Flat towing... brakes?

[gogmorgo]

I know some of you have and do flat-tow your MJ from time to time. I’m just wondering what your setups look like. 
So my town has a fairly elevated wildfire risk. Rain shadow, dense forest of standing dead beetle-killed pine trees, propensity for strong winds... the wildfire techs are telling us it’s a matter of when, not if, and that in the unlikely worst-case scenario (literally a perfect storm) we’re looking at 10 minutes to evacuate. Although we’re expecting a comparatively generous warning time from the more likely ignition points. I’ve got my evac bag packed, we’re working on firesmarting the yard, and I’m thinking about vehicles now. Specifically flat-towing the little MJ behind the ZJ.

I’ve had this kicking around for a while now. It’s an Automatic Equipment tow-bar mounting point off an XJ.

Looks like it has safety chain points as well as the A-frame attachment points. Seems to bolt on to the bumper bolts with provisions for bolts on the bottom of the frame horn as well. I’ll be looking to get a professional welder to either replace or reinforce the twisted A-frame mounts to work with the Reese tow bar I just picked up, as I’m pretty sure this one’s been drilled to shackle size and used in recoveries.

 

My bigger concern though is brakes, specifically in the unlikely event of a detachment. The ZJ’s brakes are good, very effective, and I trust them to stop the combination, but they can’t if the two come apart, obviously. It looks like the local provincial regulations don’t require brakes in this sort of combination, and any of the aftermarket systems I’ve seen are both expensive and invasive enough for me not to want to install them. But the laws are vague and seem like they were written specifically for towing behind large RVs, not a medium-sized SUV. I doubt I’d get hassled over it and I’m not overly concerned, given it’s only going to be a 60 mile or so run out of harm’s way and not a massive cross-continent vacation. But if there’s a good braking solution out there I’m open to it. There’s some gnarly hills on two out of the three routes out of town.

I’ve also got magnetic tow lights to use. Am I missing anything? Other than the obvious fact I’m overthinking all of it?

 

The better option obviously is to get someone else in need of a ride out of town to drive it out, but it’s getting rare to find someone without a car who knows what to do with a clutch, but even if I can find someone, my focus is just going to shift over to my little Lada, which was already set up by previous owners for dragging behind an RV – and also weighs so little that it falls under the maximum weight for an unbraked trailer.

I don’t want to be deliberately jeopardizing my life or anyone else’s with this. If it comes down to it I’m getting people out, only saving a second vehicle if I’ve got the luxury of time to do so. But I also want to know if I do hook something up in a relative hurry it’s going to be safe to do so. 

[Pete M]

I flat-towed my MJ with the Liberty once.  I'll never do that again.  It was one of the most white-knuckle moments of my life.  your ZJ was never rated for towing that much weight without trailer brakes.  be cautious.  very cautious.  Flat towing a rig (that's equal in size) is not like regular towing.  the towed rig can push you around in ways you've never dreamed.  you have to seriously slow down for turns or even gentle curves in the road.  and the hitch rotates up and down, unlike a trailer.  hard braking can then push the rear of your ZJ up or down depending on what's happening and on how straight it was while normal.  Imagine a panic stop but instead of the front end diving down and planting, it goes up and gets light and squirrely as the towed rig tries to jump up into your hatch. 

 

Emergencies are emergencies though   

 

Does that only bolt to the bumper points?  I would at least add a plate so that it stretches back to include the factory tow hook mounting mount.  the factory bumper mounts were for collisions, not yanking on. 

[Torq_Shep]

8 hours ago, Pete M said:

I flat-towed my MJ with the Liberty once.  I'll never do that again.  It was one of the most white-knuckle moments of my life.  your ZJ was never rated for towing that much weight without trailer brakes.  be cautious.  very cautious.  Flat towing a rig (that's equal in size) is not like regular towing.  the towed rig can push you around in ways you've never dreamed.  you have to seriously slow down for turns or even gentle curves in the road.  and the hitch rotate up and down, unlike a trailer.  hard braking can push the rear of your ZJ up or down depending on what's happening and on how straight it was while normal.  Imagine a panic stop but instead of the front end diving down and planting, it goes up and gets light and squirrely as the towed rig tries to jump up into your hatch. 

 

Emergencies are emergencies though   

 

Does that only bolt to the bumper points?  I would at least add a plate so that it stretches back to include the factory tow hook mounting mount.  the factory bumper mounts were for collisions, not yanking on. 

 

While I am not sure if I would recommend it now, when I was in college I used a 1-1/2" square tube bolted to the bumper brackets and then bolted the flat tow bar to that. Worked in a pinch and never had a problem with it. 

 

However... I second Pete on this... Flat towed a crap S15 2.8L 2 hours with a Iron-Duke S15... Pretty sure there is still crap in my pants from that one. 

 

[yxmj]

I have a large trailer with a SURGE brake....basically a hydraulic break system that works just like your MJ brakes....when you brake in the tow vehicle the hitch collapses and presses the brake pedal on the trailer.

I had always thought it would be a project to use on on a tow bar.....extend some brake lines .....tie them in to the vehicle being towed and voila hydraulic brakes....

Never got around to doing it

 

This is available....or fab your own.....Click on the install link for a good description 

https://www.readybrake.com/store/p4/ReadyBrute™_Elite_RV_Tow_Bar.html

[gogmorgo]

The idea for flat towing comes from using what I already have at hand. There are commercial “toad” brake systems out there that look pretty slick. All they do is clamp to the brake pedal and push themselves back against the driver’s seat. The trouble is by the time you’ve got them parked on your floor pan, you’re halfway to paying for a used trailer, which is just a better solution all around. There are less expensive things out there, but then you’re looking at drilling holes to install, running cables around, plumbing into hydraulic brakes... “invasive” things I don’t really want to do for something I’m planning on never actually needing, just having in my back pocket. 
 

The ZJ is rated for 2000lbs unbraked. So yes, I know that’s a big chunk less than the MJ weighs,  but I also know that I’ve successfully panic-stopped similar unbraked weight with my other MJ, which didn’t have fully functional rear brakes at the time. The ZJ also has more weight sitting on the rear axle than an MJ does which might minimize getting pushed around somewhat, and the wheelbase is a touch longer than a KJ’s, which could help as well. That doesn’t mean I’m trying to defend going without brakes, as I know exceeding manufacturer’s specs is a bad idea and I’m not trying to say I won’t (literally) be pushing the ZJ’s brakes, but again outside of a short test drive, I don’t actually plan on using the setup outside of an emergency evacuation. And even then it would only be the least distance necessary to get it to somewhere safe, and drop it off and proceed to wherever I go myself.

The brake concerns may also be entirely moot, if I can find someone to drive out the MJ. Because in that case I’ll be looking at dragging the Lada out instead, which does actually weigh less than 2000lbs. 
 

[Pete M]

what about buying a tow dolly?  those can be very useful outside of an emergency too.   I'm a little surprised I don't own one yet.