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Jeep Wrangler JL Flat Tow Components

FLAT TOWING PACKAGE

2018 Jeep JL Wrangler and JL Wrangler Unlimited

Towing a vehicle worth thousands down the highway behind your RV can be a white-knuckle experience if you've never done it before, but that's no reason to go without the convenience of your beloved Jeep at the campsite. With the right components, the 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler is one of the easiest and most popular vehicles to flat tow.Fortunately, we've done the work for you and selected the best flat tow products for your vehicle. Don't forget to check out our flat-towing checklist at the bottom of the page to make sure you've got everything you need to hit the road with your Jeep in tow.
How to Choose a Flat-Towing Setup
  • Choose Your Tow Bar, Base Plate, & Safety Cable Combo
  • Choose Your Tow Bar Wiring
  • Choose Your Braking System
  • Chose Optional Accessories

Choose one of each:

We recommend picking your tow bar first, then choosing the base plate style that will work best with it. Some tow bars come with safety cables included; others require you to purchase cables separately. (We've noted below whether cables are included or, if not, which cables are recommended.) Base plates are vehicle-specific and sometimes model-specific. We've included our recommended base plate option for your Jeep with each tow bar below. Note: It's best to choose a base plate and tow bar by the same manufacturer for compatibility purposes. If you choose a base plate/tow bar by different manufacturers, you'll likely need an adapter. This chart can help you find the correct adapter.
Roadmaster Nighthawk Combo
Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow Bar
Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow Bar
Base Plates: RM-521453-5 (Factory plastic or steel bumper)Safety Cables: Included*Tow bar wiring included
etrailer XHD Combo
etrailer XHD Tow Bar
etrailer XHD Tow Bar
Base Plates: e98948 (Factory plastic bumper)Safety Cables: Included
Demco Excali-Bar III Combo
Demco Excali-Bar III Non-Binding Tow Bar
Demco Excali-Bar III Tow Bar
Base Plates: DM9519339 (Factory steel bumper)Safety Cables: Included
Blue Ox Alpha 2 Combo
Blue Ox Appolo Tow Bar
Blue Ox Alpha 2 Tow Bar
Base Plates: BX1139 (Factory plastic bumper)Safety Cables: Included
Roadmaster Falcon Combo
Roadmaster Falcon Tow Bar
Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar
Base Plates: RM-521453-4 (Factory plastic or steel bumper) or RM-521453-5 (Factory plastic or steel bumper)Safety Cables: RM-646
Roadmaster StowMaster Combo
Demco Excali-Bar III Non-Binding Tow Bar
Roadmaster StowMaster Tow Bar
Base Plates: RM-521453-4 (Factory plastic or steel bumper)Safety Cables: RM-646
Demco Commander II Combo
Demco Commander II Tow Bar
Demco Commander II Tow Bar
Base Plates: DM9519339 (Factory steel bumper) or DM9519336 (Factory plastic bumper)Safety Cables: Included

Choose Your Tow Bar Wiring:

It's important for your JL Wrangler or JL Wrangler Unlimited to be wired for flat towing. Tow bar wiring allows your vehicle to have functioning stop, turn, and tail lights while being towed. To make sure your Jeep has functioning tail lights when towed, the Jeep can be hardwired to use the existing tail lights, or a universal lighting kit can be used to add additional lights to your Jeep specifically for towing.
Splices into Vehicle Wiring
Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit
Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit
  • Won't interfere with Jeep's factory wiring
  • 6-way to 7-way wiring extensions included
  • 6-way plug on Jeep
Splices into Vehicle Wiring
Roadmaster Universal Hy-Power Diode Wiring Kit
Roadmaster Universal Hy-Power Diode Wiring Kit
  • Ideal if wiring included with tow bar (such as Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar)
  • Hardwire installation
Splices into Vehicle Wiring
Demco Tow Bar Combo Kit with Diode System
Demco Tow Bar Combo Kit with Diode System
  • Diode wiring kit
  • 6-way coiled lighting cable
  • 7-way to 6-way adapter
  • Vinyl storage cover included
Bypasses Vehicle Wiring
MaxxTow Magnetic Tow Lights
MaxxTow Magnetic Tow Lights
  • Economical option
  • Magnetic light bases hold firmly to any metal surface
  • Long-lasting LEDs provide superior operation

Choose Your Braking System:

Using a supplemental braking system, also called a tow bar braking system, helps make sure your towed Jeep slows down as your motorhome slows down. This helps reduce wear and tear on both your Jeep and your motorhome, as well as helps shorten the braking distance of your towing setup. It is also important to keep in mind that supplemental braking systems are required by law in many states. It is important to check the requirements for areas you will be traveling through.
Fixed System
Brake Buddy Select 3 Portable Supplemental Braking System
Brake Buddy Select 3 Supplemental Braking System
  • Proportional braking and full braking settings available
  • Easy to position, adjust, and remove
  • 1-Touch Auto Start sequence prepares braking system with a push of a button
  • Remote lets you change settings from your RV
Fixed System
Roadmaster InvisiBrake Supplemental Braking System
Roadmaster InvisiBrake Supplemental Braking System
  • Pre-set braking
  • One-time setup
  • For RVs with hydraulic brakes
  • Integrated battery protection
  • Operating unit mounts out of sight, commonly under driver's seat
Stop Light Switch # RM-751490 required
Fixed System
Demco SBS Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System
Demco SBS Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System
  • Proportional braking
  • One-time setup
  • For RVs with hydraulic brakes
  • Operating unit mounts out of sight, commonly under driver's seat
Fixed System
Roadmaster BrakeMaster Braking System with BrakeAway
Roadmaster BrakeMaster Braking System with BrakeAway
  • Proportional braking
  • Recurring setup
  • For hydraulic brakes: # RM-9060
  • For air brakes or air over hydraulic brakes: RM-9160
  • Operating unit mounts out of sight, commonly under driver's seat
Stop Light Switch # RM-751490 and seat adapter # RM-88337 required
Fixed System
Demco SBS Air Force One Supplemental Braking System
Demco SBS Air Force One Supplemental Braking System
  • Proportional braking
  • One-time setup
  • For RVs with air brakes
  • Operating unit mounts out of sight, commonly under hood
Stop Light Switch # RM-751490 required
Portable System
Demco SBS Delta Force Portable Supplemental Braking System
Demco SBS Delta Force Portable Supplemental Braking System
  • Proportional braking
  • Recurring setup
  • For RVs with hydraulic, air, or air over hydraulic brakes
  • Not compatible with vehicles that have active power assist braking systems
12V outlet # RM-9332 required
Portable System
Roadmaster Even Brake Portable Supplemental Braking System
Roadmaster Even Brake Portable Supplemental Braking System
  • Proportional braking
  • Recurring setup
  • For RVs with hydraulic, air, or air over hydraulic brakes
  • Not compatible with vehicles that have active power assist braking systems
12V outlet # RM-9332 and stop light switch # RM-751490 required
Portable System
Blue Ox Patriot 3 Radio Frequency, Portable Braking System
Blue Ox Patriot 3 Radio Frequency, Portable Braking System
  • Proportional braking
  • Recurring setup
  • For RVs with hydraulic or air over hydraulic brakes
12V outlet # RM-9332 required

Choose Optional Accessories:

To complete your Jeep Wrangler or Wrangler Unlimited's flat towing setup, a few additional parts may be required or recommended. Some of these components, such as 12-volt accessory outlets, stop light switches, and high-low adapters, ensure that your flat tow setup functions properly. Other accessories work to protect your JL Wrangler or JL Wrangler Unlimited from rocks and other road debris while your vehicle is being towed.
High-Low Adapters
High-Low Adapter
  • Allows tow bar to remain level
  • Tow bar should be within 3 inches of level
Tow Bar Covers
Tow bar cover
  • Keeps dirt and road grime off tow bar when not in use
  • Various sizes available
Rock Guards
Vehicle rock guard
  • Shield Jeep from road debris and protects finish
Protective Screens
Protective vehicle screening
  • Deflects road debris and protects Jeep's finish
Through our "Ask an Expert" system, our customers often ask which flat tow products we recommend for their vehicle. Our experts hand-select the top products available based on brand quality, durability, ease of use, and convenience.In order to help even more customers find the best products, we took the top products hand-picked by our Experts and created our etrailer Expert Recommended kit just for your vehicle!
Recommended Parts Needed to Flat Tow a Jeep Wrangler JL or JL UnlimitedFor your Jeep Wrangler JL, I recommend starting with the RoadMaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit # RM-521450-5. This kit has removable arms to give you a very clean look when not flat towing your Jeep, and also gives you a clean connection to your tow bar when towing behind your motorhome. I recommend installing this base plate using Loctite threadlocker # LT37420 to keep your hardware from vibrating loose over time. For your tow bar, I recommend the RoadMaster Nighthawk All Terrain, Non-Binding Tow Bar w/ LED Lights # RM-676. This tow bar comes with the integrated safety cables and the wiring to link your motorhome's 7-way trailer connector to a 6-way connector on the front of your Jeep...View full answer...
Expert Jason S
-Jason S.
Related ArticlesRelated ProductsWritten by: Amber S.Updated on: 7/27/2021


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