# 1998 Toyota 4Runner - Can I flat tow this thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** toyota\ **Created:** [March 4, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307 "2020-03-04T02:48:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickClinedinst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RickClinedinst](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RickClinedinst)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/1 "2020-03-04T02:48:50Z")
can I flat tow My 1998 Toyota forerunner five speed manual transmission four-wheel-drive V6 behind my motorhome ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/2 "2020-03-04T12:32:03Z")
According to your owners manual, only in emergency situations and for short distances and at low speeds. You need all 4 wheels off the ground to tow it. No mention of what Toyota considers short distance. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/3 "2020-03-06T00:35:17Z")
> [@It\_s\_Me](#): > > According to your owners manual, only in emergency situations and for short distances and at low speeds. Really, with a 5 speed manual? That is odd. Do you know why just putting the transfer case in neutral wouldn’t work. Edit: did a google search, answered my question and the OP’s… apparently the front a rear driveshafts are locked together when the t-case is in neutral. That means flat towing will tear up the t-case and diff gears if you flat tow it. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/4 "2020-03-06T00:54:57Z")
Make sure the transmission/transfer case are in neutral and you can flat tow it. Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/5 "2020-03-06T01:32:22Z")
Not according to the above. An no Toyotas are listed in the Dinghy Towing Guide for '98 (or '99 or '00): > **[Downloadable Dinghy Towing Guides](https://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/)** > > Get MotorHome's annual guides to dinghy towing in PDF format for free. Our flat-towing guides include automobiles, SUVs and trucks built between 1990-2018 ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-toyota-4runner-can-i-flat-tow-this-thing/160307/6 "2020-03-06T13:43:03Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > apparently the front a rear driveshafts are locked together when the t-case is in neutral. Makes you wonder why they would even have neutral being a possibility in the first place.