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Jeep Wrangler JKU and Blue Ox Alpha

MetalGator
Explorer III
Explorer III
I have been towing our Jeep Wrangler JK 2 door for several months now with a Blue Ox Alpha tow bar. My wife has a Jeep JKU 4 door and I recently had a base plate installed on it. This way, we can take either Jeep depending on the trip. I towed the JKU for the first time this weekend and I was startled when I was pulling out of our storage area. I have to make a sharp turn and I looked at the camera and I could not see the front corner of the Jeep. I stopped and went to the back of the Motorhome and I still had about 2 feet or so before the Jeep would have come in contact with the motorhome. It looked much closer on the camera!

I am just curious to hear from other Alpha and JKU owners to see if they have ever had an issue with a sharp turn with this setup. When I tow the JK with it's shore wheelbase, I can always see the front corners of the Jeep in the camera.

Burch
2018 Miramar 35.3 Motorhome
3 fur kids (Monty, ZuZu and Pinto)
Rainbow bridge (Murphy, Petie, Lola)
7 REPLIES 7

dubdub07
Explorer
Explorer
What he said....omg, the two are not different at all cept the length.
2013 Fleetwood Discovery 40G
TOADS: 12 Jeep JKUR Wrangler, 16 Cherokee Trailhawk, 15 Grand Cherokee, 13 RAM 1500 Longhorn (not a toad) American STEEL = American profits
RET USAF MSGT (26yrs) and still DoD ATC.
DW,DS,DD in the MH w/Westley the killer PUG!

FIRE_UP
Explorer
Explorer
MetalGator wrote:
Both Jeeps are stock but the JKU Jeep has a wheelbase that is 20 inches longer than the JK.


MetalGator,
As has been stated, the distance from the point of attachment on the motorhome to the point of the attachment on EITHER JK, is the EXACT SAME. Your 4 door could be stretched to 3 times its length and, it will still have the same distance between the coach and the front bumper/base plate attachment. There is no difference between the two Jeeps and the coach.
Scott

P.S. I just read your third post again. If you take a birds eye view of this situation, you'd see the tow bar makes a triangle between the motorhome and the Jeep, either Jeep. Unless YOU CHANGED one of the bumpers on one of the Jeeps, or, the tow bar attachment points on the JKU are different the the ones on the JK, the distance between the two vehicles IS THE EXACT SAME. If the two Jeep Jeeps have the exact same setup, i.e. base plates and, the bumpers ARE THE EXACT SAME, then the tow setup, IS THE EXACT SAME.

When turning, still looking at this in a birds eye view, and you turn your coach at a given angle, the responding angle between the coach and the Jeep, WILL BE THE SAME, no matter what jeep you're towing. The only difference that may have to be taken into account is the TRAILING length of the vehicle being towed.

Obviously, if you're trailering a really, really long toad, say a 4-door long bed pickup, then the trailering effect of the length of that truck, i.e. the term "cheating" comes into play here, the truck will CHEAT on the corner or, it will take a shorter path/arc in the turn.

But, the distance between the corner of the coach, and the front bumper of the truck is THE EXACT SAME AS TOWING YOUR 2 DOOR JEEP. I know, because we tow either a 4 door JKUR or, an Extended cab GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 truck.
Scott
Scott and Karla
SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Ext Cab 4x4 Toad
2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing
KI60ND

MDKMDK
Explorer
Explorer
Steeljag wrote:
Iโ€™m familiar with the JKU length ! I pull my JK with the Blue OX Avail. I just donโ€™t see how the extra โ€œlengthโ€ of the JKU,or any vehicle, would change the distance / clearance / turn angle between the RV and Toad.

Interesting to see what opinions we get !


X2. Blue Ox BX1126 base plate/Aventa II BX7445 tow bar/stock 2016 JKU.
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????)
2016 Sunstar 26HE, V10, 3V, 6 Speed (sold @ 4600 miles)
2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)

MetalGator
Explorer III
Explorer III
Wheelbase definitely makes a difference. The longer the wheelbase the longer is takes for the vehicle to turn which creates a tighter angle at the back of the motorhome. With the short wheelbase of the JK, the Jeep turns quickly behind the motorhome. I know some of the other Blue Ox tow bars are longer than the Alpha. Was just curious if anyone uses a Alpha while towing their JKU.
2018 Miramar 35.3 Motorhome
3 fur kids (Monty, ZuZu and Pinto)
Rainbow bridge (Murphy, Petie, Lola)

Steeljag
Explorer
Explorer
Iโ€™m familiar with the JKU length ! I pull my JK with the Blue OX Avail. I just donโ€™t see how the extra โ€œlengthโ€ of the JKU,or any vehicle, would change the distance / clearance / turn angle between the RV and Toad.

Interesting to see what opinions we get !
2018 Forester 3011DS
2010 Flagstaff 26RLS (Sold)
2012 Ford F-150 Screw Ecoboost H/D 3.73
1930 CCC
Going where the weather suits my clothes !

MetalGator
Explorer III
Explorer III
Both Jeeps are stock but the JKU Jeep has a wheelbase that is 20 inches longer than the JK.
2018 Miramar 35.3 Motorhome
3 fur kids (Monty, ZuZu and Pinto)
Rainbow bridge (Murphy, Petie, Lola)

Steeljag
Explorer
Explorer
Until some owners start to post, and while Iโ€™m drinking my morning coffee ! The distance to the front bumper should be the same on both Jeeps ! Custom bumper on one of the Jeeps? Maybe your camera was bumped / angle changed ? Did you pull forward enough to allow the arms to lock prior to the turn ?
2018 Forester 3011DS
2010 Flagstaff 26RLS (Sold)
2012 Ford F-150 Screw Ecoboost H/D 3.73
1930 CCC
Going where the weather suits my clothes !