Towing your Jeep with a truck and camper

ac_

ac_

zombicon
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
4,698
Location
AZ, United States
I was wondering if anybody here is towing there TJ with a truck with a camper?

I have a 2003 GMC with a 825 Lance camper. It overhangs the back of the bumper a couple of feet, so I need to extend my receiver or get and extended plug. Is anybody here or has anybody here struggled with the same issues?

Basically I have a PJ trailer with my Jeep and gear is roughly 6K# I have a class 5 hitch, but I need about a 24 inch extension. Technically the extension says it has a 6K limit so I will be pushing it there. Also a 600# tongue limit. I am not sure what my tongue weight is, but I have a scale coming. I seem to be spending stupid money with trial and error, and was wondering if others have struggled with the same issue?

77220
 
  • Like
Reactions: KCsTJ
I flat tow my Rubicon behind my F350 which is a long bed so the overhang in the back is not that much. I use a short extension with a 4 inch rise and a Roadmaster towbar that connects to to eyelets on the Rubicon’s bumper. I have a built-in auxilary braking system in the Rubicon. With your short bed you’ll probably need a “Super Hitch” extension.

77225
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ardenlonewolf, JMT and ac_
TurboTJ said:
I flat tow my Rubicon behind my F350 which is a long bed so the overhang in the back is not that much. I use a short extension with a 4 inch rise and a Roadmaster towbar that connects to to eyelets on the Rubicon’s bumper. I have a built-in auxilary braking system in the Rubicon. With your short bed you’ll probably need a “Super Hitch” extension.

View attachment 77225
Click to expand...
Fun picture!

Yeah that is where I am at, but my trailer weighs 2200 lbs and I am guessing my Jeep weighs 4K which puts me just about on the money without adding my gen or bbq. I was wondering if others took the risk of towing 6K behind an extension?
 
I think a Torklift 24 inch SuperTruss is good for 7500/750 pounds. That should do it for you. Of course that will require that you replace your class 5 hitch with a SuperHitch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
TurboTJ said:
I think a Torklift 24 inch SuperTruss is good for 7500/750 pounds. That should do it for you. Of course that will require that you replace your class 5 hitch with a SuperHitch.
Click to expand...
That is what I was thinking, but i just paid 700 dollars for some torklifts tie downs, that won't work with a SuperTruss hitch that is another 500 dollars plus the extension that is what I am trying to avoid if at all possible, but that is definitely a possibility.
 
I feel your pain. Just the towbar, the auxilary braking system, the wiring modifications and a few other things cost me north of $2k. And that was with me doing the entire installation. But everything works flawlessly now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
I haven't even done the wiring yet. I just bought the camper and the PO has the male plug in his truck, and since it is a lance the plug is proprietary. Lance is actually looking up all of the parts I need to do this. So far it is another 200 bucks.

Campers and trailers are not for the faint of heart. Thats for sure!
 
Yikes...you're pushing it. I have seen bent extensions before...I don't like them. You're probably too far along, but flat towing would be my preference in your situation. I know wanting to put the jeep on the trailer...but man. That is too close to comfort for me. How about trading the steel trailer for aluminum?
 
Alex0413 said:
I just bought my first RV, and will be towing my Jeep with it. Is a tow dolly a better solution that flat towing?
Click to expand...

You can back up with a a trailer. You can't if you are flat towing. But considering the places that I go, having a trailer would be a real impediment. At least the odometer doesn't turn in the Rubicon when flat towing.

Edit: I just noticed that Alex0413 was asking about a tow dolly rather than a trailer. I don't know if you can back up with a tow dolly. Probably not?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: TJTJ04 and Alex0413
I'm not Yet. Actually looking info about this about a month ago. Stop when few fellas point will be better to have a dully truck and use a dolly instead my trailer and since ether will be happen I place my plans on the back burner.

Will follow and add info later on.
 
Alex0413 said:
I just bought my first RV, and will be towing my Jeep with it. Is a tow dolly a better solution that flat towing?
Click to expand...
Your going to get many opinions on here about flat towing vs a tow dolly. As for me it works well I have a Master Tow with surge brakes and so my brake requirements are covered in every state and I don't like portable braking systems. I would love to pull a trailer but my hitch is rated for 5000 lbs. Do whatever works best and is the safest for you regardless of what other people say. Good luck
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ardenlonewolf and Alex0413
TurboTJ said:
You can back up with a a trailer. You can't if you are flat towing. But considering the places that I go, having a trailer would be a real impediment. At least the odometer doesn't turn in the Rubicon when flat towing.

Edit: I just noticed that Alex0413 was asking about a tow dolly rather than a trailer. I don't know if you can back up with a tow dolly. Probably not?
Click to expand...
You can only back a dolly a few feet if it is strait to start with just like flat towing.
 
I have a 2005 GMC 2500HD with a Lance camper (845 previously, now a 865) and I use a TorkLift SuperHitch "super truss" hitch receiver and extension bar. The SuperHitch receiver replaces the frame-mounted stock receiver and uses a dual-arm extension (over/under) to support the tongue weight of the trailer. It also uses chains tethered from the end of the extension to the frame to control side-to-side movement. It is very strong and stable and allows a user to move the hitch ball from under the camper to just beyond the end of the camper. It also maintains the vehicle's supported tow rating which would normally be lowered with other hitch extensions.

https://www.torklift.com/rv/supertruss

You can use this to either Flat Tow or on a Trailer or Dolly. Each towing method has plusses/minuses that you have to weigh out depending on your intended usage. I use a 16' trailer, and has worked well for me for over the past 10 years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT and ac_
Like Robin Down said, you'll need a hitch extension. Either a single 2.5 hitch with extension, or Superhitch with extension.

I use a Superhitch with 21 inch extension with my Lance 9 foot camper.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

20170128_172819.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: KCsTJ and ac_
Man I wish I would have talked to you guys before I bought my rear torklift tied downs. Grrr. It's only money right?
 
Robin Down said:
I have a 2005 GMC 2500HD with a Lance camper (845 previously, now a 865) and I use a TorkLift SuperHitch "super truss" hitch receiver and extension bar. The SuperHitch receiver replaces the frame-mounted stock receiver and uses a dual-arm extension (over/under) to support the tongue weight of the trailer. It also uses chains tethered from the end of the extension to the frame to control side-to-side movement. It is very strong and stable and allows a user to move the hitch ball from under the camper to just beyond the end of the camper. It also maintains the vehicle's supported tow rating which would normally be lowered with other hitch extensions.

https://www.torklift.com/rv/supertruss

You can use this to either Flat Tow or on a Trailer or Dolly. Each towing method has plusses/minuses that you have to weigh out depending on your intended usage. I use a 16' trailer, and has worked well for me for over the past 10 years.
Click to expand...

Basically since we have the same set up. Do you mind if I bounce some questions off of you?
 
Top Bottom
Back