School me on tow-behind setup for RVing

[zeitgeist57]

Alright, CR WinterForce 2020...looking forward to doing some family RVing in 2021. I'm WFH for most of the first half of the year, so planning on Spring Break (whatever that is for the kids learning remotely) and long weekends camping once the weather gets warmer in March/April.

 

So, I bought a fiberglass-body 1975 CJ5 as a tow-behind. (http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1981764&postcount=43)

 

Just weighed it at COSI's scale, and with 2/3rds tank of gas it weighs 2730lbs. It'll be towed behind my 1975 RV (Dodge Sportsman CB300 1-ton chassis w/dually axle). Slowly, but will be great to drive around once we set up camp.

 

The frame/front bumper is solid on the Jeep. Was looking at Smittybilt for front-bumper mount tow bars, but should I be using a tow-bar that clamps on the steering arm on the front axle? Can I get away without a braking system, or is there a good way to do that without hacking up systems?

 

Looking for experience/recommendations on equipment to focus on. Thanks!

[Tractor]

Brakes aren't required for towing under 3,000lbs. There wouldn't be any way to connect the two vehicles brakes anyway that would be easy or reliable and it just isn't done. Thats one reason big rigs use air to control braking.

 

Its a Jeep so there should be tons of options for tow bar kits available. I'm not sure why you'd need to "clamp on the steering arm". Kits usually mount to the front of the frame or a very solid front bumper thats mounted very solid to the frame. Then I'd unlock the steering with the key if the model even does that and the Jeeps wheels will turn to follow the tow vehicle and its pretty easy. Backing up can be done if the wheels don't turn the wrong way LOL.

 

I used to tow my 4x4 to offroad events and I built the system myself, worked fine. I also wired up a cool harness with relays that made the brake lights on the offroad vehicle work off the tow vehicle. I'm sure with a Jeep they make kits for all that though.

 

Another note is try to have the least amount of things turning under the Jeep as well like the front axle/driveshaft. Don't know if you have an automatic in the Jeep some of those require you to disconnect the front and/or rear driveshafts to keep them from turning the transmission parts without the fluid pump running which would burn up gears/bearings and give you a bad day.

[Geeto67]

 

Another note is try to have the least amount of things turning under the Jeep as well like the front axle/driveshaft. Don't know if you have an automatic in the Jeep some of those require you to disconnect the front and/or rear driveshafts to keep them from turning the transmission parts without the fluid pump running which would burn up gears/bearings and give you a bad day.

 

Depending on the transfer case in the jeep, there should be a way to shift the T-case into neutral for flat towing. It's usually between either 2 and 4Hi or 4hi and 4low. make sure the axles are unlocked.

 

 

have you looked into a dolly for car towing? A lot of 2 wheel tow dollys have surge brakes, helps when you are coming down the mountain and want to keep the jeep from acting like a lever to pull the rear of the short wheel base RV around.

[Tractor]

Depending on the transfer case in the jeep, there should be a way to shift the T-case into neutral for flat towing. It's usually between either 2 and 4Hi or 4hi and 4low. make sure the axles are unlocked.

 

 

have you looked into a dolly for car towing? A lot of 2 wheel tow dollys have surge brakes, helps when you are coming down the mountain and want to keep the jeep from acting like a lever to pull the rear of the short wheel base RV around.

 

True, there's some weird quadtrac models in there and swaps that could have happened in something that old and easy so just put the thought out there incase.

[zeitgeist57]

Thanks, guys.

Spicer 20 transfer case can be shifted into N.

Warn front hubs are unlocked for front axle disconnect.

I mentioned the front mount from seeing a guy flat-tow a VW Bus where the tow arms were mounted to his front steering arm...I guess to help with steering??

[Geeto67]

Thanks, guys.

Spicer 20 transfer case can be shifted into N.

Warn front hubs are unlocked for front axle disconnect.

I mentioned the front mount from seeing a guy flat-tow a VW Bus where the tow arms were mounted to his front steering arm...I guess to help with steering??

 

VW busses have straight axles made of solid metal like old model Ts, vans made by the big three, and vw beetles. They use a special tow bar that goes around the straight axle beam. While it may have looked like it was towing by the front steering arm, I doubt that is what was actually happening.

 

I wouldn't tow a jeep like that, for starters the leaf springs in a jeep are way longer, and the axle is thicker and hallow so you run the risk of crushing the axle tube, and also tugging it by the leaf springs is hard on the shackles.

[Trouble Maker]

If there is an easy/good way to bolt an a-frame type tow mount that folds up, I would do that. If not do they make replacement bumpers with one built in?

 

I would agree with Geeto, you would want to mount to the frame/bumper that's mounted to the frame, not any steering or suspension part.

 

Just because it might be legal doesn't mean it's a good idea to not have them. Maybe if you were towing a 2k# vehicle behind a big modern RV that's 20-30k#s with a big beffy brake system it wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe if you were only staying around flat land around here it would be ok. But neither of those are true. Also someone said 3k#s but is that true in every state in the union, every one you will go through? What happens if the vehicle breaks away from the RV? <- if it has a braking system there will be an emergency braking wire that when pulled will trigger full lock on the brakes. For me in that situation there's no way I'm not having some brakes during towing on the Jeep.

 

I don't have personal experience with these systems, and while not cheap, seem like a great solution. Still probably as cheap or cheaper than any half decent tow dolly with brakes and it's not adding the weight of the tow dolly system.

https://www.google.com/search?q=braking+systems+for+tow+behind+vehicle

https://rvibrake.com/collections/shop/products/rvibrake3-flat-towing-braking-system

 

Don't forget about lights. I'm sure they make some magnetic ones that will work perfectly fine. I would personally want to splice into the stock lighting system to not have to deal with extra parts. I don't know if this is a normal thing or not, but it makes sense to me.

[Tractor]

Cool to know that they make braking systems like those you linked. I was thinking the other day how that would be about the only way to do it without huge mods. Still I don't think I'd expect much from it connected to an old Jeep as they didn't have amazing brakes anyway, combine that with oversized tires and any offroading and the brake systems go south pretty easily. A 10yr old car would be a different matter.

[Richard Cranium]

While I do think remote braking is a great idea, and I do believe it is required for flat towing in some states be careful, I have heard horror stories from mechanics about improperly configured remote brakes. If they are set too high then the tow vehicle tries to stop the RV and itself. If it's just a little bit that's probably not a problem. If you get it higher than that then you stand a chance of arriving at your campground and finding out you killed the brakes on the Jeep. I think it was a tech at Saturn that warned me about it. He had a huge diesel pusher roll in and the brakes on the tow vehicle were completely toast. I guess it depends on whether you think the brakes on the RV are enough to handle it's own weight plus the Jeep in the mountains.

[Coaster]

If it was me for the big mountain passes I would unhook the Jeep and have my wife drive it separately. You are rolling in an antique RV that will be challenged to drag itself over the passes especially at western altitudes.

 

You'll lose ~30% of your horsepower at 10k ft, probably more since you're running a carb.

[zeitgeist57]

So, the current plan in 2021 is a drive up to one of Michigan's lakes with RV friends in July. Also, a return to Yellow Springs and talk about Mohican. Aside from that, no long trips to national parks YET...still have time to plan.

 

I'm going to use some local Ohio trips to experience driving the Jeep without remote brakes. Will definitely do a shakedown run before going live with my family. I am concerned that additional weight of 4 people and stuff needs to be considered as well when driving. Wifey and I already know that 60-65mph is max speed, so will plan travel times (and tell our friends) accordingly.

[RS69]

I love the new jeep! In regards to towing/etc, definitely easier (maybe not cheaper) to purchase an aluminum car trailer. You would also have brakes. I have a Featherlite 3110 and it is under 2000 pounds.