Flat towing Jeep behind 5th wheel

[kirk86CJ]

My truck is a '94 chev 3500 crew cab 4x4 with a 454/supercharger. (about 6700 lbs) The trailer is a 26' fifth wheel that weighs about 7K lbs. My Jeep weighs 4K. I have a car hauler trailer, but I think it would be safer to flat tow.(agree?) I am going to build a tow bar that connects to my clevis holders on the front bumper of the Jeep.
Questions:
1. Anybody here have a similar setup? Opionions, Suggestions, Warnings?
2. I am thinking of making the tow bar between 4'-5' long. Opinions, Experiences? Opinions on material?
3. For wiring my lights, I bought some Diodes that you run through your brake/blinker wires. Anyone done this?
4. The trailer is sprung over, so I wil use a drop hitch to get close to my jeep bumper height.

I will remove the rear driveline on the jeep, and I assume unlock the steerwheel with the key. Anything else?

Thanks
Kirk

 

[BlackSheep]

I will remove the rear driveline on the jeep, and I assume unlock the steerwheel with the key. Anything else?

Thanks
Kirk

Why remove the rear driveline? If you're going to flat tow and remove drivelines, it seems you should remove both. My understanding of the auto hubs in the TJ are that the front driveline still rotates even when the t-case is in 2wd. If I'm wrong, I hope someone will correct me.

People I've talked to before have simply put the t-case in nuetral and left the drivelines in place when flat towing.

I have never flat towed my rig, so I don't know the best way to handle it, but I thought I should ask the question.

 

[kirk86CJ]

My jeep is a CJ. Manual Hubs - D300 which apparently has oiling issues when being towed - thats why I would remove the rear driveline.

 

[BlackSheep]

My jeep is a CJ. Manual Hubs - D300 which apparently has oiling issues when being towed - thats why I would remove the rear driveline.

thanks for the clarification.

 

[footin fool]

Pull it on the trailer behind the fith wheel. Its much safer and you dont have to pull any drive lines. The tailer will tow way better than the jeep. Then if your car hauler has brakes you canstop even better. the jeep will just push.

 

[MR.CJ-7]

I have both flat towed and trailered my CJ. I have a 4-5' tow bar between my CJ and truck. If I'm going a realtively short distance I will flat tow it. Transmission in park, D300 in N. I usually lock the front hubs, some say it helps oil the bearing in the 300. In my opinion my CJ tows much better than it drives. I have towed it at well over 80 mph with no wander or other negative effects. I unlock the steering column with the key in the "off" position.

I thought about the diodes in the blinker wires, but instead I put a 7-way plug on the front bumper and tied into the main wire harness, then I put a set of toggle switches in line where the wires go up to the speedo. When I flat tow I flip the switches and break the current. That gives me park lights all around and brake/turn signals on the Jeep's rear lights.

I am leaning away from flat towing, mainly because it seems a little rough on tires sometimes. Since I just got a new set of tires, I'm hesitant to flat tow it.

I ususally tow it behind my F-350 with slide-in camper that weighs about 4000#. I prefer the flat tow method because it takes away the tounge weight issue that you get with putting it on a trailer, but as stated above with a trailer you gain brakes. The last few Moab trips for me have been on a trailer, but if it's just a weekend in the mountains, I flat tow it.

If it were me, behind a 5ver, I would see if I could safely put a hitch with a weight distributing ball mount, and put the jeep on a trailer. If you can't put a decent hitch on the 5'ver then flat tow it.

Good luck!

 

[Kris K]

Whats the over all length of your set up. Front of teh trucks bumper to the rear bumper of the car hauler with everything hooked up?

Also if your flat towing whats the over all length from front bumper of the truck to the rear bumper of the jeep. With everythign hooked up?

 

[Hickey]

Whats the over all length of your set up. Front of teh trucks bumper to the rear bumper of the car hauler with everything hooked up?

Also if your flat towing whats the over all length from front bumper of the truck to the rear bumper of the jeep. With everythign hooked up?

Sick em' Kris!

I honestly think towing the Jeep behind the 5'er is a bad idea either way. Do you know how much your 5'er weighs by itself?

 

[kirk86CJ]

The 5th wheel weighs about 6,700 lbs. That means total with the jeep will be about 11K. I am guessing my total legnth (flat towing) will be about 62 ft. from front of truck, to rear of jeep.

 

[Kris K]

Sick em' Kris!

Not being mean just educating him.


Don't go over 65' with everything together sounds like you will be over 65' if you have to put the jeep on the trailer. since your at about 62' with the jeep flat tow. The chances of you getting pulled over for being over 65' are slim to none but very very $$$$$$ if you do get stopped. But if your over 65' you can get a Oversize permit just letting you know what you mit run in to with this kind of set up. The UHP are starting to check for this since there are more and more wrecks happening with this kind of set up. There's a lot of other stuff but you kind of get the idea.

 

[Hickey]

The 5th wheel weighs about 6,700 lbs. That means total with the jeep will be about 11K. I am guessing my total legnth (flat towing) will be about 62 ft. from front of truck, to rear of jeep.

Does that exceed your hitch rating?

 

[James K]

I think going by people with that much crap in tow is more unnerving(sp) then going by a semi with a set of triples.

 

[Kris K]

I think going by people with that much crap in tow is more unnerving(sp) then going by a semi with a set of triples.

Agree, But if you have to hook all that together put the jeep on the trailer i think that would be the safest.

 

[James K]

Agree, But if you have to hook all that together put the jeep on the trailer i think that would be the safest.

it would be safer on the trailer. plus can you use the trailer brakes on that trailer as well as the 5th wheel?

 

[kirk86CJ]

Does that exceed your hitch rating?

Hitch is rated for 15K

 

[Hickey]

I think going by people with that much crap in tow is more unnerving(sp) then going by a semi with a set of triples.

I completely agree.

 

[MR.CJ-7]

I think going by people with that much crap in tow is more unnerving(sp) then going by a semi with a set of triples.

I'd much rather see a 5er and boat, atv's or jeep then a small SUV or half-ton truck dragging a 26' or bigger trailer on the OEM 5000 pound hitch.

Now that un-nerves me!

just my $0.02 worth though!

 

[Kris K]

Dose it matter what the hitch is rated at if the truck is only rated at 10K ???


I had a f650 come by and want to weigh with his 5th wheel hooked on and it came out to be around 20k and his 650 was rated for like 25k. so forsure his truck was capable to haul that trailer. but if he had a 350 it would be a diffrent storie.

 

[kirk86CJ]

My truck is rated at 10,500. My total weight should be less than 11,000.

 

[Kris K]

My truck is rated at 10,500. My total weight should be less than 11,000.

That's everything added up? I know it's not exsact (sp). But if we go off of what you first posted.

Truck= 6700lbs
5th wheel= 7000lbs
Jeep= 4000lbs
Car hauler if you use it= 1500lbs around there?

19,200lbs if you use the car hauler.

17,700lbs with flat tow.

I think you should do whatever you want and think is safe for you and the public and what you think your truck can handle, just let me know what roads your going to be on so i can avoid them I just hate it when people over load there trucks and wreck ?