Pretty Please no lectures, but....

[Hurricanenikki]

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to hear from anyone actually towing a camper with a Jeep Wrangler JK, two door, especially a newer model. I am a current stick camper owner who lives in it part time while travel nursing. I have a Jeep, love my Jeep, am NOT getting another vehicle, but it's very tiring to have to constantly get someone to pull my camper around when it needs moving. Ideally I am thinking of getting a Casita Patriot or maybe considering the Tab Maxx to pull with my Jeep so I can be self contained. I know the dangers and the pitfalls, short wheel-base, light vehicle, tail wagging the dog, etc.etc. When i do finally get rid of my stick, if I go for this option, I will definitely get all the bells and whistles hitch-wise. I don't plan on doing any mountainous/hilly terrain with it or any crazy weather patterns. I notice on the spreadsheet, there is only one wrangler posted, but if anyone else is actually or has actually towed with one, i would really appreciate an educated perspective on it.

Thanks in advance!

Nix

[Bob Miller]

This "might" help
- Jeep Towing Guide -


There are also a lot of peeps asking the same question on Jeep forums. I Googled "Jeep Wrangler JK Towing" and got lots of hits. You might look at them as they are Jeep based.

[Hurricanenikki]

Thanks Bob,
I have been trolling the jeep forums too for quite some time, and there is some good info on the link you have posted. I have been thinking about this and mulling it over for about a year, whether i can do it or not. You FGRV'ers are an elite club. And typically nicer than Jeepsters You get alot of "don't do it" and judgement with them... just figured i would love to hear from anyone who has a first hand experience with an egg and a lil' jeep. I'm really in love with the casita and that's my first choice even though the tab is a bit lighter.

[alan H]

I have pulled & stopped ( lol) my 13' perris pacer with a straight 6cyl 5 speed 1986 jeel cj7 and most recently with a 2004 jeep wrangler sport... Also 6 cyl 5 spd.... Mo problems at all I'm very careful of loading the trailer etc... My trailer
Was officially weight at a rally at 1260 and tongue weight of 220.... The biggest issue is watch your speeds and allow braking distance
My .02 worth


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[floyd]

Be careful, it could result in double vision...

[honda03842]

I'm writing this list as I sit here. I'm sure I've left out something but it's a start for someone.

1. Load heavy items in the center of the trailer.
2. Keep heavy items low in the trailer
3. Load light, fluff items at the ends of the trailer.
4. Load only light items on the rear bumper.
5. Keep big loose items out of the trailer.
6. Keep trailer tire pressures at maximum rating, typically 50 lbs.
7. Carry a small compressor and check tire pressure regularly.
8. We have pressure and temperature sensors on our tires. Ginny monitors them in the tow vehicle.
9. Increase the tow vehicle's tire pressure to increase sidewall stiffness. In our Honds CRV it was 39 rear and 34 front compared to the normal 26.
10. Mounted Camera in rear window of trailer, monitor in Tow vehicle, Also we carry extended mirrors.
11. Know trailer weight, we weigh at the town's transfer station before we leave every year.
12 Know tongue weight. We use the bathroom scale and a bottle jack and measure a couple of times a year.
13. We travel a lot and replace 2 of our Goodyear Marathons every 3 years. (We are off the beaten path a lot.)
14. Check lights before starting every day.
15. Have partner check all mechanical connections.
16. Use a key lock on ball locking mechanism.
17. Use a locking device on ball mount (not a pin and clip).
18. Use a stiffing member to keep ball mount from wiggling in receiver.
19. Regularly check ball in ball support, check hitch mounting bolts.
20. Shove ball support as far as it will go in the hitch receiver and drill a new hole to get ball as close to tow vehicle axle as possible.
21. Each morning when you're leaving your campsite, activate the brake controllers manual switch. Practice in case of a sway emergency and to test your trailer brakes.
22. Add a break-away switch to your trailer.
23. In the tow vehicle we try to put heavy items over or in front of the rear axle.
24. Add an anti-sway bar, inexpensive insurance.

I'm sure there's more but the Shrimp Scampi is ready...

[julmar]

Norma: you are a wealth of info & I enjoy reading your posts. A couple of questions for you
1. What type of locking device do you recommend to replace the pin/clip?
2. What on earth is a "stiffing member" to keep ball mount from wiggling & why is this important?
Sorry for the naïve questions but.....
Julie

[MC1]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I'm writing this list as I sit here. I'm sure I've left out something but it's a start for someone.

9. Increase the tow vehicle's tire pressure to increase sidewall stiffness. In our Honds CRV it was 39 rear and 34 front compared to the normal 26.

Norm.... I'm surprised you went that high with the air pressure on your Honda.

I'm sure it worked for you but did you find the tires wore more in the centers???

Our G35 has a listed tire pressure rating of 34lbs all around. When connected I went to 36 in the fronts and 38 in the rears and that is with a 700lb tongue weight trailer using a WDH. Note the WDH added 90lbs to each front tire of the vehicle. 200lbs went back to the trailer tires which left approx 150lbs for each rear tire. Overall well balanced.

[Brian B. W.]

Nikki, I tow a Scamp 16' with a 2005 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4l. straight 6 and man. 6 speed trans. I've been all over the USA.
Don't overload and stay under 60. Nothing better than traveling with the top down.
I have two propane tanks and a group 27 battery so I have rear air bags to level the rig.
Brian

[David B.]

The two-door JK wrangler Can tow 2000 pounds. I told with my 2007 Wrangler Rubicon. The two-door JK Wrangler can tow 2000 pounds,and the 4 door Wrangler can tow 3500 pounds. I tow with my 2007 2 door Wrangler Rubicon. Typically a Casita will be heavier than a Scamp and will also have a heavier tongue weight. The 3.6 liter tows better than the 3.8 liter also. Best of luck. Dave & Paula

[Steve Outlaw]

From personal experience, that Wrangler will do just fine. In Louisiana. Just stick with "...I don't plan on doing any mountainous/hilly terrain with it..." and you won't be disappointed.

[Donna D.]

Hi Nikki! This is an old thread and I know you asked about newer iron. But, you may find value in what is written about short wheel based Jeeps. Jamie Hubbs towed from Yellowknife, Yukon Territory several times to Southern Oregon to attend the Oregon Gathering (which is going on right now!). Best of luck to you

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...0-a-28165.html

[ralphieboy]

We did just fine towing our new 13 footer back from the hatchery on June 8th. No issues whatsoever!
We have an 09' Jeep two door JK automatic with the tow package previously installed. I did have to use a 5.25 inch drop on the hitch, probably will go a bit lower, but it towed just fine! I also had electric brakes installed on the SCAMP.

[emij]

Originally Posted by julmar

Norma: you are a wealth of info & I enjoy reading your posts. A couple of questions for you
1. What type of locking device do you recommend to replace the pin/clip?
2. What on earth is a "stiffing member" to keep ball mount from wiggling & why is this important?
Sorry for the naïve questions but.....
Julie

He might be talking about this for #2....It DRAMATICALLY changes the wiggle and noise of towing our Scamp 13. Locks the hitch in tight and there is no movement.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o03_s00

This is what we use for a locking pin, it came in this handy set....the door latch/locking pin.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o03_s00

[ralphieboy]

Our SCAMP 13 just hatched on June 8th towed with an 09' Jeep JK two door automatic.

[ralphieboy]

Our new "Towed Abode" on the Mississippi River just south of Nauvoo Il. and at Pere Marquet campground near Alton Illinois... on the way back home from Backus.

[ralphieboy]

Looks like I have some work to do to get theses pics right!

[cchandka]

I won't venture to comment on the tow vehicle, we have a Wrangler and love it lots BUT have a 5th wheel and use the pickup for that..... BUT ..... if you are not afraid of the bells and whistles please consider the load-leveler bars and the anti-sway add on to your hitch, so many people do not bother but it does make your towing more stable, neither add on is a big dollar item. Just something to consider.

[Fred-Linda]

We have and love our Little Joe (Weiscraft) which is built primarily for Jeep Wranglers. Look at their website and you will see. The only thing I did is added air bags inside the rear coil springs but use very little air pressure so I think it would have been fine without them. Towing with the short wheelbase is fine as long as common sense prevails. Always keep in mind that the shorter the wheelbase, the easier the jacknife when braking. The Little Joe is exactly the width of our Rubicon making it comfortable with the standard mirrors. Plus I am 6'1" and have plenty headroom standing inside that the Casita does not have.

[RogerDat]

Getting the hitch to the height that tows level really matters. Ford Explorer was impossible to control at 62 mph with a Scamp 13 riding nose up. Could just manage to avoid the wiggles at 50 mph. That Explorer is a lot longer and heavier than the Jeep.

Trailer brakes are a wonderful invention. Scamp 13 could really impact our Escape V6 stopping distance without trailer brakes. And best way to avoid or control a jackknife may well be to use the manual lever to brake just the trailer.

Seems to me the Casita sits higher than the Scamp. Trailer weights in the real world page on the forum can help get a real idea of what the trailers you are considering weigh in use.