ksals68

I'm sure this question has been asked a hundred times over but, I'm new to the forums and not sure how to navigate it yet. I've begun a project of converting a 94 Ram B250 van into a campervan and was wondering if this would be sufficient to flat tow my 2012 Jk with a 2.5 lift on 33s. The B250 has a 318 motor. The original intent of buying the van was to use it as a jeep/dirt bike hauler. My old man used a Ford Econoline to haul his race truck back in the day and it hauled it with no problems. Any input/advice would be appreciated.

Smudgeontheglass

Adequate or legal? You'd have to check the door sticker to see what your van is rated for towing. A quick google shows between 8-9000lbs which would be enough for a 5000lb done-up JK and a trailer. However, it might not be enough to include the camper conversion as well as the JK.

It all depends on what the rating on the van is as well what the bumper is set up for. I wouldn't go overweight just because of the braking capacity of the van. The 318 has pretty good low end torque but it doesn't have much in the HP department so don't expect to make it anywhere fast while towing a trail rig.

RC3

Welcome to JKF! I flat tow my JKU behind a motor home all the time, with no real problems. I realize this is a lot different than a van, but I'll offer some advice on flat towing. The van can probably handle the weight just fine for towing, the problem generally is stopping. I recently added a Brake Buddy to the Jeep and it has made a big difference. I towed without any braking assistance for years but my Jeep has gotten increasingly heavier over the years (haven't we all) and I actually bent a bracket on my tow bar. So I decided to get a braking system (and a new tow bar). My suggestion is a good tow bar (i use a Falcon All-Terrain) that is properly connected to the Jeep and a brake system of some sort. The "all-terrain" type of tow bar is excellent for towing off road. It makes hooking up at weird angles quite easy and it articulates in all directions for uneven terrain.

Its-a-JK

Like mentioned checks the door tag or call chrysler. You need to find the GCVWR(combined rating) which should be around 10-12K on a B250 and not use the GVWR (vehicle rating) which is max weigh within the vehicle and likely between 8-9K. Since you are flat towing your ahead of the game with no trailer weight and you should likely be in the maxing towing range once you convert the van. Also make sure you have a frame mounted receiver as the bumper type are limited to somewhere between 2-3k and aren't great to begin with.
I have had and driven many Dodge vehicle and although the 5.9 is a better towing motor the 5.2 will do but it is a bit lethargic under heavy tow. You may not be thrilled on long hauls especailly if your in hilly territory with 5k in tow and the added conversion weight but again it will get you there. Trans cooler, absolutely.

Gman*2007

Welcome to the group!

resharp001

Like RC3 above, I tow mine 4 down as well and would also suggest using a some sort of supplemental brake system. I use a Blue Ox Patriot brake and a Blue Ox Aventa tow bar combo to pull mine. Given the weight of the van itself, I'd be afraid to pull the jeep without some sort of brake assist.

carmelk6

We tow a 2011 JK Sport behind a Jayco Melbourne (Sprinter 3500) platform. We were surprised to find we were about 200 lbs over GCVWR. So, we’re in the process of shedding weight. That said, I’ll include pictures of our setup. We can hook or unhook in about 5 minutes with very little practice. We use the Blue Ox Patriot II braking system, expensive but the best option from all the reviews I did about a year ago. I’ve wired the Jeep tail and break lights into the RV with an easy harness.






Before Currie plate

Currie plate in place