Tow Hitch on New Wrangler?

Skip a hitch and get a good rear bumper with an integral reciever hitch. The main reason being, you can get a rear bumper that is much better than the stock one for not much more than a hitch kit, which is at least $125. Plus, since the TJ is only rated to tow 1500 lbs, you don't need a big serious hitch anyway.

I got an Olympic Rock bumper with hitch and have towed several trailers back there...

-jeff

I've got the same setup and today I had to laugh at the wrangler that I parked next to at the store. It had bigger tires and somewhat of a lift, but he was still running the stock bumpers and had the bolt on hitch hanging underneath, so effectively he had about the same clearance in the rear as my nearly stock height TJ with 30" tires. All I have is 1" spacers in the rear and 1.75" in the front, mostly to even out the ride height due to my heavy winch and bumper on the front, but it does give me almost an inch of extra height. I don't have enough stickers though, unlike that other Jeep I saw.

BTW, that 1500 pound number is bogus and you will not find it in the Jeep literature. The tow rating (per the owner's manual) of my TJ with the 4.0L is 2000 pounds, which should be treated as a hard limit. I have also seen 1000 specified for some 4 cylinder wranglers, I think the automatic versions which can barely get out of their own way even without a trailer. The manual 2.5 liter tows okay (or as good as any short wheelbase jeep ever does).

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

I needed a hitch now to tow something right away. so I ran my TJ up to the local trailer guy & got a class III Draw Tight installed with tong, 2" ball & lights hooked up for under 200.00 & I was outa there in 1/2 hour & that has the 2" receiver. I pulled a buddies home-built 4 x 8 trailer (lightly loaded) at speeds up to 80 mph & could barely tell the trailer was there. But if I had the time to wait I'd have ordered a bumper with the receiver built in because the hitch does give you more stuff to scrape in the rear. IF your going to be bouncing around off road, if not it's fine.

L8r - Jersey

I made my own from a 6" scheduled 80 pipe, bought some 2" square tubing,

1/2" gussets to the pipe, used the gussets for the safety chains and welded round end caps. I have lots of people ask me where I had bought it and it only cost me a mere $85.00 for the materials and my time.

Thanks for the input. I thought that the aftermarket bumper would be better and I don't know why I didn't think of it. That's what the group is for.

Any pix Harry?

L8r - Jersey

Nope, I built it for my sons 69 cj and plan to do the same for my 04 yj, I will post a pic when I get it done.

If you actually put a load on it and try to stop and/or maneuver evasively, it will let you know it is still there.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

That happens even without the trailer!

L8r