What All Do I Need To Flat Tow My 2023 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Question

Question:

Hello! I want to start flat towing my new jeep behind our 30' motorhome. I have flat towed before but it was many moons ago. What all parts do I need. I am looking for the most hassle free/low maintenance setup possible. It is a 2023 Wrangler Unlimited- factory plastic bumper. Thanks in advance etrailer is the best!

asked by: Jo

0

Expert Reply:

I can definitely help set you up with everything you need! Lets start with the base plate and work our way from there.

For your base plate I recommend the Roadmaster direct connect # RM-521453-5. The gloss black powder coating on everything is durable, will blend nicely with the front of your jeep. The arms twist out and are removable, so you do not have metal pieces protruding from the front of the jeep when not in use (your shins will thank you!). This will be compatible with any of the Roadmaster brand tow bars.

The best of the best will be the Roadmaster Nighthawk # RM-676. Aluminum arms make it lightweight and easy to handle. Integrated LED lighting looks awesome and will help a lot with visibility especially at night. The tow bar also includes your safety cables, coiled electrical cord and a 6 pin socket for the front of the jeep.

We will also need to wire up your brake lights. If your jeep has the ParkSense feature, you will need to use a smart diode kit # RM47ZR. Your owners manual should specify if it has the Parksense feature. If it does not you will need the # RM-152. All of this will be wired to the 6 pin plug on the front of the jeep. All of this will be very easy to use once installed. You will hook up your tow bar, plug in your electrical cord and be good to go.

Next we will need to get you a supplemental braking system. The most user-friendly system we carry will be the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR. This is an inertia based brake system and is fully wireless. Setup takes a matter of minutes, you basically plug in the unit and connect the claw to the brake pedal. Another huge advantage of this system is that it is portable. If you ever get a new car you can take it with you and save quite a bit of cost. You will also need a 12v outlet kit # RM-9332 to power the unit. The vehicles 12v outlet will not be hot when the vehicle is in tow mode.

That will cover all of the main components of your flat tow setup. You may need to use a drop hitch to level your tow bar. I recommend the Blue Ox adjustable drop hitch # BLU28XR. This can be adjusted to up to 8" of drop and will work for virtually any flat tow setup.

It is also recommended to get a cover for the tow bar # RM-055-3 and a locking hitch pin # e98882. I like to refer to both of these parts as an inexpensive insurance policy to protect your investment in a high end tow bar like the Nighthawk.

I have linked a few install videos below for you to take a look at. If you plan to install this yourself you will find them very helpful.

expert reply by: Jesse M

0

Answer 1

For your 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL, I recommend starting with the Roadmaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit #RM-521453-5. 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…

view full answer...

Answer 2

4WD models of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler are not able to be dolly towed so I recommend flat towing your 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport. To flat tow your Wrangler you'll need a tow bar, tow bar wiring kit, base plate, braking system, and safety cables. I…

view full answer...

Answer 3

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

view full answer...

Answer 4

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

view full answer...

Answer 5

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

view full answer...

Answer 6

When it comes to choosing between the Blue Ox Patriot #BLU37TR and the Brake Buddy Select 3 #HM39524, these systems are extremely similar in their setup and functionality. Both of these systems provide proportional braking in a compact and easy to…

view full answer...

Answer 7

Both the Roadmaster and Blue Ox tow bars are great options. But if it was my decision to make I would go with the Blue Ox Avail part #BX7420 as we have found that the Blue Ox tow bars are a little easier to connect and disconnect from. Also this tow…

view full answer...

Answer 8

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

view full answer...

Answer 9

Lance does have a proprietary plug, but many customers see a standard 6-way or 7-way round and notice it doesn't fit their factory 7-way as well. I've attached an article to help if you have one of the 7-way or 6-way round connectors which we…

view full answer...

Answer 10

Hi Robert; hopefully your Roadmaster tow bar is one that attaches to direct-connect base plates as opposed to crossbar base plates; for example the 8,000 lb Roadmaster Sterling would be optimal. Assuming that, here is what you need to flat tow your…

view full answer...

Answer 11

Class I and Class II hitches both have a 1-1/4 inch receiver opening. The difference is that a Class I hitch has a lower tongue weight rating, usually 200 pounds and a lower towing rating, usually 2,000 pounds. A Class II hitch usually has a tongue…

view full answer...

Answer 12

Hey Terry, this is a great question but I would assume due to the age of your SMI system and fact you have a hybrid now that has the different braking system it won't work. 20 plus years ago the braking system you have now was not around for SMI…

view full answer...