Ford claims flat towing our 4 mo. old Bronco destroyed the transmission (not covering under warranty)

[flip]

Not to sound like an ass but 3/8 Milwaukee impact, impact swivel, impact torx(+) bit, ratchet strap and this becomes a non issue. Just make sure you pull the shaft after hooked up to tow vehicle or wheels are chocked.
Rear Driveshaft
Special Tool(s) / General Equipment

Flat Headed Screw Driver

Tire Lever

Removal

NOTE: Removal steps in this procedure may contain installation details.

1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist.
   Refer to: Jacking and Lifting (100-02 Jacking and Lifting, Description and Operation).

1. NOTE: Tighten the driveshaft flange bolts in the cross pattern.
   • Remove and discard the driveshaft flange to drive pinion flange bolts and the retaining straps.
     Torque: 35 lb.ft (48 Nm)
   • While installing the rear driveshaft, make sure that the driveshaft end with splines is towards the rear axle.

1. 1. Index-mark the driveshaft flange to the pinion flange to maintain alignment during installation.
2. 1. NOTICE: Do not remove driveshaft from the pinion flange by pulling on the driveshaft tube. Damage to the CV-joint can result.
      Using a large flat headed screwdriver or tire lever, separate the driveshaft flange from the pinion flange.
      Use the General Equipment: Flat Headed Screw Driver
      Use the General Equipment: Tire Lever
3. 1. NOTICE: Make sure that the driveshaft is supported with suitable retaining straps.
      Support the driveshaft.

1. NOTE: Tighten the driveshaft flange bolts in the cross pattern.
   Remove and discard the driveshaft flange to transmission flange bolts and the retaining straps.
   Torque: 35 lb.ft (48 Nm)

1. 1. Index-mark the driveshaft flange to the transmission flange to maintain alignment during installation.
2. 1. NOTICE: Do not remove driveshaft from the transmission flange by pulling on the driveshaft tube. Damage to the CV-joint can result.
      Using a large flat headed screwdriver or tire lever, separate the driveshaft flange from the transmission flange.
      Use the General Equipment: Flat Headed Screw Driver
      Use the General Equipment: Tire Lever
3. 1. Remove the driveshaft.

Installation

1. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

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[Ducati1098]

Not to sound like an ass but 3/8 Milwaukee impact, impact swivel and impact torx(+) bit, ratchet strap and this becomes a non issue. Just make sure you pull the shaft after hooked up to tow vehicle or wheels are chocked.

*9mm socket
(I know, weird size right?)

 

[dgorsett]

Not to sound like an ass but 3/8 Milwaukee impact, impact swivel, impact torx(+) bit, ratchet strap and this becomes a non issue. Just make sure you pull the shaft after hooked up to tow vehicle or wheels are chocked.
Rear Driveshaft
Special Tool(s) / General Equipment

Flat Headed Screw Driver

Tire Lever

Removal

NOTE: Removal steps in this procedure may contain installation details.

1. With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, position it on a hoist.
   Refer to: Jacking and Lifting (100-02 Jacking and Lifting, Description and Operation).
2. NOTE: Tighten the driveshaft flange bolts in the cross pattern.
   • Remove and discard the driveshaft flange to drive pinion flange bolts and the retaining straps.
     Torque: 35 lb.ft (48 Nm)
   • While installing the rear driveshaft, make sure that the driveshaft end with splines is towards the rear axle.

1. 1. Index-mark the driveshaft flange to the pinion flange to maintain alignment during installation.
2. 1. NOTICE: Do not remove driveshaft from the pinion flange by pulling on the driveshaft tube. Damage to the CV-joint can result.
      Using a large flat headed screwdriver or tire lever, separate the driveshaft flange from the pinion flange.
      Use the General Equipment: Flat Headed Screw Driver
      Use the General Equipment: Tire Lever
3. 1. NOTICE: Make sure that the driveshaft is supported with suitable retaining straps.
      Support the driveshaft.

1. NOTE: Tighten the driveshaft flange bolts in the cross pattern.
   Remove and discard the driveshaft flange to transmission flange bolts and the retaining straps.
   Torque: 35 lb.ft (48 Nm)

1. 1. Index-mark the driveshaft flange to the transmission flange to maintain alignment during installation.
2. 1. NOTICE: Do not remove driveshaft from the transmission flange by pulling on the driveshaft tube. Damage to the CV-joint can result.
      Using a large flat headed screwdriver or tire lever, separate the driveshaft flange from the transmission flange.
      Use the General Equipment: Flat Headed Screw Driver
      Use the General Equipment: Tire Lever
3. 1. Remove the driveshaft.

Installation

1. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Funny how stating absolute facts will kill a thread... I think you would have to disconnect the front as well, unless you have FAD and absolute confidence it will function flawlessly. I used to disco rear with my old WWII Jeep with front locking hubs.

We usually tow a few hundred miles, drive Bronco around a few days, then repeat several times. So doing the disconnect procedure is not appealing to me.

 

[tfrazier]

I'm going to Overland Expo East in a few weeks to zero in on an off grid camper to tow BEHIND the Bronco. This could solve the problem. It's great to live in a country where you can buy what you want and use it how you want, but when I see massive motorhomes and fifth wheels with three AC units, it makes me wonder, what are we getting away from and are we really getting away from anything?

To each his own. Like you said, it is great to live in a free country where you can buy what you want and use it how you want to. I just don’t add any buts after that comment. We love our coach. It’s a great base to operate from. The Bronco gives us the freedom to go anywhere we want to go, but we always come back to to the comfort of or Coach. I’m 62, been camping forever and have worked my way up from a tent, pop up camper, travel trailer. Nothing better than the way we do it today.

 

[Vern0n]

I’m on a flat towing board too. Still awaiting my Bronco 7 speed MT and will flat tow that if it ever arrives.
One thing I have seen on that board is that it seems to be know by those towing Rangers that if the battery dies, the transfer case will come out of neutral. It’s highly recommended that a charge line be setup to keep the towed vehicle battery charged. Especially since the most frequently used brake systems run off a 12v connection.
I wonder how many of these failures came after hours/days of being towed without disconnecting and running the Bronco engine.
Interesting as well, I currently tow a GM product (process is even more complicated on that vehicle), where they recommend keeping speeds below 65 and running the engine at every fill up. So could be a similar lack of fluid circulation that could be mitigated by running the Bronco engine at more frequent intervals on ATs.

Also my RV is 43ft long, weighs 33,000lbs and has 1150lb ft of torque, the first sign I’d get while driving that something is wrong is seeing sparks.

 

[Happycampinman]

Flat towing is way better than a dolly or trailer for many reasons. When we had a Class A I purchased a Manuel Jeep to flat tow. Would never dream of flat towing most automatics.

 

[dgorsett]

Flat towing is way better than a dolly or trailer for many reasons. When we had a Class A I purchased a Manuel Jeep to flat tow. Would never dream of flat towing most automatics.

Manual or Auto should make no difference as it is the transfer case that must be placed in neutral to flat tow most 4x4's. The Jeep is nice because of the shift by lever transfer case which leaves no doubt about neutral.

 

[Lisa Aiudi]

Hello there, can you please send over a private message with your VIN and the name/location of your local Ford dealer? I would like to look into your Bronco's transmission issues on my end.

how do I PM you?

 

[mpeugeot]

how do I PM you?

The Ford bot is a waste of time, but you would private message them like any other user on the forum, just click on the profile name, send them the information, and the will send you on the tech support easter egg hunt.

 

[Bukin67]

Or stopping to take a piss, get gas, or stretch and walking by thinking "Ole Bessy is warm..." doop de dooo.

I bet you'd feel it from a stop if it was out of flat tow.

Probably hear it too.

Maybe I'm anal or OCD but I'd be checking the trans temp, pushing the little bastard, and listening and feeling for anything abnormal if I was flat towing.

From the description from Ford, you're raw dogging this trans until it dies. I have a hard time believing none of that can be felt, heard, smelt, or any other sense you might want to ignore.

In my case I was towing behind a 28,000lb Cummins diesel pusher motor home with tons of torque. I never felt, saw, heard anything wrong. I have 10s of thousands of tow miles experience over the last 45 years.
I do admit that there may possibly be some validity to your beliefs that there may have been some kind of warning sign overlooked if it was towed behind a much smaller vehicle, but I refuse to admit fault for my Bronco’s issue.

 

[BadlandsA51]

we got 6 broken down broncos at the lot right now, some of them never been offroad, some are factory sasquatchs.

Mine broke as well with 36.5" tires (bf are not truly 37s) I said f- it and installed the 74weld steering rack

The dealer where I am shop foreman has sold 300+ Broncos. Some that come in have obviously been off road. Haven’t seen a broken rack or tie rod yet, unless the truck had been in a serious accident. I can’t imagine there have been any racks break on a street driven Bronco. But…some people can tear up an anvil I guess.

 

[BadlandsA51]

This will occur on most newer Ford transmissions. However, in the Bronco the gear is still manually controlled directly by the shifter lever, not electronically. So if the shift lever is in neutral, the transmission will always be in neutral.

The gear position of the transmission doesn’t really matter in this case other that shifting to Park will cause the transfer case to shift back into gear to prevent unintended vehicle movement. On a manually shifted transfer case, the vehicle can be towed in Park because the transfer case is in neutral.

 

[BadlandsA51]

Or stopping to take a piss, get gas, or stretch and walking by thinking "Ole Bessy is warm..." doop de dooo.

I bet you'd feel it from a stop if it was out of flat tow.

Probably hear it too.

Maybe I'm anal or OCD but I'd be checking the trans temp, pushing the little bastard, and listening and feeling for anything abnormal if I was flat towing.

From the description from Ford, you're raw dogging this trans until it dies. I have a hard time believing none of that can be felt, heard, smelt, or any other sense you might want to ignore.

I don’t think you would feel it unless the transmission was really fried. If the clutch plates weren’t welded together, there would not be enough drag to feel in the tow vehicle.

 

[Ducati1098]

The gear position of the transmission doesn’t really matter in this case other that shifting to Park will cause the transfer case to shift back into gear to prevent unintended vehicle movement. On a manually shifted transfer case, the vehicle can be towed in Park because the transfer case is in neutral.

If you read my previous comments, I was just clearing up any misconceptions that this was a transmission failure because of the transmission potentially returning to park due to low voltage, when it’s really the transfer case not staying in neutral causing transmission damage.

 

[BadlandsA51]

If you read my previous comments, I was just clearing up any misconceptions that this was a transmission failure because of the transmission potentially returning to park due to low voltage, when it’s really the transfer case not staying in neutral causing transmission damage.

Transmission on Bronco can’t shift to Park on its own, it is controlled by a cable attached to the shifter. After re-reading one of the posts in this string I saw something about starting the engine and putting trans in gear to verify the T-case was in neutral. That could possibly cause the t-case to re-engage. Ford doesn’t want one of these vehicles to roll away if trans is in park. Any deviation from the stated procedure could possibly cause system to shift t-case back to engaged. These “rub your tummy and pat your head” procedures are designed to insure that transfer case doesn’t end up in neutral inadvertently which would allow the vehicle to roll when it is shifted to Park.

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