Tow Me About It (The Towing Thread)

[Bulletbill]

Looking to build a thread on towing. Whether its campers, utility trailers, or boats, I'd like to try and create a comprehensive spot where you post a picture of your Jeep and whatever you're towing and give a brief description of your set up, ie:
- Engine/transmission combo.
- Hitch used
- Brake controller
- Remote or wired camera systems
- Weight of your trailer
- How well it tows said trailer
- How far you have gone
- Issues or things you would have done differently
- Additionally, if your Jeep is the tow vehicle, please respond with your set up as well
- Anything else you want to add.

I'd like to keep the conversations civil, so if someone posts that they are towing over the limit, please refrain from berating them or causing this thread to go into the toilet. We can learn from every example of what others are doing with their Jeeps, and while I would never tow beyond my wranglers limit, I am sure I can glean some good info for others that have.

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[Bulletbill]

So I'll start off with the fact that I have been looking at this for a while. I used to have a Class A motorhome which I sold before purchasing the Jeep. Some of the areas I have been to have limited lodging, so I have camped a lot with my youngest. I am retired Army, and while modern tent camping has a lot more amenities compared to my time in the Army, my back has come to the conclusion that I'd rather sleep in a real bed.

So for the last year I have been researching campers that can be pulled by my Jeep. There's a decent number of options, but I was hard pressed to find one that could occasionally sleep 4 people comfortable until recently.

I am in the process of potentially purchasing a Sunlite 16BH sport which has an empty weight of 2,400lbs, a max gross weight of 3,500lbs, a 6" lift, and off-road tires .
https://sunsettrailers.com/sun-lite/

I am now into the research phase of what equipment I will need for my Jeep. I figured if I was in need of some help, others would be too. So please share what you are towing, your setup, and what you would have done differently.

Looking forward to hearing from those that tow!

 

[MauiSteve]

It would be good to see some outside photos that show ground clearance, rear overhang and wheel well clearance, if you get into any rough terrain that might become important.
I assume your Jeep is 4 doors.

 

[dstevens]

2.0T AT, 4.56 gears, 315 tires.

Trailer is 2491 lbs fully loaded with gear and water. Manufacturer claim UVW is 2020 lbs and trailer sticker dry weight is 2275 lbs so it is important not to base your weights from the listed figures, but from what the scales say.

No weight distribution hitch. No sway hitch (but trailer has Tucson sway control). Using mopar brake controller.

Tows very well. No sway even in strong side winds. Plenty of acceleration - 45 mpg to 85 mpg is pretty rapid for overtaking. Uses 8th gear 95% of the time. Main effect I feel is aero drag and I limit the speed to 60-65 mph. Fuel economy is 13 - 14 mpg, but then it is only 16.5 mpg without a trailer (but at higher speeds).

What I would change is getting the 2.5' longer trailer which has a north south bed (but is 600 lbs heavier). My conclusion is the weight is not as much of a factor as the aero drag. I do consider the rear final and what temps it must run on longer trips, so try to keep speeds down to keep the temps down.

I have a wireless backup camera but found it more of a pain that it was worth, so use the 'goal' approach. Get out and look.

 

[Bulletbill]

It would be good to see some outside photos that show ground clearance, rear overhang and wheel well clearance, if you get into any rough terrain that might become important.
I assume your Jeep is 4 doors.

Mine is the four door. I don’t intend to drag it through trails, just some remote areas on forest roads. I wanted the ground clearance for some excursions that may take me off the beaten path out west. There’s a guy on youtube who uses it for that purpose and has posted reviews on it for the last three years he’s owned it and it has held up remarkable well.

 

[Bulletbill]

2.0T AT, 4.56 gears, 315 tires.

Trailer is 2491 lbs fully loaded with gear and water. Manufacturer claim UVW is 2020 lbs and trailer sticker dry weight is 2275 lbs so it is important not to base your weights from the listed figures, but from what the scales say.

No weight distribution hitch. No sway hitch (but trailer has Tucson sway control). Using mopar brake controller.

Tows very well. No sway even in strong side winds. Plenty of acceleration - 45 mpg to 85 mpg is pretty rapid for overtaking. Uses 8th gear 95% of the time. Main effect I feel is aero drag and I limit the speed to 60-65 mph. Fuel economy is 13 - 14 mpg, but then it is only 16.5 mpg without a trailer (but at higher speeds).

What I would change is getting the 2.5' longer trailer which has a north south bed (but is 600 lbs heavier). My conclusion is the weight is not as much of a factor as the aero drag. I do consider the rear final and what temps it must run on longer trips, so try to keep speeds down to keep the temps down.

I have a wireless backup camera but found it more of a pain that it was worth, so use the 'goal' approach. Get out and look.

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.

 

[jadmt]

i have towed plenty with my previous JK's all with 3.6 and autos and 4.10 gears.....towed two different trailers from Montana to Moab and Colorado one being a small 1600 lbs RTT trailer and also a Aliner that was probably close to 3000lbs loaded....the smaller one never had trailer brakes and never had an issue with it...took that one to Colorado and to the Washington coast. The Aliner I took to Moab and all over Montana, idaho washington etc....that I had trailer brakes...I also towed a Jayco 195 baja RB with no issues but it was on the edge of being too big.....i would have no problem towing it with my JLUR tho....that all said I hate towing....I suck at backing up lol...and I started working on a farm when I was 12 and still suck at it.

 

[Bulletbill]

i have towed plenty with my previous JK's all with 3.6 and autos and 4.10 gears.....towed two different trailers from Montana to Moab and Colorado one being a small 1600 lbs RTT trailer and also a Aliner that was probably close to 3000lbs loaded....the smaller one never had trailer brakes and never had an issue with it...took that one to Colorado and to the Washington coast. The Aliner I took to Moab and all over Montana, idaho washington etc....that I had trailer brakes...I also towed a Jayco 195 baja RB with no issues but it was on the edge of being too big.....i would have no problem towing it with my JLUR tho....that all said I hate towing....I suck at backing up lol...and I started working on a farm when I was 12 and still suck at it.

Very nice. It’s been a while since I did any backing up with a trailer. A long time ago I had my CDL and got pretty decent at it, but I guessing those skills have probably greatly diminished by now.

 

[Heimkehr]

- Engine/transmission combo 2.0T/850RE
- Hitch used Curt 13392
- Brake controller N/A
- Remote or wired camera systems N/A
- Weight of your trailer ~600 lbs. unloaded; 1,400 lbs. loaded as pictured
- How well it tows said trailer Swimmingly
- How far you have gone All the way there and back
- Issues or things you would have done differently For my predetermined use case? Nothing really comes to mind. Everything works.
- Anything else you want to add. I do use an adjustable ball hitch so that the trailer is towed in a level config. I see too many rubes that are towing dangerously tilted trailers. Don't be like them.

 

[AndySpill]

Hey Tom @Bulletbill.

Hardly is this an intention to clip your wings. Specialty threads like these often serve as the single most used resources on the forum. But that said, might this already be what you're looking for?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...at-tow-hitches-electric-brake-controller.134/

 

[Bulletbill]

Hey Tom @Bulletbill.

Hardly is this an intention to clip your wings. Specialty threads like these often serve as the single most used resourcs on the forum. But that said, might this already be what you're looking for?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...at-tow-hitches-electric-brake-controller.134/

The link took me to the category I posted in. Was there a specific thread you were referencing?

I was trying to consolidate down searches. I’ve been through a lot of those threads over the past year, but none that i saw boiled down what you were towing, how you were towing, and specific equipment utilized. I also figured that this would be a great thread for those showcasing what they were towing with pictures. If I missed one that already covered this let me know.

 

[NWJeepr]

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.

 

[Heimkehr]

Hardly is this an intention to clip your wings. Specialty threads like these often serve as the single most used resourcs on the forum. But that said, might this already be what you're looking for?

<snip>

An early lesson in discussion forum membership is that duplicate threads, once started, continue of their own accord. It's just the nature of things, Andy.

 

[wibornz]

I have a JLUR with the 3.6 motor. I run 37 inch tires and the the Jeep has 5.13 gears. I have towed this E-Pro RK camper approx 54,000 miles.

The Jeep pulled it well. It weighted about 2200 pounds. But the back of the Jeep was also stuffed full of gear.

That ^ camper does not have a bathroom or a shower. We did many long trips with the Jeep and camper with some of the trips being may multi-month trips.

My wife really wanted a bigger camper. So we sold the 12RK and bought a E-PRO 15TB. The 15TB has a King size bed, kitchen and a bathroom/shower. We have towed this camper approximately 30,000 miles. The Jeep is set up the same, and tows it easily on everything, but long mountain passes. The passes are not really a big deal. I am usually able to hold 45 to 50 mph up most passes so it is only slowed down for a few minutes usually. Some of the really long passes like Monarch Pass in Colorado took about 15 minutes. Really not a big deal. I pull the 15TB between 65 and 70 mph normally. We have towed the camper from Michigan to Texas, Michigan to Alaska, and Michigan to Colorado and back to Michigan of course. Plus many many trip in and around Michigan.

The 15TB has an empty weight of 2700 pounds and the way I have it set up and loaded it runs usually between 3200 to 3300 pounds. I do use a weight distribution hitch. I have approximately 145,000 miles on the JLUR.

We pull the camper all over and set it up as a base camp and wheel and hike from the base camp. We might stay in an actual campground a couple nights a year. For instance when we went to Alaska for the summer of 24, we spent three separate nights in a campground. One for WIFI, one time to do laundry, and one just because.

There are four of us that haul the 15TB campers all over the country together at time. All of the JLURs are geared at 5.13 except the JLUR XR has 4.56 gears and 35 inch tires.

Flagstaff manufactures the the 15TB camper under the name of E-Pro. Geo Pro and Rockwood. Three of us have put in compost toilets and the campers are all set up for off grid camping. Solar power and we have added Lithium batteries and DC to DC chargers so we can charge the camper battery at 30 amps while driving with we need to. We hardly ever use the DC to DC chargers as the solar can easily keep up with our power demands. We have each modded the campers to our needs. I converted the King size bed to a queen and added a swing out table so we did not need to set up and take down the table each day. I also added an additional 2000 watt inverter so I can power the microwave off the batter. Between the 4 of us, I would guess that we have towed the 15TB campers over 65,000 combined miles with zero issues.

 

[Bulletbill]

I have a JLUR with the 3.6 motor. I run 37 inch tires and the the Jeep has 5.13 gears. I have towed this E-Pro RK camper approx 54,000 miles.

The Jeep pulled it well. It weighted about 2200 pounds. But the back of the Jeep was also stuffed full of gear.

That ^ camper does not have a bathroom or a shower. We did many long trips with the Jeep and camper with some of the trips being may multi-month trips.

My wife really wanted a bigger camper. So we sold the 12RK and bought a E-PRO 15TB. The 15TB has a King size bed, kitchen and a bathroom/shower. We have towed this camper approximately 30,000 miles. The Jeep is set up the same, and tows it easily on everything, but long mountain passes. The passes are not really a big deal. I am usually able to hold 45 to 50 mph up most passes so it is only slowed down for a few minutes usually. Some of the really long passes like Monarch Pass in Colorado took about 15 minutes. Really not a big deal. I pull the 15TB between 65 and 70 mph normally. We have towed the camper from Michigan to Texas, Michigan to Alaska, and Michigan to Colorado and back to Michigan of course. Plus many many trip in and around Michigan.

The 15TB has an empty weight of 2700 pounds and the way I have it set up and loaded it runs usually between 3200 to 3300 pounds. I do use a weight distribution hitch. I have approximately 145,000 miles on the JLUR.

We pull the camper all over and set it up as a base camp and wheel and hike from the base camp. We might stay in an actual campground a couple nights a year. For instance when we went to Alaska for the summer of 24, we spent three separate nights in a campground. One for WIFI, one time to do laundry, and one just because.

There are four of us that haul the 15TB campers all over the country together at time. All of the JLURs are geared at 5.13 except the JLUR XR has 4.56 gears and 35 inch tires.

Flagstaff manufactures the the 15TB camper under the name of E-Pro. Geo Pro and Rockwood. Three of us have put in compost toilets and the campers are all set up for off grid camping. Solar power and we have added Lithium batteries and DC to DC chargers so we can charge the camper battery at 30 amps while driving with we need to. We hardly ever use the DC to DC chargers as the solar can easily keep up with our power demands. We have each modded the campers to our needs. I converted the King size bed to a queen and added a swing out table so we did not need to set up and take down the table each day. I also added an additional 2000 watt inverter so I can power the microwave off the batter. Between the 4 of us, I would guess that we have towed the 15TB campers over 65,000 combined miles with zero issues.

A lot of excellent information. This is exactly what I was looking for in trying to come up with a plan for what my family and I are looking to do!

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