Flat Tow equipment

Antper · 01-25-2021, 06:03 PM

Ok Purchased my Jeep G.C. mainly for the mainly for the flat tow on my 30X What tow equipment manufacture do you all recommend? Did any of you install it yourself or by your RV dealer or your local auto repair facility. My situation the front face of the jeep has to come off and some cutting in grill to have the various attachment accessible so I'm gonna have to trust in the installer not to do body damage with disassembly. Do you buy soup to nuts as a kit? Is the braking equipment included? Or should I go with the less hassle front wheel tow dolly? Thanks in advance.

Grumpy · 01-25-2021, 06:17 PM

I always used BLUE OX and installed my own base plates, Chevy S-10, Cherokee, GMC Canyon, Silverado and Sonic. So if you're handy installing everthing your self if not an issue. Yes, you do remove the grills and front trim, but that's not a bad job as long as you have the right tools. No packages, so everything is sold separately, supplemental braking unit too. However your dealer may sell what they call packages per se. Don't forget you need wiring for the lights too.

Tow dollies may be simpler initially, but takes more time to load and unload and then you need to have a site big enough to store it.

RRHunter · 01-25-2021, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antper

Ok Purchased my Jeep G.C. mainly for the mainly for the flat tow on my 30X What tow equipment manufacture do you all recommend? Did any of you install it yourself or by your RV dealer or your local auto repair facility. My situation the front face of the jeep has to come off and some cutting in grill to have the various attachment accessible so I'm gonna have to trust in the installer not to do body damage with disassembly. Do you buy soup to nuts as a kit? Is the braking equipment included? Or should I go with the less hassle front wheel tow dolly? Thanks in advance.

Just put on Roadmaster kit for my 2020 Jeep GC Trailhawk. Used Roadmaster direct connect baseplate, roadmaster tow bar wiring kit for GC, Roadmaster nighthawk towbar. Got the bulk of it from etrailer and I think some from Amazon and watched Etrailer You tube videos for installation. I am fairly handy but not a mechanic by any means - took about 6 hours. Hardest part was drilling hole for the baseplate in bumper (need good bit) and running all the wiring to the back to keep it from getting into the exhaust system. Cut the fascia with small dremel cut off wheel - just take your time as was pretty easy and straight forward. Am using RVI brake system and their wireless adapter for breakaway cable. All of this fairly expensive as spent about $3000 total (able to find the RVI brake on ebay). But makes for sweet setup that looks great and is very easy to hookup when ready for the trip. Could probably do with less expensive tow bar and hookup - I just liked the reviews on the Roadmaster and looks great with LED lights when hooked up. Pulling with Jayco 27U. can definitely feel it is there but not bad. Have been only on relatively flat terrain in central Texas thus far. - Good luck.

Antper · 01-25-2021, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

I always used BLUE OX and installed my own base plates, Chevy S-10, Cherokee, GMC Canyon, Silverado and Sonic. So if you're handy installing everthing your self if not an issue. Yes, you do remove the grills and front trim, but that's not a bad job as long as you have the right tools. No packages, so everything is sold separately, supplemental braking unit too. However your dealer may sell what they call packages per se. Don't forget you need wiring for the lights too.

Tow dollies may be simpler initially, but takes more time to load and unload and then you need to have a site big enough to store it.

Also what are you using as a debris deflector to protect your toad if any?

Grumpy · 01-25-2021, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antper

Also what are you using as a debris deflector to protect your toad if any?

A bra on one.

EA37TS · 01-25-2021, 06:38 PM

2019 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

Roadmaster wiring kit
Roadmaster Sterling All Terrain tow bar
Roadmaster crossbar quick disconnect baseplate
Roadmaster Invisibrake
Roadmaster Brake Monitor

I do not use a debris collector and have had no damage to the WK2 after 7K miles of towing.

Note: Install a dedicated charge line in the towing setup. They are not always included as part of the installation.

CAG · 01-25-2021, 07:04 PM

I had the best luck and customer service from Roadmaster. I went with baseplate equipment that was not visible on the front of the Jeep and a different braking system that did not involve an intrusive gadget on the floorboard between the seat and brake. A simple flip of a switch activates the brake system.

I have a clear bra on all of my vehicles but have had no paint damage. The Jeep is tucked behind and out of the way.

Antper · 01-25-2021, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAG

I had the best luck and customer service from Roadmaster. I went with baseplate equipment that was not visible on the front of the Jeep and a different braking system that did not involve an intrusive gadget on the floorboard between the seat and brake. A simple flip of a switch activates the brake system.

I have a clear bra on all of my vehicles but have had no paint damage. The Jeep is tucked behind and out of the way.

Who was the brake system Manufacturer? Road master? I've seen the ones that are mounted to firewall and attach to brake arm?

memphis02 · 01-25-2021, 08:18 PM

I just finished with a restore job on a 2000 XJ. On the advice of this group, rather than a tow base plate, I went with a tow/winch rated front bumper that uses roadmaster adapter shackles and a roadmaster towbar. I wired the vehicle myself, it was incredibly easy plugging in the diodes and also added a charge circuit to keep the battery charged. I used the RV iBrake3 system and it is amazing, it is far simpler than some of the others and it 'just works'.
We just finished our first trip, 900mi and didn't have a single issue.

craigav · 01-25-2021, 08:41 PM

Both a dolly and flat tow have their own unique advantages. (and disadvantages)

I started with a Stehl tow dolly with built in surge disc brakes as the toad I have (Chev sonic), I don't plan to keep for long and will give it to my daughter and I don't tow the toad all the time anyway. With a tow dolly you can tow almost any front wheel drive vehicle and some rear wheel drives along with most 4wd. So that is the main advantage, tow most anything w/o investing a lot of $$$ setting up a specific toad.

However, I now have a Chevrolet Colorado 4x4 pickup truck that I plan to keep for a very long time and have the Blue Ox Towbar setup for it. Flat towing is a better experience overall, however to be fair I could load and unload the dolly in 10~15 minutes most, so it wasn't a big deal and the flat tow still takes me maybe half that.

I still have the tow dolly though in case I want to tow the Sonic again or some other toad, but I would recommend BlueOx or RoadMaster setup if you are confident you will keep your toad long enough to make the cost worthwhile. If you plan to change toads soon, or have more than one, then I would go with a dolly for now, you could always sell it later.

~CA

CAG · 01-25-2021, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antper

Who was the brake system Manufacturer? Road master? I've seen the ones that are mounted to firewall and attach to brake arm?

Demco Stay and Play DUO and it works great. As I mentioned a simple flip of the switch turns it on or off. No obnoxious brake pushing machine between the seat and pedal. Hook up the tow bar, flip the switch and go.

Dgibbster · 01-26-2021, 02:17 AM

Blue ox and road master make good base plate for the jeep and i do like the blue ox tow bar for my wrangler. And i installed “Rock Solid” rock guard that i welded angle iron to bottom of bumper. And installed everything myself, have trouble with the high prices for install, even though things are very difficult with disabilities i do all i can and then too much, says the wife and my pains.

Antper · 01-27-2021, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by memphis02

I just finished with a restore job on a 2000 XJ. On the advice of this group, rather than a tow base plate, I went with a tow/winch rated front bumper that uses roadmaster adapter shackles and a roadmaster towbar. I wired the vehicle myself, it was incredibly easy plugging in the diodes and also added a charge circuit to keep the battery charged. I used the RV iBrake3 system and it is amazing, it is far simpler than some of the others and it 'just works'.
We just finished our first trip, 900mi and didn't have a single issue.

I just checked out that IBrake3 system and I like the looks of it and the easy on install.

Camper_bob · 01-27-2021, 08:45 AM

You cannot dolly tow Jeeps per the owner's manual. It's either all 4 down, or on a flat bed all 4 up. The Grand must have a 2-spd transfer case with true low-range 4-wheel drive. Wranglers are all equipped that way, but not all Grands are.

I installed all Blue Ox equipment on both my 2015 Grand Cherokee (WK2) and my 2020 Wrangler Unlimited (JLU). I personally did the entire install myself for both vehicles. Base plate was not a cross match, so I had to replace that when I went into the JLU, but my brake transferred (Blue Ox Patriot 2). In the JLU I used Cool-Tech for lighting wiring which taps into the Jeep's chassis lighting under the passenger side rocker panel. And I installed a dedicated 12V socket directly from the battery (fused of course) for the brake along with a Roadmaster charge-line kit to keep the battery topped up while in transit. Complete install of all components is a good day's work if you work methodically and take your time to do it right. I broke mine up over a few days as I had time, leaving the installation of the base-plate for a Saturday evening/Sunday morning.

Basically the only difference between the WK2 and the JLU was HOW I did the lighting wiring; I used a diode kit (Roadmaster IIRC) on the Grand as opposed to the Cool-Tech harness on the JLU. Plus you don't have to remove the front fascia on the Wrangler.

As far as removing the front fascia on the Grand, it's not that bad, but you have to be patient. If you get frustrated and start pulling on it, you're going to break something you'll wish you hadn't. Cutting access for your plugs and such is easily accomplished with a Dremel and your favorite cutting bit. Take your time and measure carefully so you only remove what you NEED to remove.

Shop labor on flat-tow install is ridiculous IMO, plus I like to turn my own wrenches.

Overall I found the install on the Wrangler to be slightly easier than on the Grand, mostly because of the front fascia. DW about fell on the floor when she came out in the garage and saw I had the "whole front of the Jeep" off and stacked in the corner. JLU is a few clips and 8 nuts to remove the front bumper; easy as pie.

ETA: The reason I chose the Blue Ox Patriot for braking is that I sometimes also tow a 1994 YJ; I can port that brake to another vehicle when/if I need to, and all I need "permanently" installed is the breakaway switch. The YJ is also already set up for flat-tow as it was our first "toad" before the Grand.

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