towing with a global expedition vehicle

[foxhunter]

I have commissioned GXV to build a vehicle for me on a unimog u500 and I am trying to figure out how it is going to work out towing. I may occasionally want to tow a jeep or a horse trailer. GXV knows I plan to tow but I haven't yet discussed in detail with gxv the details of how that will work out since it looks like the body will extend a couple feet beyond the frame of the truck. I may tow up to 10,000 lb a few hundred miles on rare occasions.
I am wondering what others in similar circumstances are doing.This must be a common problem for the folks with truck campers that overhang. I found that Reese has tow bar extensions up to 48 inches(rated to 10k lb) that taper from a 2.5 inch bar to a 2 in. The unimog only has a receiver for 2 in, so that would have to be cut out and a 2.5 in receiver welded in. I am looking at fall before my vehicle is complete so I have plenty of time to try to figure out what I need to do. If I have the rails on the truck extended too far, I assume that will affect my departure angle too much when off roading.

 

[JRhetts]

Honestly, I am not quite sure what your question is. Perhaps that is why you have not had any replies.

But... from time to time I tow my horsetrailer behind my Fuso FM260. With the spare tire and motorcycle racks on the back there is plenty of overhang. I have never managed to create a problem while moving forward, tho I did manage to put a 'touch' hole in the front of the trailer once when in an extreme backing up angle. When we add our landsailer on the back, then I use and extension, which works fine!

Again, I am not sure what you are asking!

 

[TCcruzn]

Check out Torklift products, who make the superhitch. They make a superior product and have great tech assistance

 

[DLippke]

I have a GXV U-500 and have towed a JK for 20K+ miles using a custom long tow bar hanging off the U-500's pintle hitch and connecting to the jeep via its bumper D-ring shackle eyelets. The hitch breaks into three pieces using standard hitch pins with the arms stored on the jeep's roof rack. John's 4x4 in Billings, MO (near GXV) did the work. I don't have any pictures detailing the hitch per se, but I've (hopefully) attached some cropped and over-zoomed images that will give the idea. If you haven't resolved this already and are interested, I can get some close ups. In any case, it's been helpful that the jeep is a fair bit further back than allowed by a standard tow bar.

Good luck, David

p.s. I use Brakemaster's proportional direct system to extend the Unimog's air brakes to the jeep -- highly recommended no matter what hitch you come up with.

 

[camperman]

Wow. Good camper

 

[foxhunter]

DLippke
Except for the graphics, our rigs are(will be) identical, even the rubicon . That helps a lot. . Once my mog is finished(this summer) I would like to touch base again if I run into any problems. thanks. Maybe John's 4x4 can also help me figure out fit an extension so I can safely pull a bumper pull stock trailer long enough to haul 2-3 horses, 30+ foxhounds,and the gear needed to go out chasing coyotes. your set up with the jeep looks perfect for towing our jeep.

 

[DLippke]

... Once my mog is finished(this summer) I would like to touch base again if I run into any problems. thanks. Maybe John's 4x4 can also help me figure out fit an extension so I can safely pull a bumper pull stock trailer long enough to haul 2-3 horses, 30+ foxhounds,and the gear needed to go out chasing coyotes. ...

Sure, PM anytime. John (of John's 4x4) is a great guy and his shop does more fabrication than most. That failing, Mike of GXV has many other fabrication resources in the Springfield area.

On the trailer, it'd seem like lateral stability will be the primary challenge. It could be the best solution involves modifying the trailer and not so much the camper hitch.

 

[foxhunter]

You are probably right on the trailer.

 

[EuroJoe]

you could use a run under bar, with a receiver fabbed in. in the UK they are require should someone rear end you they wont disappear underneath, but lift up when departure angle is required. found this picture of one, just below the razor that hangs of the back of the truck

 

[foxhunter]

That looks like a possible option. Otherwise, I am thinking I will have to modify the tongue on any trailer I want to haul. Thanks for sending.

 

[EuroJoe]

if modifications are required I guess it makes sense to allow you to tow any trailer, as long as it can be done with out impairing the vehicle's performance. best of luck

 

[Marv800]

How viable would it be to tow a boat with a rig like this?

 

[Ford Prefect]

If you look at the hitch on the EcoRoamer,

He made a really nice extension hitch for his that is totally removable. You could take it off and leave it at home when you did not need it, or hang it from your rear spare tires or something.

Just a thought for you.

 

[weissbrewer]

You could use one of these also
http://www.racingjunk.com/Towing-Accessories/2636443/Trailer-Toad-the-ultimate-trailer-hitch.html
We use these with race trailers that have big tongue weight

 

[foxhunter]

As my mog in progress shows, I do not need an extension. However, the receiver hitch is 38 inches from the ground. I drove my wrangler unlimited to Nixa to pick it up and with an 11 inch drop on my hitch, I was able to tow the jeep with a tow bar with no problem. I also have a Silver Eagle M1101 trailer that I plan to occasionally use to haul extra fuel and equipment and it sits high enough to tow fine as well. My problem is that to tow a bumper hitch horse trailer anywhere I need about a 24 inch drop on a tow hitch, which does not exist as far as I can tell. Any ideas? I don't want to have to modify the horse trailer. I am thinking about having a custom made tow hitch with a 24 inch drop, with arms made of tube steel that would attach by bolts to the frame rails to give stability to the hitch and allow the wt rating I need to pull. I guess as a worse case I could modify the hitch on the horse trailer.