Towing with a 2 Door JL
- Thread starter BigAl
- Start date
shade
Well-known member
The doors? They were closed.
T'was the Cold Hand of Death upon you caused the frost!
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BADDANDY
Adventurer
2 things not brought up in this thread are emergency maneuvers nor downhill acceleration/braking. Emergency maneuvers are what limits my JK's towing weight, and downhill acceleration is what limits my van's tow weight.
Myself and everyone I know that tows believe you're an unsafe idiot if you tow more than your vehicle can tow climbing an interstate highway mountain pass maintaining 60 mph only using whatever top gear you have out of overdrive. It's a true test that your tow weight matches your drivetrain power which equates to the capability of the rest of your vehicle to handle that load if all other variables are safely correct, i.e. CG, tongue weight, brakes, cooling, temps, etc.
Don't exceed your vehicles GVWR and GCWR and the above statement will usually ring true.
One of my tow vehicles is my 2013 2 dr JK towing an 1,100 lb (loaded) offroad tent trailer with brakes. Under GVWR and GCWR. It matches/meets the above and tows comfortably, but no way in hell would I tow anything heavier than that with my Jeep. The difference in driving dynamics not towing vs towing is just too different safely wise.
My other tow vehicle is a 2018 Ford Transit Class B motorhome with the 3.5l ecoboost. Now this thing weighs 8,800 lbs towing a 5x8 1,200 lb box trailer. That's 10,000 lbs!, under GVWR and GCWR, hauls ass, only drops to low overdrive, will accelerate up a mountain pass at only 2,500 rpm, and feels like it can tow 10,000 more, but no way will I tow more than it's rated for as that "it feels like it can tow 10,000 more" statement would probably drop to "it feels unsafe" above max weights. I can't tow my Jeep with this until I install a TOAD braking system as this package runs away with just the trailer as it is on downhills.
Myself and everyone I know that tows believe you're an unsafe idiot if you tow more than your vehicle can tow climbing an interstate highway mountain pass maintaining 60 mph only using whatever top gear you have out of overdrive. It's a true test that your tow weight matches your drivetrain power which equates to the capability of the rest of your vehicle to handle that load if all other variables are safely correct, i.e. CG, tongue weight, brakes, cooling, temps, etc.
Don't exceed your vehicles GVWR and GCWR and the above statement will usually ring true.
One of my tow vehicles is my 2013 2 dr JK towing an 1,100 lb (loaded) offroad tent trailer with brakes. Under GVWR and GCWR. It matches/meets the above and tows comfortably, but no way in hell would I tow anything heavier than that with my Jeep. The difference in driving dynamics not towing vs towing is just too different safely wise.
My other tow vehicle is a 2018 Ford Transit Class B motorhome with the 3.5l ecoboost. Now this thing weighs 8,800 lbs towing a 5x8 1,200 lb box trailer. That's 10,000 lbs!, under GVWR and GCWR, hauls ass, only drops to low overdrive, will accelerate up a mountain pass at only 2,500 rpm, and feels like it can tow 10,000 more, but no way will I tow more than it's rated for as that "it feels like it can tow 10,000 more" statement would probably drop to "it feels unsafe" above max weights. I can't tow my Jeep with this until I install a TOAD braking system as this package runs away with just the trailer as it is on downhills.
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shade
Well-known member
I thought that was the underlying theme of the entire thread.
That, and billiebob's Wile E. Coyote towing practices. ?
I kid, I kid.
billiebob
Well-known member
A few good points,
Don't exceed the GCWR or the GVWR.
Pay attention to local regulations and obey them.
And don't exceed your comfort zone.
All the regulations from speed limits to the weight limit you must have trailer brakes and weight ratings are maximums. But in bad conditions, you can always go slower, install brakes sooner, carry less. Don't break the law.... Don't exceed your own comfort zone.
Every state has their own regulations. In California you need trailer brakes at 1500#. In BC, Canada at 2950#. In Alaska at 5500#. My 2000# trailer does not have brakes. My TJR is rated to tow 2000#. I don't miss them but I drive accordingly. I only touch the brakes to stop. If you pay attention and look far enough ahead you will never touch the brake pedal. In the winter on a snow covered road, I'm glad my trailer does not have brakes.
What works for you might not work for the other guy. Stay within your comfort zone.
Don't exceed the GCWR or the GVWR.
Pay attention to local regulations and obey them.
And don't exceed your comfort zone.
All the regulations from speed limits to the weight limit you must have trailer brakes and weight ratings are maximums. But in bad conditions, you can always go slower, install brakes sooner, carry less. Don't break the law.... Don't exceed your own comfort zone.
Every state has their own regulations. In California you need trailer brakes at 1500#. In BC, Canada at 2950#. In Alaska at 5500#. My 2000# trailer does not have brakes. My TJR is rated to tow 2000#. I don't miss them but I drive accordingly. I only touch the brakes to stop. If you pay attention and look far enough ahead you will never touch the brake pedal. In the winter on a snow covered road, I'm glad my trailer does not have brakes.
What works for you might not work for the other guy. Stay within your comfort zone.
shade
Well-known member
grogie
Like to Camp
My TJ has about a 3-1/2” lift, currently on 33” tires. It’s well setup that it’s very stable. It even has the floaty feeling as a result of a front Currie AntiRock. I originally had in my head when I bought my TJ new to tow a trailer with it. (Which greatly expands the comfort factor of camping/travel with driving a two-door Jeep.)
The trailer is about 1100#s loaded, has both shocks and leaf springs that make sure that it doesn’t yank on the Jeep, plus electric brakes. It also sits nicely behind the Jeep and not a high center of gravity. First off all, I think my TJ is just a bit more stable with the added weight behind it (not AS subjective to getting pushed around by wind). Secondly, a two-door Jeep is already easy to maneuver off-road. So with my trailer, I can tow it about anywhere. (However, I limit tight switch backs and places where other people have to pass me.) Also, talking MPG, I swear the trailer only lowers the MPG by maybe 1 mpg (12 mpg vs. 13
.)
I have to drive a lot of highways and at times heavy traffic to get to where I want to drive off-road. Like last May, I drove 4,000 miles in 16 days with easy driving. My advice to anyone doing a similarly build is to watch the weight of both the vehicle and trailer, and have electric brakes in the trailer. You don’t want to be exhausted driving long distances from being stressed. (I'm comfortable to where my wife helps drive.)
The trailer is about 1100#s loaded, has both shocks and leaf springs that make sure that it doesn’t yank on the Jeep, plus electric brakes. It also sits nicely behind the Jeep and not a high center of gravity. First off all, I think my TJ is just a bit more stable with the added weight behind it (not AS subjective to getting pushed around by wind). Secondly, a two-door Jeep is already easy to maneuver off-road. So with my trailer, I can tow it about anywhere. (However, I limit tight switch backs and places where other people have to pass me.) Also, talking MPG, I swear the trailer only lowers the MPG by maybe 1 mpg (12 mpg vs. 13
.)I have to drive a lot of highways and at times heavy traffic to get to where I want to drive off-road. Like last May, I drove 4,000 miles in 16 days with easy driving. My advice to anyone doing a similarly build is to watch the weight of both the vehicle and trailer, and have electric brakes in the trailer. You don’t want to be exhausted driving long distances from being stressed. (I'm comfortable to where my wife helps drive.)
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