Flat tow or use a dolly ??? Jeep jk new to me

[fottip]

Without more specific detail on the "JK", there's no way to give a more specific answer.

But what we DO know, is that lots of RV'ers buy Jeep Wranglers for the specific reason that they come from the factory configured to be towed 4-wheels down "recreationally", which means, no dolly. The jeep configuration for towing is, transfer case in NEUTRAL, and transmission in PARK (OP - not in neutral, at least for late model JKs).

It's a mystery to me how anyone can claim that dolly towing is more advantageous than towing 4-down; it just isn't. The first thing a dolly-tower has to do is decide what to do with the dolly at the campsite. THAT'S an "advantage"?

[Cooperhawk]

Well, there's that chorus of "I'm the only one that's right."

He did not specify what model or year of jeep he has.

Many folks tow with a dolly and like it just fine. We did until we purchased a vehicle that could be towed four down. We were rather happy towing our VW on a dolly as it was a great car.

So we've done both and I would never make snide remarks like some of you seem to enjoy doing. It's up to the individual and what they want to tow.

[fottip]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

Well, there's that chorus of "I'm the only one that's right."

Yes, you nailed it.

He did not specify what model or year of jeep he has.

You noticed that...nicely done. That's why I said "Without more specific detail on the "JK", there's no way to give a more specific answer."

Many folks tow with a dolly and like it just fine... I would never make snide remarks like some of you seem to enjoy doing.

I made no "snide remarks"...I just stated facts. Again, I challenge you to make a convincing argument that, given the choice, dragging a dolly around is an optimal solution. Go ahead...

The amazing thing to me is that you people in the dolly-advocacy group get your noses so out of joint whenever anyone mentions the disadvantages of doing it. Why is that? Is it "4-down envy"?

It's up to the individual and what they want to tow.

Who said it wasn't? If someone owns a toad that can't be towed 4-down, but can be towed on a dolly, that's fine - get a dolly and be prepared to deal with the down-side of it. But trying to defend dolly-towing at the top of the priority list? C'mon. Ain't happenin'.

[hohenwald48]

Doesn't matter what's easier or whats cheaper or what you prefer or not or what a particular individual might like. The fact is that a Wrangler JK can't be towed on a dolly.

No more specific information is necessary. The OP gave all the information needed. He said he has a JK, a JK is a Wrangler, doesn't matter what year it is. No Wranglers (as far as I know since the beginning of time up until yesterday) can be towed on a dolly. Just because some of you like a dolly that doesn't mean the OP can use one.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

He did not specify what model or year of jeep he has.

He said JK. That's all the information needed.

[Craig1960]

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Doesn't matter what's easier or whats cheaper or what you prefer or not or what a particular individual might like. The fact is that a Wrangler JK can't be towed on a dolly.

No more specific information is necessary. The OP gave all the information needed. He said he has a JK, a JK is a Wrangler, doesn't matter what year it is. No Wranglers (as far as I know since the beginning of time up until yesterday) can be towed on a dolly. Just because some of you like a dolly that doesn't mean the OP can use one.

I think you can tow a JK on a dolly with a d/s disconnect, not that anyone would do I don't think.

I haven't done the dolly but have done the trailer and today was my first time towing 4 down with my JK. I probably took me as long to hook up the JK as it did to load the car on the trailer, only because I have down the car trailer a lot and I haven't done the towbar much yet. I would say 5 minutes to hook up and the same to disconnect today. The one thing I did today that I need to remember when unhooking, the Jeep can roll. I was on pretty flat ground and didn't put the E brake on so that I can pull on the Jeep a little to make the pins slide right out.

I bought my set up used on the Canadian equivalent to Craig's List "Kijiji" for 1,000.00 complete with everything needed from the baseplate to the locks for the pins including the Brake Buddy brake system and Blue Ox tow bar. I still see deals like that now, just have to be watching for them and make sure they aren't worn out.

In the end so far IMO 4 down is the way to go.

[wmiii]

Depending on where you are, I would like to have your dolly. (I'd need to go get it)
I'm not going to buy another car in order to flat tow or spend $6,000 to get our 2007 Chrysler mini van flat towable.

Wm Mayberry
Palmetto, FL

[fottip]

Originally Posted by Craig1960

In the end so far IMO 4 down is the way to go.

And that about sums it up. Claims to the contrary are agenda-driven, not FACT-based.

[tizzyfit]

If a two wheel tow dolly is $1,800 why not opt for a 16' tandem axil car hauler? With electric brakes on all 4 tires, ramps, spare tire, my car hauler came in around $2,500 which I could use for other things plus there seems to be a market for trailers should you decide you no longer want/need it.

[Santa_Claus]

Originally Posted by tizzyfit

If a two wheel tow dolly is $1,800 why not opt for a 16' tandem axil car hauler? With electric brakes on all 4 tires, ramps, spare tire, my car hauler came in around $2,500 which I could use for other things plus there seems to be a market for trailers should you decide you no longer want/need it.

Add a brake controller and you will be in the territory of buying the very best flat-towing setup available. Easy connect, no storage woes, less maintenance, less weight, less length. Can't imagine trailer towing a flat towable vehicle, personally.

[Cooperhawk]

Originally Posted by fottip

Who said it wasn't? If someone owns a toad that can't be towed 4-down, but can be towed on a dolly, that's fine - get a dolly and be prepared to deal with the down-side of it. But trying to defend dolly-towing at the top of the priority list? C'mon. Ain't happenin'.

Well, if you read my post you would know that we now tow four down. The advantage of a dolly is that you can tow numerous vehicles without modifying them at all. I first dollyed a Ford Taurus followed by an Explorer with a Drive Shaft Disconnect. Then a VW Jedda and finally a VW Passat. At one point I even towed my 74 Corvette with a manual trans.

So give it a rest. There are advantages to a dolly just like anything else.
It cost quite a bit to equip my 2015 Explorer to tow four down and if I planned to trade every year or so I wouldn't want to spend the money.

[fottip]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

So give it a rest. There are advantages to a dolly just like anything else.

Oh, bunk. How 'bout YOU "give it a rest"? I bought a Jeep because I knew it was designed to be towed without all the mods you complain you've done to your litany of vehicles. Why do you think Honda CRVs and Jeeps are so prevalent as toads? It's not rocket science.

Rationalizing dollies with the argument about "towing multiple vehicles" is just that - rationalizing. How many people want or need to do that? It's a miniscule number.

Most people evaluate the options and conclude that wrestling with dollies and trying to figure out where to put them at campgrounds would be a royal PITA - SO THEY DON'T DO IT. Trying to put a happy face on it is putting perfume on a pig.

[tizzyfit]

Originally Posted by Santa_Claus

Add a brake controller and you will be in the territory of buying the very best flat-towing setup available. Easy connect, no storage woes, less maintenance, less weight, less length. Can't imagine trailer towing a flat towable vehicle, personally.

Well Santa, if your flat towed vehicle has 5" of ground clearance and you don't want the hood, and front fenders trashed due to "stuff" being kicked up from the rear tires, you "might" be able to imagine WHY. Oh, the other cost factor in my case was having someone install the baseplate which included the removal of the nose piece, then cutting holes in the grillwork, then reinstalling everything. I would think riding in a slay behind 8 raindeers would reinforce the idea of not wanting "stuff" hitting your frontend, but, then again, some people may think that would be enjoyable.

[MisterT]

wow! and I thought 'I' was opinionated! (so my wife also says) : /

o.k. I've done both...so I'll just give you my experience, and my two cents, which doesn't buy much anymore, so you'll get what you've 'paid' for : 0

- we started as first time RVrs and first time FULLtimers, all at the same time, and with a package deal on a used 2009 Ram 3500 diesel towing a slightly used 2014 40' Blackwood bunkhouse fifth wheel. What a first experience! My wife followed in my brand new 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude. A wonderful car, which I also used daily to make insurance inspections along the panhandle coast of Florida - not a bad 'view' of the white sand beaches everyday at the top of apartment complexes and condo roofs!
..... of course, no dolly or trailer or flat towing needed. Oh well.

- we traded fairly quickly to a new Class A gas GeorgetownXL 360DS, out at MHSRV in Texas, and added a new tow dolly as part of the package deal, knowing that now we'd be down to a 'toad', as they say in the business. Unfortunately, a little research and perusing of the owners manual for the Jeep showed that it was not towable 4-down. These particular Jeep chassis types require the Jeep ActiveDriveII, with a 'neutral' tow button...but mine did not. A tow dolly it is. No worries.
....having never really towed anything on a dolly before, at least that I can remember, was a new experience, and challenge, as the first time to drive you brand new vehicle up a ramp onto a 'platform' that you can not SEE, is unnerving, takes confidence, luck, and help from onlookers. Oh well. We didn't wreck anything yet. I quickly learned that driving up onto the ramps is not as 'easy' as it may seem to be made out to be. Sure, if you done it hundreds of times, but not the first few, or maybe the first hundred! You also have to keep it centered, not easy when you can't 'see' the dolly that you are driving up on, and at the same time hoping that it's connected properly to the coach's own hitch and ball. Once 'done', and a couple of trips in and out of the card and around to 'look' to make sure, you can turn the car off, removed the key, and lock the doors, making sure the windows are let up(! don't forget!). I found that it's also not always easy getting in and out of the vehicle when it's on a ramp!
Now, you get to learn how to 'wrap' the front tires with straps. That in itself is a little confusing, as the webbing can be a little tough to figure out when you're new. Then, you hope you've ratcheted down the straps tight enough.. learning how the ratchet works is also a little confusing. But, when that's all finally 'done', and the sweat is drenching your shirt and dripping down your forehead, and into your eyes, you only have to remember to add the chains and you're done! at least hopefully, you'll never really know until you get in the coach and start moving forward.
Oh, wait, I forgot about hooking up the lights, but you'll do that no matter which method you choose. Hopefully, you've done everything correctly.
Yes, we did fine. No worries. If this is how you tow your car, then so be it, MOST of the RV public actually does it this way, NOT 4-down, as some would lead you to believe.

- we almost as quickly traded 'up'(?) from the gasser to a ClassA DIESEL, a Palazzo. I not only needed bunks for the boys, which the Georgetown did not have(silly me!), but I also had had enough of 'tow dollying'... ummm, well, the 'sweating' part of it anyway. And, did I mention that you can't just 'move' your tow dolly when the car is on it? Nope, no way. You have to disconnect and dismount the car, THEN, and only then, can you manually move the tow dolly, which can also be a little back-breaking at times, when you are not on 'flat' land! It was time to 'toad' my vehicle!
But I didn't have a 'toad' car, my Jeep was not towable 4-down, so I bit the bullet and decided to 'sell' the new Jeep, or eventually what I did was 'trade' it in for a 4-down towable automatic front-wheel drive '14 Ford Fiesta SE 4-door sedan... and a LOT of money back! Sweet.
Part of the deal was that the salesman knew the 4-wheel drive/truck shop, just down the street, that could add my required tow bracket on the front of the car, which I ordered online and had shipped directly to them, for a 'discounted' fee. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but $300 was a deal to me for installing the bracket, and the wiring harness, wiring plug, and tail bulbs to the rear lights. These run from the 12v RV power and have nothing to do with the cars own lights. Once the install was complete in a day or two, I inspected it and drove it across the street to where the coach was parked. I had installed a 8" inverted drop in my 2" RV receiver, and added the new BlueOx Alpha tow bar, cables, and 7pin to 6pin wire harness, ready for the new car to be attached. It went without a 'hitch'(no pun!), and was fairly easy, even the first time. The car is simply parked 'near' the ends of the tow bar arms, and because they are 'flexible' in length, you have 8-12" of play to work with. They simple fit into several 'pins' that protrude from the front of the car's tow bracket, and are fitted with locking shafts to complete the hookup, with only the safety cables connected and the light wiring to be plugged in. Done.
I backed the car gingerly to get the tow bar arms fully extracted, with a slight bump for acknowledgement, turned the car off, turned the car back to 'on', pressed the brake pedal(for this particular model car), put the automatic shifter into Neutral, waiting for the 'Transmission ready' alert on the dash, released the brake, and turned the car to 'off'. Now, the key will not be removed, cannot be removed when it's in Neutral, so, the installer had also added a 'battery disconnect' under the hood, to remove all 12v power from draining the battery while towing, and for being able to remove the key.

Our first 'trip' was around the huge dealership open and almost vacant rear parking lot. It was very nice to have as a first education. My wife stayed outside and videoed the experience, as I also wanted to 'see' how the car was moving when I watched it later. My experience within the coach was pleasant, the car tracked exactly as my rear tires were moving, and gave no impression of anything amiss or incorrect. I made several big sweeping turns, and several really 'tight' turns, where I could both 'see' the toad's tires rolling correctly, the front tires turning with the turn, and everything was smooth. I braked quickly, and the car stopped just as well, with no indication or feeling of any type of push on the coach. I was now gaining confidence that the car was doing exactly what it and the tow bar system were designed to do. Nice.

Our first major trip was thru Georgia, from the Florida panhandle, up thru North Georgia and into North Carolina, and over the 'mountains' into Gatlinburg Tennessee... a NICE ride and a very GOOD test. Everything was fine. I found hookup and unhooking were just as easy, with just a short list of things to 'remember' to do. I could now unhook my toad anytime, anywhere, and by myself. No problems.



My advice. Do what makes sense for YOU, not everyone else. If you're not comfortable with 4-down towing, don't want the initial upfront expense, and don't already own a vehicle to tow 4-down, then use a simple tow dolly, if nothing else, for the experience and the learning.
IF you decide to change, then you'll already have some experience behind you, and confidence in your driving, well before you attack the 4-down towing experience, though it's certainly easy.