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Isn't it the same reverse load on diffs and transmission if you release gas pedal while still in gear and high speed?
It should be the same rotation direction on all parts if motion direction remains the same.. no matter where the power comes.. Yeah, but I also don't want to damage my car while towing...
Also remember not to use reverse gear in any circumstance to avoid the diff gearing running backwards!:whistle:
I wouldn't worry too much towing my car, because it's highly unlikely to break anything. There's always those warnings with every car, and it's just a precaution by the manufacturer, because if something happens to go wrong, they can just point at that little warning text on the manual and say you shouldn't have done that, and get away with it...
Think the reason you have to suspend the rear is this. When towing with rear wheels on the ground, the gearbox will be in neutral. The rear wheels will turn, via propshaft, the mainshaft. Because the box is in neutral the main shaft is not connected to the input shaft. The input shaft drives the countershaft, in the bottom of the box. So input shaft not moving, countershaft not moving, so not splashing oil everywhere. So no lubrication to mianshaft bearings.
Hope all that makes sense.
I alwys thought it was to ensure the diff bearings don't run without lubrication and never thought about the other face of the gears being driven through the reverse forces against them for an extended period of time. It is true that coasting or on overrun you are applying these forces but it is not a constant. Similarly when driving in reverse.
Food for thought - I would just do what they say, I don;t think it is just an arse covering exercise but one said with good reason. I think I recall something in my old SJ saying the same but as I don't have it now I can't confirm this. Might have been in the Haynes Manual or something - but they may just have been quoting Suzuki.
Kirkynut
The underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win - Edgar Watson Howe.
The usual reason is a lubrication issue, some gearboxes have an oil pump driven off the input shaft, I don't think the Jimny does, but wanderinstar seems to have the best explanation to me.
If it suddenly breaks, go back to the last thing that you did before it broke and start looking there
