S-10 towing and tow lites wiring??

I have never towed my '88 S-10 4x4 stick but plan to do so for about 800
miles.

To my knowledge, this shouldn't be a problem since it is a stick shift..
However I'm open to comments on this..

Since I may wish to tow again in the future, I'm considering tapping into
the wiring harness and using the S-10 lights while towing..

Is there a convient place in the harness that I should look for.. I have the
after market repair manual but they don't offer much help (mostly block
diagrams).

The S-10 is already fitted with a tow package (elect brake and light
adaptor).. Should I just run a 4 conductor cable all the way back and plug
into that tow vehicle plug?? Seems like that might be simplests if it will
work..

Comments/suggestions would be appreciated//

Steve

You may want to read the manual, or maybe one of these guys here will chime
in, but I believe with the 4X4 models you need to put the Transfer case in
Neutral, and the Transmission in grear ( or Park maybe )


"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have never towed my '88 S-10 4x4 stick but plan to do so for about 800
> miles.
>
> To my knowledge, this shouldn't be a problem since it is a stick shift..
> However I'm open to comments on this..
>
> Since I may wish to tow again in the future, I'm considering tapping into
> the wiring harness and using the S-10 lights while towing..
>
> Is there a convient place in the harness that I should look for.. I have
the
> after market repair manual but they don't offer much help (mostly block
> diagrams).
>
> The S-10 is already fitted with a tow package (elect brake and light
> adaptor).. Should I just run a 4 conductor cable all the way back and plug
> into that tow vehicle plug?? Seems like that might be simplests if it will
> work..
>
> Comments/suggestions would be appreciated//
>
> Steve
>
>

Now that can't be correct.. This is as I stated, a stick (manual) 5 spd. The
transfer case is in nuetral all the time on the highway. And to put the
transmission in gear or Park (??) would be disaster for sure..

Thanks but no thanks.

Steve

I am not sure about that. When the T-case in in neutral the whole system in
in neutral, and the transmission really does not matter at that point for
towing. For a test put your T-case in Neutral and try to drive away, you
will see that the car does not go anywhere. I am not sure about your S-10
but on some 4x4's you are suppose to put the T-case in neutral, so all 4
wheels can turn, and the transmission in a gear so that the engine and
transmission are connected. Then when the wheels turn, which turns the
drivelines, that turn outputs on the T-case it enables oil to flip up and
keep the T-case lubricated rather than letting your bearings wear out
because of lack of lube.

If someone has a S-10 manual out there I would be curios what it says. Also
you can keep the hubs disengaged so the front axle does not move, and pull
the rear driveline and then nothing can move. That is always a safe answer.



"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Now that can't be correct.. This is as I stated, a stick (manual) 5 spd.
The
> transfer case is in nuetral all the time on the highway. And to put the
> transmission in gear or Park (??) would be disaster for sure..
>
> Thanks but no thanks.
>
> Steve
>
>

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 23:34:03 -0800, "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:

>The
>transfer case is in nuetral all the time on the highway. And to put the
>transmission in gear or Park (??) would be disaster for sure..
>
>Thanks but no thanks.


Try again.........

T-case is in "2 High" when driving down the highway. If your T-case
is in neutral, you can only coast........

Matt
99 V-10 Super Duty, Super Cab 4x4

OK, I think I'm beginning to understand what you mean about nuetral..

I never realized that putting the T-case in nuetral would also disengage the
rear drive train from the 5 spd gear case.

In fact I don't think I have ever had the T-case in nuetral (except in
shifting between Hi and Lo range.)

I have read and reread the owner manual and the Chiltons manual and neither
address this highway towing. However I see these Lite Trucks behind many
motor homes.

BTW Something comes to mind here.. I have always been told that you
shouldn't tow an automatic transmission vehicle.. However, if the transfer
case is in nuetral then the transmission would not be turning while under
tow.. Right??? Hmmmm?

Steve

"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
: OK, I think I'm beginning to understand what you mean about nuetral..
:
: I never realized that putting the T-case in nuetral would also disengage the
: rear drive train from the 5 spd gear case.
:
: In fact I don't think I have ever had the T-case in nuetral (except in
: shifting between Hi and Lo range.)
:
: I have read and reread the owner manual and the Chiltons manual and neither
: address this highway towing. However I see these Lite Trucks behind many
: motor homes.
:
: BTW Something comes to mind here.. I have always been told that you
: shouldn't tow an automatic transmission vehicle.. However, if the transfer
: case is in nuetral then the transmission would not be turning while under
: tow.. Right??? Hmmmm?
:
: Steve
:
I'd ask your question over at alt.rv - lotsa 'toad' folk over there.
I won't pretend to be a transmission mechanic - but this is
what I've learned about your question:

As far as xfer case/trans in neutral - while moving, as long as the
drive shaft is connected, at least half of the trans gears are turning.
On some transmissions, that half (gears and bearings) is above
the oil level and will ultimately overheat - that particular manual
trans lubrication depends on the engine turning over the gears
that are physically in the oil to transfer to the gears/bearings
that are not.
Others are designed to where everything gets splashed somehow,
all the time.
Unless you've had the trans apart and actually looked at the oiling
arrangement, or have the factory say-so, you'd best find someone
who has the exact same vehicle and has really towed it for a long
distance - everything else is hearsay and may easily cost you
a transmission - or worse:
I remember a story some years ago where a fellers toad tranny
overheated, melted, caught fire, sent burning oily bits across
the road, started a forest fire. Last I heard, he had lost his
court case, where the state had successfully sued him for fire
department, forestry, police, highway repair costs, and
National Forest damage to the tune of several million dollars.

Same thing happened to another couple who failed to notice
their toads' flat tire and started a humongous forest fire -
that one made Trailer Life magazine.

Gotta be careful out there.

Dave