What my Jeep needs for towing
#1
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
What my Jeep needs for towing
I'll be picking up a 2" receiver and wiring harness for towing in the near future; I'll be pulling a pop up camper regularly. My JKU is a stock Sport S, so I assume that my rear springs are inadequate. Can anyone recommend some good springs for towing? Is there anything else that I need to worry about other than springs?
#2
JK Enthusiast
You will get a little extra sag but if you're stock I wouldn't worry about it. Worst case you post on your local forum and get some 2nd hand rubicon springs and receiver. The Mopar wire harness is a pretty quick install as well and you can pick that up fairly inexpensively.
#3
JK Jedi
I'd agree. That popup can't weigh that much, and the weight distribution on the receiver shouldn't pull the back end down all that much.
#5
JK Jedi
Granted, I have 3.5" RK springs, but here's a good comparison for you. I've had ~1200+ lbs of cargo in the middle/back of my JKU. That sucker looked like it was a low rider in the rear end. Hit a good bump and I'd knock my bumpstops. Compare that to towing a trailer with cargo that was 2k+ lbs......the weight on the tongue and spread over a trailer axle barely make the rear sag at all....at least visually. Most of that trailer weight will be on it's own axle, and granted there will be weight on the tongue, but the effect isn't as dramatic as you might think.
Obviously every jeep is different, but I suspect even with a factory suspension you'll see a similar result. As mentioned by a previous poster, you could always pick up some factory rubi spring for cheap of Craiglist for a slightly stiffer stance.
Obviously every jeep is different, but I suspect even with a factory suspension you'll see a similar result. As mentioned by a previous poster, you could always pick up some factory rubi spring for cheap of Craiglist for a slightly stiffer stance.
#7
JK Junkie
I've towed 5000 pound toy hauler for many trips and miles with my 2012 jku Sport S. I used a weight distribution hitch. I also have the smittybilt XRC rear bumper that increases the hitch capacity to 5000 pounds. My suspension is stock. Also, don't listen to anyone telling you to put Rubi springs on. They are no different from Sport springs. As long as your pop up is not huge, you should be fine with the stock setup. I replaced my 5000 pound toy hauler with a 3500 pound loaded weight trailer and I tow that about once per month on the east coast. I love the smittybilt bumper. So much more confidence in its strength compared to the stock receiver.
Last edited by rob_engineer; 09-29-2017 at 07:05 AM.
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#8
Super Moderator
This- if you feel it sags your rear end. It'll pick your back end up enough to level out your lights and shift the weight back to the trailer. I've run a set and they're good for that.