Dragging a Jeep Unlimited around corners

[David_homen]

First Post. I have a 31 foot Jamboree Sport. It is on the Ford E450 chassis and has the 460 motor in it. I have towed a Wrangler X soft top with no issues. I now have a Jeep Unlimited Rubicon that I tow. Here is the issue. At higher speeds, it seems that I am Dragging the Rub around corners, especially longer corners. The coach has almost come to a complete stop with not enough power to tow. The tow seems to do quite well around the neighborhood with sharp turns at intersections. I have verified setup with leaving the key in the On position and moving the steering wheel back and forth and verify that the front wheels actually move when going around corners in the neighborhood. Can not verify if they are turning on the higher speed corners.

It also seems that when it finally does start to catch up, I have to move the coach steering wheel opposite to the turn and catch up.

Has anyone else experienced this.

I have a Roadmaster Falcon 2 tow bar that I leave on the coach and the Rube has the Roadmaster hook up with an extension that supports the Blue Ox ends on the Falcon 2. That is a Long Story starting in San Diego. I can describe it further if needed.

The Rube weighs in at 4650 with a full tank of gas. I don't put anything in it when towing.

[bshpilot]

David_homen wrote:


It is a Falcon II tow bar, the jeep is a 2014 Rubicon 4 door. I am very sure the wheels aren't locked. The new Jeeps don't like to have the battery disconnected so when I put the key in the unlock position everything is on. I even tried to disengage the traction control. No Joy .........

after 2010 there is no steering lock - so no need to keep a key in the ignition or turned on. I tow ours w/out a key or ignition turned on.

my 2012 still has an ignition relay that is designed to be pulled (as a method for disconnecting the ignition w/out killing all the program info / radio etc)....but again that is NOT necessary since the key is lot left in the ignition or on during towing.

[Mody_n_Domy]

You need to make sure your Motor Home is moving and the Jeep is tracking behind you before you start your turn. Never turn your Motor Home steering wheel while stopped and then start moving. This will put the Jeep in a bind it wants to go straight and the rear of your Motor Home will be swinging right or left.

[phnguyk]

David_homen wrote:
UPDATE!

The Electrical Issues were egregious and was the last straw with the Jamboree Sport made by Fleetwood.

An RV Dealer here in town gave me a fair price, wrote me a check and took it off my hands.

Now I am looking for a <3500# Trailer that my Wrangler will tow. We are going little and desert capable now.

Thanks to ALL Who Came to my rescue and were so NICE!!!

Warm Regards

Dave

About to open a whole other can of worms. I can barely tow my 16' landscape trailer. Weighs less than 3500#'s. Squirley is an understatement. 6spd or auto? Good luck.

[phnguyk]

tropical36 wrote:

jeep knows there's a problem but just like the oil consuming 3.8l's refuse to issue a recall.

We never add a drop between changes and are approaching 40K miles now.
I would also venture to say that the tried and proven 3.8 is less problematic than the Wrangler 2012 Pentastar 3.6.

Tried, yes. But they weren't all that reliable in the minivans either. The only way I can keep oil in it is to run 10-30w. Even then its down a bit.

[tropical36]

jeep knows there's a problem but just like the oil consuming 3.8l's refuse to issue a recall.

We never add a drop between changes and are approaching 40K miles now.
I would also venture to say that the tried and proven 3.8 is less problematic than the Wrangler 2012 Pentastar 3.6.

[tropical36]

Live and Learn. I just checked and sure enough, the steering wheel on my Rub does not lock with the key in the off position. Interesting .......

Thanks!!

Wranglers haven't had a steering lock to contend with for some time now and probably since the 09 models, although I even saw a 07 that didn't have one. The manuals and toad instruction were very slow in catching up to the change, however.

[Pangaea_Ron]

phnguyk wrote:
You may have the dreaded caliper failure. Which is primarily right front brake caliper locks, warps rotor and warps the wheel. Some have reported left front and a few with rear brakes. It won't matter if the brakes are apllied or not over time it gets warped so bad. My '08 does it, jeep knows there's a problem but just like the oil consuming 3.8l's refuse to issue a recall.

Best part is, I've had the rotor, caliper, pads, even the wheel replaced and eventually returns, one way to test for it is drive the jeep and slam on the brakes, does it pull slightly to the right, careful though it could pull real hard.

I love my jeep but hate it too.

one more thing try towing with the front sway bars disconnected, the rubicons have a heavier spring rate than the regular Unlimiteds.

I've also had this very thing happen.

[David_homen]

UPDATE!

The Electrical Issues were egregious and was the last straw with the Jamboree Sport made by Fleetwood.

An RV Dealer here in town gave me a fair price, wrote me a check and took it off my hands.

Now I am looking for a <3500# Trailer that my Wrangler will tow. We are going little and desert capable now.

Thanks to ALL Who Came to my rescue and were so NICE!!!

Warm Regards

Dave

[j-d]

Thanks for the update, sorry for the news of your issues. Will look forward to things getting back to where you can try the towing again. For now...

[David_homen]

Sigh ........ My apologies to the board. I have not had a chance to pull the jeep. Between family broken legs and now a ()*^&# electrical issue with this POT Jamboree, as well as an unplanned trip to Phoenix, I am afraid that the RV and Issues have been put on the back burner.

At least it starts and goes down the road which means that here in the next couple of days I will be taking it to a repair place to see what burnt up in the house electrical system.

Yes - Jeep Unlimited = Heavy. I have weighed mine three times and it is 4950 with me in it, a full tanks and all my camera gear. Good luck towing. It makes for long pulls sometimes.

Dave

[OBWan]

So has the issue been resolved then or are you still experiencing this drag issue.

I have a 2009 Unlimited Rubicon, that I'm about to tow for the first time today. We are heading up to Mt. Rainier. I drove it up on the highway and around and did not experience any issues, other than some real steep hills. I'm going to have to adjust my driving habits while towing this jeep (Heavy). Jeep stopped putting steering locks in Wranglers in 2009, so anything 2009 or newer does not have a steering lock. So you should be able to set your transfer and tranny, hook up the jeep, pull the key and lock it.

[David_homen]

David_homen wrote:

Off Pavement wrote:

David_homen wrote:


The users manual for the jeep even says to put it in the unlock position after putting the transfer case in N and transmission in P.

My 2013 is the same as your 2014 mechanically, but your manual sure is different than mine. Here is the quote from the 2013 Wrangler owners manual...

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the Ground Four-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONE See Instructions

Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing...

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Turn OFF the engine.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or
depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. Shift the transfer case lever into NEUTRAL (N).
6. Start the engine.
7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
10. Turn OFF the engine.
11. Firmly apply the parking brake.
12. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral).

CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the transmission
is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in
NEUTRAL (N) and the engine running. With the
transfer case in NEUTRAL (N) ensure that the engine
is OFF before shifting the transmission into PARK.

13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
14. Release the parking brake.

We pull the key and lock the doors when we tow our '13.

I misspoke. It is a 2013 and I have my manual setting here beside me. I am going to find the Jeep and RV recommendations for towing. Every Dealer and RV Dealership I have ever come in contact with Stresses that the steering wheel be unlocked.

Anyone else leave turn your jeep, pull the keys out and tow?

Live and Learn. I just checked and sure enough, the steering wheel on my Rub does not lock with the key in the off position. Interesting .......

Thanks!!

[David_homen]

Off Pavement wrote:

David_homen wrote:


The users manual for the jeep even says to put it in the unlock position after putting the transfer case in N and transmission in P.

My 2013 is the same as your 2014 mechanically, but your manual sure is different than mine. Here is the quote from the 2013 Wrangler owners manual...

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the Ground Four-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONE See Instructions

Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
recreational towing...

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Turn OFF the engine.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Shift the automatic transmission into NEUTRAL or
depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. Shift the transfer case lever into NEUTRAL (N).
6. Start the engine.
7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual
transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in
DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
10. Turn OFF the engine.
11. Firmly apply the parking brake.
12. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual
transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral).

CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the transmission
is shifted into PARK with the transfer case in
NEUTRAL (N) and the engine running. With the
transfer case in NEUTRAL (N) ensure that the engine
is OFF before shifting the transmission into PARK.

13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable
tow bar.
14. Release the parking brake.

We pull the key and lock the doors when we tow our '13.

I misspoke. It is a 2013 and I have my manual setting here beside me. I am going to find the Jeep and RV recommendations for towing. Every Dealer and RV Dealership I have ever come in contact with Stresses that the steering wheel be unlocked.

Anyone else leave turn your jeep, pull the keys out and tow?

[David_homen]

Jagtech wrote:
It might be the non-slip differentials in the Jeep that's causing your grief. I'm thinking that one (or both) diffs are locking up during a long turn, which would make the inner and outer wheels want to turn at the same speed. Try using the factory-recommended friction modifier additive in the diff oil, front and rear, to see if that helps.

Thanks!! I need to get it in for an oil change. I just put some seriously hard miles on it down in Arizona. I will have them check the oil. Thanks Again!!