Flat Tow vs. Trailering?

[WSPJeep]

I’m curious to get input from those that have done both. I bought a Renegade 45CBF this year (Which is awesome BTW) and have been flat towing my 2024 392 with it. However, I’m considering getting a trailer instead. There are some things I’m just not crazy about with flat towing, but before I go out and buy a trailer I’m curious to get peoples thoughts who have done both.

Here are my dislikes/reasons for wanting to trailer tow vs flat tow:

1. Eliminate/reduce wear and tear on the Jeep - Mine is currently stock, but it will be modified eventually, and especially once I get 37” tires with more aggressive tread I just don’t like the idea of putting all that wear on them. My main point of travel is from the Midwest to MT, where I have a ranch. It’s about 1100miles one way, so each trip puts over 2k miles on the tires and brakes.

2. My ranch is on a long dirt road. It’s about 18 miles off pavement and I’ve noticed that the way the air flows behind the motorhome it completely coats the Jeep in dust. And it gets in everywhere. The entire engine bay is coated and it even gets a light coating of dust inside the Jeep. I know it has to do with the motorhome airflow, because I’ve driven the Jeep down the road before and it was fine. It only happens after being flat towed. I’m wondering if trailering would help, or if maybe I need to go completely enclosed to solve that?

3. In the fall I’m hunting on the ranch with friends. If we get animals I need cooler space for the meat and I don’t want bloody coolers sliding around inside the motorhome. A trailer would be nice to stack them up.

The downsides I am wondering about:

The only thing I can really think of, other than the cost of a trailer, is how much more difficult is it to maneuver with a trailer than a flat tow behind one of these motorhomes? I’m already really long and plan my routes carefully, so maybe a non-issue. But I may have a hard time finding camp grounds that can accommodate the length. I’m usually close to the limit with the Jeep being flat towed.

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[thecritter]

At a deer camp there is room to park an extra trailer, not many RV sites have room to park a 16-20 foot trailer unless you rent another spot. Past that I see no downside to trailering.

 

[dragoneggs]

I keep it small with a Class C RV and my JLR 2dr. Yes there is wear but I don’t like having to deal with three ’vehicles’. Needing more space to unload/park, the time it takes to secure my toad on a trailer, and the overall extra weight I am hauling.

Going to a flat tow for us has been a bit liberating. Also having the ability to quickly unhook and drive two vehicles into tighter areas for camping, etc. has saved us.

 

[Valpo Jeep]

You would need a pull through RV site with a trailer most likely which are not always easy to get.

You will likely still get the dirt coating with an open trailer.

 

[Yogi1956]

We’ve flat towed for many years, no mileage is accumulated on the Jeep, 5 minutes and you’re on the road, Can’t imagine dealing with an enclosed trailer and eliminating a bunch of campgrounds because of too many vehicles. Flat towing doesn’t beat up the Jeep and you’re minutes away from exploring surprise locations as you travel.

 

[wibornz]

I started out towing my JLUR on a trailer behind the Motorhome. My Jeep was on 37s. I found the trailer to be a big hassle. Many campground will have a place to stash the trailer, but the unloading of the Jeep from the trailer, the unhooking the trailer, Then hooking the Jeep to the trailer to make it easier to put in the overflow lot, was just a bunch of work.

Granted trailer tires are way cheaper than 37 inch Jeep tires. I did not really notice a difference in mileage between the trailer vs flat towing.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@WSPJeep

I have flat towed for 20+ years... Class A, 40' Diesel Pushers and the toads are always Wrangler's.

I never went with a trailer/ trailering the Wrangler (would never consider doing so) as once you get to the campground/destination you have to deal with finding a place to store the trailer.

At many/most campgrounds, on the actual site you rent, there is no room for a trailer.... and if the campground does have a storage area, you pay quite a bit to store the trailer there... IF they have room for it.

Also.... when on route to your destination..... when trailering... if you go down a 2-4 lane road that is blocked for whatever reason you are in a real pickle. You can't turn the rig around and..... You can't back it up...

Anyway, if you are flat towing and face this, you unhook the toad and back the toad out or turn it around and drive it out.... and then with your Class A or C tow vehicle you slowly back it out..

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[NWJeepr]

We flat towed my JK behind our motorhome and I decided when I bought my JL it was going to be trailered.

I prefer trailering it. Most places we stay will accommodate our setup with a pull-through site and/or have additional trailer parking. We are 41’ long plus 18’ double-axle 10k tilt deck trailer.

Trailering also means no janky auxiliary braking system needs to be installed in the Jeep as is the law when flat towing. No proprietary, vehicle-specific tow bars. The trailer is useful for many other things and vehicles as well.

The Jeep does not suffer debris being kicked up, potholes, no phantom mileage on the drivetrain, and I worry less about flats. Sure, a trailer tire can go flat or blow out, but it has fenders to generally contain the damage if one were to go, and trailer tires are cheap.

Airflow: You're still going to get lots of negative pressure behind your RV just because of the sheer size. While a trailer helps with road debris, you'll still get the the fine coating of diesel particulates from the motorhome, and if it rains, everything gets trashed. IMO, a flat trailer is good enough and I'm not personally wanting for an enclosed trailer. YMMV.

Lastly, no double, triple, quadruple checking to make sure the Jeep is in t-case neutral, trans in gear, brake released. That was always my biggest fear of accidentally dragging it down the road.

We just completed a trip from Seattle to Moab to Yellowstone and back to Seattle (2600 miles total) with the Jeep on the trailer. It was great—I wish we would have done this sooner.

*Edited to add note about maneuverability: Technically you're not supposed to back up when flat towing. Those of us who do know that you just need to keep an eye on the steering angle of the toad to make sure it's tracking with the RV. Usually just a few feet are needed to jack into it, if you make a turn too wide, so it's no big deal. But, more complicated maneuvers? You're disconnecting. Major downside with a big rig. A trailer can really shine here.

Two caveats of a trailer. One, obviously the trailer axles are a littler farther back compared to a toad, so turns need to be a hair wider, your overall wheelbase is longer. The second is, a 16 or 18' trailer will have a pretty good overhang so you'll need to watch angled curb aprons and the like as to not drag.

Just remember you'll need a significant drop hitch for your RV, or a trailer with lots of height adjustment in the trailer tongue itself.

 

[B&ZRubi]

The only two disadvantages I have witnessed when it comes to using a trailer is you need to consider the additional weight of the trailer to see if your motorhome can handle it for both pulling and stopping. The other is where do you put it. Like others have mentioned not all RV parks have sites that can accommodate the length of the RV and trailer. Plus there is all the extra steps to connect the trailer to the RV and the loading of the Jeep. The one plus is the back up much easier than a flat towed Jeep.

 

[WSPJeep]

Lots of good feedback to respond to.

My motorhome is based on a Freightliner Cascadia semi chassis, so I'm not concerned about additional weight of pulling a trailer. I know it can handle it easily.

I need a pull through site with a flat tow as is, so that doesn't get me an advantage. However, I think a small trailer would probably put me long enough that I couldn't even get into a pull through site. So, I can see how that would be a pain.

I do like how quick and easy it is to hook and unhook a flat tow, but trailering I don't think would be a deal breaker for me.

Ultimately, I think the best route may be to just do both depending on circumstance. If I'm headed straight to the ranch I can trailer, because I have plenty of room for the trailer, but if we are going to campgrounds I think flat towing might be the best way to go.

I've seen some devices that attach to the flat tow bars for blocking wind/protecting the front of the vehicle. Do any of those actually work?

 

[TJDave]

Yep, do both. Your Jeep is already set up to flat tow. I used to trailer a built TJ for offroad trips, and flat tow a JK for RV and National Parks. Now just flat towing a JLUR on 37s. Loved being able to back up with the trailer, but love the 5 minute flat tow hookup.

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