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Towing a 5w with a jeep
Jeeptag
Member Posts: 28
Hey guys this is my first post and I am excited to be a part of this forum. My wife and I are selling our house and plan on traveling North America with our Jeep Wrangler 2dr and we just recently purchased a 2019 pleasant valley t@g. The dealership didn’t have any of the 5w with brakes so we are a week from picking it up. My biggest concern is having a quality hitch at the correct height. Would anyone recommend any of the adjustable height ones for every day use? I have a few that are at different heights and not adjustable that I could possibly use. Does anyone know the height the hitch needs to be to have the trailer ride flat?
Comments
@Jeeptag Welcome to the forum and congratulations. On our stock ride height 2013 2door jeep and 2018 Boondock 5w we placed the top of the ball at 24". https://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/1839#Comment_1839 Some go a little lower to get more departure height on the back of the camper. Enjoy looking around on the forums and putting in one word searches in the upper right to find what your looking for.
All the calculations show it can’t work. There’s only one thing to do: make it work.
@CampHub , I think he has a standard height T@G. So his height will not be the same.
Perso, I would suggest level height, since lower front increase tongue weight with could augment pressure on the rear suspension, specially with gear in the jeep. And if higher tongue, then yep, trailer departure angle will suffer as well as increase the chance of fish tailing.
And anything but lever looks weird IMO.
As for what is the ride height, sorry, I do not know, even with my outback, I would have to set on level ground and mesure. But you can always take care of that ounce you have reach home.
@CampHub @LuckyJ thanks for all the info. You are correct I went with the standard tag. I really wanted the extra height and larger tires. My wife is only 5” tall and the extra wheel height made it really tough for her to reach the kitchen counter in the back. I will just take all the hitches I have with me to pick it up.
At 5” tall your wife may need a ladder to get into the trailer! Lol. J/K!
As Luc noted you should try to maintain level height with the trailer. Mine is almost level and dips to the front a tad but I have no issues towing. You can use a floor jack to hold the trailer level, get some measurements and get an idea as to what will work with your Jeep too.
Normally trailer coupler height is around 17 inches, from the ground to the bottom of the coupler, and most hitch manufacturers design their hitches to work with a ball mount that will end up very close to this measurement.
Michigan Mike
Linden, Mi
2019 T@B 400
My T@G XL Boondock (I'm assuming that it's about the same stock height as the 5W) was still pretty low at kitchen level as far as access. I added the Dexter 2 5/8" lift brackets and it's still not too bad at that height. It's still surprising to me how much additional "safety room" those couple of inches add when backing in and around a campground. I can clear pretty much any rock or fire ring when getting situated now. The kitchen height is still fine for most folks and, best of all, the additional height means I don't have to wear a football helmet to keep from having my scalp removed on the open hatch every time I duck in and out. Your wife won't have that issue but taller folks would.
Another thing to consider for a taller rig is that you can back into a hillside where space is an issue and still be able to use the kitchen. For pro's and con's, I prefer the taller rather than shorter. I have been stumping about aerodynamics for a long time and do think that the lower the trailer is, the better the mileage by a good margin. But as LuckyJ said, we who pull T@G's with Wranglers are already throwing aerodynamics out the window anyway. LOL.
At the end of the day, I think folks like you who will be using your trailer daily will find the increased clearance to be much more of a blessing than not. Pulling in and out of driveways, campgrounds and sketchy boondock sites will be much easier and safer with those couple extra inches.
For hitches, I'm running an adjustable height hitch platform and really like it. It's not a pin adjustable but has 6" or so of up-down travel on both the Jeep and trailer so I could dial it in exactly where I wanted it. With a Wrangler, you'll also find that the extra bit of room between the trailer jack handle and spare tire rack will be a blessing. I like to keep my hitches as short as possible to the point of redrilling my receivers to push the bits together, but I've gotten it as short as I can without starting to fight with the danged crank. It's not a matter of "fixing it" but rather "getting used to it". Once you do, it's fine.
For your 2dr Wrangler, you might want to check out the Timbren airbag kit for your rear coils. I'm no fan of lift kits and mucking about with air pressures for lift bags, but the Timbren airbag kit for Jeeps is fast, easy to install and will help a lot when taking your anvil collection for full-timing. It's easy-adjust and pretty robust. It will also help to keep you from getting the "brights of death" from truckers on the highway. Don't ask me how I know......
Photos or it didn't happen! We'll be expecting constant, detailed reports of the trip.
WilliamA
"When I am in charge, Starburst brand fruit chews will get their own food group....and where are all the freakin laser beams? There should be more laser beams..."
2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
2017 T@G XL
Boyceville, Wi.
I have to agree with William about the counter hieght vs undercariage clearance.
It is possible to be to high like some trailer are, but I di think the T@G with outback/boondock version are very confy when cooking out back.
I have a Wrangler with the leveling kit (2 inch lift out back) and have the Boondock Tag. As it sits, I use a 2" drop hitch to make the trailer ride level. When you go to the dealer, they SHOULD be able to outfit you with the right hitch receiver combo to make it ride level. Mine had the whole thing set up and ready to go while I was signing paperwork. Ask them, and if not, a good quality adjustable ball hitch is a good way to go. Most likely with a stock Wrangler and a standard Tag (not Boondock), you'd be looking at a hitch that is pretty much level or a minimal drop to get it to ride right. But I honestly think that your dealer should be able set that up for you...it's the least they can do.
Our dealer did not wanted anything t do with the TV side of the transaction. But since he was like 2000,00$ cheaper on the price of the T@G and they were 3 hours closer than the out of price dealer,
I took care of everything my self.
Very happy, but understand that it can be a nightmare for others.
@WilliamA Thanks for all the info guys. I wish the dealer had one of the 5w in the boondock I probably would have just made my wife a stool to stand on for cooking. They only had the xl and I really didn’t want the extra foot of width. Pick up will be on Tuesday. And I will definitely keep you guys in the loop when we leave. We plan on doing some YouTube videos for the trip. I will post a picture on Tuesday when I pick her up.
@LuckyJ the dealer I am using had no issues with adding anything on. They are adding the 7 pin charging connector to my Jeep when I pick it up.
@rich67 thanks for the height info I have a couple hitches one is adjustable just not expensive and am hoping one of the ones I have works but if not I will buy one from the dealer
@Michigan_Mike do you think it would be possible to rig one of those awnings you have on your t@b onto the T@G? It really looks convenient
It is possible to add the yakima rack later if you want. You will then be able to install an awning or carry other items.
Brought her home today! I couldn’t even tell I was towing anything behind me!
Congrats!
19 T@G XL Boondock Edge
07 Lexus GX 470
The only thing you would need is the Keder rail mounted along the side edge of your trailer. Since there is a frame rail along that edge I see no reason this couldn’t be done and if anyone sees an issue here please correct me. They add them to the T@B units and if this material is flexible enough to follow the contour of the trailer it would seem that holes could be drilled, some silicone sealant added to the holes and screws installed.
If you are interested in taking this on you could also call the factory and ask to speak with Austin Jones as he’d be able to give you the necessary tips and advice. He’s a wealth of knowledge and an all around great young man and very helpful. Paha Que’ does make the smaller visors of at least they did in the past for Little Guy.
Michigan Mike
Linden, Mi
2019 T@B 400
Jeeptag....congrats on your new rig. I have had times where I look in the rear view and I’m spooked by the SS because it looks like someone tailgating instead of it being “MY” trailer.
Tom
Aptos, California
2015 LG Silver Shadow
2012 Ford Edge Sport TV
I've had that side awning project on the list for a long time now. If time and tides align, I'll be putting one together sooner rather than later. I have the keder rail, fiberglass shock-corded pole and most of the hardware. Just need to source some cloth.
WilliamA
"When I am in charge, Starburst brand fruit chews will get their own food group....and where are all the freakin laser beams? There should be more laser beams..."
2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
2017 T@G XL
Boyceville, Wi.
So did you need to drop the hitch on the Jeep any amount? ie - 2 inch drop, 3 inch drop, none? I'm curious as I also have a Jeep Wrangler, looks the same height as yours and will be purchasing a T@G 5W (standard, not Boondock) probably late spring 2020. Thanks for any info.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada