Sedalia Dave Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Warning There is some NSFW language What happens when you tow your jeep in 4 Low with the transmission in 1st gear at highway speeds. RV Driver Annihilates Their New Jeep Wrangler by Flat-Towing It in 4-Low Quote According to a TikTok video shared by shop foreman Toby Tuten, this white Wrangler Rubicon arrived at a North Florida dealership last week for service after being flat-towed behind the owner's RV. It seemed odd to Tuten that a brand-new Jeep was in for service, especially since it had less than 10,000 miles on the odometer. When he looked underneath the vehicle, however, he decided to start filming just to show the world what happens when you improperly flat-tow a four-wheel-drive off-roader and forget to take it out of gear. It's a rather expensive lesson indeed. In case you can't discern what you're looking at, that's the Jeep's 3.6-liter V6 as seen from below. And before you ask, no, the oil pan wasn't delicately removed to show the internals—it was peeled back like a can of sardines when the transfer case quite literally exploded. Tuten told The Drive that when the techs began diagnosing the vehicle, they noticed it had been left in "4-Low," which is what you'd want when traversing rough terrain at low speeds, or if stuck in a rut—but most definitely not while being towed at highway speeds. For reference, the JL Wrangler manual explicitly states not to exceed 25 miles per hour with 4-Low engaged. What's even more damaging is that the vehicle was also left in first gear, meaning that as the wheels of the Wrangler turned, so did the driveshaft, transmission, and the rotating assembly of the engine. Tuten did a bit of napkin math and figured that at 55 mph, the engine was spinning somewhere around 50,000 rpm, well above the factory redline of 6,600 rpm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Yeah, that’s messed up, but the guy doesn’t explain how I’m the heck it got that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 Updated with the details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 35 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Yeah, that’s messed up, but the guy doesn’t explain how I’m the heck it got that way. Added the details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 That the engine held together at that unholy speed, for the short time it did, speaks of strong design and strong materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I saw that!!! $30k in parts alone, to repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 C4 and thermite , would have been quicker , and MORE FUN CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 ...... what's all this about New South F&^%*)_+ Wales language ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 29 minutes ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said: I saw that!!! $30k in parts alone, to repair. Watch the owner try and sue the dealership for failing to tell him how to properly flat-tow his new Jeep. It's their fault, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. James H. Callahan Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Wouldn't dragging be more accurate than towing? Looks like that would be like hooking on to a 2000 lb rock. Must have been considerable resistance! JHC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 11 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said: Watch the owner try and sue the dealership for failing to tell him how to properly flat-tow his new Jeep. It's their fault, after all. It is definately the personal responsibility of the owners to know how to operate/tow their property! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 12 minutes ago, Capt. James H. Callahan said: Wouldn't dragging be more accurate than towing? Looks like that would be like hooking on to a 2000 lb rock. Must have been considerable resistance! JHC Right? How did they not know? What about the 'pieces' that flew out at other cars on the road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kloehr Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 1 hour ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said: ...... what's all this about New South F&^%*)_+ Wales language ? I'm not one to drop the F-bomb inappropriately; this was appropriate. Should have a NSFW warning, but the use is appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc X Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 3 hours ago, Sixgun Sheridan said: Watch the owner try and sue the dealership for failing to tell him how to properly flat-tow his new Jeep. It's their fault, after all. He'd probably be SOL in court, Jeep owner's manual have a specific section on "recreational towing" that shows the exact way to set the vehicle up for flat towing. And the dealers I know point it out due to the popularity of Jeeps as "dinghy" vehicles. I keep a blown up copy of that section in the glovebox of our Liberty to use as a check list when it's hooked up behind our motor home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 What a flippin’ Maroon. Thanks Sedalia Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 3 hours ago, Capt. James H. Callahan said: Wouldn't dragging be more accurate than towing? Looks like that would be like hooking on to a 2000 lb rock. Must have been considerable resistance! JHC My thought exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 When you think about it it's kinda hard to believe it wasn't done deliberately. How could the person have not noticed how hard it was to pull? And how can someone be smart enough to get a job that pays them enough money to afford a new Jeep, and yet be stupid enough to do this at the same time? Anyway, just thinking about it makes my head hurt. Poor Jeep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 7 hours ago, Sixgun Sheridan said: And how can someone be smart enough to get a job that pays them enough money to afford a new Jeep, and yet be stupid enough to do this at the same time? The “smarts” it takes to earn money these days is way different than the “smarts” it takes to wire an outlet, fix a leaky sink, or understand the drive train of a vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Many years back there was a story went "viral" long before the internet. Guy bought a motor camper that had cruise control. So first time out on a trip, he sets it on cruise control and goes back to make a sandwich. And then..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 8 hours ago, Sixgun Sheridan said: How could the person have not noticed how hard it was to pull? Maybe their first time towing something and didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. Or maybe just plain unfamiliarity with the tow vehicle. Guy is still an idiot for not checking how to tow it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 The stupid runs deep here. 4wd low range and left in gear..... I will guarantee you this idiot has never owned or operated a 4wd vehicle before. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 56 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said: Many years back there was a story went "viral" long before the internet. Guy bought a motor camper that had cruise control. So first time out on a trip, he sets it on cruise control and goes back to make a sandwich. And then..... ... I heard about that one ....... they had to re-write the owners manual to include such instances ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 If his motor home was one of the newer Class A Diesels, they have a pretty impressive towing capacity. Some are rated to tow a 10 to 15 thousand pound trailer while the gasoline powered Class A usually top out at 6 thousand pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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