This summer (June) me and my family are taking a trip to Colorado. We want to bring the jeep along for some offroading, but only want to make the trip from Dallas to Co. with one truck, and the jeep will not seat 5 and a dog; so we must take our suburban.
My questions:
Would it be better to tow the jeep behind the suburban or rent a trailer and pull a trailer with the jeep on top. What size of trailer, who would be best to rent from? Im sure all of you guys have more experience than me with this

thanks!
nick

 

Well, I know you'll need to add a tow bar to the JK if you want to tow it with the suburban.

Trailer will add a little weight, but might be a better option. I haven't heard of a way to to interface to the JK's brakes to use them for towing, and adding an additional 4000lbs might not be the best thing for your suburban's brakes....

Besides, trailer rental can't be that expensive, can it?

 

Towing a vehicle behind another using a tow bar is not a bad way to get it from point A to point B. Towing a vehicle on a trailer behind another vehicle is also not bad assuming you can afford it.

The tow bar is removable and reinstallable when needed the trailer is either rented or you can spend the big bucks and buy one.

There would be about the same wear and tear on the suburban as far as towing except for the fact with a trailer comes tounge weight and the tow bar just is an attachment.

I guess they are about the same as far as safety and ability to do the job with one exception. If you use a trailer the JK's wheels never touch the ground. There is no wear on any parts in the JK while it takes it's ride. With towing the wheels (while in N and freespinning) still go round and round causing bearing and tire wear.

 

Well, I don't know what the towing capacity or GVWR of the Suburban is, but lets figure 8,000 lbs towing properly equipped. The unlimited JK probably weighs around 4500lbs. Add a trailer, you are adding about 1500-1800 lbs on top of that. Lets add in 5 people, a dog, supplies, clothes etc etc.... That will be pretty heavy load. You will be probably be right at the limit of the suburban I think. It's not that the Suburban couldn't do it safely, but I would drop the trailer strictly on the weight standpoint.

My number may be off a little, but just to give you an idea.

 

You will be fine with the trailer...... Rent the full trailer.

 

You could just pull a small trailer behind the jeep. Stuff all of your crap in it and have plenty of room inside the jeep. You could probably buy one for the cost of a trailer rental.

 

I tow my Unlimited. You will need at least a 16' trailer. A loaded and built JK will weigh around 5k just. I use a 20' trailer and have plenty of room for 2 ATV's as well. Here is a pic from last weekends Jeep Jamboree.

 

Duke, how come you trailer your unlimited? It look like a nice rig that would have no problem driving on the highway.

 

I only trailer it when I am going to an event that I want to wheel hard and not worry about breakage. Wheeling is much more fun if you don't have to worry......."if I do this and break, how will I get home." Besides the boys (5 and 7) like the H2 better as they can play video games and watch movies in the back seat. Its just generally WAY more comfortable and the milage even towing is very comparable to my JK.

 

No offense, Duke, but now we finally know what Hummers are good for.