Camping in an RV is a fun and memorable experience that you can enjoy alone, with friends or family. However, RVs are cumbersome, and driving one into town might not be ideal; hence the reason why most people opt for smaller cars. However, you might have to flat tow your smaller car behind your RV during your camping trip.
Jeeps are among the vehicles that were designed to be flat towed. It is no surprise to see several of them being flat towed behind trucks and RVs all over the country. Flat towing a manual jeep wrangler is easy; however, there are several things that you should do to ensure that you don’t damage your car.
You will require at least five towing components to flat tow your Jeep. These include safety cables, base plates, towing lights, a tow bar, and a supplemental braking system. Here are the reasons why each component is crucial.
Base Plates
You will need to install attachment points on the Jeep’s frame to make the tow bar’s connection easier. You will require a custom-fit attachment point that’s specific to your Jeep. Base plates are compatible with most 2007-2018 Jeep Wranglers with a standard factory bumper.
Installing the base plates will often entail trimming the rock guard and drilling holes.
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Tow Bars
Several tow bars are available in the market, and they range from a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. A tow bar is essential when flat towing your Jeep because it mounts onto your Jeep’s front bumper, and you can fold it down to hook onto the hitch of the tow rig.
Unlike base plates, most tow bars aren’t custom-fit components; hence, you will need to find a tow bar compatible with your Jeep’s base plate. It would help if you found a tow bar manufactured by the same company as your base plate.
It is also advisable to get a tow bar that is equipped with safety chains. You will require safety chains when flat towing; therefore, buying a tow bar equipped with them will help you save money and time. Ensure that the chains are the correct length for your ideal setup.
Safety Cables
Installing a towing bar and having base plates does not guarantee that the towing bar will not malfunction. You need a backup in case of any malfunctioning to ensure that the towing process is as smooth as possible.
Safety cables are the backup you need, and you will require attachment points to connect the safety chains or cables. The most popular attachment points are the tow hooks and D-rings, which you can purchase when buying the safety cables. Your flat towing setup will determine whether you should use straight or coiled safety cables.
Supplemental Braking System
If you flat tow frequently, it is advisable to get a supplemental braking system. An additional braking system helps slow down your Jeep as your RV or truck slows down. Some studies have indicated that this braking system can reduce the braking distance by up to 50%. Some states have passed laws to make it mandatory to have a supplemental braking system because it shortens the braking distance and reduces possible wear and tear.
You can decide to use a portable system or opt for a fixed one. However, a fixed one might bring up several problems in the future when you choose to sell your Jeep. You can also choose between a manual and an electronic braking system. An electronic system has a central unit that can be installed in your RV to communicate with the unit found in your Jeep.
Towing Lights
Towing lights can help keep your rig and other drivers safe when you are flat towing a Jeep. You can take two approaches when it comes to towing lights:
Tapping into Your Jeep’s Lights
If you will be doing a lot of flat towing, it is best to find a more permanent solution. You can use a simple kit to connect your Jeep’s built-in lights using a flat four-light assembly. With this system, you can connect your RV’s light controls to your Jeep while avoiding power feedback that could eventually damage your Jeep’s lighting and electrical systems. Once installed, you can plug in the flat-four connector, which will allow your Jeep’s lights to indicate when you’re stopping, braking, or turning.
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Portable Trailer Lights
You can magnetically mount portable lights to your Jeep to give you brake and turn signals. The only disadvantage of portable lights is that they use batteries, which have to be replaced regularly.
How to Flat Tow a Jeep Wrangler With a Manual Transmission
Now that you have all the components that are necessary for towing, here is how you can flat tow a manual transmission Jeep according to the owner’s manual:
- Depress the brake pedal
- Depress the clutch pedal
- Shift the transfer case into Neutral (N)
- Start the engine
- Place the manual transmission into gear. The 2ndor 3rd gears are the most popular. However, it would help if you didn’t put it into Neutral because this will prevent the transmission from lubricating and may burn up during towing.
- Release the brake pedal to ensure no movement.
- Shut the engine off and place the ignition key into the unlocked OFF position. This will allow the steering wheel to turn during towing.
- Apply the parking brake
- Attach the Jeep Wrangler to the desired tow vehicle
- Release the parking brake.
Can You Flat Tow a Jeep Without Brakes?
It is not advisable to flat-tow a Jeep without brakes. You can get a supplemental braking system when towing a Jeep Wrangler behind a truck or an RV to help it slow down as the truck or RV slows down. The supplemental braking will also help you during emergency stopping and on long downhill grades.
What Makes a Vehicle Flat Towable?
Any vehicle with a manual transmission can be flat towed. If a car is equipped with either a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, or a four-wheel drive and a manual transfer case that can be put in neutral, it can most likely be flat-towed.
If you want to flat-tow a car with an automatic transmission, you will need first need to understand whether flat towing is an option or not. You can easily find this information in the car’s owner’s manual.
Can You Tow a Jeep Wrangler With a Tow Dolly?
Jeep’s owner’s manual advises against towing a Wrangler on a tow dolly. This advice may be because of the transfer case. On a tow dolly, the front wheels do not turn while the back ones do. It is advisable that before flat towing a Jeep Wrangler, you should ensure that the transfer case is in Neutral and the manual transmission is in the 2nd or 3rd gear.
Does Flat Towing a Jeep Add Miles?
Flat towing your Jeep behind an RV will not add miles. Most modern vehicles use an electric system to register mileage on the odometer. A Jeep that is being towed while the motor is off won’t rack up the mileage numbers.
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Flat towing your manual Jeep Wrangler is easy, especially if you have the correct towing components. Ensure that you buy them before you start the towing process. Also, remember that tow bars do not have a speed limit and can be used at any speed; however, they are subject to the prevailing highway speed towing laws.