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front end wear on towed

December 15, 2018, 08:13:54 pm

Had some front end work done on our towed,  and the service man told me that towing a vehicle will put more wear on tie rods, etc. than the normal wear and tear from driving.  Just wondering if any one else has been told this and or experienced it.  Thanks and have a great day  ----  Fritz

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #1 – December 15, 2018, 11:44:40 pm

Never had any problems with any of the 3 Jeeps we have towed. I don't see why that would cause any more wear than driving.

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #2 – December 16, 2018, 09:45:46 am

Fritz,

Your question piqued my curiosity, so naturally I Googled it.  Found many references to problems with transmission being caused by towing, but nothing about damage or unusual wear to front end suspension/steering components.  Must not be a common occurrence.

Bruce (above) mentions towing Jeeps.  Some Jeep Wrangler owners have experienced a rapid oscillation of of the steering components while the vehicle is being flat towed.  This problem seems to be most common in vehicles with a solid front axle, like Jeeps.  If it happens, and immediate corrective action is not taken, then it could certainly cause severe front end damage (or worse).  For more info, search online for "Death Wobble".

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #3 – December 16, 2018, 11:25:43 am

The Jeep Dealh Wobble is a straight axle thing towed or not. Usually caused by worn components. The usual cure is to replace all the steering parts. Loose suspension parts will also cause it as well.

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #4 – December 16, 2018, 01:01:32 pm

I'll look a little deeper, thanks for the feed back.  It was explained to me that the force put on the steering components from turning while towing is different from the force applied naturally thru the steering system.  This was in context of rack and pinion steering.  I suppose that in most things such as steering methods, that there are anomalies relative to each method.  Thanks and have a great day  ----  Fritz

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #5 – December 16, 2018, 02:22:56 pm

Fritz,

Please tell us what you are towing-- that will help with answers.

Some have known issues, others, no problem.

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #6 – December 16, 2018, 08:35:20 pm

Fritz,

My '95 two door sidekick registered 104,000 miles with about 50,000 towed when I bought it. Only normal wear on the front end even with the Blue Ox tow bar attached.  I did have to replace the front wheel bearings when the right one started making grinding noises.  I don't know if that was due to towing or the extra front end weight from the tow bar.  I've since towed it another 10,000 miles with no problems.  Steering has a little play but that can be tightened up with a couple of washers on the drag link.  How To Tighten Up You Suzuki Sidekick Steering. – ZUKIWORLD Online –...

Jerry

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Re: front end wear on towed

Reply #7 – December 16, 2018, 08:45:51 pm

Thanks Brett  ----  We flat tow a 2009 Ford Taurus Limited 4door sedan.  We have an adjustable tow bar (Demco  Excali-bar) with a tow plate attached to the car.  The points of connection are about 3 feet apart on the tow plate.  I hope this info helps.  Thanks and have a great day  ----  Fritz

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