Jeep Garage  - Jeep Forum banner

The Towing thread

314K views 2K replies 156 participants last post by  SouthernComfort 
#1 ·
Please place your queries and comments regarding towing, towbars, wiring, Brake Controllers, and any other Aussie towing matters here.

This way the information will be contained, and others will not need to plough though other irrevelent threads to find info.
 
#92 · (Edited)
#105 ·
Bugger me! I didn't know this towing thread existed so I've putting towing stuff on another site. I know John and Allypally post there also. So I guess I'll put my latest offerings here as well.

A while back I took the Jeep over a weighbridge. With two on board, Offroad Adventure Pack, rock rails, tow bar, tool box, recovery gear and a full tank, it weighed 1,420kg front and 1,300kg rear. The manual stipulates Gross Axle Weight Ratings of 1,452kg front and 1,687kg rear so no problem. I'm getting close in the front so a future bull bar might be an issue. Anyway, on a recent trip with our Kimberley Camper I noticed the rear car tyres were a little warmer than the rest so when I got back I put the car with trailer attached over the weighbridge. With full everything and gear, it came in at 1,280kg front, 1,720kg rear and 1,180kg trailer. The front was lighter but the rear axle was actually overloaded by 33kg. OK it's not a lot but I was shocked that the axle was overloaded at all. The ball weight of my trailer I measured at 216kg. The tow bar is rated for a ball weight of 350kg which gives the impression that I was miles safe but it wasn't so. The take-away here for me is that back of a bus ticket calcs are fine for a starting point but ultimately one needs to take the rig over a weigh bridge to really know what's going on. In future I'll try to move as much heavy gear from the back of the Jeep to the back of the trailer.
 
#111 ·
Bugger me! I didn't know this towing thread existed so I've putting towing stuff on another site. I know John and Allypally post there also. So I guess I'll put my latest offerings here as well.

A while back I took the Jeep over a weighbridge. With two on board, Offroad Adventure Pack, rock rails, tow bar, tool box, recovery gear and a full tank, it weighed 1,420kg front and 1,300kg rear. The manual stipulates Gross Axle Weight Ratings of 1,452kg front and 1,687kg rear so no problem. I'm getting close in the front so a future bull bar might be an issue. Anyway, on a recent trip with our Kimberley Camper I noticed the rear car tyres were a little warmer than the rest so when I got back I put the car with trailer attached over the weighbridge. With full everything and gear, it came in at 1,280kg front, 1,720kg rear and 1,180kg trailer. The front was lighter but the rear axle was actually overloaded by 33kg. OK it's not a lot but I was shocked that the axle was overloaded at all. The ball weight of my trailer I measured at 216kg. The tow bar is rated for a ball weight of 350kg which gives the impression that I was miles safe but it wasn't so. The take-away here for me is that back of a bus ticket calcs are fine for a starting point but ultimately one needs to take the rig over a weigh bridge to really know what's going on. In future I'll try to move as much heavy gear from the back of the Jeep to the back of the trailer.
Do you have level riders to reduce the ball weight?
 
#106 ·
I've seen a couple of variants of bathroom scales ball weight measuring jigs on other sites so I tried my variation of the theme, see the pic. The issue is that bathroom scales usually max out about 150-200kg but ball weights can go tp 350kg at least for the Jeep. So a jig that would allow the bathroom scales to be leveraged up by a factor of say 3 would be good. I made it out of 90mm stormwater piping. I paid $35 for parts. It needed one 20mm drill hole in the top for the Treg pin and two saw cuts for the tubes plus some gluing of joints. I had some pressure pack foam left over and filled the tubes for added stiffness. The horizontal part is about 300 long with the vertical part exactly a third of the way along so the reading on the bathroom scales needs to be multiplied by 3 to get the ball weight.
 

Attachments

#107 ·
Well worth the exercise Bob, and an excellent example of how to get a ball weight.
Most won't care (or understand) about loadings - and remain in blissful ignorance.
Setting up your combination correctly gives you and the rig the best possible chance should circumstances turn nasty for whatever reason.
Personally i find it scary to see some of the combinations travelling our roads.
 
#112 ·
#113 ·
Gday Stuch, a bit earlier on in this thread there was a link to the Hayman Reese Weight Distributing Hitch setup instructions.......commonly called "level riders" in Australia.
This type of hitch does move vehicle loading away from the ball area - but doesn't work to reduce the trailer nose weight.

You're right though - if one was used it would reduce the load on the rear.

Extract from ETrailer.com "The physics of a weight distribution system can be a little confusing. But, basically the spring bars in the system push weight forward and backward so that the weight is more evenly pushed to the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle and the trailer axles. The actual tongue weight on the ball may not change significantly."

it has been mentioned before here but Jeep Australia recommend using a weight distributing hitch with all available suspension systems when towing above 2268kg. Van designs by local manufacturers here generally finish up 10 to 15% on the ball, and using 15% of 2268 = 340kg - close to the specified towbar max, and definitely warranting using a WDH. Just a bit more for the mix - my HR WDH weighs in at 32kg for the head and bars!!!
Bob's experience shows how easily the rear axle can be overloaded - and there'e plenty around that are doing it, but I've seen no complaints of rear axle issues so far.
 
#115 ·
If any of you "towing" guys want a Hayman Reece WDH I have one for sale at $300, located in the Hills District in Sydney.

I only tow a relatively light boat so will never need it.
 
#117 ·
That is too far for you Alan, it will cost you at least $2 in fuel.
 
#120 ·
FleeBay was never like this.
 
#121 ·
Had an Anderson plug fitted by the dealer.

Discovered that there was no charge coming when connected to the caravan. It then took 2 attempts by the auto electrician to get the right equipment.
They used the 12 volt plug to at as a switch.

It took them about 5 hours to solve the issue.
I suggest that if you have an Anderson plug fitted that you check it's operation
 
#122 ·
Had an Anderson plug fitted by the dealer.

Discovered that there was no charge coming when connected to the caravan. It then took 2 attempts by the auto electrician to get the right equipment.
They used the 12 volt plug to at as a switch.

It took them about 5 hours to solve the issue.
I suggest that if you have an Anderson plug fitted that you check it's operation
Didn't they take the feed directly from the battery to the anderson plug via a fuse?
 
#133 ·
Had an Anderson plug fitted by the dealer.

Discovered that there was no charge coming when connected to the caravan. It then took 2 attempts by the auto electrician to get the right equipment.
They used the 12 volt plug to at as a switch.

It took them about 5 hours to solve the issue.
I suggest that if you have an Anderson plug fitted that you check it's operation
Stuch, did the dealership fix this for you or did you have your own auto electrician do the work? The reason I ask is that I have ordered an Anderson plug (as well, as towbar and brake controller) to be dealer fitted in my 2014 CRD Laredo when it arrives and from the photo in your posts, I reckon you and I use the same dealer!
 
#124 ·
I would have thought they would have used an isolator, and run the cable from your battery. That way, if the battery gets to a level, which will not start your car, the power will shut off
 
#127 ·
Can't see the point of having wired that way myself.
I would have thought that whilst travelling you would have the fridge on 12v and getting its power either from the van battery or directly from the Anderson plug.
Either way, if you stop on the side of the road for a break for lunch, shopping etc, the fridge will continue to run on 12v until such time and the cars battery voltage drops to a point where the VSR cuts power to the AP to leave enough to start the car and recharge again once on the move.

I had an occasion before where we ran really low on battery power as we were in the Kimberley's for 11 days. The car only topped it up slightly. I then had to plug the van back into the car (had a dual battery setup) to run lights etc.
Didn't need the have the car switched on for this to occur. This way you will (if needed).
 
#128 ·
Can't see the point of having wired that way myself.
I would have thought that whilst travelling you would have the fridge on 12v and getting its power either from the van battery or directly from the Anderson plug.
Either way, if you stop on the side of the road for a break for lunch, shopping etc, the fridge will continue to run on 12v until such time and the cars battery voltage drops to a point where the VSR cuts power to the AP to leave enough to start the car and recharge again once on the move.

I had an occasion before where we ran really low on battery power as we were in the Kimberley's for 11 days. The car only topped it up slightly. I then had to plug the van back into the car (had a dual battery setup) to run lights etc.
Didn't need the have the car switched on for this to occur. This way you will (if needed).
It depends on your requirements.
We have a 12 volt fridge with 2 batteries in caravan and 2 90 watt solar panels.
The car charge is auxiliary to all this. No need to put power into caravan when stopped.
The voltage regulator in the car does not allow the voltage to exceed around 13v and therefore the 1st 2 switches they tried did not activate the Anderson plug. The final one had 3 separate settings depending on which type of batteries you have in your van.
 
#129 ·
Agreed, my DC-DC converter in the van is not even going to kick in unless the alternator is on anyway. I often use that socket for other things, like plunging in my compressor which I want without the ignition on.

Another option would be to include the relay but connect the coil's positive to the common of a (hidden?) dual-throw switch, Connect one of the other switch contacts to the ignition/cig-lighter and the other straight to the battery. That way you could switch it either way. The only drawback is that when it is in the "always on" mode, the relay is drawing some current(about 100mA) and that could flatten your battery in some months. Leaving the switch in the ignition mode when not in use would solve this.
 
#130 ·
As long as the setup suits your purposes, then all should be fine. In any event, if you later find that it is not what you require, it should be easy to modify. At least, the hard work of cabling has been done.
 
#134 ·

Attachments

#132 ·
The towbar looks exactly the same as a Hayman Recce. However, there are some differences regarding the fitting to the chassis. The hitch does come with the cover, however, although it appears the same as the jeep one you show, it says Best Bars instead of Jeep. Be careful if ordering towbar parts from the US, as their towbars are different, and that is why the cars are shipped without them and installed here using a brand, Best Bar, from New Zealand.
If you search through the http://www.jeepgarage.org/f190/towbars-in-australia-33424-2.html thread, in particular posts 84 - 96 you will see photos.

The 2104 bar is the same as the 2011-13 bars. The bar should be fitted with a 7 pin flat plug as well.
 
#148 ·
I wonder what mental gymnastics their designers went through to come up with that piece of stylistic inspiration.:rolleyes:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top