Special Towing Equipment?

Kirk W · July 16, 2022

Since REMCO no longer makes lube pumps, driveline disconnects, and other equipment to modify a vehicle for flat towing, does anyone here know of a company that does make such equipment nowadays?

Quote

NOTICE!
REMCO INDUSTRIES AS OF OCTOBER 1st 2020 HAS DISCONTINUED THE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF ALL REMCO LUBE PUMP SYSTEMS. SINGLE PARTS AND COMPONENTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE UNTIL INVENTORY IS EXTINGUISHED.

Dutch_12078 · July 16, 2022

"Just For Towing" still has some Remco parts available, but they sold out of the pumps. They also offer driveline disconnects though:

https://justfortowing.com/remco_lube_pump_parts.html

bruce t · July 16, 2022

What has happened? Is flat towing becoming less popular? Or are the likes of Remco worried about warranty/legal issues with the manufacturers?

Dutch_12078 · July 17, 2022

4 hours ago, bruce t said:

What has happened? Is flat towing becoming less popular? Or are the likes of Remco worried about warranty/legal issues with the manufacturers?

Since the spread of constantly variable transmissions (CVT's) that cannot be lubricated with an external pump such as the one REMCO offered, there have been fewer, if any, new vehicles that can be adapted for flat towing. There are also fewer vehicles that can be flat towed with no modifications. Remco offered their pump systems for quite a few years with little or no push back from the vehicle manufacturers. At one time, Ford was even offering the Remco pump system as a work around fix for one of their models (Escape?) that they had listed as flat towable in the manual, but had recurring transmission failures.

Kirk W · July 17, 2022

12 hours ago, bruce t said:

What has happened?

As far as I have been able to find, REMCO has never made any statements about their reason for shutting down that part of the business. My best guess would be that management felt that their assets would be more profitable if used in some other product area. The announcement from REMCO can be seen on the website. REMCO has always been primarily a manufacturer of pumps and if memory serves, their lube pumps were the first towing equipment and the other devices came later. They continue to build potable water equipment for the RV market as well as an assortment of other types of pump for other markets.

What I have been looking for is some other source of equipment such as lube pumps, driveline disconnects, or any of the towing equipment once available from REMCO?

Edited July 17, 2022 by Kirk W

Dutch_12078 · July 17, 2022

29 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

As far as I have been able to find, REMCO has never made any statements about their reason for shutting down that part of the business. My best guess would be that management felt that their assets would be more profitable if used in some other product area. The announcement from REMCO can be seen on the website. REMCO has always been primarily a manufacturer of pumps and if memory serves, their lube pumps were the first towing equipment and the other devices came later. They continue to build potable water equipment for the RV market as well as an assortment of other types of pump for other markets.

What I have been looking for is some other source of equipment such as lube pumps, driveline disconnects, or any of the towing equipment once available from REMCO?

I thought the reasoning was pretty much self evident as the list of vehicles that could benefit from a Remco lube pump shrank each year. I'm not aware of anyone else manufacturing a similar pump and installation kits.

Drive shaft disconnects are still available as listed in the link I posted above.

bruce t · July 17, 2022

Maybe RVers will simply have to put up with older vehicles behind their shiny new DP!!!!

RV_ · July 18, 2022

Or buy Motorhomes with GCVWRs such that they can tow their Toads on car/enclosed trailers.

Dutch_12078 · July 18, 2022

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

Or buy Motorhomes with GCVWRs such that they can tow their Toads on car/enclosed trailers.

As long as they're willing to put up with the problems that entails...

RV_ · July 18, 2022

6 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

As long as they're willing to put up with the problems that entails...

With the increase in CVT trannys that can't be towed it looks like soon you will have to buy old used Toads, new with a trailer, no Toad, or have spousal unit drive Toad behind.

Edited July 18, 2022 by RV_

Dutch_12078 · July 18, 2022

4 hours ago, RV_ said:

With the increase in CVT trannys that can't be towed it looks like soon you will have to buy old used Toads, new with a trailer, no Toad, or have spousal unit drive Toad behind.

At least front wheel drive CVT equipped vehicles can still be dolly towed. Not as convenient as four-down, but less hassle than a trailer.

RV_ · July 18, 2022

Me, like you, I'd want an AWD vehicle for RVing but that is just us. Our trailers don't need Toads anyway. Our new Tow Vehicle (TV) will have AWD and a motor at each wheel when it finally comes in. Our old TV, a Ram 1 ton diesel dually long bed was not 4WD and we liked the simplicity. But times and tech have changed.

Most of us old folks have all we need with good maintenance for the rest of our driving lives. Mine beyond I hope.

bruce t · July 18, 2022

We are meant to believe that new technology is good. Life is all about the next new 'thing'. Well I hate my new mobile phone. It's smarter than me! I hate vehicles that tell me to keep to the centre of my lane while I try to avoid the pot holes. I hate cars that can't be fixed by the neighbours kid. Is life so much better with all this technology? I would love a 57 Chevy as a toad. Maybe an old A model Ford. Forget the new SUV with all the whizzbang stuff and tow something that puts a smile on your face and enjoy life.

Kirk W · July 19, 2022

If you want to tow a rear wheel drive vehicle that is not otherwise towable, then you can get a driveline disconnect from Superior Driveline, via one of their dealers. I still haven't found anyone making a lube pump for the transmission yet and no axle lock devices.

Ray,IN · July 19, 2022

REMCO is now; Superior Driveline Oops, just noted Kirk already posted the link. the justfortowing link does not have any REMCO pumps left.

Question; why would a REMCO pump be needed when the driveshaft is disconnected? Or was the pump designed for FWD autos, which would be 2 different applications?

I agree with Derek and Dutch, the new CV transmissions probably put REMCO pumps out of business.

The best of both worlds will be a flat-towable EV with regenerative capabilities to re-charge all battery banks.

This is from the Superior Driveline website: "Due to REMCOs long history of quality products and respect within the industry, Superior Driveline will continue to market the DSC under the Superior Driveline name as a product of Superior Driveline. We will continue the traditions of quality and innovation that Superior Driveline was founded on in 1978."

Edited July 19, 2022 by Ray,IN

durangodon · July 19, 2022

1 hour ago, Ray,IN said:

The best of both worlds will be a flat-towable EV with regenerative capabilities to re-charge all battery banks.

I was always told that one can not create energy. The energy required to charge the EV batteries from re-generation would come from the tow vehicle in the form of reduced mpg.

Dutch_12078 · July 19, 2022

1 hour ago, Ray,IN said:

REMCO is now; Superior Driveline Oops, just noted Kirk already posted the link. the justfortowing link does not have any REMCO pumps left.

Question; why would a REMCO pump be needed when the driveshaft is disconnected? Or was the pump designed for FWD autos, which would be 2 different applications?

I agree with Derek and Dutch, the new CV transmissions probably put REMCO pumps out of business.

The best of both worlds will be a flat-towable EV with regenerative capabilities to re-charge all battery banks.

This is from the Superior Driveline website: "Due to REMCOs long history of quality products and respect within the industry, Superior Driveline will continue to market the DSC under the Superior Driveline name as a product of Superior Driveline. We will continue the traditions of quality and innovation that Superior Driveline was founded on in 1978."

Of course a transmission lube pump such as REMCO offered is not needed when a drive shaft disconnect is used. The pump kits were used in front and all wheel drive vehicles that didn't self lubricate with no disconnect needed. We've been using our REMCO pump on AWD Toyota RAV4's since 2008. After 2014 they could no longer be used due to the switch to CVT's. We'll continue to tow our current 2011 RAV4 as long as we can.

Note that REMCO is still very much in the pump business as Kirk noted. They offer quality water pumps to the RV and other industries.

Dutch_12078 · July 19, 2022

2 minutes ago, durangodon said:

I was always told that one can not create energy. The energy required to charge the EV batteries from re-generation would come from the tow vehicle in the form of reduced mpg.

Depending on the amount of the MPG reduction, it may well be an acceptable trade off. We already loose some MPG just towing the vehicle anyway.

Phil D · July 19, 2022

3 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Depending on the amount of the MPG reduction, it may well be an acceptable trade off. We already loose some MPG just towing the vehicle anyway.

The operative word in the term "regenerative braking" is "braking". Towing an electric vehicle while using regeneration to recharge it would quite literally be attempting to tow it with the brakes partially engaged. It would not only be terribly inefficient, but eventually you'd break (no pun intended) one or both vehicles.

Ray,IN · July 19, 2022

2 hours ago, Phil D said:

The operative word in the term "regenerative braking" is "braking". Towing an electric vehicle while using regeneration to recharge it would quite literally be attempting to tow it with the brakes partially engaged. It would not only be terribly inefficient, but eventually you'd break (no pun intended) one or both vehicles.

I didn't think of that aspect, thanks for the explanation.

Dutch_12078 · July 20, 2022

9 hours ago, Phil D said:

The operative word in the term "regenerative braking" is "braking". Towing an electric vehicle while using regeneration to recharge it would quite literally be attempting to tow it with the brakes partially engaged. It would not only be terribly inefficient, but eventually you'd break (no pun intended) one or both vehicles.

I would relate it more to towing an ICE vehicle with a standard transmission in gear with the engine off. The gear selected would dictate the load on the tow vehicle. Ignoring potential damage to the engine of course. If I recall correctly, at least one or more of the EV's have a means of controlling the level of regenerative braking. Rivian has published directions for towing their pickup to recharge the battery regeneratively, although they do specify the technique is for emergency use only at this point.