Towing a toad

[#1]

Fed up with rental car agencies, I want to buy a bar and tow car. Looking at a Blue Ox pulling a Jeep 2 door wrangler, or similar.. question…any issues with either choices or is it as simple as it appears ..those are most of what I see everywhere.

[Gene1953]

Flat towing a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with no issues. Using Blue Ox tow bar with no problem.

[willald]

Alan_Hepburn wrote:

willald wrote:

Are you certain about this? Nearly all Wranglers have a transfer case that can be shifted into neutral for towing, which lets all 4 wheels spin freely, disconnected from the transmission. That being the case, I don't see why a Wrangler couldn't be towed on a dolly, if you wanted to. That is, assuming its not one of the (very rare) 2WD only Jeeps.

The way it was explained to me many years ago was that the way the transfer case worked was that shifting from 2H to 4H connected the front and rear drive shafts together; then shifting from 4H to N disconnected everything from the transmission, but did not disconnect the front and rear driveshafts from each other. I've never taken the time to investigate it further: the manual says don't do it and that's good enough for me!

I agree that if the manual says don't do it, then not a wise idea to do it, but your description here of how the transfer case works seems hard to believe.

If the front and rear driveshafts were connected together when transfer case is in Neutral for flat towing....You'd be binding up the driveshafts and axles very badly every time you went around a turn when towing. If that was the case, I don't think you could tow it more than a few miles on pavement before something would tear up.

Now it may be that they (front and rear driveshaft) are loosely coupled somehow when transfer case is in neutral. However, seems hard to believe they'd be locked together like is the case when in 4H.

I read on another forum that the Jeep transfer cases have an oil pump that is fed from the rear drive output shaft. That seems definitely more plausible and would explain why Jeep doesn't want you towing with a dolly.

[Horsedoc]

We have towed a '13 Wrangler all over the country since it was brand new. Did not think it was a good idea to get into the wiring system so we use magnetic tail/brake lights. Separate fused power line to the battery to keep that up for the Brake Buddy.
No problems with the Jeep at all. BB had an issue with wanting to keep the brake pedal compressed crossing the Big Horns one season.

[Alan_Hepburn]

willald wrote:

Are you certain about this? Nearly all Wranglers have a transfer case that can be shifted into neutral for towing, which lets all 4 wheels spin freely, disconnected from the transmission. That being the case, I don't see why a Wrangler couldn't be towed on a dolly, if you wanted to. That is, assuming its not one of the (very rare) 2WD only Jeeps.

The way it was explained to me many years ago was that the way the transfer case worked was that shifting from 2H to 4H connected the front and rear drive shafts together; then shifting from 4H to N disconnected everything from the transmission, but did not disconnect the front and rear driveshafts from each other. I've never taken the time to investigate it further: the manual says don't do it and that's good enough for me!

[willald]

Y-Guy wrote:

willald wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
A 2dr Wrangler is well within your towing capacity I would think. Look into the NSA Ready Brute Elite package, very easy to install, and you can match it up to to most any baseplate.

BTW you can not tow a Wrangler on a tow dolly.

Are you certain about this?

wildtoad is correct, my 2011 Wrangler JKU and 2020 Gladiator Owners manual, under Recreational Towing, says no to Dolly towing for Front or Rear up. Only Flat tow or trailer.

Thanks for the clarification. Learn something every day, I guess.

Wonder why Jeep doesn't allow such, seems like it should work fine..

[Y-Guy]

willald wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
A 2dr Wrangler is well within your towing capacity I would think. Look into the NSA Ready Brute Elite package, very easy to install, and you can match it up to to most any baseplate.

BTW you can not tow a Wrangler on a tow dolly.

Are you certain about this?

wildtoad is correct, my 2011 Wrangler JKU and 2020 Gladiator Owners manual, under Recreational Towing, says no to Dolly towing for Front or Rear up. Only Flat tow or trailer.

[willald]

wildtoad wrote:
A 2dr Wrangler is well within your towing capacity I would think. Look into the NSA Ready Brute Elite package, very easy to install, and you can match it up to to most any baseplate.

BTW you can not tow a Wrangler on a tow dolly.

Are you certain about this? Nearly all Wranglers have a transfer case that can be shifted into neutral for towing, which lets all 4 wheels spin freely, disconnected from the transmission. That being the case, I don't see why a Wrangler couldn't be towed on a dolly, if you wanted to. That is, assuming its not one of the (very rare) 2WD only Jeeps.

You'd have to secure it really well onto the dolly as you can't rely on the front wheels being in park to hold it like on a FWD vehicle, but thats what the dolly's straps and chains are for. And, you'd have to make sure the dolly is rated to handle the weight of the Jeep. A Wrangler might be too heavy for some dollies.

Most folks with Wranglers tow them 4 down as they are made very well for that and very easy to tow that way, but I don't see why you couldn't also tow one on a dolly if you wanted to.

[ferndaleflyer]

I have towed our 2wd Honda CRV, Toyota Camry, Smart car, and Honda Civic all on the same dolly. Anything else I have a Featherlite trailer. To me that mess I have on the Smart is just to cumbersome and takes to long + its only good for one car. But to each his own.

[Blaster_Man]

LouLawrence wrote:
If you don't want the size and weight of a Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or a Grand Cherokee (4x4 wi6th proper transmission) are factory setup to tow. Add the Blue Ox and M&G or Air Force One braking system and you are good to go. It takes less than 5 minutes to hook up and be ready to drive away. It takes even less time to disconnect. I have done the dolly thing and will never go back.

...or a Honda CRV, 2014 or earlier. I've towed two CRVs both with Blue Ox, great combination.

[wildtoad]

A 2dr Wrangler is well within your towing capacity I would think. Look into the NSA Ready Brute Elite package, very easy to install, and you can match it up to to most any baseplate.

BTW you can not tow a Wrangler on a tow dolly.

[#12]

I have a 21 F150.. 4wd that is towable. Considering the NSA bar ..elite brute w surge brake system. I was considering a Wrangler, but since my Ford is towable, im changing my thinking,..So…any info helpful from anyone who tows an F150. Thanks… from Branson

[ferndaleflyer]

I used a dolly for years then in 2014 had our Smart car equipped with a Blue Ox towing system---the whole nine yards done at a dealer. After 2, thats right 2, trips with the tow bar set up I went back to the dolly. The Smart is still set up and the rest of it is in the garage. Was just to much of a PIA for this 82+ person to hook up and unhook. I can do the dolly in 10min. But that is my choice, may not work for others.

[LouLawrence]

If you don't want the size and weight of a Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or a Grand Cherokee (4x4 wi6th proper transmission) are factory setup to tow. Add the Blue Ox and M&G or Air Force One braking system and you are good to go. It takes less than 5 minutes to hook up and be ready to drive away. It takes even less time to disconnect. I have done the dolly thing and will never go back.

[fyrflie]

You have undoubtedly figured out that there are two distinct groups here.
The tow bar group and the tow dolly group. Each method has its pros and cons.
I have towed my Jeep wrangler thousands of miles, 4 down with a tow bar with no problems.

As for auxiliary braking, I have a Brake Buddy Classic. It has failed on me two times. Applying the brakes and not releasing. I cannot recommend this product.
But for installation purposes, you simply set it on the floor, connect it to the brake pedal, then connect your power cable. That’s it.
My Brake Buddy has a power wire from the coach to keep the toad battery charged and does not drain my battery as mentioned above.
You have many options. Good luck and safe travels