What Do I Need To Add To Flat-Tow A Jeep?

DallasSteve wrote:
I'm planning to get a Jeep Wrangler and tow it behind a motorhome. I've read a little about doing this and I'm seeing a number of steps that can be involved to get the Jeep and RV set up correctly. Or my other alternative is I can buy a trailer and set it up to pull the Jeep on the trailer. I've read that a lot of parks don't have room to park the trailer so I'm leaning towards 4-down towing, but you can comment on that angle, too. Here are the tow components that I'm aware of:

1 - Tow bar (standard or adjustable)
2 - A base plate or an aftermarket bumper
3 - A connection for the Jeep lights
4 - A brake controller (do most people do this) (which type of system)
5 - Remote tire pressure monitoring system (do most people do this)

Are there other modifications that I am missing? Are there any modifications needed to the RV? I don't want to tackle all of this myself. I might mess it up and it's not what I enjoy doing. How much will I need to spend, parts and labor, if I pay a professional to do this? What would a decent trailer and modifications to strap down the Jeep cost if I went that route? Is flat-towing safer than trailering the Jeep or about the same?

Thanks, Steve

flat towing is absolutely the easiest and quickest way. but before you spend dime one know and understand the various weights and weight ratings of your MH and Jeep.

in general, the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the GCWR (gross combination weight rating) of the MH minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (includes fuel, fresh water, food, clothing, people, pets, supplies, etc.)

- the weight rating of your tow bar

- the weight rating of your hitch

this is why it's vital to know what your MH weighs as it is loaded and configure for travel before choosing a toad. Your MH will not collapse if it is overloaded but you will experience handling issues as well as longer braking distances and accelerated wear on suspension, brakes, steering, etc.

towing any vehicle on a trailer will add more weight and would need to be factored in.

specifically....we DO use an auxiliary braking system but that company (US Gear) is no longer in business. their product is permanently installed (but it can be uninstalled when you sell or trade the vehicle. parts are still available but not complete systems. that being said if our US Gear system ever bites the dust we will opt for another "permanent" solution. why? it's less hassle and plays no part in hooking up or disconnecting other than connecting the power cable. we simplified that by using an unused wire in the 7-pin umbilical cable.

if you do an aux braking system forgoe the diode method and install a separate set of bulbs in your taillight assembly and connect them to a totally independent wiring harness. eliminates a diode failure which could mean no taillights, brake lights, etc. when not towing. that happened to us.

we do NOT have a TPMS but are considering it.

we use BlueOx products....towbar and baseplate. excellent company and products.

IF you buy a wrangler to tow some things to consider and watch for:

- make certain that the Jeep has a manually selectable neutral position in the transfer case. if the tranny is an all-wheel or full-time variable transmission you likely cannot flat tow that vehicle. always check the owner's manual for instructions in the Recreational Towing section.

- our 2003 Wrangler needs to have the key in the ignition turned to the UNLOCKED OFF position. this unlocks the steering wheel but does not activate any electronics that might drain the battery. somewhere around 2010 (maybe a bit earlier) steering wheels on certain models of Jeep (like our 2010 Liberty) are not locked and therefore can be towed without a key in the ignition.

good luck to you.