Flat-towing tips, tricks & techniques

[VKSheridan]

Full disclosure, I’ve never towed. But I have been asked about this. I would have thought that all the power consumed would have been supplied through the seven pin connector. But it sounds like what you’re saying is that the power control module is thinking that it needs to wake up and therefore it’s using power to prepare itself. So in essence, this is a parasitic drain that’s occurring while you’re towing if you don’t do something different, is that correct? And in your case your unit is trickle charging through the seventh pin, correct?

Yes sir. The PCM’s tend to get insomnia under tow so I power a DC to DC charger off the 7th pin to keep the battery charged while I drag the lil’ critter across the country.

To add to my parasitic loads, I have a BrakeBuddy supplemental brake actuator that powers off the Jeep’s battery. I don’t power it off the 7th pin because it needs access to voltage under breakaway conditions. Should the Jeep separate and the breakaway pin get pulled, I want that critter to lock up the brakes whether the umbilical is still attached or not.

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[BAKNBLK]

Here is what I used on the JKU and now on the JT. I bought the RVI3 used for $500 works great 60 sec install. I bought a Blackhawk 2 all terrain used for $300. Use a GenY hitch extension $350 and I braced it with some DOM to the tow frame. JKU had a poison spyder bumper so attacked to its shackle mounts. On the JT as it came with a Rubicon steel bumper I used HK Offroads tow shackles $400 which also spaced out the bumper 1" which allows installing a Zeon 12s without removing the bumper and removing the grill easily.

JT used a Curt tow harness $110 easy install.
On both the JKU and the JT used a RVI Towed battery charger with I got with the RVI3.
Curt Tow Bar 7-Way Coiled Power Cord w/ 7-Way Socket - 8' Long $90

Everything works as it should takes 5 min to hook up the jeep and tows like its not there.

 

[RubiBlueJLU]

Dead battery after towing has been discussed in MANY threads. Search for it. Solutions abound.

A charging wire will solve the powered braking system issue.

Without taking a powered braking system into account, the LED tail lights, if you have them, will cause the battery to drain.
Every time the Jeep ‘s brakes are activated, the pcm wakes up and “checks” the lights for continuity. The pcm will stay awake for several minutes. EVERY time the brakes are used, the pcm wakes up! A long day and/or night towing will more than likely kill the battery.

I went with a front to rear wiring setup. Plug and play into tail lights, 4-pin connector at front.

Adding a switch is one solution for the pcm wake-up issue.
I went to the tail lights, pulled the sensor wires loose and moved on. Thousands of miles of towing, day and night, without a dead battery (I have a surge style braking system that requires NO power). I get a “tail light out” warning at startup, but I know why!

good luck on your choices!

 

[andy29847]

I prefer a NSA Ready Brute Tow Bar with surge brakes. I first bought this setup because it was the cheapest and easiest way to get towing. I have been towing my Jeep since 2018 and I would do everything the same way in I had to make choices again.

Like others have already said here, setting your Jeep up for tow is a multi part problem. Most class A campers come with a hitch and are wired with a trailer plug. That is the easy part. At most you may need a hitch adapter to raise of lower the tow bar connection point. From there, you need a tow bar, a place on your Jeep to connect the tow bar, safety cables, brakes for lights while underway, emergency breakway brakes, and lights.

To connect to your Jeep, you can use a bumper that is built for towing (most are not). Others use a base plate made for their Jeep. I would buy a Currie/Hardrock base plate if I was in the market. Instead, I use the Rockhard Patriot full width bumper along with their tow brackets. It is not the cheapest option, but it is made in the USA, it is made strong, it mounts my winch, and it has an excellent skid plate. The Rockhard tow brackets use Blue Ox ends to connect to the Jeep. The Ready Brute tow bar comes with a braking kit. One wire is for underway braking and the other is for breakaway braking. I had to drill one small hole in my firewall to pass through the brake wires to my brake pedal. Installing the brakes wires was an easy afternoon driveway job. I use a Curt wiring harness for my lights. I've never had an issue where my Jeep wouldn't crank at the end of the day.

About Jeeps that will not crank at the end of the day....this is normally due to a combination of things. First, the Jeep batteries are weak. The the drive is long and includes lights and stop and go driving. Finally, when this happens, it is almost always with a Jeep that has LED tail lights.

The wiring harness for Jeeps with LED headlights includes a lead to detect if a taillight is working. In towing configuration, when the brakes are applied and the brakes lights come on, this LED monitor lead wakes up other systems in the Jeep. The other systems stay on for 5-15 minutes after the brakes are released. The perfect storm (poor battery, long day, LED lights) results in a no start.

Rockhard full width bumper install | Jeep Gladiator (JT) News, Forum, Community - JeepGladiatorForum.com

Ready to Tow - 2020 JLU | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) -- Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com

 

[Vinman]

I have a Rubi and am not yet sure if that OEM steel bumper is up to the task. Hopefully just to connection point adaptors is all I'll need and not a whole new bumper.

I’m currently in the middle of a cross-Canada trip flat towing the Jeep with a super-c motorhome.
I have the factory steel bumper and added Warns recovery points. They are only 3/4” thick while the Blu Ox towbar connection points are setup for 1”. I used a couple of 7/8 flat washers to make up for the difference and it’s working perfectly fine for the 1,300 miles towed since yesterday morning

 

[RicRecon]

Blue-Ox towbar and Patriot brake, which came with the RV. Love the towbar, but the Patriot brake wasn't my first choice. It works, but it's bulky and kind of finicky. For this type of aux brake, I would have gone with the RVi, but when I get a highly-rated $1700 part with the purchase of the RV, I use it!

Maximus 3 tow loops on the Jeep. They bolt to the frame, but require either cutting some small holes in the lower air dam, or you could leave that part off, which a lot of Jeepers do. I cut the holes, as I wanted to keep the Jeep looking stock. (See pic)

Cool-tech harness for lighting. Once installed, just flip a switch to switch modes. Cool-tech also worked with me to modify the harness to power a separate 4-flat on the back of the Jeep for tail lights on my bike rack. Cool-tech has a newer version that does something regarding LED's killing the battery on newer Jeeps, but I use a RVi Towed Battery charger, which takes power from the umbilical, and charges the Jeep's battery. This is probably overkill, as the only thing using power while I'm towing is the Patriot Brake and any typical Jeep parasitic drain. This mounts and stays under the hood.

I installed all of this myself, all at one time. I wanted to make sure that no shortcuts were taken by someone else. If you want to go this route, use the install directions, and watch lots of different videos before starting. Take your time and be thorough. Having the right tools makes the job a LOT easier. Spend some of the money you'll save on a couple tools to make the job easier. (Plus you'll have a couple new tools when you're done! Bonus!)

FINALLY- Make (and use) a detailed Checklist for connecting and disconnecting your Toad from your RV. It might seem amateurish, but pilots do it, even when they know the procedures by heart. There are a LOT of little steps involved, and skipping one of them can damage your RV/Toad, or worse cause an accident.

I’ve considered the Maximus tow loops but didn’t want to cut holes in my front skid. Please elaborate on what parts you mentioned Jeepers leave off. Doesn’t affect the towing?

 

[au176]

I'm referring to the big plastic air dam under the bumper in my original pic. Also, there's a smaller metal plate behind that (see 1st pic below) that I had to notch. Neither of those would qualify as a skid plate.

When people start to do any mods to their Jeeps, that air dam is often the first thing to go.

In the other pic, you can see the tow loop mounted to the outside of the frame rail, and there are other supporting plates on the interior the frame rail itself. Everything between the frame rails is stock, so as long as your skid plate is between the rails, you are probably ok.

My suspension and bodywork is pretty much stock, so YMMV if you have any modifications...

 

[RicRecon]

Thanks. I swapped out my plastic bumper and air dam awhile back with the Mopar steel bumper and skid plate. I’ll check these out as an opti9n.

 

[au176]

Thanks. I swapped out my plastic bumper and air dam awhile back with the Mopar steel bumper and skid plate. I’ll check these out as an opti9n.

Sorry about the fuzzy memory- I'm getting old! Went out and looked at my plastic bumper this morning. While I didn't have to trim the plastic part of the bumper, I did need to notch the the metal backer behind it. Just FYI. I don't know what your metal bumper will need... Research and installation videos for your particular setup are highly recommended!

This short video, while not showing the actual install, does show the basic cuts needed to clear the tow loops.

 

[scorpionsix]

Thanks ALL for your input. I went under the instant replay hood and upon further review, the call on the field has been reversed. Wifey can just drive the Jeep for the cost of some fuel. Simple, inexpensive and will only come into play once a blue moon anyhow.

 

[LukeDagny]

Didn't Maximus-3 plates have a cracking problem a little while back? Did they resolve that?

I think it was resolved. I was supplied with a reinforcing rod that mounts on the tow bar.

 

[LukeDagny]

Luke, here’s a tip to automate your Cool Tech harness:

Replace the switch that you’re going to forget to flip at some time or another and replace it with a 12 pole relay. Wire it to where the relay gets power from the 7th pin of your umbilical cord. Connect the lights to where the Jeep powers the lights when the umbilical is disconnected and the relay is not energized and then the lights get powered by your RV when the relay is energized.

Said differently, put the wires that were on the “TOW” side of your switch to the normally open side of the relay contacts and the wires that were on the “DRIVE” side of the switch to the normally closed side of the relay contacts. Your common on the relay are the same as how you connected to the switch. Lastly, the relay will fit under the kickboard where you connected your switch wires.

Works like a champ. No more toggle switch to remember.

Thanks for the tip, but flipping the switch is on my wife's checklist. No way, am I telling her she's obsolete

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