Thinking of Flat Towing Your Jeep Wrangler behind your RV? Here's what you need to get started.

How we tow our Jeep Wrangler TJ
If you have a Class A or Class C, you need a tow car.  Sure there are ways to survive without one, but if you are Full-Timing it is essential. We put more miles on “Walter” (our 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sierra) than we do with “Wanda” (our 2007 Winnebago Vista 30B), almost double.

Choosing a tow vehicle
Determining what vehicle to tow determines how you will tow that vehicle. Before full-timing we had a Mazda 6 and a Chevy Avalanche, either of which could have worked, but we wanted to be able to flat tow a smaller vehicle that had 4 wheel drive and good ground clearance. The Mazda 6 would have needed a front wheel dolly and while we could flat tow the Chevy Avalanche, it was too big and cumbersome. We needed a tow vehicle that was small, agile and versatile. We decided that a Jeep Wrangler would be a perfect fit.  Many people choose this option. I would say 1 out 4 towed vehicles that we see are Wranglers. 

Good Sam has a great guide they publish every year on the latest advances in towing and a list of models that could be flat towed : 2018 Guide to Dingy Towing

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​Here is our comprehensive list of everything we needed to tow Walter, our 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ (Automatic) along with how much it all cost. 

Tow Bar: This attaches to the rear of the RV hitch and allows you to tow your vehicle in a safe and secure manner. 

• Make/Model: RoadMaster Falcon All-Terrain -
• Price: $767.65
• Review: This non-binding tow bar is everything we were looking for. The bars is made to last. The build quality is superb and the components are well thought out. This bar is sturdy down the road and easy to handle when maneuvering.  I am really happy with our choice.  When we see other rigs with tow cars on the road or at campsites about 90% of them have a RoadMaster tow bar and the remaining 10% are Blue Ox. 
• Tips: All bars require some type of maintenance to keep them working smoothly. The road grime and weather can make the arms of the bar difficult to slide in and out. I clean and grease the bar every two weeks to keep it moving smoothly. ​
• Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2DxkQ4G

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Baseplate: Your tow bar will need to attach to your vehicle.  The baseplate is designed for you to quickly attach the tow vehicle to the tow bar.

• Make/Model: RoadMaster Crossbar-Style Baseplate Kit 521424-4
• Price: $394.95
• Review: These are really robust and sturdy. The bracket is also well made but there are two spots right where I attach and detach the safety cables/safety hooks where the paint has flaked off.  When I have time, I will have to repaint them so they don’t rust. 
• Tips: The install is straight forward. Drill a couple of holes into the frame and bolt on the bracket. Make sure you use lock tight to keep the nuts and bolts from coming off.
• Etrailer Link:

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Safety Cables: When the safety cables are properly installed, they will catch the tow bar and keep it tethered to the RV if your tow car separates from the RV while in motion. The cables prevent your tow vehicle from rolling away and causing an accident.

• Make/Model: RoadMaster 645-76 76" 8,000 lb. GVWR capacity single hook straight — 1 pr.
  (for towing combinations with accessories which extend the length of the towing system)
• Price: $61.83
• Review:  These cables are the perfect length when you combine it with the Hi-Low Hitch. The Hi-Low Hitch extends the overall length by 6 inches. These cables are cut to work perfectly with the hitch. They also fit into the channels of the arms without any problems.
• Tips: Make sure to cross them underneath the hi-low hitch and then into the channels.
• Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2S9plus

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Hi-Low Hitch: This hitch moves the receiver 6 inches lower so that the tow bar is level which is imperative for safety.

• Make/Model: RoadMaster 048-6 6” 10,000 Pound Capacity Hi-Low Hitch
• Price: $115.92
• Review:  Extremely heavy duty  with high quality welds. It is built to last and will probably last longer than the other components in this build.  
• Tips: This was a necessary purchase for Walter to be towed. RoadMaster requires the tow bar be level with the hitch or at least 3 inches from center. Without this Hi-Low Hitch the tow bar was racked 6 inches and outside the tolerances that RoadMaster recommends. With this hitch, the tow bar is perfectly leveled to the Jeep. 
• Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2FZX0R4

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Wiring Kit: This kit provides your tow vehicle with mandatory brake lights, turn signals and running lights, all necessary when towing.  

• Make/Model: RoadMaster All-in-one Towed Vehicle Wiring Kit 15247 4 to 7 wiring towing combo
• Price: $129.53
• Review: The kit comes with everything you need to get your tow vehicle running with brake lights, turn signals and running lights. The lights have been working flawlessly. No error codes or hyperflashing.
• Tips: Install looks straight forward. We had our mechanic install this on the Jeep because our attention was focused on renovating Wanda our Class A RV. Install cost us about 2 and half hours of labor.
• Amazon Link:

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Locks: You spent a lot of money on the ability to tow your vehicle so locks provide you security and a piece of mind.

• Make/Model: Master Lock 1480DAT Stainless Steel Receiver Lock
• Price: $11.25
• Review: Works as stated. No rust or weathering. Lock opens right up after months of not unlocking.
• Tips:  I already had one of these locks for my other vehicles. If I were to purchase another hitch pin I would buys multiple pins with the same locks and key. This way I don’t have to manage which key belongs to which pin.
• Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2Wbrsxb

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Braking System: Each state has a different rule/law about trailer brakes. To make life easier and safer, you should always travel with some type of braking system 

• Make/Model: RVibrake3 Auxiliary Braking System
• Price: $1195.00
• Review: There are a lot of features I really like about this system.  I like the slim, intuitive design and the audio feedback during install. But there are definitely some things I don’t like about it. While the tablet provides plenty of feedback and information, it is slow, unresponsive and hard to turn on. You press the power button and the RVi logo appears and then nothing. You have to play with it for a couple of minutes to get it going. I still recommend this braking system because of their drive for innovations, but there are other devices on that which probably work smoother and less frustration.  
• Tips: To conserve our house batteries, we don’t always keep the command center and tablet plugged into power. Remember to plug in the command center and tablets in at least a half an hour before departure. We usually plug them in when we wake up the morning of a travel day.
• RViBrake ​

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TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) OPTIONAL: I included this in towing because RViBrake3 integrates the tire pressure monitoring system into the tablet. This upgrade seamlessly provides you with information on each tire of the RV and the tow vehicle. 

• Make/Model: RVi Tire Patrol
• Price: $450
• Review: This make your own kit provides tire pressure and tire temperature to the 6 tires of my RV and the 4 of my Jeep. The kit works with the RViBrake Tablet and provides real time information.
• Tips: Installing each of the tire monitors takes patience. Each monitor needs to be installed in a particular order. Each monitor can take a minute or two to configure with the tablet.
• RVi Tire Patrol

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Total Price: $ 3137.38 + Installation

By Kevin Quiambao

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