dieseldoc previously posted:
"So the gear set wont be friendly to towing.
4:10 is the right set.
I have to '04 tj 4.0 and the 5 speed nv3550 so we have the same 1st gear.
We are running 33's and 4:10 gears the first gear is stupid at mosttimes but the highway 5th gear is able to pull the truck around. I have ad a small trailer 2100#'s with my tools on it.
Tool box shipping weight is 490#'s and the few thousand pounds of tools and we are quickly in to the 4000 lb range. The jeep did pull them around town no issues. The pulls I have done up 285 with a pair of quads and honda 250 were totaly 3rd gear and the right lane.
Now your trailer is 85% of the raited tow for the wrangler.
This leaves you little room for putting gear and such on it.
7 day desert trip you need 65 gallons of water for 2 people.
7lbs a gallon and bam you are overweight.
7x65=455
now add your gear food tools all the stuff you need for a trip of that size.
say 1500 total pounds of gear and the trailer curb weight and now your jeep is not enough.
Sorry to be negative about your plans but the TJ is not that heavy and trailering is a huge deal.
I am a DOT certified mechanic so I see some scarry things for sure.
The fed has changed te combined weight that requires a CDL add a trailer and at 11,000# and now you have to have the truck DOT inspected carry a log book and stop at the PORT.
Hell my service truck even with it being mine and for private use, any travel over 100 miles and bam DOT log book and a CDL.
All this is due to the many fly by night dudes that haul a skid steer on a small flat bed behind a 3/4ton truck.....its all the combined weight look at the spec for COMBINED TOTAL WEIGHT RATE this is the all important number.
if the curb weight of the jeep trail and all gear is over that you are to small and need a bigger truck.
You are headed in the right direction with the WDH as it makes the truck use the front end as well.
And the break controler is huge. Tune it as you drive as you will load it different all the time.
One piont be suee the trailer sits level, if the tounge is high or low you will draw attention from state patrol. Some states have ticket laws for this condition. Its all about loading it evenly.
Tie dows are a regulated deal as well. Bigger is always better.
1500# dirt bike requires 4-500 lb straps!
Is the break system set up with a break-a-way?? This is DOT required. The saftey thing is the cheep part the battery for it is not so much. But as it will stop you trailer should it ever get away the fact is if is a fraction of the cost it could be.
Tires-so many people use car tires on a trailer.....please dont!
Trailers are set up very differently. Tires heat up different and load very differently.
This is one area that small trailer usres think they save money.
a set of used car tires $50 cool good price....tell you toss one at 55mph dont know it as its on the trailer and you pull this for 50 plus miles tell someone honks at you....
now the wheel is trashed your stuck 100 miles from some place to fix it and bam $250 later you get back on the road just to blow the other side in a day or so....
Use the right tires.....they are built tk handle the strees the street s will put them through.
My 2 cents...."
90% of this post is wrong and please don't listen to it. I am not going to pick it apart piece by piece but I do agree with the thought of 3.73's aren't geared low enough. It's not a safety issue so that's something you will learn through trial and error. Beyond that enjoy your camper and don't let your camper scare the cap out of you. Towing is simple and easy. It's not something that needs to be over thought.