Tow Rigs

[LoneWolf]

What are the key things to have in regards to a tow vehicle? I've been looking at 3/4 4x4 Suburbans... simply because of the room they have and figure it would be more than enough to tow a Jeep... possibly 2 if the need ever arose. I thought of an extended cab truck which would be nice because of the bed, but I also want to be able to have room to pile people in the tow rig when we travel.

What about Trailers? what's the best all around size for towing Jeeps.

What do you like or dislike about your tow rig?  Post up some pictures of it.

[YJ_Aaron]

If your only going to be towing 1 then a burb is a good rig.  If your going to think about doing 2 then you might want to go Excursion and power stroke.  To tow 2 you need 22' of trailer if they are stock length jeeps.  

For mine I have an 18' dove tail which makes loading and unloading easier since I don't use the ramps most of the time.  

Best tow rig I've had so far and I've owned a bunch is a 24 valve Cummins.  20+mpg when unloaded and lowest I ever got was 15mpg towing my jeep.  This was running the truck at very high speeds.

Aaron

[YJ_Aaron]

04 GMC with 5.3  Tows 1 jeep GREAT and with true 4 doors it has room inside.

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/alarose41/?action=view&current=100_0096.jpg

My dodge and 18' trailer with old YJ on it.
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/alarose41/?action=view&current=ROCKPORT001.jpg

[BigFord74]

Big thing is making sure the appropriate vehicle can tow the weight. Get a pretty good figure of the most weight you will possibly tow and make sure the vehicle is equiped to do it.

Lot of ppl like there diesels for towing and there are some serioud torque monster's out there. I personally don't prefer the smell or sound of one. But hey i wouldn't be against one if it had the right price tag. As you can tell by my name i'm a bigger Ford fan then anything.  On a presonal preferance and someday i'll have is a nice Excursion and F350 V10 models. It would have to be an '05 or newer. The 3v V10's in the trucks i guess are monster's to have.


As for trailor's here's a link to the one i'd really like to get. Only cause i'm wanting to keep away from a gooseneck. Another of those personal pref things.

http://www.goldengait.com/

I'll be goin with a 22ft tiltbed with winch/tandom brakes/hydrolic tilt and air damn.

Cleetus

[junkyard]

i prefer a dually when towing, due to lateral support, i like a crew cab so the family isnt cramped.

in a trailer, low boys are nice. to haul 2 i recommend at least a 26-28 footer. to haul one with a camper on the trailer, then a 26 footer is nice. like brakes on both axles.

i use my crewcab chevy dually, with a 22 ft gooseneck to haul 1 jeep. im gettting ready to build a 26 ft low boy for a 1 jeep plus camper and a 40ft for 2 jeeps and a camper.

if you are going to haul more than one, better get a diesel or bigblock, as a small block will be running itself to death.

[rubiconcouple]

I have a 03 chevy  1 ton dually  duramax allison tranni 4x4  crew cab
it  is  not chipped  gets  17.5  miles  to the  gallon of  diesel   empty  and  about   10-11  depending  on how  big  load  I am towing ..
takes  lot  weight  before  you even know  that anything  is  back there .
plenty  of  power room for  people and  gear ..
And  I  love  the  stability  the dualls  give  me  thats  all I  HAVE  OWNED  FOR  YEARS ..DUALLYS   ARE A MUST  FOR  TOWING  MY  OPION   THOUGH ..

[OldYJ]

well now you have done it. the main thing is what works best for you. lets face it this is another rig you are going to own. is it going to replace the jeep as a DD?  I have towed with everything from tohoes to 1 tons small block to diesles.  I have some I have kicked my self for getting rid of and some I hated towing with. heres mine now

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/oldyj/mvc-097s.jpg?t=1165352679

here is some questions for you to think about before you buy

1. whats the budget?
2. will this be my DD? OR ATLEAST HALF THE TIME
3. How mutch room do I need?
4. how mutch towing am I going to do( weekend trips to smore or alot of trips to moab)

5. what else will it be used for
6. do I need to haule 2 rigs? or do you just want to be able too(big question)

this is the point you can tow just fine with a half ton gasser it will handle 1 jeep just fine price is alot better.(for the average whaaler this is sufficiant)
if you want to know the best way to go I say 3rd gen dodge w/ cummins 6 speed crew cab my preferance 2nd would be a crew ford powerstroke. but I plan on a 26 foot neck over  trailer  before to long.
as for the trailer 18 foot dove with atleast 1 breaking axle for 1 jeep if you insist on being able to haule 2 buy a truck and a 26 foot neck over

just my .02

[ford381stroker]

I started towing lots of things lately Jeeps etc.  Before I had a 3/4 ton 2000 chevy w/350 vortec and even going up hills it did fine.  Pulled a full size ford 4x4 and it did great.  never lost speed climbing hills on the interstate.

Now I have a old 77 Ford 3/4 ton with a 400 in it and it doesn't have the guts to keep up the same speed going up hills.  I am swapping a 460 in the next couple of weeks and I will never have problems with power ever again.  

I wish I could find a extended cab or quad cab in the older models cause I just like the old stuff.

[Liberty03]

I've got my 2000 Chevy one ton single wheel (small block) and a 20' bumper pull for one vehicle.  Even tho it is a small block, I like the piece of mind knowing I have a full float rear and a heavier transmission with heavy duty cooling. (14 bolt rear with 4L80E trans).  It does pretty good pulling a vehicle or pulling my 16' cargo trailer, but I wish it had a diesel or big block and was a dually.  My next truck will most likely be a dually unless I convert mine to a dually which is very feasible.  Also, for pulling more than one Jeep, I consider a gooseneck/5th wheel a must.

At this point I don't care if I have a crew cab or not, but with a family/kids that would be a must.  Riding in the back of an extended cab for over an hour is not fun.

[extreme machines]

If you're going to haul 2 get a truck so you can use a gooseneck trailer.

I have an Excursion with a PSD and get about 14mpg average with my trailer and crawler, and 17mpg average without. I think it's funny when my buddies with Tahoes and suburbans complain about getting 10-12mpg, but the maintenence is higher on mine. To start with it takes 3 and a half gallons of oil at oilchange time.  JIM

[Blueyellow]

YOU need a SHAGGIN WAGON MAN I GOT ONE FOR A GOOD PRICE!!!!!

[DrLewall]

I use a F350 with a V-8 460 gas..it is 4x4 dually..it will pull both goosneck or bumper..and it will pull! BUT, with a load, mpg is abt 7..no load abt 12mpg..if I had it to do over agn, desiel would be the way to go.