Tow Me About It (The Towing Thread)

[Bulletbill]

My last Jeep, a 4-door Rubi XR completely stock, would tow a flatbed car trailer from time to time. The trailer is 7k double axles, brakes on both axles, 18’ long and weighs just under 2500lb.

It only ever towed the trailer mostly unloaded from point to point with a couple trips on the highway with some lawn equipment strapped to the top of it (maaaybe 500lb?).

The trailer isn’t something I’d want to pull with a Jeep regularly.

The trailer was purchased for the Jeep so we could tow it behind our motorhome and not have to flat tow the Jeep. For that, it works most excellent and on a Super C, no worries about weight.

I did add the factory Mopar brake controller to my XR in the event I needed it, and it definitely needed the controller to tow the unloaded car trailer. Besides poor braking without the controller, the trailer could push the jeep all around. I’m certain I never want to tow regularly with a Wrangler. However, some people are just fine with it.

Me thinks you may miss your motorhome. The this new Jeep we have will also get a bar to flat tow it because we don’t fit a lot of places with our flatbed.

On the other hand, I’ve towed the jeep on the flatbed (~7500lb total) with a Silverado 1500. Power was fine; the real difference is having a rig designed to tow up to 10k, night and day difference.

Maybe an HD-truck based motorhome would be in your future, and tow the Jeep to trails?

I think about retirement in terms of comfort and not having to worry much. I think it’s possible to do that with a Wrangler and tow behind camper provided you are aware of its limitations. Smaller and lighter is the name of the game when towing with a Wrangler; don’t forget to account for the weight of water, fuel, gear. Some of those smaller campers are just about maxed out from the factory.

You are right, I really miss our old class A motorhome. We looked at several when we visited the Hershey RV show this year and if I were fully retired and only traveling in the motorhome they would be perfect.

But my oldest just started college and my youngest is in 7th grade. We have a while until we hit empty nester status and everyone in the house has their thoughts on camping and where they want to travel. So for now, I want something I can get out on the weekends with but that will still allow us to have a budget for travel that doesn't involve camping.

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[Adv_aw8s]

2021 JLURD
Diesel, 2.5" lift, 4.56's, 37's, redarc brake controller.

We tow a Boreas camper that weights about 3500lbs loaded with water etc. we are using the stock hitch. The jeep tows it great. We live in Colorado so we do a lot of towing in the mountains. We have towed it all over the West with zero issues.

 

[Aonarch]

I love seeing everyones' pictures!

I have a F-150, so no towing for me, besides a light utility trailer every so often.

I had a Gladiator with the Max Tow package and added the Mopar trailer brake control, which replaced the cigarette outlet on the dash. Very clean setup.

https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/82215652.html

 

[dstevens]

Very nice setup. I was trying to determine if I’d need a WDH. I’ve read other posts where some swear by it. Hitch weight on the one I
am looking at is 230lbs.

My tongue weight is 240 lbs when fully loaded with water and that decreases to 120 lbs as the water is used since the fresh water tank is forward of the axle and the great water tank is behind the axle.

In theory 120 lbs is only 5% of the gross and too low so risks sway, but I've never noticed a problem.
The trailer manufacturer advises against a WDH so I did not use one. 240 lbs on the hitch is not that much weight.

What is important is to keep the ball position as close to the rear cross member as you can in order to minimize the torque load on the cross member. I see some people adding long extensions so they can open the tailgate and I wonder how the frame survives. You can extend the trailer tongue if necessary since it does not add to the torque load or reduce the tongue capacity.

 

[inJeepious]

I’ve been towing a nuCamp Tab 360 with my 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon X for over 37,000 miles — from multiple trips to the beach, to long runs through the Blue Ridge Mountains on my quest to complete all the Southeast Badge of Honor trails, and even a month-long haul through Yellowstone, the Tetons, and all over the Rocky & San Juan Mountains. I’m awaiting Blackstone Labs oil and fluid analysis(transmission, differential) before making a final call, but I’m documenting everything on my channel InJeepious.

So far, I have one video up on towing the Tab 360 with the Jeep. The next video will cover temps and performance data, after that the oil and fluid results, and finally a wrap-up pulling it all together.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I voted over 5k, but that's because I only ever tow with the JT. Even on 3.5" metalcloak lift and 37's it had now trouble towing 8200lbs 600+ miles to our AZ property to build our cabin.

 

[Bulletbill]

I voted over 5k, but that's because I only ever tow with the JT. Even on 3.5" metalcloak lift and 37's it had now trouble towing 8200lbs 600+ miles to our AZ property to build our cabin.

Yeah, I’ve seriously considered a JT. It gives a lot more flexibility and utility, but I don’t want to give up my JL just yet.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Yeah, I’ve seriously considered a JT. It gives a lot more flexibility and utility, but I don’t want to give up my JL just yet.

Only got myself the JT because the wife has her JLUR on 39s. I don't know that we could give up either at this point.

 

[wibornz]

You are right, I really miss our old class A motorhome. We looked at several when we visited the Hershey RV show this year and if I were fully retired and only traveling in the motorhome they would be perfect.

But my oldest just started college and my youngest is in 7th grade. We have a while until we hit empty nester status and everyone in the house has their thoughts on camping and where they want to travel. So for now, I want something I can get out on the weekends with but that will still allow us to have a budget for travel that doesn't involve camping.

We went from a Class A to a small camper, because we did not want to spend our time in campgrounds. We wanted to boondock camp and be off grid. We camp in spots that the Class A will not fit into or will not go. With the Class A, we found that we were rarely inside and just did not need all the extra space. We had to sacrifice the adventure for the comfort of the Class A. After all you will never camp here with a Class A motorhome.

We wanted to be able to hike from camp.

 

[Grateful1]

I voted over 5k, but that's because I only ever tow with the JT. Even on 3.5" metalcloak lift and 37's it had now trouble towing 8200lbs 600+ miles to our AZ property to build our cabin.

It looks like you work for Love's due to the topper. lmao

 

[Grateful1]

2018 JLU Sahara & 2011 Jeep Extreme Trail Rated Camper.
Engine/transmission combo. - 3.6L / 8-Speed Auto
- Hitch used - Stock.
- Brake controller - N/A. (I did upgrade to a big brake kit from Mopar)
- Remote or wired camera systems - N/A.
- Weight of your trailer - 1,050 lbs. dry weight.
- How well it tows said trailer - very well.
- How far you have gone - Six hours to Camp McCain, MS
- Issues or things you would have done differently - maybe a simple bag lift to even out the Sahara and keep the trailer level while towing on the interstate.
- Additionally, if your Jeep is the tow vehicle, please respond with your set up as well - Stock setup except better tires.
- Anything else you want to add. - Lake Guntersville State Park, AL with our '18 JLU Sahara & '98 TJ Sport. First camping trip for the misses and our puppy dogs.

 

[Zandcwhite]

It looks like you work for Love's due to the topper. lmao

Unintentional but definitely caught the picture at the perfect angle for that.

 

[JLHoppy]

We have a 2017 Forest River Flagstaff Hard Wall, and have only towed it once with our jeep We have 3 more trips planned soon though! The red truck, Frontier, was replaced by the Jeep.

 

[Trout Trekker]

Timely thread, just this morning I received the bid on my new boats build. So, these numbers and notes are for the existing boat.

- Engine/transmission combo. 2018 JLU Sport S 3.6 L V6 - 8 spd. auto.
We also have a 2023 Willys Sport S JL 2.0L 8 spd. auto that I'm planning on adding a 2" receiver to this fall. So that rig may start doing some short runs towing as well.

- Hitch used - After market Curt / 2 " receiver -flat four connector.

- Brake controller - None

- Remote or wired camera systems - None (though the Wrangler with a stock rear facing camera.)

- Weight of your trailer - Combined trailer and drift boat along with accessories. 750 / 800 lbs.

*Load in the vehicle: Two adults in the Wrangler, Fly fishing gear while extensive is very light so say under 100 lbs., only camping when there's no other alternative (150 lbs. camping gear) / otherwise riversides or near river lodging. personal gear for a week or two, again likely less 100 lbs. a little more in winter.

- How well it tows said trailer - Tows and tracks very well. About the only time I'm aware of it putting "any" real load on the vehicle is on long mountain range crossings where I'm on a continuous grade for long period ( Mountain west and southwest deserts ).

- How far you have gone - Longest 1,200 miles one way. Typical weekly runs are from 40 miles to 360 miles with week to two weeklong runs extending out to 1,200 miles one way - those trips can result in 3,000 plus miles of towing. (That's towing from California, to Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada.)

- Issues or things you would have done differently. Nothing that comes immediately to mind other than rain / water accumulation in the boat if running uncovered and getting through the various states mussel / invasive species check points (which is getting trickier all the time. Even trailering home a brand-new boat that has never seen the water from the manufacturer in Idaho to California presents regulatory challenges these days.)

- Additionally, if your Jeep is the tow vehicle, please respond with your set up as well. Towing a 2013 Hyde 15' 6" Contender series drift boat, on a matched Hyde trailer.

- Anything else you want to add. The real reason for towing with a Wrangler is the launch (put in) and take out locations that are often just a clay bank, sand or cobble shoal and the unpaved, often rutted, muddy paths (can't really call them roads) that lead to the river. When we get to use an actual launch ramp, it's a treat. Then we also have to trust our rigs to local shuttle drivers who will be delivering them down river at a predetermined riverside location for take out.

 

[ArmyRN]

23 JLU XR Willys 2.0T, factory tow package. 4.56 factory gears, TrueTracs front and rear, 35" tires.

0.5" TF spacer lift front and rear, Synergy 2" rear springs. Timbren bumpstop rubber bellows thing in rear. P3 brake controller.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90195.html

Small trailer weighs about 1500 lbs fully loaded. Teardrop (Timberleaf Pika with off-road package) weighs about 1600 lbs. Both have electric brakes. Smaller trailer has a recent couple thousand miles pulled by this Jeep. Pintle hitch.

https://www.jeepforum.com/threads/m...ler-ultimate-build-up-thread.1180456/#replies

My recently purchased teardrop this summer just went from WA to FL and back (with Timbren and Synergy rear springs in Jeep for both trailers) about 7,000 miles. I felt the teardrop more than the smaller trailer (wind resistance and much heavier tongue weight?). Max Coupler multi-axis hitch with teardrop.

Both pulled easily with the Jeep. 2.0T and 8-speed auto has plenty of power, especially at elevation (I was up high in CO with the teardrop).

https://timbren.com/products/jrjk-jeep-wrangler-jl-jk-2008-present-rear-kit

But even with the slightly taller and slightly stiffer springs in the rear and the Timbren (which helped a lot), there's still a little too much rear sag when towing teardrop (teardrop has a much heavier tongue weight compared to the little trailer). Considering some 2.5" dual rated springs for the rear (if Clayton would ever answer my email).

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