Transporting my TJ

old jeep new to me

TJ Enthusiast
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May 13, 2018
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georgia
I am getting ready to move 6 1/2 hours away from Georgia to Florida and want to tow my Jeep down behind my Chevy express. Has anyone transported on a trailer or tow dolly? I was thinking of putting as much stuff in the Jeep and van as I could to save on the space of the truck trailer I have moving me. Would it be better for it to be all the way on a trailer being loaded with stuff. Never done it before so just wondering what your thoughts are.
 
I tow mine on my 20’ car hauler all the time. It would be easier to load with stuff off the trailer but you would have to leave a space for you to get in and drive it. So just put it on your trailer and then load it full even the drivers seat. Good luck
 
Strapped to a trailer is definitely safer/easier. Those tow dolly things are sketchy. You can use them, but for more than 2-3 hours I'd prefer a trailer, especially if you plan on filling the Jeep with stuff.
 
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We use a tow bar to tow my Jeep to our hunting lease. It’s a 5 hour drive and the jeep just goes right along. Maybe because it’s behind the Cummins. Just don’t try to back up while it’s hooked up.
 
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U-haul trailers work pretty well for this.

I want to buy a trailer but it costs $50 a day to rent one and they never seem to charge the full amount. Last time I rented one for 3 days and it was under $100.
 
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Yep. Uhaul is the way to go. If you have larger tires you will need some straps. I believe 31 inches is the largest tire the uhaul tire straps will fit. I moved my TJ from Colorado to Arizona this way with no issues.
 
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I am getting ready to move 6 1/2 hours away from Georgia to Florida and want to tow my Jeep down behind my Chevy express. . . . I was thinking of putting as much stuff in the Jeep and van as I could to save on the space of the truck trailer I have moving me.

The Chevy Express has sufficient tow capacity to do the job with a U-Haul car hauler trailer. Do you already have a hitch and wiring installed on the van? If so, you should be good to go. If not, rent a U-Haul box truck to tow the car hauler trailer rather than spend money on a hitch and wiring for a one-time move.

I suggest a car hauler trailer rather than a tow dolly. Don't load up the towed jeep with stuff - keep the weight down in the jeep and put the heavier stuff in the van. It is better to take a Greyhound bus back to your point of origin and make two one-way U-Haul moving trips than to severely overload vehicles and try to do everything at once just to save a dollar.
 
Front wheels off the ground on a tow dolly is not supported per the factory service manual, if you pulled the rear drive shaft it might work
 
As many others have said, the UHaul car trailers are a quick and easy option. Cost is worth it too. I loaded up my TJ with some items I couldn’t fit into the box truck, but mostly Jeep parts and it wasn’t jam packed. Obviously just make sure things don’t move and whatever you put in the Jeep the road vibrations don’t cause damage to things like your upholstery. And as stated, use your own ratchet straps over the tires if you have 33’s or bigger. I took this picture before doing a quick shake down by going down the block and back I opted to use my own straps because there wasn’t much of the included straps catching in the ratcheting assembly.

3FAE80BE-B42F-44F6-BD56-E2ACC31CF684.jpeg
 
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If you do choose to use a trailer center the Jeep over the trailer axles as much as safely possible. Makes for a much smoother ride by reducing tongue weight.
 
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As many others have said, the UHaul car trailers are a quick and easy option. Cost is worth it too. I loaded up my TJ with some items I couldn’t fit into the box truck, but mostly Jeep parts and it wasn’t jam packed. Obviously just make sure things don’t move and whatever you put in the Jeep the road vibrations don’t cause damage to things like your upholstery. And as stated, use your own ratchet straps over the tires if you have 33’s or bigger. I took this picture before doing a quick shake down by going down the block and back I opted to use my own straps because there wasn’t much of the included straps catching in the ratcheting assembly.

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That picture actually helps a lot. My Jeep is very similar to yours. I have 32s but they probably stick out 4" beyond the fenders which is what yours looks like. I think it is going to be a very snug fit but snug is good.
 
That picture actually helps a lot. My Jeep is very similar to yours. I have 32s but they probably stick out 4" beyond the fenders which is what yours looks like. I think it is going to be a very snug fit but snug is good.
I have 33x12.5” tires (not including my “custom” spare). The tires still fit into the channels on the trailer but barely. I dropped the air pressure in the tires to about 15 in hopes that would help the included straps work with the bigger tires but even after that I ended up using my own straps. I put a ratchet strap on the frame of the trailer around my rear bumper and sunk the rear end down a little extra before I put the rear safety chain around the frame just to reduce any chances of the Jeep bouncing and loosening that chain. I think I did something similar to the front end too. If I was using any other trailer I would have centered my Jeep over the trailer axles before tying it down, but with how Uhual’s trailers are that won’t work. They make it so you have to put the vehicle all the way to the front.