Does anyone use a tow bar on your tj? We are going on a trip next week and I am thinking about towing the Jeep. Any pros or cons that anyone has would be appreciated.
Does anyone use a tow bar on your TJ?
- Thread starter Spawnmav
- Start date
No real cons to it, just make sure that per your owner's manual that the transfer case is in Neutral and your transmission is either in (!) gear or in Park. A Wrangler should not be flat-towed with its transmission in Neutral.
What brand tow bar do you use? I didnt even think about the brake lights thanks!
For a manual, 1 or 2, transfer case in N. Auto, P and t case in N.
I use a Smittybilt bumper and towbar, plug in magnetic stop lights, and a Ready Brake braking system. Be aware almost every state requires some kind of braking system on towed vehicles/trailers
I use a Smittybilt bumper and towbar, plug in magnetic stop lights, and a Ready Brake braking system. Be aware almost every state requires some kind of braking system on towed vehicles/trailers
I’ve racked thousands of miles with towing my Lj behind my rv. It goes well.
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I haven't towed anything for years but when I did, any two wheel drive had to be in neutral, either park or in gear was not an option. I know towing a 2wd automatic wasn't a great idea but sometimes you have to get it home. As for Jeeps I never thought about it when towing my CJ a couple times. I have no idea what I had the transmission in.
I'm not saying the current rules about towing Jeeps (or anything) are wrong, I just wonder why they are what they are.
I'm not saying the current rules about towing Jeeps (or anything) are wrong, I just wonder why they are what they are.
I have a tow bar for each (three) jeeps. Just towed one 250 miles across Missouri and towed the other back behind my Cayenne Diesel. They tow like an anchor but are easily doable. White Jeep got drug to Moab last year. It has added trailer plug on front bumper. I've used trailer spring shackles welded or bolted (grade 8 please) to front bumper/frame for attachment points. Work well.
Be advised, if you do this right, it is expensive. I use a Ready Brute (AKA Ready Brake) Elite tow bar.
http://www.readybrake.com/store/p4/ReadyBrute™_Elite_RV_Tow_Bar.htmlI chose this bar because it uses surge braking.
I use wireless lights.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...PJ7FOt2lAVU2F_sZjkBGrOtNvyifxctRoCYFEQAvD_BwEI use these lights because I didn't want to mess with the stock wiring harness or be concerned about how the lights are powered.
I have a Warn bumper on my jeep, so I had brackets made that bolt to the bumper and connect to the tow bar. I have ~ 10,000 miles towing my rig like this.
http://www.readybrake.com/store/p4/ReadyBrute™_Elite_RV_Tow_Bar.htmlI chose this bar because it uses surge braking.
I use wireless lights.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...PJ7FOt2lAVU2F_sZjkBGrOtNvyifxctRoCYFEQAvD_BwEI use these lights because I didn't want to mess with the stock wiring harness or be concerned about how the lights are powered.
I have a Warn bumper on my jeep, so I had brackets made that bolt to the bumper and connect to the tow bar. I have ~ 10,000 miles towing my rig like this.
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One of the tow wiring compAnies makes a direct plug in harness on etrailer, I use a roadmaster towbar and brackets, along with their evenbrake for braking, Craig’s list can have good finds, if you were in the seattle area, I have some parts you could use.
Didn't the new law now require remote (break away) braking for anything towed over 3000 GVW?
I read about this being applied to towed vehicles in some states:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.43
I read about this being applied to towed vehicles in some states:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.43
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I purchased a Smittybilt towbar which attached to the schakle mounts on the front bumper. As to lights, I have a hitch haul for the Jeep that I outfitted with lights since I often filled it above the factory lights with camping gear, so a 24’ trailer pig tail worked great to connect the tow vehicle and then you don’t have to worry about tapping into the Jeeps lights. I have plans to tow it more, so looking into adding some type of braking system.
I’ve seen these (and similar) used in the past.
http://www.brakebuddy.com
I’ve also seen people wire in an RV style plug on the front of a car so that the turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, running lights, and charge circuit can all be plugged in in one step.
If you hardwire in the vehicle lights, be sure to set up the circuits with diodes to prevent backfeeding issues.
http://www.brakebuddy.com
I’ve also seen people wire in an RV style plug on the front of a car so that the turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, running lights, and charge circuit can all be plugged in in one step.
If you hardwire in the vehicle lights, be sure to set up the circuits with diodes to prevent backfeeding issues.
MrMark52
TJ Enthusiast
A little late to the party but FWIW -
Bought a used (but nearly new appearing) ReadyBrute Elite off of Offerup for about 1/3 the new price, and it included the cover, safety cables, wiring harness for lights (didn't use), and 1/4 turn connection dogs (didn't use and are For Sale) used on newer base-plates (what attaches to the Jeep that the tow-bar connects to).
Found a BlueOx BX1120 base-plate on CraigsList for about 1/2 the new price.
Love the package as it doesn't depend on anything but the Jeeps inertia to invoke braking on the Jeep. The design allows braking consistent with what I apply in the motorhome (MH) that I pull the Jeep with.
I bought the magnetic light kit from Northern and a round 6 pin to flat 4 pin connector to interface the light kit to the MH.
Key to using this inertia system is getting it set up right - if you don't, you'll cook your brakes on the Jeep. The install kit that includes aircraft cable and sleeve that routes the cable between the front bumper of the Jeep, back thru the firewall and to the brake pedal is $69.00 thru Amazon. If your industrious, you can make your own for probably 1/3 that cost (10 feet of 1/8 SS unsheathed aircraft cable - front bumper to brake pedal, 6 feet of 1/8" SS sheathed aircraft cable - lever arm on ReadyBrute Elite to bobbin looped cable from Jeep at front bumper, a couple of cable bobbins, 2 1/8 to 3/32 aircraft cable clamps, and I used a beam clamp to attach the cable to the brake pedal arm.
All the above can be purchased from your local big box blue or orange store. The one kicker is - it is best that you use swage clamps to hold the loop (with bobbin) that attaches at the brake pedal. You don't want anything impeding the cable travel when the inertia arm on the tow-bar engages. Using clamps to hold that loop as it attaches to the cable could prevent the cable from being pulled through the sheath at the firewall underneath the brake pedal and as a result, no braking of the Jeep.
They both sell swages (cheap @ less than $2.00 a package), but the swage tool can run between $15 and $30 depending on where you source it. Swaging the loop is exactly what comes in the kit, and for my money, is probably the best/safest way to form that loop.
What I did was sneak around in my local blue box store, aircraft cable in hand - found swages, found the tool, looped and installed bobbin in cable loop with swage properly positioned and quickly used their tool on the shelf to compress the swage in two places. YMMV.
I may try to post pictures shortly of my whole set-up. Heading out tomorrow to travel west so will be a good time to get pictures of my whole setup.
Bought a used (but nearly new appearing) ReadyBrute Elite off of Offerup for about 1/3 the new price, and it included the cover, safety cables, wiring harness for lights (didn't use), and 1/4 turn connection dogs (didn't use and are For Sale) used on newer base-plates (what attaches to the Jeep that the tow-bar connects to).
Found a BlueOx BX1120 base-plate on CraigsList for about 1/2 the new price.
Love the package as it doesn't depend on anything but the Jeeps inertia to invoke braking on the Jeep. The design allows braking consistent with what I apply in the motorhome (MH) that I pull the Jeep with.
I bought the magnetic light kit from Northern and a round 6 pin to flat 4 pin connector to interface the light kit to the MH.
Key to using this inertia system is getting it set up right - if you don't, you'll cook your brakes on the Jeep. The install kit that includes aircraft cable and sleeve that routes the cable between the front bumper of the Jeep, back thru the firewall and to the brake pedal is $69.00 thru Amazon. If your industrious, you can make your own for probably 1/3 that cost (10 feet of 1/8 SS unsheathed aircraft cable - front bumper to brake pedal, 6 feet of 1/8" SS sheathed aircraft cable - lever arm on ReadyBrute Elite to bobbin looped cable from Jeep at front bumper, a couple of cable bobbins, 2 1/8 to 3/32 aircraft cable clamps, and I used a beam clamp to attach the cable to the brake pedal arm.
All the above can be purchased from your local big box blue or orange store. The one kicker is - it is best that you use swage clamps to hold the loop (with bobbin) that attaches at the brake pedal. You don't want anything impeding the cable travel when the inertia arm on the tow-bar engages. Using clamps to hold that loop as it attaches to the cable could prevent the cable from being pulled through the sheath at the firewall underneath the brake pedal and as a result, no braking of the Jeep.
They both sell swages (cheap @ less than $2.00 a package), but the swage tool can run between $15 and $30 depending on where you source it. Swaging the loop is exactly what comes in the kit, and for my money, is probably the best/safest way to form that loop.
What I did was sneak around in my local blue box store, aircraft cable in hand - found swages, found the tool, looped and installed bobbin in cable loop with swage properly positioned and quickly used their tool on the shelf to compress the swage in two places. YMMV.
I may try to post pictures shortly of my whole set-up. Heading out tomorrow to travel west so will be a good time to get pictures of my whole setup.
psdtime
Member
I've towed my jeep several times. I modified my tow bar slightly to be able to use my clevis mounting points on my Hanson bumper. I use the clevis threaded pins to go through a Smittybuilt tow bar. I had to drill out the Smittybuilt brackets just a bit, and then drill a hole in the clevis pins. I use a towing spring clip to go through those holes and hold the pin in place (btw I was shown this hack, I didn't come up with it on my own). Then I took a trailer hitch and welded a piece of 1x1 tubing to it and installed a lighting kit from amazon and put it in the rear receiver on the Jeep. I used an adhesive lighting kit like the kind that you see people put under their tailgates on pickups. I pulled 4 wire trailer wire from the front bumper to the rear bumper and put the appropriate plug ends on to power my light bar. I have towed the Jeep with my Ram 2500 Cummins and my Diesel pusher motor home and even though my LJ weighs 4500#s, neither vehicle had any issue stopping it r pulling it.
Wait... how the heck does it apply your jeeps breaks? Or am I misunderstanding here?
psdtime
Member