Towing Jeep Wrangler

[dannko]

Originally Posted by Rancher Rob

Based on your guys advice, I bought the JLRU. I love that thing. I'm not sure which I like better, the RV or the Jeep. They both put a big smile on my face. I just wish I'd bought them years ago!

Day before yesterday I received the jeep back from the shop with a Rock Krawler long arm 3.5" lift kit. It rides so nice and smooth, I feel like I could drive over boulders without noticing. Down side is now it gets Death Wobble so it just went back into the shop tonight so they can re-evaluate.

I purchased the blue-ox heavy duty tow bar and fittings to attach to the 3rd party bumper. It tows well behind my F350 but I just read that I have to have a braking system installed in it to legally tow it in most states.
The blue ox breaking system seems a little hokey and cumbersome. Is there someway to just have the jeeps brakes activate when the tow vehicle sends the 12v to the brake lights or something? What is the best elegant solution for jeep toad brakes?

Thanks for all the experienced advice.

Don't know why you did long arm, regular LCA's are great on the JLUR. I have those and in Rock Krawler, your death wobble is from the trackbar, especially with a 3.5 lift, you need the Rock Krawler adj trackbar as I can guarantee your axle is not centered, plus the original trackbar is junk and bends like a violin string. Steering damper is a bandaid, I have one, but it's for firming up the steering feel. I use the 2.2 Falcon with adjustable settings. Your rear needs it also as that axle is not centered with the factory trackbar and 3.5 lift.

Regarding brakes, I use the NSA Elite Brute with built in brake system, no air, no nothing needed. Best there is. Just hitch and go. Get the Cooltech LLC wiring harness for your Jeep, it's a float system and doesn't use diodes which can cause problems.

[Rancher Rob]

Originally Posted by caseymyers

Not a fan of Blue Ox.

Any particular reason you're not a fan? Seems like a good heavy duty rig to me. But what do I know. Also, their 10" drop/rise adapter is rated to 10,000 lbs which is a lot more than other vendors I've found that offered a 10" adapter. Honestly asking if I overlooked something when going with BlueOx

[Rancher Rob]

I went with the Rock Krawler Long Arm as my cousin who is big into off-road rigs and works in the autoparts industry recommended it. Most people that I found who had reviewed them like them. Long arm because it supposed to be a "softer" ride. I'm getting older and don't like beating my spine to death anymore.
Yah, I'm not getting the warm fuzzys from my lift shop. They have good ratings and are nice enough but they brought the jeep back after re-aligning it with zero toe saying they think they fixed it. I got the wobble the first time I tried to test it. There has been a problem everytime I have them do something. If you notice the picture above, the license plate is tilted up because the mounted the flip down bracket upside down. Brand new bumpers have scratches, etc.
However, in their defense, in talking to RockKrawler, there are only 2 JL's with their long arm kits in country, mine being one of them. They are brand new kits that just came out. I'm paying the price for being a guinea pig. I'm kinda stuck with them now. I can't afford to pay someone else to fix it (local les Schwab suspension guy said he'd look it over for $120/hr and it would probably take half-day to whole day to review it all!)

[dannko]

Originally Posted by Rancher Rob

I went with the Rock Krawler Long Arm as my cousin who is big into off-road rigs and works in the autoparts industry recommended it. Most people that I found who had reviewed them like them. Long arm because it supposed to be a "softer" ride. I'm getting older and don't like beating my spine to death anymore.
Yah, I'm not getting the warm fuzzys from my lift shop. They have good ratings and are nice enough but they brought the jeep back after re-aligning it with zero toe saying they think they fixed it. I got the wobble the first time I tried to test it. There has been a problem everytime I have them do something. If you notice the picture above, the license plate is tilted up because the mounted the flip down bracket upside down. Brand new bumpers have scratches, etc.
However, in their defense, in talking to RockKrawler, there are only 2 JL's with their long arm kits in country, mine being one of them. They are brand new kits that just came out. I'm paying the price for being a guinea pig. I'm kinda stuck with them now. I can't afford to pay someone else to fix it (local les Schwab suspension guy said he'd look it over for $120/hr and it would probably take half-day to whole day to review it all!)

The wobble is probably from the trackbar like I was saying. Unless they did it, and squared up your axle. Remember you don't want zero toe, you want a very slight toe in, because when you accelerate and drive forward the wheels tend to bow "outward" from the momentum which then puts you at zero. I do mine by tape measure and it's only a 1/16" difference between back and front, up to 1/8" is tolerable. Now that doesn't affect death wobble, and besides the track bar others believe it's in the steering rod. I was trying to find a video that shows how bad the track bar bends, but cannot find it.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by Rancher Rob

Any particular reason you're not a fan? Seems like a good heavy duty rig to me. But what do I know. Also, their 10" drop/rise adapter is rated to 10,000 lbs which is a lot more than other vendors I've found that offered a 10" adapter. Honestly asking if I overlooked something when going with BlueOx

I had one of Blue Ox's aluminum rigs (don't remember the model). Had a $2 spring break on the latch in the middle of the desert one time, I looked back and noticed the Jeep was out in the next lane by a foot or so, that'll get your attention. Anyway so I'm broke down and I call Blue Ox and they tell me to just buy a new one. I called the closest RV parts dealer and he said he'd be glad to order me one and he'd have it in a few days plus shipping of course. It was 112 degrees and I parked the RV in a U-haul storage yard, drove home in the Jeep and bought a Roadmaster went back up 2 days later and picked up the RV. I like it, works great and I've had it for about 5 years now. Easier to unhook than a Blue Ox as Roadmaster has a non binding design.

[Rancher Rob]

Update:
I received the jeep back after they had 3 guys test drive it and couldn't find wobble. I took it out and it wobbled the first time I tried it. Though admittedly, I probably drive it harder and more recklessly out here in my small town than they would a customers new jeep in the city of Portlandia. I swerve and run up drive aprons and hop of curbs at 45 mph. It makes it wobble every time.
The Rock Krawler kit came with "anti-wobble front and read adjustable track bars" so I assume they re-checked those. I'll mention the toe-in+1/8" idea.
So it's going back next week to try again.
I'm going to try the air force one brake controller. To my warped mind and way of thinking it makes a lot of sense. Unless somebody knows something negative about it that they want to share?

[MoJoe1003]

Originally Posted by Rancher Rob

Update:



I'm going to try the air force one brake controller. To my warped mind and way of thinking it makes a lot of sense. Unless somebody knows something negative about it that they want to share?

I have the Air Force one brake controller on my XL and I love it. Works perfectly and I never have to take it out when I disconnect. Nothing to store. Just unplug the air line when unplugging the main harness from the coach and you’re done. Great system.

[DieselBurn]

I am also getting the AF system installed in our 2019 JLU Rubicon and XL next week together with the 10K Blue Ox system for the same reasons. Just got the Mopar towing harness installed this week. Almost there ...

[Ladytj1754]

Originally Posted by Orangecrush

He's about to find out... LOL

Just Empty Every Pocket!

Oh and btw, there is a certain way to flat tow. READ THIS!

How To Tow A Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Behind An RV
First, the transfer case must be shifted into NEUTRAL. Here's how to do that:
Key must be in the "accessory" position:

Depress and hold the brake pedal.
Set Parking Brake
Shift an automatic transmission into NEUTRAL (N) or depress clutch pedal on manual transmission.
Shift the transfer case level into NEUTRAL (N).
Start the engine.
Shift the automatic transmission into DRIVE (D) or the manual transmission into gear.
Release the brake pedal and ensure that there is no vehicle movement.
IMPORTANT: Shut the engine off and place the ignition key into the unlocked OFF position.*
Shift the automatic transmission into PARK (P).
Apply the parking brake.
Attach the Jeep to the tow vehicle with a tow bar.
Release the parking brake.
Note: Damage to the transmission may occur if the transmission is shifted into PARK (P) with the transfer case in NEUTRAL (N) and the engine running!

Note: Do not use a bumper mounted clamp-on tow bar on the Jeep Wrangler or Wrangler Unlimited JK. The bumper face bar can be damaged. You can shop all the bumpers we sell here

The instructions in our manual state the battery negative must be disconnected to ready for towing. We have a Brake Buddy that needs power to run. Also need the lights on the Jeep to work. If battery is disconnected, how can this work to flat tow?

[halla]

I have never unhooked the battery in our 15 JK unlimited. Our RVI brake requires power as well.

[Sandiegodoug]

I’ve never unhooked battery in our jk rubicon either and never has any issues, even on a long tow.

[MoJoe1003]

X3 never unhook the battery in my 2018 Jeep Wrangler and my owners manual does not mention needing to unhook it. I did install a battery charge line in my Blue Ox hook up so there is no chance of any battery drain. Also, the 2018 - 2020 models do not require the ignition to be in the accessory position. 15,000 miles towing the Jeep and no issues so far.

[Sandiegodoug]

My 2013 doesn’t require key to be in ignition at all.

[Orangecrush]

Originally Posted by Rancher Rob

Update:
I received the jeep back after they had 3 guys test drive it and couldn't find wobble. I took it out and it wobbled the first time I tried it. Though admittedly, I probably drive it harder and more recklessly out here in my small town than they would a customers new jeep in the city of Portlandia. I swerve and run up drive aprons and hop of curbs at 45 mph. It makes it wobble every time.
The Rock Krawler kit came with "anti-wobble front and read adjustable track bars" so I assume they re-checked those. I'll mention the toe-in+1/8" idea.
So it's going back next week to try again.
I'm going to try the air force one brake controller. To my warped mind and way of thinking it makes a lot of sense. Unless somebody knows something negative about it that they want to share?

Did you ever get your wobble taken care of? I know it was mentioned that the trackbar may be the cultprit but there are other things too.

Check the slop from the trackbar. The factory uses a 14mm bolt. Many people (including myself) swapped the bolt out to a 9/16" bolt to take up some of the slack.

If it is a RK track bar, the bushing in the end of the track bar is adjustable, it takes a tool that looks like a socket but has 4 prongs on it to turn it in.

Also look at ball joints, those two items are usually the culprits.

HTH's,

Mark

[Rancher Rob]

I have the death wobble fixed, sort of.
It went back to the shop a couple more times. Once for a gas tank leak that they caused. They changed the front springs to procomp non-progressive type that they claimed "took some of the wobble out". Then "to take the rest of the wobble out", they put on a fox 2.0 adjustable steering stabilizer shock, after I specifically told them I didn't want a stabilizer. But, it does mask the problem and I haven't had the wobble with that on there. I've had the jeep to the local gas station/mechanic as well as the local Les Schwab tire place that does suspension work and they can't find anything wrong with it.
I get different answers from different places. But since I spent the summer mostly unable to drive the new jeep, I'm just gonna drive it and get it hooked up for RV'ing and will look into deathwobble more later.
I did get the original shop to put a new set of progressive Rock Krawler springs back in the jeep. They feel a lot nicer and softer like you can drive over anything with just a minor bump sensation.
Best explanation I've heard so far, from Rock Krawler, is that the stock jeep steering linkage has harmonic resonance issues which can cause the death wobble. Makes sense. So I may install SteerSmart steering drag link and tie-rod at some point.
Right now I just gotta get the RV fixed and the Jeep hooked up so we can actually use them! We're hoping to take the kids to Leavenworth, WA this Christmas.