No No NO! You need a Jeep for that not a Vette!

I ran and lived aboard a swordfish boat in San Diego's Shelter Island anchorage for a couple of years. Often, Sunday afternoon entertainment for me and the boys was to get a cooler full of beer and our lawn chairs, and take the skiff in to sit on the jetty at the launching ramp, and watch the show and award points. We saw 4 or 5 trucks sink, 3 or 4 boats, a bunch of boat Vs. boat and trailer Vs trailer crashes, "person overboard"ings, and a whole lot of angry fools hollering at others to cover their incompetence. Too much fun! Bring a mask and snorkle, often after something cool is lost overboard, they just leave it in 15 feet of water.

Did you read the ensuing conversation thread about towing? Seems like a lot of folks were making fun of the guy for towing with a Corvette. That's not something that seems obvious to me, although maybe ground clearance is an obvious issue, but as far as torque, brakes, wheelbase length, etc., I wouldn't think a Corvette would have any problems.

Kinda makes me wonder about towing with a jeep.. (I'm not towing right now but have plans to get a jet ski someday, and I figured the jeep would make an ideal tow vehicle, although the fact that it is lifted makes me nervous, as perhaps towing makes you more likely to roll over?)

PS - Did you notice all the nasty comments about jet skiers??? Looks like this isn't the only message board with opsreperousness going on!

A short wheel base vehicle like a Jeep can only tow 2000 lb legally and safely.

Anything heavier can easily push you sideways if you have to stop fast.

Mike

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

Joshua Nels>

And it gets damn squirrely at highway speeds which is the real danger. Evasive maneuvers will make for a nice view of your trailer out one of your side windows (or both!)

Perry

87YJ

Mike Roma> A short wheel base vehicle like a Jeep can only tow 2000 lb legally and > safely.

I've seen more than a few boats sink because they forgot the drain plug but never a Vette. :)

Yeah I read th whole thing. I've actually towed with a Miata which has a lot less horsies than a Vette. I've seen Vette's towing dual Jet Ski's here. The only problem is if teh ramp has a lot of slime on it. Those summer gumballs won't hook up if the ramp is steep.

Jeeps kida suck at towing big things, but for a couple of Jet Ski's or a snowmobile? No problem. Sure you can't bomb around with a trailer but the Jeep has a tow rating. Varies between options but I'll bet it's around 1500 lbs. or so. I have no idea what affect a lift kit would have.

It's easier to just say there's a lot of Jet Ski Snobs out there. I can see being pissed if someone causes you grief on a Jet Ski and you bump into them in the parking lot or on the ramp. But just because you own a Jet Ski is no reason to be treated like dirt or a criminal.

Legally?

Can you elaborate?

I'm not challenging your statement, but I've never heard of that before. But I also don't tow much so I'm not exactly familiar with the various rules.

I have a new '03 TJ Sahara and next summer I need a trailer for camping. I have been considering small tent-trailers which hover around 2000lbs to start with so it's possible I might want to tow 2000-2500 lbs. The other choice is of course a nice offroad trailer which isn't ever going to hit a GVWR of 2000lbs with just camping gear unless I'm packing a

*lot* of water.

If you have an accident of any kind where the police show up and they check the trailer and find it is over your GVWR, they will bust you for it and order a tow truck for the trailer. If you can't pay the tow home, it goes to impound.

Our local newspaper reported on the Labor Day weekend police blitz there were 10 or 15 vehicles nailed for towing too big a trailer for the vehicle. Cops look for that.

They have portable scales in the trunk or someone they can call fast with them, if they can't find the label on the trailer. Same for the MTO police here in Canada, they are the 'truckers' police. Any vehicle towing comes into their turf too and they all carry scales.

Been there, done that with a home made bunk trailer behind a 1/2 ton GMC pickup, got busted for it... Cop said $2000.00 in fines without 'looking' at my beater truck.... Got lucky and only had to have it towed a couple miles. No ticket...

Had a 'good' story, it was legit and he believed me... :-)

Mike

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

A single ski on a trailer is about the biggest I thing I would feel comfortable towing with a Wrangler. A ski + ski trailer doesnt weigh all that much (but they are worth their weight in fun!!!).

Too funny, I saw that happen years ago at a resivoir when I was a kid. Only it was a Camero towing a ski boat. Someone pulled the car out with a pickup, they opened up the cars doors, and gallons and gallons of water and some fish came out. It was hillarious. It was also a long way to the nearest phone.

I've got a single Jetski I tow behind my Jeep. It tow's "Ok"....but its alot different than using a big "regular size" truck. Those small trailers are hard to back down the ramp anyway...and the short wheelbase of the Jeep makes it worse. But the fun part about my jeep is......haha I don't have to use the ramp if its too busy. Just find a nice spot along the shore.

Brian

88 YJ

Earle, #20192

Hey at least he had someone help him pull it out of the water. Everyone here just stood around because the guy owned a Jet Ski.

You sure you didn't see that scene in the Tom Cruise movie Risky Business instead? :)

Jerry

-- Jerry Bransford To email, remove 'me' from my email address KC6TAY, PP-ASEL See the Geezer Jeep at

Ack! I drowned a King Quad at Pismo launching a Sea-Doo once. A little less expensive that totalling a 'Vette, though!

Short wheelbase??? - I can see where weight of towing vehicle, "beefiness" of frame, suspension, etc would make a significant difference - What about a short little 2 axle KW pulling triples (long & heavy)??

Just think it could have been a Ferrari. :)

I don't think a single Jet Ski and trailer would weigh over 2000lbs, and if so not by much. So my concern would not be the wheelbase length so much as it would the high center of gravity on a lifted jeep. I'm sure lifting a vehicle changes the physics of towing dramatically, I just don't know if it is enough of a concern to justify not towing with it.