To trailer, or not to trailer?

[aka-justin]

Sorry for being naive, but why does everyone trailer there toys once they’ve become the size of Art’s big yeller? Is it strictly drivability or just the incase (which I know I'm going to) break some $h1t?

My new Jeep was really hard to keep going straight down the road at 55-60 mph until I fixed the absent steering stabilizer and blown front bushing on a hemi joint. I only have 35”, but I was wonder if there’s a break away point when there’s a point of no return (to paved roads) and it lacks enough road manners to drive it safely at freeway speeds. 37”, 39”, 40” tires?

Seemed like it was possible with the Lower Forty.

http://www.rockcrawler.com/features/newsshorts/09april/jeep_lower40.asp

[FourbangerYJ]

Trailers are for boats! 
More and more people in my club are trailer queens now. It's real sad! Most of there Jeeps handle fine on the road at speeds. One of the big reasons they trailer is the price of tires. Those 40 inch tires are $500+ and they don't want to burn them up on the FWY. Some have sticky compound tires and are super soft and driven on the street they go away fast!
I can't see spending the ton of  money and time building something just so I coud trailer it. I could understand better if they only did super hardcore stuff and would risk breaking stuff each time out.

[chardrc]

all my possible areas for wheeling are a 4.5+ hour drive away which gets old in a open top jeep (ears ringing and all), also have had to many friends have their rigs break and then are scrambling to find a way to get home. its also hard to fit all your hunting and camping gear in the back of the jeep. we usually trailer out jeeps in an enclosed trailer that we also use as a camper for the trips so thats an added bonus over sleeping in tents.

[Torch_Ind]

One of the big reasons they trailer is the price of tires. Those 40 inch tires are $500+ and they don't want to burn them up on the FWY. Some have sticky compound tires and are super soft and driven on the street they go away fast!

super hardcore stuff and would risk breaking stuff each time out.

I could see it for not spending all that money on a rig and wearing it out just driving it from place to place.
also handling and high speed with extremely large tires not to mention fuel costs
and if you brake on the trail it would cost you more trying to get it home then if you had just trailering it to begin with.
your also not bugging everyone to help you get home or trail/road side repairs!!!

[Torch_Ind]

all my possible areas for wheeling are a 4.5+ hour drive away which gets old in a open top jeep (ears ringing and all), also have had to many friends have their rigs break and then are scrambling to find a way to get home. its also hard to fit all your hunting and camping gear in the back of the jeep. we usually trailer out jeeps in an enclosed trailer that we also use as a camper for the trips so thats an added bonus over sleeping in tents.

  I was typing mine out while you posted lol.

there is a lot of benefits to trailering.. I just got a Dodge ram and I'm going to tow bar it for now till I can get a trailer!

[dwtaylorpdx]

My dads Dodge gets better mileage trailering my jeep than my jeep gets on the highway.. 

Sigh...
Dave

[sharpxmen]

My dads Dodge gets better mileage trailering my jeep than my jeep gets on the highway.. 

Sigh...
Dave

you shouldn't really trailer with a Neon 

[FourbangerYJ]

you shouldn't really trailer with a Neon 

 

[neale_rs]

The great thing about the Jeep is that it works both on-road and off-road.  Modern wheeling has changed in focus.  It used to be more common to use the vehicle to get from point A to point B.  Driving carefully to avoid damage and be able to drive home was part of the challenge involved.  Now it's more about conquering obstacles and it is much more common to abuse the vehicle.  With the modern focus, the trailer is a very good idea.  Here locally, almost nobody trailers but we always get everyone home anyway (although sometimes at 3:00 am!).

[aw12345]

My put put drives great on the street with 37" tires, anything bigger and the 4 popper hurts for power. As some have said bit offroad tires are expensive and wear fast. Gas milage with big tires is for the birds, towing it on a trailer comes in handy when it breaks also. I use it both ways, but for longer distance driving a trailer seems to be a better option. Is some parts of the country tire coverage on public highways is a concern also.

[Torch_Ind]

well I don't plan to trailer it locally around here. I do use my jeep as a dd in town to get to work mostly cause it's small in length for parking.  but there is a few events I would like to make the trip witch is roughly 4-5 hours +. So to take the jeep and pull a trailer anyway for gear, equipment, sleeping and what not!! the 4banger isn't enough.. I will agree it can be done and I have done it. but it's much nicer to have a big 8 foot box to fill plus the cargo trailer that fits the jeep + extras and still have plenty of room for the travel in the truck cab... I trailer it cause i'm planing on pushing it past it's breaking point.. but being over 5 hours away and brake could cost you not making it to work for a few days and issues with where you had to leave it if you left it behind till you could arrange to pick it up and cost you more then just trailering it there and back.  I have been there done that "shit happens". having a extra vehicle there to get home is a + to me.

[95 Lowbuck]

Everybody has thier own reason to go wheeling.
Some like to take all the hardest lines,
some just want to enjoy getting through the trail.
Myself, I wheel with a club 90% of the time and we
all are pretty good about helping each other. (no trailers)
If I'm doing the Rubicon I make sure I'm with the club,
but if I'm out exploring or making a snow run I
don't think twice about going alone.
The challenge for me is to get from point A to point B
and still be able to drive it home.
I don't carry allot of spares and drive accordingly.
There is nothing wrong with going extreme,
just not what I wheel for.

[jagular7]

My reason for adding a toter and trailer to my Jeeping is a healthy body. I've got a truck that can handle the weight of the Jeep and trailer. Better seats than the 4bngr, ac/heat and I can hear the radio. Cruise sets are a lot easier to drive with as well and with added wheelbase, surprises are handled with ease. Mileage is a little less (TJ is 12-14 vs truck 10-12). I'm not tired and don't have hearing problem.

[stan98tj]

i totally understand the reason everyone who uses a trailer does so, and they are all VERY valid points. I however have this goal of turning my TJ into the perfet balance between DD and off roader, an expedition vehicle would best describe it i guess. I want to be able to drive to the trail, drive through it, camp there, drive out, and drive home. With that mindest, it would mean that there are obstacles on trails I would pass up, but that doesnt mean the trail wont be fun. I guess if you build your rig to be extreme, then the trail (the extreme trails) are where it belongs, and not on the road. If you build the jeep well: axles, gearing, powerplant (i still plan on going diesel this summer), lift and tires, you should be able to handle most trails and do the mild-harder stuff. For the real hard stuff, well the jeep needs to be built a different way, and if you plan on hitting that real hard stuff, chances are you probably will break something, and that is where the trailor comes in handy. Of course everytime i drive to the trail, there is a chance i break something, adds to the excitement and makes me really concentrate on how i drive the jeep. Of course my trail is walking distance from my house lol. But, i have been reluctant to drive 4+hrs to an off road park (Rausch Creek). I know my jeep can drive the distance in comfort, but i don't feel it's built up to the standard i'd like it to be to drive that kind of a distance, wheel, and drive home without having to drive freaked out waiting for a driveshaft to fall out lol.

[Xpress]

Why do we trailer our Jeeps to the desert??

Because we want to have more than just a Jeep to play with!! Sometimes we manage to cram in 4-5 ATV's and a few bikes with the Jeep all behind the tow vehicle (which happens to double as a living room/kitchen/bathroom/master bedroom/sleeping quarters/drivers cab).