Dick

The rules have changed a lot in the last few years, and not all states
and providences are the same. In general, however, anything you tow
that weighs more than 1,500 lbs. total needs auxiliary brakes.
Doesn't matter if you flat tow or put it on a trailer. Check the
requirement in the state(s) where you plan to tow.

----


On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 09:11:43 -0500, "Matt Macchiarolo"
<matt@nospamplease.com> wrote:

>
><lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googleg roups.com...
>
>RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
>trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
>be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
>trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?
>
>A trailer would have brakes. Flat towing does not.

Mike Romain

What kind of armor do you have on that freakin CJ to make it weigh in at
the max GVWR allowed to keep street legal?

Roy is saying, and I agree that a flat tow won't track so you have side
shear to worry about. Nothing like making a left turn and not having
enough weight on the tow vehicle to hold the back wheels down. You end
up jack knifed faster than you can blink in the rain.

A trailer will track the turn easily....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Matt Macchiarolo wrote:
>
> <lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>
> RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
> trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
> be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
> trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?
>
> A trailer would have brakes. Flat towing does not.
>
> Jerry Bransford wrote:
> > If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it
>
> > since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
> in
> > neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
> to
> > flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in
>
> > neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
> >
>
> RoyJ wrote:
>
> as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
> with
> a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so
>
> the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
> horsepower
> and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.

Mike Romain

What kind of armor do you have on that freakin CJ to make it weigh in at
the max GVWR allowed to keep street legal?

Roy is saying, and I agree that a flat tow won't track so you have side
shear to worry about. Nothing like making a left turn and not having
enough weight on the tow vehicle to hold the back wheels down. You end
up jack knifed faster than you can blink in the rain.

A trailer will track the turn easily....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Matt Macchiarolo wrote:
>
> <lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>
> RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
> trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
> be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
> trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?
>
> A trailer would have brakes. Flat towing does not.
>
> Jerry Bransford wrote:
> > If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it
>
> > since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
> in
> > neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
> to
> > flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in
>
> > neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
> >
>
> RoyJ wrote:
>
> as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
> with
> a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so
>
> the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
> horsepower
> and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.

Mike Romain

What kind of armor do you have on that freakin CJ to make it weigh in at
the max GVWR allowed to keep street legal?

Roy is saying, and I agree that a flat tow won't track so you have side
shear to worry about. Nothing like making a left turn and not having
enough weight on the tow vehicle to hold the back wheels down. You end
up jack knifed faster than you can blink in the rain.

A trailer will track the turn easily....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Matt Macchiarolo wrote:
>
> <lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>
> RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
> trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
> be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
> trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?
>
> A trailer would have brakes. Flat towing does not.
>
> Jerry Bransford wrote:
> > If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it
>
> > since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
> in
> > neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
> to
> > flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in
>
> > neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
> >
>
> RoyJ wrote:
>
> as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
> with
> a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so
>
> the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
> horsepower
> and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.

Dick

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 16:00:55 GMT, RoyJ <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote:

>And the steering column should be UNLOCKED!

Boy, that can't be emphasized enough. We took off one day with our ZJ
in tow, and I forgot to unlock the steering. At the first corner, the
wheels turned until they locked, and our motorhome was dragging the ZJ
down the street with the wheels turned about 30-degrees. By the time
I got the motorhome stopped, the ZJ's chassis was so bound up I
couldn't even open the drivers door. A painful lesson.

----

Dick

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 16:00:55 GMT, RoyJ <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote:

>And the steering column should be UNLOCKED!

Boy, that can't be emphasized enough. We took off one day with our ZJ
in tow, and I forgot to unlock the steering. At the first corner, the
wheels turned until they locked, and our motorhome was dragging the ZJ
down the street with the wheels turned about 30-degrees. By the time
I got the motorhome stopped, the ZJ's chassis was so bound up I
couldn't even open the drivers door. A painful lesson.

----

Dick

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 16:00:55 GMT, RoyJ <spamless@microsoft.net> wrote:

>And the steering column should be UNLOCKED!

Boy, that can't be emphasized enough. We took off one day with our ZJ
in tow, and I forgot to unlock the steering. At the first corner, the
wheels turned until they locked, and our motorhome was dragging the ZJ
down the street with the wheels turned about 30-degrees. By the time
I got the motorhome stopped, the ZJ's chassis was so bound up I
couldn't even open the drivers door. A painful lesson.

----

Jeff Strickland

You didn't tel lus that you have Full Floaters in the rear. This is a
ciritical bit of information. Unlock front and rear hubs, and tow.

With all four hubs unlocked, the drivetrain will be at rest no matter where
the levers on the tcase and trans are set, and lubrication will not be an
issue. Well, lubrication of the wheel bearings is a consideration, but this
is the same wheter driving under your own power, or being drug down the road
under the power of a tow vehicle.

Roy is suggesting that the CJ is prone to wandering, and if your tow vehicle
is limited to 4800 pound loads, the CJ might wander too much to remain
manageable. My CJ only weighs in at about 3700 pounds, I question yours at
4400. Roy's idea is that the trailer is an easier pull, and if your CJ is
closer to the wieght of my CJ, and a trailer is only 1000 pounds, then it
should be more stable.




<lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
Jerry, I do have the Dana 300, but I have custom unlockable hubs in
the rear. I had assumed I should leave all 4 hubs locked in, however,
in order to splash lubrication around when the wheels turned. However,
maybe I'm mistaken... If I unlock them, would it eliminate the
problem you describe?

RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?





Jerry Bransford wrote:
> If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it

> since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
in
> neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
to
> flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in

> neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
>

RoyJ wrote:

as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
with
a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so

the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
horsepower
and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.

Jeff Strickland

You didn't tel lus that you have Full Floaters in the rear. This is a
ciritical bit of information. Unlock front and rear hubs, and tow.

With all four hubs unlocked, the drivetrain will be at rest no matter where
the levers on the tcase and trans are set, and lubrication will not be an
issue. Well, lubrication of the wheel bearings is a consideration, but this
is the same wheter driving under your own power, or being drug down the road
under the power of a tow vehicle.

Roy is suggesting that the CJ is prone to wandering, and if your tow vehicle
is limited to 4800 pound loads, the CJ might wander too much to remain
manageable. My CJ only weighs in at about 3700 pounds, I question yours at
4400. Roy's idea is that the trailer is an easier pull, and if your CJ is
closer to the wieght of my CJ, and a trailer is only 1000 pounds, then it
should be more stable.




<lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
Jerry, I do have the Dana 300, but I have custom unlockable hubs in
the rear. I had assumed I should leave all 4 hubs locked in, however,
in order to splash lubrication around when the wheels turned. However,
maybe I'm mistaken... If I unlock them, would it eliminate the
problem you describe?

RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?





Jerry Bransford wrote:
> If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it

> since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
in
> neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
to
> flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in

> neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
>

RoyJ wrote:

as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
with
a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so

the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
horsepower
and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.

Jeff Strickland

You didn't tel lus that you have Full Floaters in the rear. This is a
ciritical bit of information. Unlock front and rear hubs, and tow.

With all four hubs unlocked, the drivetrain will be at rest no matter where
the levers on the tcase and trans are set, and lubrication will not be an
issue. Well, lubrication of the wheel bearings is a consideration, but this
is the same wheter driving under your own power, or being drug down the road
under the power of a tow vehicle.

Roy is suggesting that the CJ is prone to wandering, and if your tow vehicle
is limited to 4800 pound loads, the CJ might wander too much to remain
manageable. My CJ only weighs in at about 3700 pounds, I question yours at
4400. Roy's idea is that the trailer is an easier pull, and if your CJ is
closer to the wieght of my CJ, and a trailer is only 1000 pounds, then it
should be more stable.




<lambeth65@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1106972095.010906.127300@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
Jerry, I do have the Dana 300, but I have custom unlockable hubs in
the rear. I had assumed I should leave all 4 hubs locked in, however,
in order to splash lubrication around when the wheels turned. However,
maybe I'm mistaken... If I unlock them, would it eliminate the
problem you describe?

RoyJ - Not sure I follow your logic. The CJ weighs about 4400 lbs. A
trailer would add at least 1000 lbs (probably closer to 2000,) so I'd
be way over my rated 4800lb towing capacity. Why would an overweight
trailer be any safer/more stable than an acceptably weighted CJ?





Jerry Bransford wrote:
> If your CJ has the Dana 300, it's really not advisable to flat-tow it

> since there is no internal lubrication for the rear bearing when it's
in
> neutral. If it's a Dana 20 or Quadratrac, I can't positively say how
to
> flat tow it but the Dana 20, it's likely that the t-case should be in

> neutral and the tranny should be in gear.
>

RoyJ wrote:

as much as I shouldn't say it, if you are overloaded at 4800- pounds
with
a trailer, you will be way overloaded with 3600 pounds flat -towing so

the trailer would be better. Flat towing needs a bit less in-
horsepower
and braking but way more in stability to keep the CJ under c-ontrol.