Towing

joe b., what are your thoughts on the Ready Brake auxiliary system? Any negatives or disappointments?

Wayne

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

Mello Mike wrote:

Reddog1 wrote:
This is an old (2004) photo. The extension uses 2"x2" 3/16" wall tubing in instead of chains, for the side forces. Way overbuilt, and adds unnecessary weight to the truck. I have chains to replace the tubing, but keep using it for other projects. I have the tubing on the truck now, but again I will replace the tubing with chain.

Thanks, Wayne. I understand now what you're saying about the tubing for the side forces. Looks pretty sturdy. :)

Wayne, I've been hearing about your hitch for years now. This is the first time I have seen it. I like it. :)

Thanks Mike and SoCalDesertRider.

As you guys can see, it is definitely overbuilt (and heavy). Without the extension, the side force tubes would tow my Samurai. The side tubes have 1/2" nuts and bolts at the ball end of the extension, and 1/2 pins at the bumper end. The bumper end has 2"x3/16" wall tubing that goes into the OEM hitch cross tube. It reinforces the OEM cross tube and services as a mounting points for the TC tie-downs and hitch extension tube/chain. My preference is wide mounting points of the tube/chain at the truck end, as it is configured.

Wayne

06Fargo wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
What is a kiniffle?

From first hand experience: It's the piece of rigging (related to a skyhook) that's missing when you attempt to cross the safety chains to prevent the trailer from grounding if it uncouples, while at the same time extending the chains to the tow vehicle frame. Thereby requiring a 30 min drive to town and going to 6 places to buy $100 worth of shackles, b**tch links, pins, connectors and such, none of which fit...

My crossed chain rig up/chain extensions/ shackles and bits was a thing of beauty to behold when my DW comes along and says "How many things have to break at the same time for that Super Truss thing to fall off the truck?" Me: "Um,1,2 5/8" pins, 1, 2 3/8" pins so that's ummm four! Not counting the sway chains1" DW: "Like you're not going to notice that and stop?" Me: "Ummm ya I guess so..."

So it's a removable chain link? Or a shackle? A picture would help.

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
What is a kiniffle?

From first hand experience: It's the piece of rigging (related to a skyhook) that's missing when you attempt to cross the safety chains to prevent the trailer from grounding if it uncouples, while at the same time extending the chains to the tow vehicle frame. Thereby requiring a 30 min drive to town and going to 6 places to buy $100 worth of shackles, b**tch links, pins, connectors and such, none of which fit...

My crossed chain rig up/chain extensions/ shackles and bits was a thing of beauty to behold when my DW comes along and says "How many things have to break at the same time for that Super Truss thing to fall off the truck?" Me: "Um,1,2 5/8" pins, 1, 2 3/8" pins so that's ummm four! Not counting the sway chains1" DW: "Like you're not going to notice that and stop?" Me: "Ummm ya I guess so..."

Mike, my Jeep is also a 2004, but as a two door unlimited model, that year they only made it with an automatic transmission. Not my favorite tranny for mountain trails, but since I use it as a daily driver, here in south Florida it works OK for me. The red Jeep was a manual but had the 4 banger engine, which was fine here in the SE, but when I got it in the Rocky Mtns above 9,000 feet it just ran out of power. It was easier to tow as it was several hundred pounds lighter in weight. Jeeps are sure easy to tow, 4 down.

I considered changing out the engine in the red Jeep and might should have as I had it fixed up the way I wanted it, except for the power. The yellow one is the 14th Jeep I have owned over the years.
just about to run out of road in the Colorado mountains. Probably pushing the season a bit.


I have talked to folks towing the smaller 4 Xs, such as the Trackers, and the others and they sure have a following of loyal tow folks. They are really hard to find around this part of the country.

joe b. wrote:
When I first set up our previous Dodge truck I bought a 48 inch extension, which turned out to be much longer than I really needed. With our Lance 845, the overhang in the back is not a great deal. But I failed to figure in that the Jeep tow bar attachment points, are 16 inches in front of the grill. Then I added a Ready Brake auxiliary system to the Jeeps and that added an additional 20 inches. So the two of those factors added 36 inches to my setup. Then the Falcon 5200 tow bar added 6 or 8 more inches where it slides into the Ready Brake receiver. So then I bought an 18 inch extension and stopped using the chains, then checked it without the 18 inch extinion and it works just fine. Took it to an empty parking lot and made tight circles, etc and check how close to the rear corners of the camper I was getting with the Jeep. Not a problem so currently I just use the Ready Brake off the factory Class 5 hitch, then the tow bar off that, then the Jeep.

Could have saved some money, if I had taken a better look instead of going with the trial and error method of measuring. But, if we do trade up to a larger camper, with more overhang, then the 18 inch extension will come in handy.

Original set up with 48 inch extension.


Here is the our current tow using just the Ready Brake and the Falcon tow bar connected to our current Jeep Unlimited. Towed it from south Florida to North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, western Colorado, and back home through Arizona and New Mexico. Worked fine, in the closer coupling, than the original set up with the red Jeep.

Love the Jeep, Joe! Here's a pic of mine on a recent run on the Apache Trail.

When I first set up our previous Dodge truck I bought a 48 inch extension, which turned out to be much longer than I really needed. With our Lance 845, the overhang in the back is not a great deal. But I failed to figure in that the Jeep tow bar attachment points, are 16 inches in front of the grill. Then I added a Ready Brake auxiliary system to the Jeeps and that added an additional 20 inches. So the two of those factors added 36 inches to my setup. Then the Falcon 5200 tow bar added 6 or 8 more inches where it slides into the Ready Brake receiver. So then I bought an 18 inch extension and stopped using the chains, then checked it without the 18 inch extinion and it works just fine. Took it to an empty parking lot and made tight circles, etc and check how close to the rear corners of the camper I was getting with the Jeep. Not a problem so currently I just use the Ready Brake off the factory Class 5 hitch, then the tow bar off that, then the Jeep.

Could have saved some money, if I had taken a better look instead of going with the trial and error method of measuring. But, if we do trade up to a larger camper, with more overhang, then the 18 inch extension will come in handy.

Original set up with 48 inch extension.


Here is the our current tow using just the Ready Brake and the Falcon tow bar connected to our current Jeep Unlimited. Towed it from south Florida to North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, western Colorado, and back home through Arizona and New Mexico. Worked fine, in the closer coupling, than the original set up with the red Jeep.

What is a kiniffle?

Safety chains - our jurisdiction requires trailer safety chains to be attached in such a manner as to prevent the trailer hitch from contacting the ground in the event of an accidental uncoupling.

I cross them, and twist them to shorten them to just enough length to allow turning, and connect them right near the receiver - either the truck's safety chain connection or the Super-Truss's - depending which hitch I'm using.

On our Super-Hitch that connection is close to it's receiver, i.e. 3 ft back from the truck.

There has to be about multiple failures for the Super-Hitch to disconnect from the vehicle - 2 x 5/8" receiver pins, and 2 sway chains/connections, etc. so I don't extend safety chain forward to the truck's hitch, but you could using a kiniffle & shackle to first connect the required way to prevent grounding then on to the truck.

vanderjw wrote:
I have a Superhitch and a short Torklift extension. I would recommend the Torklift parts if money is not a concern. The system works very well and I don't have to worry about the hitch failing and injuring someone. I tow about 7,000 lbs.

The Superhitch/Supertruss is indeed a very well designed and well built product, as are all of Torklift's products, that I have seen so far. :)