Federal safety standards and addopted by most states as law). I know it may seem like a technicallity until you are involved in a accident and your insurance doesn't pay a dime because you are guilty of gross negligence. They do make braking kits for towing behind motorhomes and such. Most OEMs figure towing capacity with the load having brakes for anything over 2000#. It might be better to be safe then penniless with a wrecked Jeep. Just my 2 cents.

 

"Legal" towing speeds in most states is 55. That being said, I flat towed from San Diego to VA at 65 behind my camper/ pickep set-up. To help braking and to keep from hunting gears, I manually shifted the 4L80E while going up and down the steeper grades. HTH.

 

Thank you for your opinions.

I'm disabled, and my Jeep is being restored by a good friend who owns a garage for the price of parts only (I said he was a good friend). It's almost done, I should have it any day now.

Weighing the benifits of taking the Jeep on this particular trip simply don't seem to outweigh the risks to a newly restored Jeep.

I'm going to leave the Jeep with my friend while I'm out of town so he can drive it around (I'm sure he'll want to "test drive," it some while I'm gone.

Thanks again, I'll post before and after pics when it's done.

 

have to agree with these guys on this one i towed my 1955 m38a1 30 miles @ sixty to sixtyfive trying to get home before dark since i had no lights on the jeep and the rear diff was already heating up more than i would like probley wasnt hot enough to hurt anwthing but hoter than the pickup pulling it,roadtractor rears run @ around 180 deg farenheit not sure on cars or jeeps,and like the other guy said seen alot of ppl towing that wind up on there top,<10yrs driving tractor trailer> just because someone else gets by with towing fast doesent mean you will. i would say around 55mph any faster put a trailer with brakes under it or get something heavier to tow with 1/2 ton pickup at minimum. <happy motoring>

 

I towed a work trailer with my S10 blazer for a couple years.
And its not if you can pull it or not.
The real problem is the wieght of the tow rig.
You really need a full size truck to tow safely.

In those few years of using my S10 I had 3 bad situations with it.
Not once did I see it coming.

 

I'll never forget the time I saw several unhappy people near a boat on the side of the interstate, and then saw the mangled boat trailer 100 yards on down the highway where it came to rest after cartwheeling down the interstate. Boat didn't look too good either.