I am having two Subes towed. Rather than paying for two separate haul trips, can I have one car hauled w/ the rear wheels on the ground if the drive shaft is disconnected? How much trouble is it to disconnect the drive shaft? Tips in doing so? Do I just drop it, or should I put the FWD fuse in too? It's a 55 mile trip. It's an auto trans.

 

The car is parts-only, but I hate to fry a transmission that is probably good. I bought the car wrecked and the engine runs, but obviously I can't verify the condition of the trans. I'm looking at an extra $130 if the guy has to do two trips, though, and I guess there's always the chance this thing wasn't flat towed once before.

 

Thanks for input.

If the drive shaft is disconnected, you cah tow the car with the front wheels off the ground, and the rears on the ground.

 

No need for the fuse, especially since it doesnt work with the car off. Disconneting the driveshaft at the rear diff is just a few bolts.

 

nipper

Sounds like both vehicles are auto trans, so yes in the parts car if you want any chance of using the trans either towing all four wheels off the ground or disconnecting drive shaft would be prudent.

 

If one of the vehilces happens to be a manual trans, you can tow that all four wheels on the ground.

Also just so you know the FWD fuse won't work because the transmission is hydraulic so if there is no fluid being pumped it can not disengage the rear.

Yeah--both cars are auto trans. The car I'm rebuilding will be on the flatbed. The tow-guy said he didn't mind to try to disconnect the drive shaft to save one trip. Is it pretty obvious, or do I need to give him any tips?

 

 

Thanks again.

Its obvious. But have him do it at the rear diff.

 

 

nipper

some EJ's have a cover plate that needs removed first. but many that i've done did not have them? it's only a few bolts, so we'll just assume it's not there or he'll take that off. they're big like 14 or 17mm bolts.

 

for the driveshaft there's only 4 nuts to remove right where the shaft meets the rear diff. be sure to disconnect it here because if it's done anywhere else it will require more work or it'll flop around.

 

have a 6 point 12mm wrench handy. don't use anything else as the nuts/bolts can be rusty and round off. the heads of the nuts should catch against the indents of the driveshaft and not spin, so the nuts come off easily. but if there's any rust the heads may slip against that indent - so a second wrench is needed - also 12 mm.

 

you can reach them by just jacking up one side of the car at the rear. you'll only be able to get 1,2, or 3 of them at one time depending how they're lined up. so remove the ones you can, then move the car so that the back wheels turn the rear diff - then give you access to the remainders. i think you can also jack up the rear wheel so that you can get under the car as well as just turn the wheel by hand to get access to all the bolts - that's nice.

 

the only possible glitch is if they're rusted badly.

Okay, so I got all of the drive shaft bolts out, but separating the shaft from the diff. is giving me trouble. It's not that they're stuck, but rather that it seems as though the drive shaft is kind of spring loaded toward the diff. I can separate them enough to see between them , but I can't seem to get them to separate to the point where they won't be interfering with one another. Am I just not trying hard enough, or am I missing something?

 

Eric

 

If the drive shaft is disconnected, you cah tow the car with the front wheels off the ground, and the rears on the ground.

 

No need for the fuse, especially since it doesnt work with the car off. Disconneting the driveshaft at the rear diff is just a few bolts.

 

nipper

i replied to your question here:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=37028

 

generally one post will suffice. if you want a reply from a particular person, send them a PM with a link to your question.

 

Okay, so I got all of the drive shaft bolts out, but separating the shaft from the diff. is giving me trouble. It's not that they're stuck, but rather that it seems as though the drive shaft is kind of spring loaded toward the diff. I can separate them enough to see between them , but I can't seem to get them to separate to the point where they won't be interfering with one another. Am I just not trying hard enough, or am I missing something?

 

Eric

Also just so you know the FWD fuse won't work because the transmission is hydraulic so if there is no fluid being pumped it can not disengage the rear.

 

are you sure, the duty c that disengages the rear clutch is electrical. i may be wrong, but i would think as long as the car had a battery, you can tow with the FWD fuse.

 

what if you let the car idle while in tow?

what if you let the car idle while in tow?

i've done that before for short stints but i think he said he's got 2,600 miles, i would not recommend that.