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Flat towing or Trailer?

MojitoJLUR

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We just picked up a motorhome and now we're looking into towing the jeep. From my little research, a flat tow set up cost almost as much as a trailer. Is there any reason to flat tow instead of just putting it on a trailer? Pros or Cons of either? I feel like I'll save a lot of wear and tear on the jeep if it's on a trailer.
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Just as cOtter stated there is potential wear to tires along with other parts. The wrangler is great for flat towing but I would Trailer it.
I have had lots of clients that owned wranglers for flat towing or to trailer and to trailer seems to be more popular today than flat towing.
10 years ago it seemed flat towing was the thing but I think it was just because the Wrangler looked really cool being flat towed?

Hope this helps :) :)
 

Jmonroe

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As I just stated in a similar thread...

A quality trailer will put you back 3 to 4k, my toad set up (Maximus 3 tow loops, Airforce One supplimental brakes, Cooltech wire harness) cost me less than $1500. I don't need to find a place to store the trailer (at home or on the road). The trailer will require maintenance, flat towing my 4th Jeep now, three in the last 13 years, the ONLY additional wear of any significance MIGHT be tires. Our "07 Rubi had 80k on the odometer and another 20 - 25k as a toad when it was totalled in a wreck. It still had the original BF Goodrich MT tires on it. Our '12 Sahara had 40k on the odometer and maybe another 30 as a toad when I replaced the tires, an insignificant expence compared to the purchase and maintenance of a trailer. It's also much quicker to set up and breakdown.

As I stated in that other thread, if I was a hardcore metal mashing offroader, as opposed to a "scenic offroader" I would probably have a trailer just to be sure to get it home, although most anything short of an axle housing breaking in two could probably be hooked up for the trip home (I drug a blown engine CJ-5 home once, decades ago).

To each his own but for our lifestyle a trailer would just be a PITA.
 
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clemson

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We just picked up a motorhome and now we're looking into towing the jeep. From my little research, a flat tow set up cost almost as much as a trailer. Is there any reason to flat tow instead of just putting it on a trailer? Pros or Cons of either? I feel like I'll save a lot of wear and tear on the jeep if it's on a trailer.
Having owned and flat towed 5 Wranglers over 85,000 miles behind a couple of Class A RVs....no issues or wear and tear...with trailers you have to deal with where to store it because most resorts don't allow you to keep empty trailers at your camp site....its a real PIA
 

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ckuptz

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Being able to find a place to store the trailer at private rv parks and public campgrounds can be difficult unless you are going to be boondocking a lot. We full-time in our motor home and flat tow our JLUR. I typically only see a Wrangler being trailered if it has been highly modified or if the owner already had a trailer for other uses.
 

RubiJR

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I have a Class C so I have to have it strengthened just to flat tow the Jeep. I can also get the tow bar set up to use the Jeep's brakes to assist in stopping and RV Brake wear and tear. More options than a trailer as well. I have access to a trailer but as stated above there is additional maintenance and risks added with a trailer.

I'm not sure but theoretically a Jeep on all 4 tires and a blow out is probably less dangerous than a trailer tire blow out and a high center of gravity Jeep. We have heavy winds at times here in SoCal so the lower the better
 

cOtter

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This is a perfect example of why I really enjoy this forum. Someone asks a very specific and real question that matters and folks are quick to reply with real life experience. All the points you all brought up were great points and I commented about my thoughts, but while I have some friends with RV’s most of them stay local and don’t tow very far so you all in the know.... Thanks!!!
 

jperkins66

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This is a perfect example of why I really enjoy this forum. Someone asks a very specific and real question that matters and folks are quick to reply with real life experience. All the points you all brought up were great points and I commented about my thoughts, but while I have some friends with RV’s most of them stay local and don’t tow very far so you all in the know.... Thanks!!!
Agree 100% with your view on these forums. I’m getting my JLUR setup to flat-tow next week and setting out next month with our Winnebago Class A for a little trip to Florida. This kind of input is priceless and I did a lot of reading before making my decisions.

This will be my first time flat towing. Prior to the Jeep, we traveled via 5th wheel in my F250. I can’t stress how much more I love having the wrangler for my daily driver than the F250. It was a nice big comfortable truck, but the Jeep is just so fun and so easy.
 

Nickmimi

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You would also have to take the weight of the trailer into account. Our gas class A has a 5000-pound towing capacity and we are almost at max already. If you have a diesel, the weight will be of lesser concern.
 

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Flat tow for sure. It’s so easy to hook up and disconnect. No extra expenses for the trailer, storage, plates, etc. And I’ve heard it’s a pain to store the trailer went you get to your destination.
 

Doug Huse

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Scenario: You're towing your flatbed trailer with your very capable of being flat towed Jeep behind your motorhome. It's raining and you pull into an RV park which doesn't have room on the sites to park your rig, your Jeep, and the trailer. Maybe they have room to park an unloaded trailer in or near their park. You drive to the trailer lot, get wet unloading the jeep off of the trailer, getting wetter while maneuvering the trailer into a parking spot, and then driving the motorhome while wet to the RV spot, getting even wetter walking back to the Jeep, and then driving the Jeep while wet back to where you've parked the rig. Oh, now you have to hook up the rig. Just remember to make sure the circuit breakers are off before you plug into the pedestal! Flat tow your Jeep. You won't get as wet!
 

dgreen1069

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We towed a trailer for years and switched to a diesel pusher just over a year and a half ago. I already owned a Brimar car hauler and none of my vehicles could be flat towed, so we trailer towed a few times. While the setup towed nicely, the trailer was a hassle to deal with once we got to where we were going. The setup also takes a bit longer and it takes two people to back a 40' motorhome to a trailer for hookup.

When we bought our 2020 Wrangler, it was a no brainer to set it up for flat towing. One person can easily drive the Jeep up to the rear of the motorhome and set it up in 3 minutes or so. There is less weight to pull (and stop) since we aren't adding 1500lbs or so for the trailer. There is added wear on the tires, but the trailer has tires also. Jeep tires may cost more, but the added expense is far outweighed by the quick hookup times and ease of storage when we get to where we are going.

If you are doing some serious traveling where your trip has you moving for days, it wouldn't take much to unhook and use a flat towed vehicle. You would think long and hard if it was worth it to pull a trailered vehicle off the trailer to use it for a few errands knowing it will take another 15 minutes or so to get it back up there and strapped back down.
 

Goin2drt

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Towing with a trailer blows. Lots of extra weight and dealing with that trailer when at a campsite alone are the 2 largest reasons you should just flat tow the Jeep. Extra time spent loading and unloading and strapping down, triple checking the straps always are some more minor things.The wear and tear really is minimal all things considered. I guarantee you the huge majority that RV with Jeeps flat tow them unless they are crazy builds.
 

wibornz

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I have class A motorhome, bought a real nice aluminum trailer to put the Jeep on. Also used the trailer to haul ATVs and SxS. Well when I ordered the aftermarket wheels, I did not realize that a 3.5 negative offset with 37s made my JLUR to wide to fit between the fenders.

Well the Fenders were easy to take off, two bolts, and a half inch impact gun, it was easy.....

Pull off the fenders off, pull the ramps out, load the Jeep, put fenders back on, get the straps out, strap the Jeep down, put the fenders back on, put the ramps away, put the tools away and take care of the straps.. Get to where ever, get the tools out, take the fenders off, unstrap the Jeep, get the ramps out, unload the Jeep, put the straps away, put the fenders back on, put the ramps away, put the straps away and put the tools away. Then I would un hook the trailer, Go park the motorhome, hook the Jeep up to the trailer and move the trailer to whereever it needed to be stored. Then repeat to go home. I did this twice....yup twice.

Then I sold the aluminum trailer..... made money on it. not much, but hey whatever, now I have a bunch of big straps that I will never use, bought a towbar, changed out my anchor points on the front of the Jeep, bought some LED magnetic trailer lights so I could have lights at the back of the Jeep when flat towing. Towed it twice like that and said fuck all of this. The motorhome is up will be up for sale in the spring and at the end of summer, last year we bought a micro camper that we tow behind the Jeep. Now we bondock camp all over the place and never see a camp ground.

The ATVs have been sold the aluminum trailer is sold, The motorhome and SxS will be put up for sale in the spring. If I was keeping the motorhome to Jeep travel, I would flat tow the Jeep. Sure it looked cool sitting up on a nice trailer, strapped down, but it towed just as nice flat behind the Class A as it did on the trailer, and I think I got better milage flat towing it by loosing 1800+ pounds of trailer.
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