Has anyone moved an XJS with a u-haul auto trailer? Will it fit and was there any difficulty getting it on the trailer? Thanks
I was told that the transmission in the late models can not be towed with a dolly. something about the rear wheels turning the transmission and it would not pump the fluids around. I have put mine on full trailer no problem, but it is heavy car on a heavy trailer so you need a big engine truck.
Thanks for the response. I was not planning to use a dolly. Just wondering if an XJS will fit on a u-haul auto trailer.
Yes it will.
About 3 years ago I rented a Uhaul flat bed car trailer to transport a 1990 XJS convertible.
No issues.
I am loading my 86 xj-sc on uhaul tomorrow! Will let you know if there are any problems - haven’t seen the truck or trailer yet.
I believe that’s generally true with any A/T. We dollied my FF’s 1969 AMX from Florida to Chicago and had to remove the drive shaft. Somewhere in the move the U-bolts that held the drive shaft together got lost, so it turned into a debacle.
War story time: A friend of mine’s dad worked in a used car lot, so he was forever fiddling with weird cars trying to get them sorted for selling. One time there was some little British sedan, an Anglia or some such, that they needed to tow somewhere for some reason. While they were heading down the interstate at 70 mph, the output shaft bearing in the transmission decided to seize up. And by seize up, I mean it evidently decided to weld itself into a solid mass. The driveshaft was still turning at 70 mph and the output shaft bearing was having none of that, so something had to give – and what gave was the bellhousing, perhaps because it was aluminum while the transmission case was iron. The bellhousing ripped in half and thus the entire transmission came loose but was still held centered by the pilot bearing on rear end of the crankshaft. The entire transmission then proceeded to spin, taking the shifter with it. After it turned 90 degrees, the shifter ripped clean through the floor of the car, leaving a neat shifter-shaped hole. After another 180 degrees, the shifter ripped clean through the floor on the other side on its way back up, leaving another neat shifter-shaped hole. The shifter then proceed to spin around through these holes at perhaps 3000 rpm until the tow car pulled off the side of the road to investigate the racket.
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Thanks all for the input and pictures. I now have the confidence to rent a trailer.
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I believe older --80s and earlier–ATs could be towed w/o dropping the driveshaft.
Not 100% sure of that: been a few decades!
They have 2 pumps in the trans, one driven by the output shaft, and can be push-started
From the photos, it looks like backing the car onto the trailer may be a good option. However, you want the majority of the cargo weight over the hitch so keep that in mind.
You have probably done this but, be sure the pulling vehicle and the hitch are rated for the weight. U-Haul will not rent a trailer to you if your vehicle is not rated for the weight.
If that trailer starts to fishtail, pump the brakes to slow down, say a few hail Marys and hold on!
Phillip
No so, in my book and I’ve been there a time or two. A tail heavy trailer is prone to “fish tail”. My "fix’ was a lot more throttle, Pull it straight. braking counter productive…
I think it has been a very log time, since auto boxes have had a rear pump and could be push started or do damage when rowed. Rear wheels down !
The tow industry has resolved this with beaver tails and roll backs… Hook trucks slowly leaving. Except for the real big “rotators” for the big rigs…
Every time (tires being properly inflated) that is a result of too-little tongue weight.
I think that went out with the DynaFlow: I know auto boxes of the 70s/80s (all that I had been exposed to) could not be push started.
I suspect it was not Dynaflow, the ultimate “slush” box, but the really good 4 speed Hydramatic.
The latter so good, the Army used it in the Twin flat head Cadilac V8’s that powered a ight tank chassis. I got to drive one, the M19, mounted a power bucket and twin Bofors 40mm’s for shooting down aircraft…
In Korea, very effective against mass Chinese troops.
Carl
Provided you have a decent truck to tow an xjs on a uhaul car trailer, you won’t have any fishtail.
It’s heavy load however, remember not to have overdrive engaged while towing. It may be too much on your transmission.
And I am speaking from first hand, white knuckle, experience as well. Maybe the next time, I will try your suggestion but it seems bass ackwards. Hope neither one of us will need to deploy our preferred method of de-fish tailing ever again.
Phillip
Again, if a trailer fishtails, other than bad tires, it is because of too-little tongue weight.
The method I was taught, by a crusty old trucker, was DONT accelerate, DONT brake, just control the fishtail, while gently decelerating.
Then, up your tongue weight: as little as 50 pounds can cure it.
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most of the time, yes, just ride it out as you coast. in the event the load is out of control, hit the gas! it will pull it straight and avoid a wreck. downside is your now going faster with a load known to be unsafe. hitting the vehicle brakes could easily cause you to jackknife. if you can control trailer brakes separately and are quick under pressure, use only those. the few times I had trailer brakes, I set them heavy so the load slowed me rather than me slowing the load while it pushed me. hauled trailers thousands of times without and never hit brakes when things get sketchy. ride it out until the tires break loose, then hit the gas or brace for impact!
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Add gas…as towing vehicle accelerates, it creates a thrust vector straight ahead. Trailer follows and straightens out. All within couple of seconds.
Then slow down under controlled circumstance and as suggested adjust tongue weight.
Similar to helicopter hauling slingloads…if the load starts to swing or oscillate, add power to create a vector change. Except here it three dimensional instead of two