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Jeep owners your insight please
So I've just about decided to purchase a Jeep (wrangler flavored) and would be interested to know what baseplate/towbar/etc.. you employ when your Jeep is also a toad.

Additionally, for those who may have been mulling over the thoughts of selling yours...let me know what you've got!

All lessons learned will be greatly appreciated  ;)

Ray

ps...I understand that the tow plate/hitch should be reinforced/re-engineered/replaced before towing near the 4K limit
Ray
Now doing without...
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #1 –
We have a 97' Jeep Wrangler which we have been towing for at least 5 years.  It is great because we boondock mostly.  It has a tight turning radius which makes it perfect for our use.  We have a 31' island bed.  There was a Blue Ox towbar on our rig when we purchased it so we bought a  Blue OX baseplate off of craigslist which we installed ourselves.  Have not had any issues  except I accidentally dragged the towbar without locking it in one time and damaged it.  If you buy a towbar get one that unlatches without having to line up exactly while hooking up or unhooking. 
2006 31' IB Anniversary Edition; Tow 97' Wrangler
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #2 –
We have a Jeep Wrangler TJ bought new in 2004. Short wheelbase, not Unlimited. With hardtop, 6 cylinder engine and Dana 44 axle. We've towed on almost every trip in the LD since buying it, probably upwards of 90,000 miles of towing, then another 75,000 miles of driving the Jeep.

We have a Demco Aluminator tow bar and a Demco base plate. We use an SMI Stay-in-Play brake system. I'm very happy with the whole setup. I think both Demco and SMI have newer, upgraded offerings now.

The Jeep has been very reliable. It's easy to hook and unhook and tow. As ours is set up the tow bar is "naturally" level with no special drop or riser hitches needed, etc.

I think the short wheelbase TJ is the sweet spot when it comes to towing a Wrangler. Lighter than the later and bigger models. Shorter is better for getting around, parking, etc. when towing.

The one thing to keep in mind is that this is a heavy vehicle that will take you close to the limits of the LD's towing capacity. Ours is just about 4,000 lbs. when we hook it up. As Larry Wade has pointed out here, continuously towing that much weight will take a toll on the LD drivetrain. Like Larry we just had our LD transmission rebuilt at just over 100K miles and I'm going to have the differential and rear axle evaluated soon and probably rebuilt as well.

In looking through the latest Motorhome magazine towing issue I was struck by the Fiat 500 which is approved for flat towing and weighs 1500 lbs less than our Jeep. I'm not sure how much difference that reduced weight would make in terms of our E-450 chassis longevity, but it couldn't hurt. We don't use the Jeep off pavement nearly as much now as we used to. And if I was operating mostly east of the Rockies I don't think a Wrangler would make much sense. But out here in the west its off-highway capability is nice once in awhile.

As Larry said, paying for earlier drive train rebuilds is just part of the cost of doing this. Overall, the Jeep has been great, as has our towing setup.

Terry
2003 26.5' RB always towing a 2004 Jeep Wrangler
Gardnerville, NV

Terry
2003 26.5'RB
Gardnerville, NV
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #3 –
Quote from: Robin B  - 
If you buy a towbar get one that unlatches without having to line up exactly while hooking up or unhooking. 

Thanks Robin B. Does the Blue Ox offer you this feature?

Quote from: Terry Burnes  - 
We have a Jeep Wrangler TJ bought new in 2004. Short wheelbase, not Unlimited.

We have a Demco Aluminator tow bar and a Demco base plate. We use an SMI Stay-in-Play brake system. I'm very happy with the whole setup.

The Jeep has been very reliable. It's easy to hook and unhook and tow. As ours is set up the tow bar is "naturally" level with no special drop or riser hitches needed, etc.


Terry I greatly appreciate you taking the time to provide me with both background and product recommendations.

Agreed...shorter & lighter are better here. Ironically enough I am considering a white, two door model Wrangler myself. Like our LD's, the Jeep's durability and reliability are widely acknowledged. In this era of tranverse mounted, cv joint laden, half-shaft axle madness, the Jeep's relative simplicity and recognizable features (differentials, u-joints, solid axles, etc..) are quite refreshing.

My rig's PO towed a small car most of the time (for 15 years) ~ 2500# iirc,  and my rear end seems to be in good shape (no leakage/seepage). Like many here with older beloved LD models, I had the tranny replaced earlier this year (Holtville was too far!). Consequently, I am anxious to test the 36 mos warranty that Jasper provides.

At this point (with 89K miles) the LD's motor exhibits no evidence of excessive wear or internal distress. Presently, towing would be limited as I'm not quite yet in the position to travel extensively...I do however, want to be ready for that day when it finally comes  :)

Ray
Now doing without...
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #4 –
I have a 2006 Wrangler LJ (longer wheelbase TJ). I use a Roadmaster Off Road tow bar with a 10" height elevation. This is necessary due to the lift on the Jeep and the 35" tires. On the Jeep is a custom Smittybuilt front bumper with Roadmaster width brackets welded on. It does require no angle when unhooking. I use a Stay-In-Play brake system. I have modified the LD hitch to handle more weight.
2003 23.5' Front Dinette
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #5 –
Quote from: Bob Lawhon  - 
I have a 2006 Wrangler LJ (longer wheelbase TJ).

I use a Stay-In-Play brake system. I have modified the LD hitch to handle more weight.
Bob your's was one of the first that I saw here that got me to thinking about a Jeep (esp. as a toad). An LJ is hard to find and the Rubicon flavor is a very rare bird indeed.

Nicely done.

Two questions: Is your roof rack mounted to the (Jeep's) rear bumper and what modifications were required for the (LD) hitch?
Ray
Now doing without...
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #6 –
Thanks.

The rack is a Gobi Rack and is attached in the rear to the Jeep frame at the corners, and in the front to the windshield mounts. No attachment into the body or bumpers. It's made to fold back to remove the top. It was not cheap, but a very nice rack. It can be removed with no sign of it ever being there.

As for the LD hitch, it has metal channels welded back into the frame and also crosswise under the hitch across the frame. The Jeep is heavy, over 5000#, and I've had no issues in a year and a half of towing it. I've had the transmission inspected and have a custom torque converter installed. I did find some wear in the diff and replaced the bearings, but it an 03 LD and this was probably normal wear and tear.
2003 23.5' Front Dinette
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #7 –
Hi Ray,  Our Blue Ox  hook up needs two people.  We have to align right on target.  When we replace the Blue Ox tow bar we will probably get a Roadmaster  Falcon All-terrain.  It tows 6,000 lbs. which is way over our Jeep (3100).  They also have adapters to attach our Blue Ox baseplate. 
2006 31' IB Anniversary Edition; Tow 97' Wrangler
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #8 –
Ray, you did not say why you want a Jeep. I think that is a bigger question than brackets. [The mostly concealed ones for a JK are nice and some aftermarket bumpers come with the hooks built in]

The Jeep is a really poor choice for a toad for the use most people ask of it. It gets at best, 18mpg.
Utah and Colorado are the only states where we can find roads that give our Jeep any sort of challenge.
Are you going to be doing any rock crawling or fording high streams?
If not, get something more practical.

The Lazy Daze Companion: My Thoughts On Towing
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #9 –
"Are you going to be doing any rock crawling or fording high streams?
If not, get something more practical."


To add to what Don said, a Jeep is uncomfortable, noisy at highway speeds, poorly rated by Consumers Report in many respects, impractical, but oh so much fun. 👍🏼

My wife's mother bought herself a purple Chrysler convertible when she turned 70.  She would drive around town wearing these outrageous hats. 😱

There will be lots of time for 'practical' when you decide that you now want to be an old person.

Go for it.

The military jeep is a 1942 with a trailer I saw at a car show recently vs our 2016 Wrangler.

Ed


Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #10 –
Quote from: Ed D.  - 
"Are you going to be doing any rock crawling or fording high streams?
If not, get something more practical."


To add to what Don said, a Jeep is uncomfortable, noisy at highway speeds, poorly rated by Consumers Report in many respects, impractical, but oh so much fun. 👍🏼

My wife's mother bought herself a purple Chrysler convertible when she turned 70.  She would drive around town wearing these outrageous hats. 😱

There will be lots of time for 'practical' when you decide that you now want to be an old person.

Go for it.

The military jeep is a 1942 with a trailer I saw at a car show recently vs our 2016 Wrangler.

Ed

How about a photo of your mother-in-law in that purple Chrysler, Ed?   ;D
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #11 –
Quote from: HiLola  - 
How about a photo of your mother-in-law in that purple Chrysler, Ed?   ;D

Actually I found one. This is Toni dressed up as the character Maxine, riding in her car,  in a parade in Mystic, CT.

A little story about the Jeep picture.
We were camping near Buena Vista, CO recently. Going on was the Rapids and Grass  Beer Festival. 😱 Not many states have grass and beer festivals , I suppose , but CO does.  Mostly it was an interesting collection of River Rats. The city had lifted the ban on camping in town and the participants had set up the huge tent city along the river. I suspect it would have been a challenge to find a sober or not stoned person. 😂😂 Not having an interest in either grass or beer, I went to the antique car show. There I came across the jeep.

Camping is always interesting.
Ed


Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #12 –
Ed--

LOVE the photo of your M-I-L...my kind of gal!  I terrified my daughter for a few years by quoting "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple..." & telling her I was going to show up at the HS on my 50th birthday in a purple dress/red hat & bang a cane along the bike racks...poor kid--she had no sense of humor, nor the realization that I really wouldn't have done something like that to her.  Saw a bumper sticker once that said: "Embarrassing my kids is a full-time job."   Just breathing was enough to ensure my success at that job with my kids.   ;D

Lynne
Lynne
LDy Lulubelle, Green '05 31' TB
Lilly, the 4-Legged Alarm
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #13 –
Quote from: Don Malpas  - 
The Jeep is a really poor choice for a toad for the use most people ask of it. It gets at best, 18mpg.
Utah and Colorado are the only states where we can find roads that give our Jeep any sort of challenge.
Are you going to be doing any rock crawling or fording high streams?
If not, get something more practical.
I can't think of a better all-purpose toad than our Jeep Cherokee. It's weather tight, seats five in a pinch  and doesn't ride too badly, considering it's lifted and rides on oversize tires. It will go anywhere a similarly equipped Wrangler will...and has.
The ability to go down anything that looks like a road and not worry about getting in over our heads, provides peace of mind.
We camp year round, bad weather and poor road conditions can be expected and we actually look forward to it.
Weather in SoCal is, except for the heat, mostly boring.

What you pull all depends on how curious you are about that set of ruts, heading off the side of the road.
When the day comes I'm not curious anymore, we will get an old Honda CRV or Subaru.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #14 –
"When the day comes I'm not curious anymore..."
---
Yeah, right; like that will happen.  ;) 
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #15 –
Quote from: JCT  - 
"When the day comes I'm not curious anymore..."
---
Yeah, right; like that will happen.  ;)
I will give up my Jeep when the pry it from my cold, dead hands. ;-).

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #16 –
Off in my Jeep this weekend in Great Basin NP with my "little" RV.
2003 23.5' Front Dinette
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #17 –
Quote from: Bob Lawhon  - 
The rack is a Gobi Rack...the LD hitch, it has metal channels welded back into the frame and also crosswise under the hitch across the frame.

Thanks Bob for the details and again a very nice looking rack.

Quote from: Robin B  - 
Our Blue Ox  hook up needs two people...When we replace the Blue Ox we will probably get a Roadmaster  Falcon All-terrain. 

I appreciate your recommendation Robin B. Thank you!

Quote from: Don Malpas  - 
Ray, you did not say why you want a Jeep. I think that is a bigger question than brackets.

Don, thank you for comments. The reasons for considering the purchase of a Jeep are several and not entirely related to this discussion. However, given the fact that several here do have a Jeep for a toad, I figured I'd solicit for pearls of wisdom regarding their set-ups given (what I feel may be) the eventuality of the situation.

Gas mileage? Nope. But better than the 3/4 ton or supercharged p/u's that I have/had.
Comfort? Agreed, they are not the best but are most definitely easier on the bones than my roadster.
Practical? Fortunately at this point I'm able to eschew practicality at most every opportunity  ;D
Challenges? I envision no crawling or high water rescues. Although I agree that the western states are some of the most picturesque, one only needs a stretch of mud-filled rutty roads and hidden honey-holes to bury the most formidable of vehicles. Arkansas & Louisiana serve these up year round. Great fun!

By the way I thoroughly enjoyed your most recent blog entries as I lived near the Snake River in Idaho at one time and I had the good fortune to live in PNW as well. It is an area that all should visit at one point or another. Truly beautiful country.

Quote from: Ed D.  - 
My wife's mother bought herself a purple Chrysler convertible when she turned 70.  She would drive around town wearing these outrageous hats. 😱

There will be lots of time for 'practical' when you decide that you now want to be an old person.

Ed I wholeheartedly agree!!
It sounds as though your Mother in Law had embraced her inner self  :)
Although Xtreme Purple Pearlcoat is a color choice...I'm not nearly as brave as she. Maybe someday... :D

Quote from: Larry W  - 
I can't think of a better all-purpose toad than our Jeep Cherokee...The ability to go down anything that looks like a road and not worry about getting in over our heads, provides peace of mind.

Weather in SoCal is, except for the heat, mostly boring.

Here-Here Larry! I'm looking for a bit of retro analog in a digital world hence the Wrangler as opposed to the more than capable Cherokee or 4-Runner.

Peace of mind can be priceless  ;)

Quote from: Bob Lawhon  - 
Off in my Jeep this weekend in Great Basin NP with my "little" RV.

Great Bob! I was across from a couple with a similar set-up when last in Hot Springs. Surprisingly quick set-up!

Very interesting 8)



Ray
Now doing without...
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #18 –
Quote from: Bob Lawhon  - 
Off in my Jeep this weekend in Great Basin NP with my "little" RV.


Nice, which campground at GB is that?
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #20 –
Quote from: igoslow  - 
Here-Here Larry! I'm looking for a bit of retro analog in a digital world hence the Wrangler as opposed to the more than capable Cherokee or 4-Runner.
Our 2001 Cherokee is the old school model, straight six engine and solid front and rear axles. It's NOT an Italian Cherokee.


Jeep photos | Flickr

Larry




Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #21 –
What is an Italian Cherokee, Larry?  Also, what is the towing capacity of your Cherokee?
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #22 –
Quote from: Bob Lawhon  - 
It's Upper Lehman Creek.

Thanks!  I've camped at Lower Lehman in the past, and most recently at Baker Creek.  Great Basin is probably my favorite NP just because of the scenic beauty and lack of development there. The caves are fun too!
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Jeep owners your insight please
Reply #23 –
Quote from: HiLola  - 
What is an Italian Cherokee, Larry?  Also, what is the towing capacity of your Cherokee?
The "new" Jeep Cherokees, like all the 'new' Jeeps, are based upon Fiat platforms. An Alfa Romeo was chosen for the newer Cherokee.
It has similar capabilities to a Subaru. The Trailhawk edition has a transfer-case, making it towable.
The Renegade is an AWD version of the Fiat 500. Another dependable car...not.
The up coming, new Grand Cherokee is reported to be built on another Alfa Romeo chassis.
These are not the Jeeps I grew up with nor do they have the off-road capability of a true Jeep. They have very limited ground clearance and suspension travel, with little chance of significantly increasing either.

Our 2001 Cherokee has a 5000-lb towing limit but, IMO, anything over 1500-2000-lbs is dangerous, I would never want to pull a trailer that weight anything near what the Cherokee weights (around 3500-lbs stock).
A serious limiting factor are the marginal brakes on a stock Cherokee (known as an XJ, in Jeep talk).
Our XJ's brake have been replaced with Ford Sport-Trac front disc brakes and Jeep Grand Cherokee brakes in the rear, for a very substantial (and expensive) increase braking power, needed for safe driving with the oversize tires and wheels and increased overall weight.
The XJ's 190-HP engine isn't a ball of fire, It will struggle with a heavy trailer and probably suffer from overheating.
Something a little more potent is on the engine stand, waiting to be install in the XJ, next fall.

Larry



Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze