Hi All-

I've been tapped by my department to pull the office's parade float in this year's CSU homecoming parade. Yay for JK publicity, maybe MOPAR can "sponsor" me

The trailer is pretty big, a tandem axle flatbed style about 20-22 feet long with a massive tongue with a bolt-on ball receiver that can sit on a whopping 2 and 5/16 inch diameter ball.

I've got a 07 wrangler unlimited rubicon with a Full Traction 3" ultimate lift and 35" BFG MT2 tires on 16 inch rims.

The float is mostly built (and most of the weight is on the rear, behind the axles) but when we sat the trailer onto my hitch, the rear of the jeep dropped a healthy four inches.

The parade route is only about one mile long and we are about one mile from the parade route, over flat terrain so the actual towing part isn't really a concern.

Nonetheless, is this a good idea?

Concerns:
1. overheating transmission
2. too much tongue weight
3. too much stress on springs
4. tire stress

Answers:
1. If i drop the front driveshaft and run it in 4-lo, it should be easy peazy lemon squeezy
2. Impossible to measure - anyone have guidelines?
3. thoughts from FT?
4. are tire load specs flexible with 2mph parade speeds? What would be the ideal air pressure to run?

Any thoughts or help you guys & gals can provide will be much appreciated

 

Well.........you're gonna look like a fool with the rear down and the headlights pointed to the sky like a search light. lol

But you can weigh the tongue on a scale if there is one nearby.

Yeah, you can drop the front drive shaft, and run LO, but you take a chance on popping wheelies, would look cool if you didn't shake the people off the float.

Did your jeep bottom out? If so, or if you are near to bottoming out you stand a good chance on breaking something, especially if there is any dip in the road.

I'd say to pass on this one or rent a trailer and dress it up as a mule.

 

 

I have driven my WWII Jeep in 4LO in over 50 praids over the last 2 years and have don no harm. if you are gong strate and slow you will be fine just dont hit the gas or make a trun in 4LO. also every one in my club runs this way and no one has hade a problum, but one guy. he had lockout hubs and was runing in 2WD, 4LO and brake an axle because of too much power going to just he back wheels.

 

Didn't even come close to bottoming out. I'd say with the FT 3" lift, I ended up only one inch lower than stock ride height.

Even though I ordered FT's "Heavy Duty" springs for the front, once I got the bumper and winch installed I've had about a 1.25 inch rake. So when I drop the rear 4 inches, it does sit with the bottom lower, but just a little (say 2.5 to 3 inches).

With the trailer connected, it's not in wheelie territory. I don't think removing the front DS will cause my front end to lift up. It's not like it's a boat anchor or anything.

I'm mostly concerned about stressing these flexy springs and screwing up my tires.

 

Just go slow and easy, shouldn't be to much of a problem

 

For what you are doing and how long you will be doing it I think it will be fine. Just get someone with a truck to haul the float to and from the parade route.

 

Sounds like the tare weight of the trailer is more than the capacity of the Jeep. That's before they build the float. Doesn't seem like a good idea to me - I tow a set of 3,500lb light towers around for soccer games and you're fine when you're moving along but getting started is tough. On gravel and sand, I get wheel spin unless I'm in 4. If you're parading with say 5,000 lbs, that's a lot of stop and go. Automatic or manual?

 

Sounds to me like most of the weight is forward of the axles.

 

What I was concerned about regarding wheelies wasn't due to the weight of the DS, but with the rear end already down, and the 4LO range on the rear end that the front can lift very easily if you get on it too hard. Don't forget that the total weight of the trailer acts to hold you back initially which adds to the ease of which you can pull a wheelie.