Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Behind a Moving Truck

Published 01/17/2014

Products Featured in This Question

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

(4860)

$503.14

Blue Ox Patriot Portable Flat Tow Brake System - Proportional

(456)

$1404.09

Blue Ox Alpha Non-Binding Tow Bar - RV Mount - 2" Hitch - 8,500 lbs

(474)

$1079.00

Blue Ox Avail Non-Binding Tow Bar - RV Mount - 2" Hitch - 10,000 lbs

(802)

$1098.82

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

(183)

$49.87

Roadmaster Universal Magnetic Tow Lights with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector

(44)

$85.43

Question:

I need to know what all I need to hookup a tow bar to the front end to tow behind a moving truck.

asked by: Barbara

Expert Reply:

The first thing you are going to want to do is consult the owners manual for your 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee to make sure the vehicle can be flat towed and, if so, what the proper procedure is.

There are at least 5 items you will need to flat tow a vehicle: base plates, tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking.

For base plates you can use Blue Ox # BX1115. There are a few different tow bars that are compatible with these base plates: the Avail, # BX7420, rated for 10,000 pounds, the Alpha, # BX7380, rated for 6,500 pounds, and the Allure, # BX7460P, rated for 10,000 pounds and with a lunette ring.

All of these tow bars come with safety cables so you will not need to add any extras.

For lighting, if you will not be flat towing the vehicle often, I recommend the Roadmaster # RM-2120 magnetic tow light kit. If you do plan on frequent towing I recommend the bulb and socket kit, # BX8869. The bulb and socket kit requires drilling into the back of the tail light housings to mount the bulbs.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking on the vehicle being flat towed. One of the easiest systems to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot proportional system, # BLU37TR. This system will apply the Jeep brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

I have included a couple of helpful links on flat towing for you to view.