Flat Towing Shackles

Does anyone have experience with flat towing with the tow bar attached to the shackles?
Currie Jeep Towbar System - Flat-Tow Your 4x4 (fourwheeler.com)

Even with a 2” drop hitch flipped over, my tow bar isn’t level. Add some weight in the bed, and it gets worse. Any bigger of a drop hitch and I can’t put down my tailgate without denting it.

Anyway, since I did the yj spring conversion, this option opened up. Other than the fact you have to take it off to drive the Jeep around instead of securing it up (risky anyway), any cons?

Thanks!

 

I just have adapters to put the pins through the D-Ring mounts I have built into my bumper.

 

Not usable if you plan to have a hydraulic coupler for surge brakes.

What is the benefit with them?
I don't see how they could improve anything? they look like revolving shackles to me.

 

I ran the tow bar to the shackles on my racer before I went shackle reversal, mainly because there was nowhere to put mounts with my prerunner-style bumper. It worked fine, but it was noisy. Every big bump that moved the shackles was a fore/aft rattle on the hitch.

 

The only benefit I would use them for is to lower the mount point on the jeep for a more level tow bar.

 

That would explain it. That truck only had AM.

 

Got it! Safety improvement. Maybe more noise but less pain.

I have been looking at lowering my drawbar on the jeep to the m416 height so the truck only needed one setup between them.

 

Mine is level. I think I have a 4" drop turned upside down.

 

I have a a receiver on the front of my jeep. My bar is a little under 4' long. Jeep tows like a boat. With a shorter bar it was pulling on the rear end. Great thing is I don't go down the road looking at a hitch.

 

X3...but haven’t tried to hook up or tow yet.

 

The D-ring adapter was my original plan.
Those adapters and the shackles are about the same price which is what got me thinking. I'll do some more measuring and see.

The tow bar extender with a receiver is a good idea, I don't like looking at mine either but have starting taking it off due to the rattles and the nasty stories on here of it falling down while driving.

 

I use the lifting brackets from an M38A1. They are on top of the bumper/frame so they are not in the way. When not using the brackets for the tow bar I use lift rings. They make it easy to attach a tow strap.

 

Time to put a lift kit on the truck so you can tow the Jeep.

I'm using the bolt on mounts that came with my cheap 5k lb Reese tow bar.

 

I like my trucks low and my jeeps tall.

 

Me too, but I wouldn't tow with this one.

Mike

 

Here’s another idea. I do tow my JKU on 37s with my motorhome and need to use a 6-8 inch rise hitch to make it close to level. The Reese tow bar attaches to the d rings using adapters from Warrior Products. The Reese tow bar is made from rectangular tubular steel and is relatively short. I’d like a longer tow bar so I was considering matching the size of the rectangular steel and welding it underneath the existing arms, then moving the hitch portion onto the new steel. This would provide a 3-4 inch drop on the tow bar and help with the angle on the hitch ball. It wouldn’t change the true angle of pull, but might help.

Mike