Brakes on a towed personal vehicle behind a semi?

This is exactly what you need. U-Haul has them cheap.

 

Would be much easier the fly one way and drive the pickup back.

I have flat towed a Jeep about 10,000 miles behind a diesel pusher motor home. The expensive part is the setup for towing the car. Brake is easy. Might be legally required but I skip it.

Before going nuts with modifications to the pickup does the 379 have a receiver hitch for a ball mount?

The brake setup on the Colorado is easy

 

Supposedly the transmission screws up when towing in neutral without transmission hydraulic pressure.

Does anyone disconnect the drive lines from the axles?

IIRC. The truck weighs 4500ish pounds. You'll need taillights with brakes and turns. Harborfreight freight sells a light setup and 4 wire extension kids. I believe it's magnetic also.

I can't imagine 4500 pounds effecting the semi brakes much. (Just don't get pulled over). The bigger hassle is going to be hooking truck to semi. Luckily the colorado has tow hooks in the front. Unless you have the basic 2wd model.

 

This clip shows the basics



One important part to remember while flat towing you cannot backup. The pins are not designed for that stress.

 

I did driveaway truck delivery for a while 15 years ago, and I flat towed a 1993 Volvo station wagon with no issues. I did have to get a tow bar setup for it, and wire a pigtail to the lights to get brake lights and turn signals. To keep the automatic transmission from burning up I just started up the engine and let it idle when I towed the car (in neutral, of course). It barely used any gasoline.

 

I think the Uhaul trailers have surge braking, so all one would need is lighting. Although building a hitch for the back of the 379 would be needed...........needed either way I guess, flat towing or trailer.

 

It doesn't affect the truck, the purpose of the brakes is to eliminate the pushing effect of the towed vehicle.

Everyone seems to be overthinking it, this is a one-time tow according to the OP, and doesn't need anything but lights and a proper tow bar or better trailer to avoid damage to the transmission.

 

I should have read ahead!

 

If it’s 2 wheel drive automatic, you’ll have to disconnect the driveline. If it’s 4 wheel drive automatic, transmission in park….transfer case in neutral (don’t forget to release parking brake). If it’s 2 wheel drive standard transmission…transmission in neutral. If it’s 4 wheel drive standard transmission…. I would research manufacturer recommendations.
I flat tow my Jeep behind my fifth wheel all over the place with no brakes on the Jeep……would tow it coast to coast if need be just like this.

 

I don't think neutral stays neutral long.

It didn't in my 18. Haven't tried it in my 22.

I also think the key needs to be turned on... the whole time.

Hopefully he has the owners manual.