Georgia Trail Riders Forum
MEMBERS DISCUSSION AREA => General Discussion => Topic started by: BigJerm on April 27, 2008, 08:44:35 PM
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Alright so this coming weekend I will need to tow a trailer. Basically, let me hear suggestions (things to do to the Jeep) on things that will make it easier on me (if any). I pulled many a trailers before, including this one but it was with a Dodge Ram 1500. I will be towing Columbus and back, 260 miles round trip. Going down the trailer is empty, on the way back up it will have a couch and probably a book shelf.
Trailer:
Weight unknown
14', metal frame, wood floor, metal side rails about 18" tall, single axle, no brakes, lift gate on the back. Its the kind of trailer I would buy if I had 4wheelers.
Jeep:
4.10 gears auto with overdrive (I will be turning off overdrive).
Rated to tow 2500 lbs
I have a drop hitch
Oil recently changed with syn
Diff oil only 5k miles old and is syn
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That trailer probably only weighs 950lbs. Your more than safe.
The End.
;D
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You should be fine. Heck I towed a pop up before with mine. Way overloaded but she pulled nonetheless. Just don't expect to get any speeding tickets... or gas mileage :D :D
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You will be fine. But if you want to convince yourself that you will be fine, add a tranny cooler.
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Check everything twice, and don't get in a hurry.
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Only thing about towing with a Jeep Wrangler/JK is the fish tailing. I am not much for towing with the Jeep. Seems to fishtail a bit much for me.
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Only thing about towing with a Jeep Wrangler/JK is the fish tailing. I am not much for towing with the Jeep. Seems to fishtail a bit much for me.
Good point, it's due to the short wheelbase, and the tail wags the dog. Load the trailer ahead of the axles with a reasonable tongue weight.
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You will be fine. But if you want to convince yourself that you will be fine, add a tranny cooler.
You wouldn't need a tranny cooler with that trailer and light load. If you towed a pair of jet skis or a small boat, I would.
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Thanks fellas! I was just making sure. Like i said never towed anything without a Dodge or F250. The Wrangler is a small vehicle for me. Now i just need to practice some backing up, lol.
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if i can tow my jeep with my X im sure your car can handle it easily. the only problem that i encountered was swaying from wind causing the back of the car to rock a little. like chris said, its not gonna be to heavy so all you need to worry about is gas ;D
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You will be fine. But if you want to convince yourself that you will be fine, add a tranny cooler.
You wouldn't need a tranny cooler with that trailer and light load. If you towed a pair of jet skis or a small boat, I would.
That is why I said only if he really wanted to convince himself he would be fine.
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alright well I go pick the trailer up tomorrow out in Winder after work. Everything is hooked up (i even hooked my front sway bar back up!) and ready to go. It seems normal driving with OD on I get around 15 mpg. So what are best guess for my mpg with the trailer? I am thinking with no OD and empty more like 12, when its "full" maybe 9 or 10....
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let me make a suggestion. if the ramp is full width with steel mesh... and you can get away without need of the ramp... remove the ramp.
i have a 6.5-ish by 15'-ish dual axle trailer that i have towed with all of my vehicles. the ramp catches alot of wind and it is VERY apparrent behind my JK. Even my Tahoe downshifts all the time with the ramp on it... particularly when there are strong winds.
otherwise, keep the overdrive off (if auto) and drive on. my JK is an auto and wont haul with the O?D on. i think it is a little harder to put a tranny cooler on the JK since it has all metal lines. you have to either cut the line(s) or find matching connectors. i didnt inspect real hard, but i didnt see the usual rubber line on the return side.
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let me make a suggestion. if the ramp is full width with steel mesh... and you can get away without need of the ramp... remove the ramp.
Wish I would have thought about it lastnight. I pulled it home from my brothers. Not to bad a ride, took about 1/4 tank of gas to do it though. I didnt use OD, never have in any vehicle when towing. I pulled it to work this morning in traffic... that kinda sucked but made it here and I leave for Columbus after work.