I just acquired an 06 Jeep LJ. I'm planning a long trip using Interstates, etc. to my offroading destination. Wish to take the Jeep along behind my GMC 1500. I will be using a Roadmaster towbar and baseplate, etc. From my reading it seems most prefer to bring their Jeep along on a trailer. So I'm looking for some guidance on any issues I should anticipate with high speed towing using a towbar and 4 on the ground. My LJ is a total stock Rubi so I expect it to trail well.
Any Cautions for Towing 4 Wheels on the Ground?
- Thread starter OldMan
- Start date
BlueWolfFab
Running Behind
- Location
- Eagle Mountain
I'd take off the driveshafts.
capt scotty
Active Member
- Location
- Riverton, Utah
I have been flat towing my 2007 2 dr JK for several years with no problems. Trans in park, transfer case in neutral,key in the on position, disconnected battery. I use magnetic lights but would rather use the plug in lighting adapter. Pulls well, just don't ever back up! Hope this helps. Your results may vary!
Toad
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Millville(logan)
Cant be done!! No LJ can be flat towed. Since I am such a nice guy I will come get it and trailer it home. I need a LJ parked in the garage.
I have never flat towed. There seems to be so many opinions on what the right way to do it is. I agree with with Blue Wolf. Pull the driveshafts just to be safe. I assume that when flat towing you leave the steering wheel unlocked so that the vehicle can track on it own.
I have never flat towed. There seems to be so many opinions on what the right way to do it is. I agree with with Blue Wolf. Pull the driveshafts just to be safe. I assume that when flat towing you leave the steering wheel unlocked so that the vehicle can track on it own.
Plan on long stopping distances. A jeep makes a heavy trailer for having no trailer brakes.
Make sure your Jeep has some caster in the alignment, or the front wheels of the towed vehicle will not follow you well, particularly around sharp corners.
If you do have to back up, lock the steering wheel of the towed vehicle by turning off the key first. The wheels will quickly turn to full lock as you back up otherwise.
The tow bar should be flat (level) while towing for the best ride. If not, the towed vehicle will push/pull the towing vehicle over every bump. The greater the angle of the tow bar, the worse this effect becomes. BUT - having the tow bar slightly lower at the hitch is a little safer for hard braking situations. This is because the rear of the tow vehicle will lift under braking conditions, allowing the towed vehicle to try to drive under the tow vehicle and lift the rear even more, causing a loss of rear wheel traction and potentially a jackknife situation.
I know you already have the tow bar, but the longer your tow bar is, the more control you'll have over the towed vehicle because of increased leverage. We built a 54” tow bar and it was night and day better to tow with than a standard 36” bar. The only disadvantage was a little added air resistance on the highway due to the extra space between vehicles. Well, that and the fact that it was huge.
Hope this helps.
Make sure your Jeep has some caster in the alignment, or the front wheels of the towed vehicle will not follow you well, particularly around sharp corners.
If you do have to back up, lock the steering wheel of the towed vehicle by turning off the key first. The wheels will quickly turn to full lock as you back up otherwise.
The tow bar should be flat (level) while towing for the best ride. If not, the towed vehicle will push/pull the towing vehicle over every bump. The greater the angle of the tow bar, the worse this effect becomes. BUT - having the tow bar slightly lower at the hitch is a little safer for hard braking situations. This is because the rear of the tow vehicle will lift under braking conditions, allowing the towed vehicle to try to drive under the tow vehicle and lift the rear even more, causing a loss of rear wheel traction and potentially a jackknife situation.
I know you already have the tow bar, but the longer your tow bar is, the more control you'll have over the towed vehicle because of increased leverage. We built a 54” tow bar and it was night and day better to tow with than a standard 36” bar. The only disadvantage was a little added air resistance on the highway due to the extra space between vehicles. Well, that and the fact that it was huge.
Hope this helps.
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- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
This will work without issue. you will need to plan for longer stopping distances and such. you CAN'T back up flat towing so keep that in mind as you pull in for fuel or whatever. (Looks like I should have kept reading
Jared's got it down ) For what it costs to add a towbar, brakes and lights to a "toad", a trailer makes more sense to me.KWight
Active Member
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
x2, I pretzeled a front drive shaft and ate the rear third member for lunch when I had a U joint go bad when flat towing. Another time I slid sideways through a roundabout in Mexico due to not paying attention and slowing down ahead of time. I still don't know how I made it through unscathed. Then the last time, i slid off a snow packed road while towing a 84 Toy truck with my old Cherokee. I was a bit ticked off with the situation at the time, so I threw the Cherokee in 4 Low and pulled both it and the Toy back on the snow packed road.
I have flat towed over 6000 miles and would not want to do it again if there were better options. I purchased a car hauler last week so will be happy to use that.
boogie_4wheel
Active Member
- Location
- North Salt Lake, Utah
Flat towed a cj7 behind a 1 ton truck for years. Worked great, but I had more truck and less jeep than you. Would be a good investment for a brake buddy on the Jeep if you make a habit of bringing the Jeep along.
i'd really like to get by without pulling the driveshafts this time. Too bad using the old Warn hubs is not an option. I'm planning to give flat towing a go (even thought KWight you scared the crap out of me) so I'll be extra alert. I even managed to locate a reasonable brake buddy (those things are a ripoff new). The towbar will only be about 1" low so hopefully that won't put too much uplift on the pickup.
Thanks to all you guys I now have a great written checklist in my LJ to go through before taking off.
PS - Toad I know how you feel. I felt the same way until I scored my LJ. Now i'm happy to have it in my garage. It's been on my bucket list for a while.
Thanks to all you guys I now have a great written checklist in my LJ to go through before taking off.
PS - Toad I know how you feel
. I felt the same way until I scored my LJ. Now i'm happy to have it in my garage. It's been on my bucket list for a while.
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Check the owners manual.
My father-in-law has a 01 tj and has flat towed it. Manual says it is ok to do with drive shafts hooked up. I seem to think he doesn't have to leave the key in it, like their is a key stop on the ignition that allows the wheel to turn... I could be way wrong on that, but check the owners manual. Chrysler seems to design the wranglers to be flat towed.
Other than that he says it is "heavier" (longer stops and worse gas millage) than when he puts it on his 20ft trailer. He tows with a 7.3L Diesel Excursion. You didn't say what year GMC you are towing with so if it is an older one with a lower tow rating it might not be much fun. (interesting how newer 1/2 tons will tow more than older 1 tons)
Nathan
My father-in-law has a 01 tj and has flat towed it. Manual says it is ok to do with drive shafts hooked up. I seem to think he doesn't have to leave the key in it, like their is a key stop on the ignition that allows the wheel to turn... I could be way wrong on that, but check the owners manual. Chrysler seems to design the wranglers to be flat towed.
Other than that he says it is "heavier" (longer stops and worse gas millage) than when he puts it on his 20ft trailer. He tows with a 7.3L Diesel Excursion. You didn't say what year GMC you are towing with so if it is an older one with a lower tow rating it might not be much fun. (interesting how newer 1/2 tons will tow more than older 1 tons)
Nathan
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I think the important part of this (and Nathan is right, check the manual before towing) is that the transmission needs to be in Park and the t-case in Neutral. This will keep the driveshafts spinning, lubricating the t-case while it's being towed.
Yep. Flat towed my yj for years without taking off driveshafts and no problems. While I agree it isn't a bad idea, it also isn't necessary.
poorboyzdreamz
poorboyzdreamz
- Location
- Sandy
Found this thread and wanted to find out more. I have a '88 YJ with Full width 44 front and 9" rear with a spool and 37x14.50-15 on 15x10 wheels (a lot of info but you'll learn why). I have a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe as a "Tow Rig". I have a trailer that I can use for longer hauls and the Tahoe does "OK". I also have a car dolly I used to use but now I'm to wide to fit between the fenders. So what I want to start doing is flat tow to local spots i.e. 5 mile, little Moab, AF Canyon,.
My question is this obviously pulling the shafts is easy enough and pretty sure fire, And disengaging the front hubs easy enough. But am I going to hurt anything with the rear having the spool?
And I have heard leaving the wheel unlocked is the right way but other say they leave it locked?
boogie_4wheel
Active Member
- Location
- North Salt Lake, Utah
Steering wheel unlocked or the jeep will push through turns, and it is hard on tires.