I will be towing with the 2D help me

[entropy]

So we just had our first kid 6 weeks ago and decided to keep our 2 door wrangler. We looked into trading for a 4 door but we really like the 2 door and decided to keep it, not only that but I got attached to it since I installed all the mods myself.

We camp a lot, and spend lots of time outdoors. So we decided to get a small camper!.

Ive thought about this before so I built my Jeep as lightweight as I could, and will never put tires bigger than 33s.

The camper I ordered is a 5x8 hiker light/moderate offroad squaredrop trailer. It weighs at 1,000 lbs and all I added to it was spare tire, 11lb propane tank, 4gal water tank, roof crossbars and electronic brakes.

I know at this weight brakes arent "required" but for safety and because of the 2 door I added the brakes.

My Jeep did not come with the towing package, but I am running a suspension from a rubicon that had the towing package, hardtop and metal bumpers. I have a rugged ridge hitch receiver and will be installing the 7 pin mopar harness. Then I will buy the wireless curt brake controller. The jeep has the 8 speed auto.

I think with the trailer loaded (food, camping stuff, etc). It will come to about 1,200lbs max, maaaybe 1300. All my camping equipment is very light, and our sleeping platform is an air mattress. No fridge, no battery, no fancy stuff. just regular old school camping.

Hitch receiver for the camper sits at 20in and the jeep is about 20in as well. I have no idea, but I feel this info is important.

Do you have any suggestions for me? is a WDH necessary? what would you say the max weight of loaded trailer should be?. This is my first time towing and I wanna do it safely. Any help would be appreciated thanks! And yeah I am keeping the 2 door. no JLU for us.

Sponsored

 

[Wkaz]

Be that guy in the right lane, get there safe and have fun. If you don't have the tow package I would look into a tranny cooler if you have an auto and an oil cooler won't hurt either. Good move with the trailer brakes. 10 % to 15% of trailer weight on the tongue and you shouldn't need a WDH.

 

[daveprice7]

I drive my 2dr with a 4x8 utility trailer all the time, loaded to capacity (about 1200lbs) with yard debris and it drives great. My local roads are mixed twisty hills and highway speeds. I can hardly tell it's back there. You may notice a bit more air resistance/drag/crosswind with a taller trailer, but the weight is no problem.

If you're planning on driving at night, you may want to re-adjust your headlights when you add/remove a lot of tongue weight/cargo weight unless you have installed air levellers in the rear.. you could possibly make some marks with colored sharpie on the nylon headlight adjusters with and without being loaded up for a quick change.

I drove 100 miles at night after picking up a set of wheels & tires on a hitch mounted cargo carrier and my headlights ended up pointing up to the heavens. I felt like a prize asshole blinding everyone in my path without having brought tools to adjust them.

 

[MtCamper]

You can vary the ball height by using a drop/raise receiver insert to get the trailer level. I'd strongly recommend getting out the bathroom scale to make sure you have 150# at the tongue. If it doesn't track straight, add more hitch weight. Add airbags if needed to level out your Jeep. Do not use a WDH unless you have fabricate/install a receiver that is tied into you frame making it a true Class 3 hitch. Jeeps have a Class 2 hitch.

 

[rkammer]

I tow this with my 2 door. It's a 1000 lbs. dry weight and has electronic brakes. I am currently have a JLUR suspension installed. My Jeep came with the trailering package.

 

[entropy]

Be that guy in the right lane, get there safe and have fun. If you don't have the tow package I would look into a tranny cooler if you have an auto and an oil cooler won't hurt either. Good move with the trailer brakes. 10 % to 15% of trailer weight on the tongue and you shouldn't need a WDH.

Thanks for the reply. So what does it mean exactly to have 10% of trailer weight on the tongue? say trailer is 1,000lbs dry. Tongue weight at 100lbs. Then I load up 200lbs of gear, so that means put 20lbs of that up front?.

I tow this with my 2 door. It's a 1000 lbs. dry weight and has electronic brakes. I am currently have a JLUR suspension installed. My Jeep came with the trailering package.

Nice, how does it feel driving the jeep with the trailer?. I dont have experience towing but there was this one time I went a bit over payload capacity and didnt feel a thing. I used to have a corolla back in the day, higher payload than the JL. I had the corolla loaded about 70~80% of the payload capacity and was super sketchy.

I think these little jeeps can handle much more than we are told. Of course with the short wheelbase I am not planning on testing that statement. But glad to see people towing small trailers with the 2 door. Pretty neat, solves a lot of our space issues. We get to have a kid and keep tje 2 door! with all its perks.

 

[rkammer]

Thanks for the reply. So what does it mean exactly to have 10% of trailer weight on the tongue? say trailer is 1,000lbs dry. Tongue weight at 100lbs. Then I load up 200lbs of gear, so that means put 20lbs of that up front?.

Nice, how does it feel driving the jeep with the trailer?. I dont have experience towing but there was this one time I went a bit over payload capacity and didnt feel a thing. I used to have a corolla back in the day, higher payload than the JL. I had the corolla loaded about 70~80% of the payload capacity and was super sketchy.

I think these little jeeps can handle much more than we are told. Of course with the short wheelbase I am not planning on testing that statement. But glad to see people towing small trailers with the 2 door. Pretty neat, solves a lot of our space issues. We get to have a kid and keep tje 2 door! with all its perks.

I don't even know that it there unless the check my mirrors.

The Shorter wheel base is the the limiting factor for 2 doors. We have the same powers train as the JLU.

 

[Oldbear]

You should be fine at the weight listed. Airbags are nice if you’re getting “sag” at the back (keeps headlights level and makes a smoother tow). A simple friction antisway bar wouldn’t hurt either (don’t want the tail wagging the dog). 10-15% weight on the hitch will help stabilize trailer-a tail heavy trailer will sway. I towed a utility trailer with a couple bikes (500 lbs each) behind my old TJ with no issues and the JL is a LOT more capable machine than the TJ. Don’t be a speed demon and pay attention and you should be good to go.

 

[entropy]

You should be fine at the weight listed. Airbags are nice if you’re getting “sag” at the back (keeps headlights level and makes a smoother tow). A simple friction antisway bar wouldn’t hurt either (don’t want the tail wagging the dog). 10-15% weight on the hitch will help stabilize trailer-a tail heavy trailer will sway. I towed a utility trailer with a couple bikes (500 lbs each) behind my old TJ with no issues and the JL is a LOT more capable machine than the TJ. Don’t be a speed demon and pay attention and you should be good to go.

How easy is it to install airbags? do I have to drop the axle and remove the rear springs?

Also, doesnt the JL have some anti sway tech already?

Thanks.

Oh and driving speed will not be an issue. I drive like an old lady, idk why but for some reason Ive always been a slow driver. Wife hates it and I am sure people on the road do too. I guess it is a good thing now that Ill be towing lol.

 

[danm]

When you load your trailer, just make sure you put some of your gear up front and some in the rear (more up front tho).
Here’s a video that shows what happens when a vehicle doesn’t have enough tongue weight.

 

[Oldbear]

How easy is it to install airbags? do I have to drop the axle and remove the rear springs?

Also, doesnt the JL have some anti sway tech already?

Thanks.

Oh and driving speed will not be an issue. I drive like an old lady, idk why but for some reason Ive always been a slow driver. Wife hates it and I am sure people on the road do too. I guess it is a good thing now that Ill be towing lol.

I’ve put air bags on my Ram 1500-pretty straightfoward, however I’ve not done so with a Jeep. You will want/need an anti sway baron your trailer hitch. The weakness of towing with a JL (or any short wheelbase rig) is that sway can get away from you quickly. Be careful, use the right equipment and you’ll be fine,

 

[flyer92]

Be that guy in the right lane, get there safe and have fun. If you don't have the tow package I would look into a tranny cooler if you have an auto and an oil cooler won't hurt either. Good move with the trailer brakes. 10 % to 15% of trailer weight on the tongue and you shouldn't need a WDH.

Any idea if the factory tow package comes with tranny and oil coolers? I thought it was just the receiver hitch, trailer electrical plug, and the HD electrical group. Dealer has no clue, of course.

 

[entropy]

Any idea if the factory tow package comes with tranny and oil coolers? I thought it was just the receiver hitch, trailer electrical plug, and the HD electrical group. Dealer has no clue, of course.

All wranglers come with tranny coolers, not sure about oil coolers.

The towing package comes with a bigger alternator, longer/stiffer suspension springs, hitch receiver, 7pin wiring harness with a way to plug a brake controller.

It is 100% worth it. get the towing package.

 

[Wkaz]

No oil cooler but I'm putting that on future mod. Trailer tow package also includes 4 pre-wired switches for your accessories. Definitely worth the trailer tow package.

 

[patternman]

When you load your trailer, just make sure you put some of your gear up front and some in the rear (more up front tho).
Here’s a video that shows what happens when a vehicle doesn’t have enough tongue weight.

That is a great video, thanks for posting!

Sponsored