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Topic: New old Topic. I need to tow my coach.  (Read 10369 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: New old Topic. I need to tow my coach.

Reply #21 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Don't remove the driveline as it's too easy to lose tiny needle bearings or not marking the position of components relative to each other. Possible vibration or mechanical issue if not assembled and torqued correctly.  Only tow a very short distance with only one axle remove as the spider gears will spin rapidly and they only have bronze bushings, not ball/roller bearings. So slow and short tow with only one axle removed.  You probably never want a tow truck driver to touch anything under the coach.

Buy the nylon or whatever axle caps. Cheap and east to install if you don't have the big stainless caps as you have to take every other lug nut off to remove them and that can be difficult or impossible if you or the TT drive don't have the correct socket. I have a free pair for anyone who wants them.  Count the number of studs and axle diameter before you order them.  Smaller, stainless moon caps clip on, look good and allow fast easy access to the axle nuts.

Before the price goes up, check Temu or AliExpress for a good sized battery impact that will remove the axle nuts in just several seconds. A larger battery impact will remove the lug nuts but oversize the impact about 100%. Otherwise, a torque multiplier and a medium sized impact wrench will do the trick.  Good to see if what you want is marked "local seller" so you are sure of getting it quickly and without any extra charge. A HF digital torque reader with a big breaker bar and pipe is good to R&R the lug nuts if you ever have to. Don't over torque!

Pierce
Talking of needle bearings ,
I got towed back in 2011, and the tow truck driver said gotta remove your drive shaft ,I said ok fair enough ,well he removed the shaft and luckily I was watching what he did and I ended up with needles all over the floor but only from one of the cups or yoke whatever they call it  so I happened to mention it to him , I had to take the needles out of the other side that  hadn't lost any and count them ,if I remember rightly there was 36 in total I think , so when was picking them up from the floor and putting them into a container, I then had to recount them , and I was one short ,took ages to find it but for some reason that one  must have bounced or rolled, it was lay on the floor about 3 feet away from the rest of them, anyway I was lucky.in future If I ever need a tow I will get underneath in advance before the recovery bloke arrives and remove the drive shaft myself carefully, knowing what to expect and make sure I put an old sheet down underneath so if for some reason some needles do drop , won't be so difficult to find them as apposed to them landing in the dirt ,  I would prefer to do it that way rather than remove the axles in each side cause all the oil comes out , even if  draining the oil out first into a container ,but IL be honest that is messy and the smell of gearbox and rear axle oil is horrible , I can smell it for days after I've used that oil , the smell of that oil make me feel sick
                          Kev