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Anyone Tow a Camper? Size? Pics?

Ismor

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Which trailer hitch?

With COVID still ranging, I'm getting into campers. But before buying, I'll rent a few, just to get a feel. I'm looking for a versatile setup to hitch different campers with a JLU, all with 2" balls.

I invested in the OEM towing package, and the bottom of the receiver is about 19" above ground. I read (here) that "trailer coupler height is around 17 inches". Is this accurate?

If this is accurate, then I'll simply get a fixed height hitch (2" drop). But if coupler height on campers varies, then I may should invest in a adjustable height hitch? Or an extra long hitch? (see discussion by @digitalbliss and @Rhinebeck01)

Or maybe I should buy a weight distribution hitch?

Thanks for your advice (and don't be shy about mentioning specific products)
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lightsout

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Thats a max weight for the RV trailer - all equipment and essential items. We tend to travel with the water tanks empty(ish) which gives us a more payload (Beer anyone ?? ) I tend to load the Jeep with heavier items if the kids aren’t coming. A bit of planning before a trip but it’s part of the fun !!

Loading the Wrangler with heavy stuff is NOT the answer. Whereas the JL Wrangler 4 door only has a GCVW (gross COMBINED vehicle weight) of 8100lbs. So if your trailer is 3500lbs you will only have 4600lbs left for the wrangler. That only includes for a 150lb driver and no fuel, now add Passenger, Fuel, other passengers, some gear and you are now well over the GCVW especially with a Rubicon at 4500lbs stock then add some mode and you are way over weight especially with 37" tires.

Think that being over a little is OK, it is not. We pull a 40' 5th Wheel and those forums are filling up with reports that accident investigations now the Authorities are watching weight loading very closely even requiring in many cases these days the truck and trailer to be scaled after an accident. So towing beyond GCVW can be a very costly mistake as you automatically become the at Fault driver regardless of whos fault it was. Then you better hope you insurance company does not bail on you since that is negligence.

I should also add 95% RV tires these days are made in china and have very short life, blowouts are very common on RV's as is tire over heating, towing over weight just compounds how serious this can be. make sure you have G-rated tires and upgrade to Disc Brakes both are safety game changers

This could be you
 
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mazakari

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Loading the Wrangler with heavy stuff is NOT the answer. Whereas the JL Wrangler 4 door only has a GCVW (gross COMBINED vehicle weight) of 8100lbs. So if your trailer is 3500lbs you will only have 4600lbs left for the wrangler. That only includes for a 150lb driver and no fuel, now add Passenger, Fuel, other passengers, some gear and you are now well over the GCVW especially with a Rubicon at 4500lbs stock then add some mode and you are way over weight especially with 37" tires.

Think that being over a little is OK, it is not. We pull a 40' 5th Wheel and those forums are filling up with reports that accident investigations now the Authorities are watching weight loading very closely even requiring in many cases these days the truck and trailer to be scaled after an accident. So towing beyond GCVW can be a very costly mistake as you automatically become the at Fault driver regardless of whos fault it was. Then you better hope you insurance company does not bail on you since that is negligence.

I should also add 95% RV tires these days are made in china and have very short life, blowouts are very common on RV's as is tire over heating, towing over weight just compounds how serious this can be. make sure you have G-rated tires and upgrade to Disc Brakes both are safety game changers

This could be you

You have to remember we have different certifications in the U.K.

For a Wrangler JLUR (my Jeep for example) the certified maximum permissible mass is 2574kg (5674 lbs)

The maximum towable mass (braked) is 2370kg (5224 lbs) [although it’s only 750kg if the trailer is un-braked]

As long as those weights aren’t exceeded and the gross weight of the combined Jeep and trailer don’t exceed personal licensing restrictions, in my case 7.5 tonnes (16,800 lbs) you’re legal in the UK.

You can still be pulled for towing an unsafe load or an incorrectly loaded trailer (all the beer loaded upfront exceeding hitch loads for example...)

My 2.0 JLUR tows well. The eight speed gearbox works well and makes most journeys effortless.

Is it the best tow vehicle out there ?? No. But for most people, their Wrangler is more than just their tow vehicle. It’s just good to know it’s capable enough for when it is...
 

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MarioC

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We are about to purchase a Geo Pro 15TB and tow it with our 2020 JLU Willys with the 2.0 turbo. Could you share how it tows with your setup?

What engine do you have?

MPGs towing and without the trailer just to get a idea.

Any issues with the camper and how do you like the size?

It will just be the wife and I using ours. We’ve had several different types of RVs in the past but want something smaller this time. I already have a weight distribution hitch and will install a brake controller.
I just ordered a 2021 Geo Pro 15tb over the weekend and should get it in spring. Cant wait... good to hear the feedback.. i will definitely get the sway control.
 

Hasaf

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I have a jeep towing question, and this seems to be as good a thread as any to ask. The trailer I want to tow has a max GTW of 3500, so the weight is fine.

My question has to do with stabilizer bars. I would like to use them to even out the vehicle and make better use of the front brakes. That said, stabilizer bars are not compatible with class 2 hitches.

Weight-wise, it all works, but what are people doing for stabilizer bars?

Is there a way to use them with a hitch that will fit in the factory receiver, or am I better off getting an aftermarket class 3 hitch?

. . . Yes, I realize that adding a class 3 hitch does not transform the vehicle into something that it is not, I am just looking for a way to use sway control bars on the JLU.
 

Adventure.AS

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I have a jeep towing question, and this seems to be as good a thread as any to ask. The trailer I want to tow has a max GTW of 3500, so the weight is fine.

My question has to do with stabilizer bars. I would like to use them to even out the vehicle and make better use of the front brakes. That said, stabilizer bars are not compatible with class 2 hitches.

Weight-wise, it all works, but what are people doing for stabilizer bars?

Is there a way to use them with a hitch that will fit in the factory receiver, or am I better off getting an aftermarket class 3 hitch?

. . . Yes, I realize that adding a class 3 hitch does not transform the vehicle into something that it is not, I am just looking for a way to use sway control bars on the JLU.
It is possible to use anti-sway bars without weight distribution.
https://www.raneystruckparts.com/dr..._Z1fgJVvEqNW6OiOGFWQk3qVekbmglxUaAlIrEALw_wcB

https://www.google.ca/shopping/prod...m:1,of:1,epd:10280332263807490343,prmr:1,cs:1
 

Atlcactus

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I have a 2020 JLU 2.0 Turbo and we pull a 2015 Flagstaff HW27SC. Dry weight is 3,250 but with all our gear I know I’m closer to 3,500. Tongue weight is 440lbs. I use a weight distribution hitch and the Drawtite 4,500lb rated hitch. Pulls great. Went to Pigeon Forge from Atlanta last fall with no issues.

502BD7F5-F1B4-4EE3-AF2E-67CC1A06ED39.jpeg
 

Abnmarine

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Add me to the list. Last week I bought a Rpod 189 in Oklahoma and towed it back to Florida. Already installed a Curt hitch and the 4/7 pin wiring, used a Equalizer WDH and a Autobrake brake controller. The trailer weighed 3,300 lbs. my Jeep has the Rubicon springs and a set of Toyo AT3 34” tires. I ran the Superchips tow tune on my 2.0 turbo and it performed flawlessly. Day one we dealt with 26 mph winds and stayed mostly in 6th gear at 65 mph, I saw 11 mpgs. Day two the winds were light and mileage went up to 13-14 mpgs while staying in 7th gear mostly.

I never experienced any sway and was quite impressed with how well the Jeep towed the camper. This is my 7th camper so I have several years of towing experience. The 2.0 turbo never felt underpowered and all temps were in check.

Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone Tow a Camper? Size? Pics? D7AB5B0D-42A8-4342-8CC4-6DB993851A0F
Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone Tow a Camper? Size? Pics? 360BEC06-BA09-4A62-ABD1-3C99A920ABE9
 

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Plongson

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I don't have a picture of the unit hooked to the rig, 2020 JLUR diesel but here's the trailer...2021 Rockwood Geo-Pro. I've got about 1000 miles on it so far and it pulls absolutely amazing, rock solid. This is travel trailer #6 for us and I've pulled all my life, CDL included. Advertized dry weight is about 3100 lbs but next trip fully loaded It's going across CAT scales at the truck stop. Coach length is 17.5', 20' tongue to tail.

I have a Equalizer brand WDH/sway control and the Mopar brake control. You need am 18" shank to get the coupler out past the spare but it all works out perfect. The diesel has more than enough torque to pull this rig and the 8 speed transmission has a gear everywhere it needed. The trailer has a torsion axle, off road tires and high ground clearance.

On the trip home from picking it up, we got into a pretty serious blizzard where the interstate was essentially shut down. 6000' mountain passes with the highway pure ice...you get the idea, and the Rubicon and Geo-Pro pulled through never spinning a tire! I was IMPRESSED...

Research the tow spec's on these new Wranglers in Britain and Australia and you'll see FCA/Mopar is F'ing us here in the USA when it comes to tow limits...Same rig, different country, different spec's...go figure.

Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone Tow a Camper? Size? Pics? 20210106_123305
 

Baysider

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I'll be towing a 13' Scamp camper with my 2-door JL with 3.6 engine. Dry weight is 1300# and tow limit of the jeep is 2000#.
I'm currently researching sway/WDH and leaning towards the Equalizer because you don't have to disconnect when backing.
I have an Autowbrake controller ready to install and just picked up a breakaway switch.
The hitch receiver on the jeep is much higher than the ball receiver of the trailer, so I'm trying to figure out the best adjustable drop hitch.
Any input on WDH, drop hitches and pro/con of transmission coolers is greatly appreciated!

Exterior 2.jpeg
 

av8or

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I don't have a picture of the unit hooked to the rig, 2020 JLUR diesel but here's the trailer...2021 Rockwood Geo-Pro. I've got about 1000 miles on it so far and it pulls absolutely amazing, rock solid. This is travel trailer #6 for us and I've pulled all my life, CDL included. Advertized dry weight is about 3100 lbs but next trip fully loaded It's going across CAT scales at the truck stop. Coach length is 17.5', 20' tongue to tail.

I have a Equalizer brand WDH/sway control and the Mopar brake control. You need am 18" shank to get the coupler out past the spare but it all works out perfect. The diesel has more than enough torque to pull this rig and the 8 speed transmission has a gear everywhere it needed. The trailer has a torsion axle, off road tires and high ground clearance.

On the trip home from picking it up, we got into a pretty serious blizzard where the interstate was essentially shut down. 6000' mountain passes with the highway pure ice...you get the idea, and the Rubicon and Geo-Pro pulled through never spinning a tire! I was IMPRESSED...

Research the tow spec's on these new Wranglers in Britain and Australia and you'll see FCA/Mopar is F'ing us here in the USA when it comes to tow limits...Same rig, different country, different spec's...go figure.

Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone Tow a Camper? Size? Pics? Exterior 2
could you please let me know the model number on this trailer. I’m looking at a geo pro 19FD.
 

Plongson

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Ya, it's a Rookwood 19FD Geo-Pro. Very happy so far, amazing construction, innovative ideas and comes fully equipped, fairly priced too. It's a great rig for a Wrangler IMO.

It took 8 week to take delivery after placing our order though...
 

Dasher320

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Ya, it's a Rookwood 19FD Geo-Pro. Very happy so far, amazing construction, innovative ideas and comes fully equipped, fairly priced too. It's a great rig for a Wrangler IMO.

It took 8 week to take delivery after placing our order though...
I just bought a Winnebago Hike with nearly the same hitch weight and unloaded vehicle weight. I haven't pulled it with the Jeep yet. I've got a weight distribution/antisway hitch as well. Does your Jeep squat at all? I've got the diesel also. I pulled a lighter Rpod about 6000 miles with it and it pulled that one great. This time I am re-gearing to 4.56. Hope that helps with the high engine temp issue when pulling over a mountain pass.
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