2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon toasted from flat towing incorrectly

[HPSimpson]

Here is my Rubicon on trailer you ask for both axles have brakes due mountain towing.

 

[Wiredawg]

Here is my Rubicon on trailer you ask for both axles have brakes due mountain towing.View attachment 127387

Is that 12 or 14 ft?

 

[NIsaacs]

previous owner. who after one trip, decided to go back to 5er.

My guess is, he didn't like the feel. Big difference in a heavy straight truck (motorhome) v/s a combination vehicle. Given a choice, I will take the combination every time.

I have a ton of miles hauling heavy with a Ford F-600 straight truck, cows, hay and machinery. If you have never hauled cows (load moves) with one, you don't know what you are missing. You will not have a lazy heart/blood pressure The same load with a combination is like child's play, you can't feel it. I assume the motorhome will have sway bars front and rear. Back in the day, straight trucks did not. That will make a big difference too.

The issue is weight placement. The weight over the frame on a motorhome will be almost non existent, that is the hallway. The weight will all be above the suspension or out board of it. So sideling roads/curves will need a slower attack. With a combination, the weight is actually mostly all inboard of the suspension (gooseneck/fifth wheel), big difference in how they handle.

 

[HPSimpson]

Ron, The trailer is 16' and here is how the Jeep is attach to the wood deck, underneath there is angle iron welded to the jeep trailer frame and each tie down is bolted down, all the wood decking is bolted as well.

 

[HPSimpson]

My guess is, he didn't like the feel. Big difference in a heavy straight truck (motorhome) v/s a combination vehicle. Given a choice, I will take the combination every time.

I have a ton of miles hauling heavy with a Ford F-600 straight truck, cows, hay and machinery. If you have never hauled cows (load moves) with one, you don't know what you are missing. You will not have a lazy heart/blood pressure The same load with a combination is like child's play, you can't feel it. I assume the motorhome will have sway bars front and rear. Back in the day, straight trucks did not. That will make a big difference too.

The issue is weight placement. The weight over the frame on a motorhome will be almost non existent, that is the hallway. The weight will all be above the suspension or out board of it. So sideling roads/curves will need a slower attack. With a combination, the weight is actually mostly all inboard of the suspension (gooseneck/fifth wheel), big difference in how they handle.

How about driving from Dairy farm to Co-Op with no baffles, in milk truck talk about load shifting!

 

[JR]

How about driving from Dairy farm to Co-Op with no baffles, in milk truck talk about load shifting!

Whacha drivin, a 1930's septic tanker?

 

[NIsaacs]

How about driving from Dairy farm to Co-Op with no baffles, in milk truck talk about load shifting!

I have not ever hauled milk but I know guys who have. They say in the winter when you hit a big ole snow drift and the truck stops, the milk keeps coming and slams the truck on through

 

[Ozymandias]

I have not ever hauled milk but I know guys who have. They say in the winter when you hit a big ole snow drift and the truck stops, the milk keeps coming and slams the truck on through

I can confirm that, you always have to stay hard on the brakes with a half way empty tanker, no matter how many baffles is has. That bounce will come 3-5 seconds after your vehicle comes to a full stop - and it's massive depending on how hard you had to brake.

 

[AH64ID]

I’ve only driven old surplus army deuce and half water trucks. No baffles either, but only 1000 gallons. Talk about interesting on steep dirt grades.

 

[BigPapa]

A customer of mine had a Prevost motor coach and a matching enclosed trailer with a lift in it. He hauled a Jeep, a convertible Corvette, and a combination of sport bikes, dirt bikes, or dual sports. If I remember correctly, he’d pull the Vette on the lift and the Jeep underneath with the windshield folded down, then a couple of bikes crossways behind them. It was a slick rig.

 

[jgillott]

I have not ever hauled milk but I know guys who have. They say in the winter when you hit a big ole snow drift and the truck stops, the milk keeps coming and slams the truck on through

We had a 3500 gal tanker here in our fire department for a number of years that was a smooth bore. If it wasn't completely empty, I would open the rear dump valve and let it drain before I would return to the station. Simply brutal half full.

 

[Wiredawg]

My guess is, he didn't like the feel. Big difference in a heavy straight truck (motorhome) v/s a combination vehicle. Given a choice, I will take the combination every time.

Not saying your wrong, but my experience towing a 22Klb 13' 6" MS 5er, I wouldn't/couldn't take curves/turns any faster. Aside from possible performance differences, we are significantly downsizing from a full 39' plus useable living area to approximately 25'. Beyond that, I can't say why original owner took a bath on it, but we love the space, size, and platform. Whichever RV platform you choose, it's good... RVing is the BEST (IMHO) retirement hobby ever.

We're camping first time and towing the Jeep this Friday around 102 miles into the TX Hill Country, so I'll give an honest report.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Ron, Enjoy your camping trip this coming weekend and remember your health please don't overdue just take easy.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron, Enjoy your camping trip this coming weekend and remember your health please don't overdue just take easy.

I hear ya.


All,

Lightning struck... going to flat tow Jeep this weekend, but got bad itch to buy a nice open car hauler so I can opt to take Lil Red Express. What fun that could be! Turn OFF brain... you're making too many tasks. Woo Hoo!

Cheers, Ron

 

[gsbrockman]

but got bad itch to buy a nice open car hauler so I can opt to take Lil Red Express. What fun that could be!

Get one that’s “over built”.....with 5,200 lb axles minimum.

 

[Wiredawg]

Get one that’s “over built”.....with 5,200 lb axles minimum.

Yes Sir, been looking at one 9400Lbs carrying capacity. Go big!

 

[HPSimpson]

Ron, If you are going to haul more than one vehicle get at least heavy axles on the trailer and brakes on both axles so you can stop the carnage when you must, I set that trailer up for the Jeep as the underneath is any thing but stock. Plate steel from just forward of the front axle to rear bumper, I raise the engine up one inch so could have the flat under carriage. I did install a real roll bar setup, that does cover driver and passenger, bar goes thru the flooor too the frame bolted solid, I have replace the fiberglass top couple of times, it's not if but when going to happen have roll over!

 

[Gearclash]

How about driving from Dairy farm to Co-Op with no baffles, in milk truck talk about load shifting!

Whacha drivin, a 1930's septic tanker?

To comply with government sanitary regulations it is pretty much unheard of for a milk truck to have internal baffles. Impossible to wash acceptably. If anything, they will have multiple compartments but that is all but unheard of too.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron, The trailer is 16' and here is how the Jeep is attach to the wood deck, underneath there is angle iron welded to the jeep trailer frame and each tie down is bolted down, all the wood decking is bolted as well.View attachment 127391
View attachment 127392 View attachment 127392 View attachment 127393

Homer, only going to tow one, but on short trips, the LRE would be fun. I truly believe the flat towing thing is going to work and will be default for the Jeep. I'll look up the one I'm considering, 5.5K axles, both with brakes, 16 ft, with last two feet dove tail.

Although I'm not on fire about actively going to bunches of LRE Club rallies, I would like to go to one, maybe this year if Covid doesn't nix it. We'd just work a long trip into the plan and haul the LRE on it.

Thanks for all the info and advice... hope to meet you when you come to TX. If not, we'll map a trip to see you... via RV.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Homer, only going to tow one, but on short trips, the LRE would be fun. I truly believe the flat towing thing is going to work and will be default for the Jeep. I'll look up the one I'm considering, 5.5K axles, both with brakes, 16 ft, with last two feet dove tail.

Although I'm not on fire about actively going to bunches of LRE Club rallies, I would like to go to one, maybe this year if Covid doesn't nix it. We'd just work a long trip into the plan and haul the LRE on it.

Thanks for all the info and advice... hope to meet you when you come to TX. If not, we'll map a trip to see you... via RV.

Cheers, Ron

McCain is still building the aluminum trailer been 10 weeks since I ordered, typical slow troops!