Flat Towing with Installed Winch

[Hinxster]

I intend on flat towing our Jeep JLUR behind an RV. I also want to install a winch. I purchased a Warn Zeon 8S winch and Warn winch baseplate, which I haven't installed yet. It looks like the mounting points for the winch baseplate (http://www.northridgenation.com/warn-jl-rubicon-winch-mount/) and the flat tow baseplate (http://www.blueox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BX1139.pdf) use the same factory mounting holes. Can a flat tow baseplate AND a Warn winch baseplate be installed on a JLUR at the same time?

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[rustyshakelford]

No experience but I would imagine you could stack the plates?

Why do so many flat tow vs pull a car hauler with it loaded?

Brett

 

[Ron_H]

No experience but I would imagine you could stack the plates?
Why do so many flat tow vs pull a car hauler with it loaded?
Brett

Convenience.
Connecting a flat tow is far faster and easier than loading a car in/onto a trailer and strapping it down. Then, if you stop at an RV park, finding a trailer storage location can be difficult where-as most places are designed for a flat-tow to be parked in your RV space.

As for the OPs original question, I can help as I installed a RockHard aluminum bumper, with a built-in winch mount and tow-bar connection points, on our JLU.

 

[Hinxster]

Convenience.
Connecting a flat tow is far faster and easier than loading a car in/onto a trailer and strapping it down. Then, if you stop at an RV park, finding a trailer storage location can be difficult where-as most places are designed for a flat-tow to be parked in your RV space.

As for the OPs original question, I can help as I installed a RockHard aluminum bumper, with a built-in winch mount and tow-bar connection points, on our JLU.

I have the factory steel front bumper group and intend to stay with that. Are you saying that both the winch and flat tow baseplates will work at the same time?

 

[dfram]

I installed a Blue Ox adapter plate, Warn winch plate and a warn Zeon 10s winch at the same time. The winch plate bolts on the inside of the frame rails and the blue ox bolts to the outside. The only modifications was to the skid plate to accommodate the base plate, I had to cut some slots to fit around the base plate. The JL tows very well behind my class c.

 

[Hinxster]

I installed a Blue Ox adapter plate, Warn winch plate and a warn Zeon 10s winch at the same time. The winch plate bolts on the inside of the frame rails and the blue ox bolts to the outside. The only modifications was to the skid plate to accommodate the base plate, I had to cut some slots to fit around the base plate. The JL tows very well behind my class c.

That's good to know. Thanks. I plan on installing the winch way before I get around to purchasing the flat tow baseplate. Can the winch remain in place when the flat tow baseplate is installed?

 

[dfram]

That's good to know. Thanks. I plan on installing the winch way before I get around to purchasing the flat tow baseplate. Can the winch remain in place when the flat tow baseplate is installed?

Its been about six months since I installed them, but I believe you could install them separate.

 

[Midwest22]

Or you could go this route. Bear in mind I have yet to hook it up to the RV so I can't comment on the differences between these (Maximus-3 Tow Loops) or they typical base plates on the market. What I will say tho is that this is a much cleaner install which omits the sightly bar below the bumper.

 

[Jondrew]

I’ve thought about this too. The Smittybilt XRC bumper will mount a winch and BlueOx sells adapters that will let you flat tow with a BlueOx tow bar. You can get the adapters on etrailers. They must be pretty proud of them. I think they are $250 or something like that. The bumper is around $700. The adapters fit where the red hooks go. I assume you’d hook your safety chains to those triangular holes over the red hooks. The only thing missing I can see is the additional safety straps between the bumper and the Jeep frame. This is t my Jeep, so I’m not sure exactly how it’s installed.

 

[RC3]

I installed a Blue Ox adapter plate, Warn winch plate and a warn Zeon 10s winch at the same time. The winch plate bolts on the inside of the frame rails and the blue ox bolts to the outside. The only modifications was to the skid plate to accommodate the base plate, I had to cut some slots to fit around the base plate. The JL tows very well behind my class c.

That's a pretty nice setup. I went through this a few months ago myself but did not even look into Blue Ox because I already had a Roadmaster Towbar. The Roadmaster baseplate would not work with the Factory Steel bumper anmd winch. It was either the baseplate or the winch. I ended up getting a new bumper (LOD) and selling my steel bumper. This was a bummer - I really like the front steel bumper. The rear is another story!

 

[zb39]

I also went with the aluminum Rockhard. It is being delivered on tuesday along with the warn winch. Now if only the Rubicon would show up. Not all RV's are limited to 5k lbs towing. My last 2 were 10k and 15k respectively. I also ordered my jeep just for flat towing. I will drive it around town some also, I tend to drive something different every day. Although in the winter I am limited to about 5 because I'm not taking some of them out in the snow.

 

[RussJeep1]

Ok, move aside everyone, move aside. The big guy is coming through. Flat towing with wenches is what I do every weekend at the Renaissance Festival. I've got one in front and back.

The "store's open." I'll tell you everything you need to know, just ask.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

 

[RussJeep1]

No...I get it @Rhinebeck01, I really do. Two women happily posing with a Wrangler in Renaissance custom inviting a play on words between winches and wenches disgusts you because you prefer your women to be of the blowup kind.

Yours words, not mine.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/what’s-on-your-christmas-hanukkah-list.18437/#post-448804

(In case you erase it, it said as your holiday wish a:

• Blow up doll named Mandy

• Blow up doll named Sandy

• Blow up doll named Pam

)

Sometimes your satire (I'm assuming that, rather than the ladies you found repulsive in mine) I don't like. I consider others might disagree and leave it alone.

 

[HardRock]

Ok, move aside everyone, move aside. The big guy is coming through. Flat towing with wenches is what I do every weekend at the Renaissance Festival. I've got one in front and back.

The "store's open." I'll tell you everything you need to know, just ask.

Love it! Let the fireworks begin...

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