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Should I tow a small RV with the XJ - read on

Mighty.Mighty_XJ

NAXJA Forum User
My 1999 Limited didn't come with a factory hitch. Currently under there in the back I have Ironman shackles, HD Offroad shackle relocation brackets, wrap-around Detours bumper with built-in hitch. Problem is, the bumper has been installed in factory location ... 8 bolts with no tie-in braces because I don't know what happened to them when the bumper was removed from my wrecked '92.

I'm thinking of towing a small RV and I'm wondering if this will be ok with only factory mounts on my bumper. The RV weighs 1300 pounds before I load it up.
XJ is lifted 5" on 33s, the trailer has 35s.

I expect to be rolling on paved roads. Could I get away with it? Should I try? I'm being told that it would be difficult to fit a hitch back there because the stuff I listed are in the way. Any ideas, recommendations, suggestions? I'm a bit nervous & money is not exactly flowing.

Sorry I have no pics right now as the Jeep is not with me.
 
I'm thinking of towing a small RV and I'm wondering if this will be ok with only factory mounts on my bumper.


No, this is not safe.

The only safe way to tow is with a frame mounted class-III receiver hitch, or a bumper system that mimics the class-III mounting. Confirm that any bumper you install is tested and rated for towing.
 
You definitely need something that ties into the frame rails. Your current set-up is easy to work with by using internal rails vs external mounting.
 
Something like this bought or home built would be good, as long as the bumper is rated for towing.

.
medium800.jpg
 
yep. need some reinforcing to do it right.
 
That's definitely the idea, but a little on the lightweight side.
medium800.jpg
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That's definitely the idea, but a little on the lightweight side.
medium800.jpg
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What would be a more substantial mount method? My XJ had a tire mount swing away bumper, aftermarket, big 33 inch tire back there, plus jack and gas can. but the thing was only mounted to the sheet metal, the tire rack would wooble, and the sheet metal was tearing! for now the tire and gas can is on my roof rack.
I want to beef up my bumper mounts, reinstall the tire back on the bumper. the bumper also has a hitch, and D rings mounts. if anyone tried to pull me from the bumper, it would tear off, no good.

So what is a better attachment solution that what is pictured here?

I am think of some insert into the frame rails, maybe a full box section rather than cut down as shown maybe?

Id like to see some high strength mount ideas, as I want to be able to use the bumper for recovery purposes if need be.

Please advise!
 
youll have to cut it down like shown in the photo to clear the shackle bolt through the frame rail. even being cut down, its still much stronger than what it is being bolted to.

your not reinventing the wheel. you simply want to mimic what a factory hitch receiver accomplishes.
 
OK, this is as I thought and I'm not happy. But I can't not tow the trailer - the rental is already paid for. I do have time for remediation though & I guess I'ma hafta bite the bullet & pull out the credit card :bawl: So I did some searching last night.

Would this help?
Rear bumper stiffener

Plus maybe this
Dirtbound rear bumper brace

JCR has some unibody tie-in braces ...

I've seen one similar to the pic posted above but with full square tube inserted into the frame, but it's been a while & now I can't find it online anywhere.

Frankly, buying the parts is not an issue, nor the basic installation. I'm just not happy that it'll likely cost an arm & a leg for them to remove everything back there to do the work. Wouldn't a hitch solve the problem? Problem is every hitch I can find right now has the hitch part made below the square tube unlike the factory hitch. So I'll be losing at least 2" inches of clearance in the rear. And my installer is very doubtful that he can fit the hitch on the XJ with all the junk already back there .... :(
 
The Dirtbound units look interesting, but it would depend on the rest of your bumper.
 
XJ Class-III hitches have minimum of 3 bolts per side, most have 4 bolts per side. I would not tow anything bigger than a residential lawn tractor with less than 3 bolts per side.
 
Post a pic up see we can see what your needs might be. Most rental places will talk to you about your hitch?
 
The Dirtbound units look interesting, but it would depend on the rest of your bumper.

Did not see a pix of your bumper but those will help if your bumper hooks to the points where these mount.

Post a pix and lets take a look.
 
I like the gussets welded to the plate and square tubing shown on this design, ....

http://www.ericsxj.com/2012build/updates.htm

however this design only uses three bolts per side verses the longer square tube design that inserts further into the XJ frame, and uses four bolts per side, as shown in prior post by other on this thread.

I may fab my own, using the long four bolt design, and gusset for safety. I also habe a fuel tank skid plate back there, and will be adding shackle relocators in my back end jeep going over I also have to take some dents out of the frame bottom on the driver side, the fuel skid plate was only attached with one bolt per side, prior owner bottom on skid plate, and it ended up kind of squishing the bottom of the frame above the skid plate, so I need to hammer it out to fit the square tubing correctly, else my bumper wont be sitting level

I wonder the benefit if any of adding weld in nuts on the inside of the tubing on the side, the outside of jeep side, so bolts can be screwed in to the side of the jeeps frame in addition to the bottom nut strip location? Maybe run the bolt thru an outside of frame doubler plate? or is that silly overkill? Remember, big heavy tire mount on this, and I need the bumper as a strong recovery point, with towing ability.

Thoughts on this?



Thanks
 
Did not see a pix of your bumper but those will help if your bumper hooks to the points where these mount.

Post a pix and lets take a look.

OK, this is as I thought and I'm not happy. But I can't not tow the trailer - the rental is already paid for. I do have time for remediation though & I guess I'ma hafta bite the bullet & pull out the credit card :bawl: So I did some searching last night.

Would this help?
Rear bumper stiffener

Plus maybe this
Dirtbound rear bumper brace

JCR has some unibody tie-in braces ...

I've seen one similar to the pic posted above but with full square tube inserted into the frame, but it's been a while & now I can't find it online anywhere.

Frankly, buying the parts is not an issue, nor the basic installation. I'm just not happy that it'll likely cost an arm & a leg for them to remove everything back there to do the work. Wouldn't a hitch solve the problem? Problem is every hitch I can find right now has the hitch part made below the square tube unlike the factory hitch. So I'll be losing at least 2" inches of clearance in the rear. And my installer is very doubtful that he can fit the hitch on the XJ with all the junk already back there .... :(


I think all three linked designs are simply bandaids, not a real beef up that is needed for a strong, tow capable, recover capable rig.
The cross member part is simply attacked to the same sheet metal that is currently tearing of my jeep. Think of this as a repair piece, not a tow capable stand alone upgrade.
The brace, is again not a stand alone upgrade for towing, the other one, that slides into the frame is not square tube, it is not as stiff, and it is short, 3 bolts length, not four, this means it can easier rock by flexing the frame, and rocking will tear the frame. the longer design as others have posted will resist rocking much better with that extra length and 4th bolt, it is considerably stronger for fatigue, particularly important for bumpers with gas can and tire mounts. These heavy loads cantilevered up high unsecured at top can put a lot of rocking motion on a bumper without long tie ins to the frame.
 
Is there a Pick and Pull near you? Go there and get a hitch from an XJ along with the nut strips inside the frame rails. That will get you by until you get the bumper mounting reinforced.
 
Is there a Pick and Pull near you? Go there and get a hitch from an XJ along with the nut strips inside the frame rails. That will get you by until you get the bumper mounting reinforced.



Go this route and if it doesn’t work with your bumper leave it off for this trip.
 
Here is what came with my Dirtbound kit.............
20180820_184836_zpskxkkjxgt.jpg

20180923_141819_zpsjbcdzxja.jpg
 
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