Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with Aftermarket Bumper that Has D-rings

Published 02/22/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Blue Ox Patriot Portable Flat Tow Brake System - Proportional

(541)

$1450.59

Adapter for Jeep D-Ring Bumper Mounts to Roadmaster Motor Home Mount Tow Bars - 3/4" Thick

(629)

$135.43

Adapter for Jeep D-Ring Bumper Mounts to Roadmaster Motor Home Mount Tow Bars - 1" Thick

(629)

$128.30

Roadmaster High-Low Adapter for Tow Bars - 2" Hitches - 4" Rise/Drop - 10K GTW, 400 lbs TW

(1628)

$197.35

Roadmaster High-Low Adapter for Tow Bars - 2" Hitches - 6" Rise/Drop - 6K GTW, 200 lbs TW

(1628)

$111.00

Roadmaster Bulb and Socket Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles - Red LEDs

(445)

$108.69

Roadmaster Bulb and Socket Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles - Incandescent

(445)

$85.68

Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

(2193)

$575.00

RoadMaster 68" Single Hook, Coiled Safety Cables - 6,000 lbs

(673)

$74.09

Question:

It looks like the base plate (EZ4) would mount easily to the frame and wouldn't be attached at all to the after market bumper. (See pic below) This would allow me to use the d-ring attachments for the safety cables. Correct?

asked by: Mark S

Expert Reply:

Flat towing a vehicle such as a Jeep Wrangler behind a Class C motorhome such as the Dynamax Force 37BH HD will require a few items including the tow bar and braking system. The Blue Ox Patriot braking system # BLU37TR that you referenced is a very good selection. I linked overview articles on flat towing that cover each of the items needed. These are a good starting point.

But first I suggest you check with the bumper maker to confirm it is rated for towing. Not all aftermarket bumpers with D-ring attachments are necessarily rated for this activity; they may be rated for vehicle recovery only. Check to make sure. After some research and consultation with etrailer associates, it appears you have a Titan Rock Crawler bumper.

The items needed to flat tow include the tow bar, safety cables, a wiring/lighting kit of some type, the supplementary braking system and usually also a wiring extension for easier hookup and a high/low hitch adapter like # RM-076. The correct high/low adapter allows your connected tow bar to remain level, or at least within 3-inches of level, which is important for proper operation. In your case, you would also need D-ring adapters like # RM-035 for 3/4-inch D-rings or # RM-035-1 for 1-inch D-rings.

expert reply by: Adam R

click to enlarge

Mark

2/22/2018

Adam R.

2/22/2018

Thank you for the additional photos. So long as your aftermarket front bumper and your choice of the Roadmaster EZ4 base plate # RM-521448-4 do not use the same mounting points on the Jeep frame then you can potentially use both at once. Based on your photos it appears they will not interfere with each other. At most you might need to notch the bottom of the bumper to allow clearance for the base plate bracket. The D-rings on your aftermarket bumper should be okay for use with safety cables since the bumper is solidly attached to the Jeep's frame. Since you will be using the Roadmaster EZ4 base plate # RM-521448-4 you will want to also use one of their tow bars; this avoids the extra cost and added complexity of adapters that are needed to use another brand of tow bar. I suggest the Falcon All-Terrain bar # RM-522. For safety cables I suggest the coiled type that tend not to drag on the ground, part # RM-643. For a lighting kit I suggest a bulb-and-socket kit like # RM-155 or the LED version, part # RM-152-LED. These and all other lighting options are shown on the linked page. I also linked our high/low hitch adapters like # RM-048-4. Choose one to ensure your connected tow bar is as level as possible; it cannot be more than 3-inches above or below level at either end.