Need a hitch

Phillip

Phillip

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Dec 20, 2015
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I need to install a hitch on my jeep in order to tow the small pop up camper that we recently bought. I found a kit on quadratec that includes the hitch and wiring piece for around $130. Is that an average price or are there better deals? Also when I get one and install is there anything I need to be prepared for, other than rusted bolts?
It's an 01 TJ automatic with the 4.0. I know it's not made to tow much but for what we'll be doing it won't be bad. No mountains or anything of that sort, mainly just trips to the lake.
 
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If you also offroad, you'd be much better off buying a replacement bumper that has an integrated receiver hitch. Bolt on receiver hitches hang low under the bumper and are guaranteed to drag on typical offroad terrain.
 
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2000#... includes all the food and gear.
PopUp Trailer? should be easy to stay under that.

I'd recommend going into a trailer hitch specialty shop... ask the questions, listen. My bet is they will be competitive. At least they will help you decide the best route. You don't get much advice from Quadratec.

Be sure the hitch lets you couple up level. This is the worst I've seen... hate to admit he lives a block from me.
 
Buying the right drawbar that has the correct amount of drop is how to insure the trailer is level.

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Thanks for the advice. I've got an adjustable hitch from a previous vehicle that I had, it had a 4" lift, the jeep is stock. Off roading will be minimal for now since it is my dd. I thought about changing the bumper out as mentioned but I figured it would be cheaper to just get a hitch for now. I'll check out bumpers before I order a hitch to be sure.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
SOCAL made bumper with integrated receiver hitch, $150 from
www.thedirtworx.com/#!product/prd13/1638368235/rear-bumper.

It has great quality, I've installed two of them on my TJs. Notice no loss of ground clearance under the Dirt Worx bumper's receiver hitch. :)

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I looked at the website earlier and noticed that it said some drilling may be required. I emailed the company asking about that. Do you remember how big of a deal it was to mount these? I only have basic handtools so I don't want to tackle anything major.
 
Sasquatchewan said:
Hey if it is an automatic I would recommend a transmission cooler if you're going a long distance also trailer brake controller.
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Definitely on the list to do, just want to get the hitch going first. This popup is the only one I have ever seen that has trailer brakes. I thought they were only required if over so many pounds or dual axles. The PO cut the connector and changed it to a 4 wire switch, so I'll leave it like that for now.
 
Phillip said:
I looked at the website earlier and noticed that it said some drilling may be required. I emailed the company asking about that. Do you remember how big of a deal it was to mount these? I only have basic handtools so I don't want to tackle anything major.
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I didn't need to do any drilling at all, it bolted right up.

For towing, I do recommend a frame tie-in bracket like you can find at https://www.google.com/search?hl=en....products-cc..0.15.741.ALLWGb-TzzU&gws_rd=ssl. Those reinforce how the bumper is bolted to the frame which would be a good idea for towing anything substantial.
 
billiebob said:
View attachment 2385 2000#... includes all the food and gear.
PopUp Trailer? should be easy to stay under that.

I'd recommend going into a trailer hitch specialty shop... ask the questions, listen. My bet is they will be competitive. At least they will help you decide the best route. You don't get much advice from Quadratec.

Be sure the hitch lets you couple up level. This is the worst I've seen... hate to admit he lives a block from me.
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Can you say fish tail!
 
billiebob said:
x2 ^^^

I tow 1600# daily for work in the mountains. A brake controller+++++
I can't say it is desperately required but my next trailer will have trailer brakes !!

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Retrograde this rig now. I have seen too many tail wag the dog combos. Seriously, I have witnessed way too many as a sheriffs deputy investigating crashes.
 
I heard back from the bumper manufacturer concerning the drilling. His comments are below.

In mid '97 they stopped stamping four of the holes in the rear crossmember of the Jeep. Your Jeep will have 6 of the 10 possible mounting holes already there. If you wish to mount using all ten points you will need to drill four (1/2" holes) in the rear crossmember of your Jeep. This is quite easy to do with just a simple hand drill. Mounting hardware is included with the bumper. Let me know if you have any other questions.

What does everyone mean by fish tail and wag the dog combos? Am I missing something?
 
Wag the dog is when the trailer starts fishtailing behind the tow vehicle. Happens a lot if there is insufficient weight on the tongue or when the trailer has more moment force that the tow vehicle.
 
That make sense. So when the trailer hitch isn't level it would make it do that possibly. Thanks.
 
Phillip said:
That make sense. So when the trailer hitch isn't level it would make it do that possibly. Thanks.
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It's not that the hitch needs to be level, it's that there has to be enough tongue weight on the ball. So if your pop-up tent trailer weighs 1700 lbs. gross with everything inside included, you need at least 10% of that 1700 lbs. on the hitch ball, or 170 lbs. Yes the trailer should be level too but that 10% tongue weight requirement is absolutely critical to preventing the trailer from swaying left/right on the highway.

I stopped to help a couple towing a big trailer behind their truck one night, they were sitting in a parking lot I had just driven into that was just off the freeway. They looked like they needed help so I stopped by to see what was up. They were scared shitless, their trailer was swaying viciously on the freeway and he couldn't control it. It turns out he had loaded all of their luggage, food, water, motorcycle, etc. into the rear of the trailer so his tongue weight wouldn't be so heavy, so he could lift it up on the hitch ball. Once that fact was figured out, we got inside and moved most of everything to the front so his tongue weight would get back to where it needed to be. He took my phone # and called me 20 minutes later, everything was fine on the highway after increasing the tongue weight and he was really happy.

The "tail wagging the dog" thing is related to the tongue weight requirement but it's also that the TJ's max safe towing weight of 2,000 lbs. has to be adhered to. Towing a 3,000 lb. trailer, for example, would allow the trailer's mass/weight to push the short wheelbase TJ around during an emergency maneuver or when you apply the brakes too hard when turning or on a curve. As in too heavy of a trailer could cause a jackknife Hence the 'tail wagging the dog' term.
 
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Phillip said:
I looked at the website earlier and noticed that it said some drilling may be required. I emailed the company asking about that. Do you remember how big of a deal it was to mount these? I only have basic handtools so I don't want to tackle anything major.
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To add to what was already said, I have a tire carrier from thedirtworx. Didn't drill the extra holes, just used some frame tie-ins. I've used the hitch as a recovery point when pulling friends out. No problems yet.
 
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