Double Towing

[KramalotInn]

Has anyone done any double towing? I am considering double towing a Jeep Wrangler four-down. I know that I will need a tow bar and brake system for the Jeep.

I know my truck has enough power to pull, but I am concerned about the trailer hitch capacity and the trailer's up/down movement on the tow bar.

Rick

[KramalotInn]

Has anyone done any double towing? I am considering double towing a Jeep Wrangler four-down. I know that I will need a tow bar and brake system for the Jeep.

I know my truck has enough power to pull, but I am concerned about the trailer hitch capacity and the trailer's up/down movement on the tow bar.

Rick

[ChiefJohn]

Rick,
I would do as some on the HDT forum practice, tow double, if stopped plead ignorant, disconnect the toad, and have the DW drive the toad. Down the road about a 100 miles or across the next state line, reconnect and proceed on your journey. This is what we plan on doing next year.

[wrongway]

Some States have certain length laws. Most are least 60 ft. but some have more. I would check with the states DOT length Laws. With the length of the Jeep, and your Excel, I don't think that you are going to have any trouble with the length. Your Hitch, if installed by Excel, has a rating of 4000 lbs., with a 400 lb tongue weight. I think that you would be OK here as well.
With the length, I would do what John stated as well. Plead the 5th.

Good luck in your travels.

[rockintom]

We are in ND now and when we passed the Garrison Dam the other day, I have never seen so many 5ers with boats behind in my life! Gobs of them.

I have a friend that is still working (no relation to Still Working) and he tows a 39ft SOB 5er with a Jeep. Sucker is 80 ft long total. illegal in every state in the union. He has been doing this for 13 yrs now and has been cited only one time ($500.00 fine and had to park the towed-was in OR). He claims that MOST states turn their head if your not in a accident or caught holding up traffic. He claims most state troupers don't know their state limits.

Anyhow this is not for me. I would be sweating bullets worrying about a ticket. Tug wouldn't like it anyway. HDT would be a necessity.

[D and J]

Rick,

Just thinking out loud here, But If I owned your truck, I would consider using a tow dolly instead of 4 wheels down.

Your truck has plenty of brakes, and then you just have to worry about turnsignals and runaway brake system instead of a brakebuddy. Would probably save you about 1500 bucks.

[ChiefJohn]

Doug,
We've towed a 'toad' both ways and agree the dolly method has some advantages. I prefer the four-down method as I don't have to deal with the dolly when we get to our destination.

[D and J]

one question then, John. Does either solution allow you to back up?? or can you only go forward?

[Ray,IN]

Before jumping into this, have you checked with your trailer manufacturer to insure the frame is strong enough to withstand the added stress' and torque?
And no- backing both trailer and vehicle is not practical.

[ChiefJohn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">And no- backing both trailer and vehicle is not practical. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Ray

[tnance]

We have been double towing a Jeep Wrangler for several years now. Towing four down makes it easy to hook and unhook.
I custom built my own hitch. Picture below.
I built the hitch using two three foot long quarter inch thick I beams and a four inch square heavy wall tube. The three foot long I-beams are bolted to the I-beam frame on my Teton with twelve half-inch diameter bolts.



I installed a camera on the rear of the fifth wheel to keep an eye on the Jeep when we tow. This is a must because you will not be able to see the Jeep in your rear view mirrors. Making turns turned out to be a non-issue. The narrow stance of the Jeep makes the Jeep's track inside the fifth wheel track.
We have only had to back up once and we were able to back up enough that we did not have to unhook the Jeep.

[KramalotInn]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Bryan,

Is the factory installed trailer hitch engineered to pull a 3,800# vehicle?

Thanks,
Rick

[D and J]

the hitch on my 06 is labeled 400# tongue 4000# total

[ChiefJohn]

Thanks Doug -- I should have included in my post that the only trailer I'm aware that can be backed behind a 5th wheel is the Idaho Tote, which is $$$$ for the size.