Towing with your TJ

[OffroadTreks]

Forgive me for asking stupid questions that probably have been asked. I have a Bantam T3-C. And have been looking at bumpers with rear hitches. And that's when I noticed a bunch are like "not for towing" "offroad use only" and then also noticed "Rear Bumper Frame Tie In's".

Went to look at the factory bumper and was like, WTF that's how it's attached

I guess my question is, what do I need to find/look for in terms of towing a small Military style trailer? Any recommendations on your setups?

 

[Vtx531]

I would recommend a dedicated trailer hitch. I had a Curt hitch and it was very strong. No worries with that one.

 

[Wildman]

I just had a bumper with a hitch installed on it and used to tow this trailer that was my grandfathers behind my TJ with my camping gear it in it.

A TJ has a 2K lb limit. The bumpers you find anymore don't have a tow rating since most companies don't want to have it rated. So they say it's not for towing. The frame tie-ins are always a good idea for added strength.

This was my old bumper.

 

[DuckNut]

A TJ has a 2K lb limit. The bumpers you find anymore don't have a tow rating since most companies don't want to have it rated. So they say it's not for towing

I would also bet that lawyers had something to say about it. They know 2,000 ain't shiz and people will try and tow 4,000 and crash...then the plaintiffs attorneys line up.

 

[Wildman]

I would also bet that lawyers had something to say about it. They know 2,000 ain't shiz and people will try and tow 4,000 and crash...then the plaintiffs attorneys line up.

Like everything else that ONE person can ruin it for the rest of us. Say it's for off-road use only covers their asses I'd guess.

Mine was built by a local shop so of course it had no rating or anything else. If I needed to tow something more that my little trailer I've got a truck for that...

 

[DuckNut]

Like everything else that ONE person can ruin it for the rest of us. Say it's for off-road use only covers their asses I'd guess.

Mine was built by a local shop so of course it had no rating or anything else. If I needed to tow something more that my little trailer I've got a truck for that...

Ain't that the truth.

Not long ago I took a dump trailer full of broken concrete to the dump. While I was there a guy pulls up in a jeep with a 14 foot dual axle trailer just about overflowing with concrete. He was giving that jeep hell just to get it to back that trailer up...I would say he 4,000 pounds plus the trailer.

I towed a 4,000 pound implement on a trailer once with my LJ because I only needed to go 2 miles. Once I reached about 30 mph I thought I was going to be pushed right into the ditch or oncoming cars, so I promptly regained a safer speed of about 8. Very grateful I passed the skid mark test.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Forgive me for asking stupid questions that probably have been asked. I have a Bantam T3-C. And have been looking at bumpers with rear hitches. And that's when I noticed a bunch are like "not for towing" "offroad use only" and then also noticed "Rear Bumper Frame Tie In's".

Went to look at the factory bumper and was like, WTF that's how it's attached

I guess my question is, what do I need to find/look for in terms of towing a small Military style trailer? Any recommendations on your setups?

Many (some might say most) aftermarket bumper manufacturers do not spend the money to have their products tested and rated for towing, nor do they pay the higher insurance premiums for product liability coverage for a tow bumper. Its cheaper to label a product "for offroad use only" and "not for towing." The lack of a tow rating and admonition not to use a rear bumper for towing doesn't necessarily render the bumper unsafe, it merely shifts the risk of loss to the end user.

I have used many different bumpers on many different jeeps since I first began towing my Bantam BT3-C in 1966. One or two of them might have been tow rated by the manufacturer, but I can assure you that most were not.

What to look for: quality materials, quality welds and reinforcements, solid attachment points, appropriately graded fasteners and enough of them. All of my jeep rear bumpers used for towing or recovery have had frame tie-ins.

It may surprise you to learn that back in the day, many tow balls used for flat towing jeeps and towing small trailers were simply bolted onto the chrome rear bumpers that came with the car using four ungraded bolts and a crescent wrench. Failures were due to user error, not the inadequacy or lack of strength of the tow assembly. I have flat towed flat fender jeeps using one of these, and probably used it for my Bantam trailer in the 1960's, although I don't have an independent recollection.

My '46 Bantam BTC-3, #9466:

https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/1946-bantam-t3c-9466_topic11548.html

https://surfacezero.com/g503/showphoto.php?photo=17319

Mentioned here: http://bantamt3c.com/images/hubbard/pages/bantam.html

 

[ColoJeep]

Ain't that the truth.

Not long ago I took a dump trailer full of broken concrete to the dump. While I was there a guy pulls up in a jeep with a 14 foot dual axle trailer just about overflowing with concrete. He was giving that jeep hell just to get it to back that trailer up...I would say he 4,000 pounds plus the trailer.

I towed a 4,000 pound implement on a trailer once with my LJ because I only needed to go 2 miles. Once I reached about 30 mph I thought I was going to be pushed right into the ditch or oncoming cars, so I promptly regained a safer speed of about 8. Very grateful I passed the skid mark test.

I've towed about 1500 lbs. on mountain dirt road with steep elevation changes . You definitely need to feel what the Jeep is telling you ! Slow is your friend .
I also see the need for a self propelled trailer ! It's very hard going from towing with K-10 and K-20's to trying to tow almost anything with a Jeep.

 

[OffroadTreks]

I have a 2500 for any real towing but at 125k miles my most recent trip out to Utah into the Maze District I dropped a lifter. And so my truck is out of commission right now. Which sucks because it's our camping rig. I spent like 3 weeks prepping it for summer camping and doing a bunch of trips. Now I get to play, take apart the heads, FUN.

Anywho, I went solo camping and then took my oldest out this past weekend. Most of my camping gear is based around backpacking, so it's small, lightweight and we don't have a ton of crap.

I figure if I pull the bantam with the Jeep, I can still take all 3 girls out and tent camp. I can only really take one with the Jeep if I pack it all in the Jeep.

We're just doing dirt forest roads in Idaho and I'm fine for going slow with elevation.

I would recommend a dedicated trailer hitch. I had a Curt hitch and it was very strong. No worries with that one.

I might just do this for this summer. I was concerned about clearance, but now that I think about it, I'll hit the gas tank before I hit a hitch. And it's cheaper than a bumper ATM and won't force me to decide.

 

[alittleoff]

I've towed my trail/trash trailer all over the mountains and deserts of SoCal.
The bumper is a Warn and it had frame tie ins. I probably exceeded the tow rating with this load but it was during a off-highway use only.
I built the frame myself and the axle (3,500#) has electric brakes on it but I did that for the safety of others and myself. DMV did not require them.

Your Bantam fully loaded should be fine behind your TJ.

Edit. This was on Holcomb Creek Trail (3N93) , San Bernardino Mtns. at the West End gate keeper. We were loading out the (rock stackers) rocks and putting them into Gabion baskets to shore up another part of the trail.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Your Bantam fully loaded should be fine behind your TJ.

It will be fine, but never forget that a Bantam trailer is short coupled and has no brakes. The extra weight will make a panic stop a real panic with a short wheelbase jeep and stock brakes, and sometimes even stopping behind the white line at a stop light can be interesting. BTDT

Better brakes may not be absolutely necessary, but are highly recommended.

 

[alittleoff]

When I built my trailer, I was also looking at Bantam's too. If I went that route, I would have installed a different axle with E-brakes on it.
Because I knew that it would be used for volunteer trail maintenance where anything goes to help out.
And I used a pintle hook and ring this particular day. On lighter days I use a ball hitch.

Oh and the tongue is long enough to jack knife it 90*. I've used every bit of that turning it around on the trail.

 

[Sam410]

I have an aftermarket bumper with a hitch for towing a small teardrop trailer. it's around 1200lbs. I replaced the bumper hardware with grade 8 bolts and added the barnes 4x4 frame tie ins. Super solid.

 

[OffroadTreks]

Brown Santa just showed up!

Time to get this to the powder coater!

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Brown Santa just showed up!

Time to get this to the powder coater!

Install it first, just to make sure you don't need to perform any tweeking. Be sure it fits before you get it powder coated. Nothing worse than having to redrill a mounting hole in fresh powder coat...