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Flat towing during break-in

Pawpaw#1

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Anyone know if it would be harmful or not to pick up a new Unlimited JL and then use it to pull a CRV back home, about 340 miles. My CRV is set up for flat towing and weighs about 3,300 lbs. I would follow the break-in recommendations but be pulling about the max tow weight. The JL would be manual, if that makes a difference. Thanks for any input !
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FrenchSSGTMike

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Not an expert at all, but that sounds like a pretty bad idea to me, to use all this torque on a brand new engine, and all the engine break wear on your new manual while decelerating... just my 0,02 ;)
 

Jolonghorn

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Not an expert at all, but that sounds like a pretty bad idea to me, to use all this torque on a brand new engine, and all the engine break wear on your new manual while decelerating... just my 0,02 ;)
I concur with FrenchSSGTMike. Perhaps when the engine is broken in, but not until then would I tow like this.
 
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Pawpaw#1

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Thanks for the input Mike and James. It's probably not worth the risk to tow before the break-in. I am just trying to figure out the best way to go and get back if I buy out-of- state.
 

Jolonghorn

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Thanks for the input Mike and James. It's probably not worth the risk to tow before the break-in. I am just trying to figure out the best way to go and get back if I buy out-of- state.
@Pawpaw When I purchased my last car out-of-town a good friend gave me a ride for the 3-hour trip. It worked out well for both of us.
 

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Pugfug

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Ditto...I would wait until the break-in period is over before putting the engine and transmission under that kind of load
 

StyleGuy

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Probably best to just fly in and drive home. Most flights would only be a couple hundred at most and dealers will usually pick you up.
 

will1111

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I agree with @StyleGuy. A couple hundred in a flight or gas/time money for a friend is well worth it. Y'all could make a nice trip out of it and spend another couple hundred but have plenty of fun
 

JLBuyer

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You guys are so funny... At my work we hook up 15,000 pound trailers to little 3/4 ton f250's and 2500hd gassers and run them hard from day one.. when they hit 250,000 miles the trailers get disconnected and the trucks get sold as fully broke in..
Break in period... Hahahahahah!
 

will1111

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You guys are so funny... At my work we hook up 15,000 pound trailers to little 3/4 ton f250's and 2500hd gassers and run them hard from day one.. when they hit 250,000 miles the trailers get disconnected and the trucks get sold as fully broke in..
Break in period... Hahahahahah!
But would you do that to your vehicle? :giggle:
 

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JLBuyer

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But would you do that to your vehicle? :giggle:
Honestly, Yes and no. My Kawasaki concourse I kept it under the recommended rpm for the 600 mile break-in, yet my gmc 2500hd with small block v8 6.0 got hooked up to the 12,000 pound 5th wheel and took a trip with under 150 miles on it.
Bottom line, I wouldn't at all be afraid to hook up and flat tow a little ricer Honda to a good V6 JL. Now would I climb the grapevine floored in 2nd gear doing it, no.

If it's driven properly i think it would actually be good for brake in.
Way better than cold starting it every day till it's broke in.
 

JLBuyer

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My opinion as to why work vehicles at companies like United rentals, caterpillar, landscaping companies, UPS, police etc last for hundreds of thousands of VERY hard use miles is mainly because of the following reasons..
1) They are only cold started once daily.
2) They are left stock, no crappy KN filters installed, no exhuast, no programmers or other non factory gimmickry.
3) they are kept at optimum operating temp for more miles than somebody who cold starts twice daily and only drives 30 minutes each way to work and back. No condensation build up on the exhaust system and no sludgy oil problems from moisture build up in the block, etc.
If you take a long trip in a brand new vehicle and went most if not all the break in miles while at optimum operating temp the whole time. it is my strong opinion that it would be the best break in possible, EVEN if you are loaded pulling a crv behind you.
 

will1111

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My opinion as to why work vehicles at companies like United rentals, caterpillar, landscaping companies, UPS, police etc last for hundreds of thousands of VERY hard use miles is mainly because of the following reasons..
1) They are only cold started once daily.
2) They are left stock, no crappy KN filters installed, no exhuast, no programmers or other non factory gimmickry.
3) they are kept at optimum operating temp for more miles than somebody who cold starts twice daily and only drives 30 minutes each way to work and back. No condensation build up on the exhaust system and no sludgy oil problems from moisture build up in the block, etc.
If you take a long trip in a brand new vehicle and went most if not all the break in miles while at optimum operating temp the whole time. it is my strong opinion that it would be the best break in possible, EVEN if you are loaded pulling a crv behind you.
I agree. But also, most of those companies have service contracts, are serviced routinely and instead of doing a better diagnostic on a problem they just replace parts because that's the money maker. And in most consumers case we just replace the defective part so save some cash.

And with the break in, I agree that prolonged operation at iptimal conditions is the best break in. :like: so those buying out of state will get that advantage
 
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Pawpaw#1

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Thanks for all the well thought out advice. A few years ago I broke in a new F350 diesel dually and then hooked it to my 5th wheel camper and took off for the beach. After about 100 miles the torque converter disintegrated. I feel like the jeep really should be able to handle the flat tow but decided my best option was to just take my best, more local price. My drive home changed from 340 miles to 70 miles and my wife agreed to the drive! Thanks to all and good luck!
 

JLBuyer

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Thanks for all the well thought out advice. A few years ago I broke in a new F350 diesel dually and then hooked it to my 5th wheel camper and took off for the beach. After about 100 miles the torque converter disintegrated. I feel like the jeep really should be able to handle the flat tow but decided my best option was to just take my best, more local price. My drive home changed from 340 miles to 70 miles and my wife agreed to the drive! Thanks to all and good luck!
Amazing, you went through full break in and a truck that is designed to tow still blew up!
Kinda says that it doesn't matter what you do, if something's going to fail, it's going to fail.
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