How long of a flatbed trailer to haul my XJ.

[Boatwrench]

Resurrected this after using advance search...

The consensus seems to be 16-18', but no shorter than 14' and Richard makes a 13' work. Stay away from dovetail trailers.

Next question, it seems folks balance the tongue weight by moving the XJ forward and back. Has anyone else used spring bars and an equalizer hitch on a shorter <15' trailer?

I have spring bars and sway control bars from from my travel trailer days. I used these on a borrowed 2-axle trailer with electric brakes last Moab trip and it worked well, no issues with sway or load towing behind a tired Suburban.

 

[altierior]

Next question, it seems folks balance the tongue weight by moving the XJ forward and back.

i sure could use some advice on this. i've been trailering for a number of months now, and i still don't feel like i have it right.

 

[DrMoab]

i sure could use some advice on this. i've been trailering for a number of months now, and i still don't feel like i have it right.

It totally depends on your trailer. Each one seems to have its own way it likes to have weight loaded.

With mine I center the jeep over the two axles. This puts it slightly nose heavy with the engine of the jeep in front. I have borrowed other trailers where I have had to pull it forward another couple feet.

It's just a matter of finding the balance between keeping it far enough forward that it doesn't get squirrelly and back enough that you don't have too much tongue weight.

The truck you pull it with makes a huge difference too. I have a 3500 Dodge that can handle a ton of tongue weight. A lighter sprung vehicle you would need to be more careful with.

 

[altierior]

It totally depends on your trailer. Each one seems to have its own way it likes to have weight loaded.

With mine I center the jeep over the two axles. This puts it slightly nose heavy with the engine of the jeep in front. I have borrowed other trailers where I have had to pull it forward another couple feet.

It's just a matter of finding the balance between keeping it far enough forward that it doesn't get squirrelly and back enough that you don't have too much tongue weight.

The truck you pull it with makes a huge difference too. I have a 3500 Dodge that can handle a ton of tongue weight. A lighter sprung vehicle you would need to be more careful with.

i've done a lot of moving it back and forth to find that 'sweet spot'. in order to keep it from fishtailing, i have to pull it a few feet forward of axle center. i'm using a 2001 GMC Yukon with the tow package. with the XJ forward so far forward, it lowers the yukon more than i would like to see.

 

[Goatman]

Resurrected this after using advance search...

The consensus seems to be 16-18', but no shorter than 14' and Richard makes a 13' work. Stay away from dovetail trailers.

Next question, it seems folks balance the tongue weight by moving the XJ forward and back. Has anyone else used spring bars and an equalizer hitch on a shorter <15' trailer?

I have spring bars and sway control bars from from my travel trailer days. I used these on a borrowed 2-axle trailer with electric brakes last Moab trip and it worked well, no issues with sway or load towing behind a tired Suburban.

I know Lincoln uses an equalizer hitch on his trailer, but that's because he has a hitch extension because of the camper. You should be able to balance the trailer by moving the XJ. Don't be afraid to move the rig back, the rear of my XJ sticks out over the rear of the trailer. I have a short trailer mostly for storage reasons, I can back my loaded trailer and camper into my driveway with the front bumber barely sticking over the curb. Any longer on the trailer and it wouldn't fit. Even with the 13' trailer, I still load my generator, gas cans, parts box, and firewood on the front of the trailer. It would be nice to have a longer trailer if it fit in my driveway, however, so far I have never had a situation where my trailer wouldn't do what I needed it to do.

 

[DrMoab]

i've done a lot of moving it back and forth to find that 'sweet spot'. in order to keep it from fishtailing, i have to pull it a few feet forward of axle center. i'm using a 2001 GMC Yukon with the tow package. with the XJ forward so far forward, it lowers the yukon more than i would like to see.

Two words...

Air Bags.

 

[Boatwrench]

Richard I'm going to have a storage issue also so for me the shorter the better.

The trailer I borrowed last time worked well but I'm of the borrow once is OK, but if you need to borrow again you might as well purchase Mindset. I'm looking at 14', wood deck, and dual axle w'electrics brakes.

The next questions will be how to secure the XJ to trailer so I know where to place the securing tie down eyes. Recessed in floor? welded to side frame rail, or use the ratcheting straps that just have a folded end that grips the inside of the frame rail?

 

[Jes]

The next questions will be how to secure the XJ to trailer so I know where to place the securing tie down eyes. Recessed in floor? welded to side frame rail, or use the ratcheting straps that just have a folded end that grips the inside of the frame rail?

Whatever "car hauler" trailer you buy it likely won't have any means of securing a vehicle to it(stake pockets don't exactly count). I got heavy duty D rings(like this http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=6671&categoryID=235 ) with my trailer and welded them to the front and back crossmembers.
For tie downs I use a kit similar to this: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MTD-4-PS3-8K&N=700+115&autoview=sku
I would stay away from the cheap yellow ratchet straps you can get at Wal-Mart and the like. They tend to stretch and not be up to the task.

 

[Goatman]

My trailer came with tie downs all the way around. I use two in the front and two in the back, with the straps around the axle housings.

 

[DrMoab]

My trailer came with tie downs all the way around. I use two in the front and two in the back, with the straps around the axle housings.

What do you tie the front and rear ones down to on the Jeep?

I know with my 16 footer its a little too short to tie into the bumper d rings.

 

[altierior]

What do you tie the front and rear ones down to on the Jeep?

I know with my 16 footer its a little too short to tie into the bumper d rings.

this is something that gets debated, but the jeep shouldn't be tied to the bumper or any other place above the suspension. it compresses the suspension components, and the spring 'give' causes a bounce-stress on the straps/chains. straps and/or chains on the axles are best. IMHO