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Flat-towing on Swampers

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by w3srl, Oct 11, 2006.

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  1. Oct 11, 2006
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Ok, so money has been a bit tight of late and I've set my mind to ways to save a few bucks here and there. One of those brain farts was to skip renting the trailer for Jeep outings and just drop the drive shafts and flat-tow the flatty wherever we go.

    My question is this: How badly would I chew up the Swampers towing at 60-65 MPH?

    The Jeep only sees ~1000 miles in a year if that, so some wear isn't a deal-killer. I just don't want to be throwing chunks of good rubber all over the interstates to make a run from Pittsburgh to Tellico, or to Windrock. Tellico is about 590 miles one-way and Windrock is about 500 even.

    The trailer costs me ~$280 bux each weekend...
     
    w3srl, Oct 11, 2006
    #1
  2. Oct 11, 2006
    neptco19

    neptco19 That guy....

    Athens, GA
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    Steve I drove my TJ 80 with the LTBS on it and the tread stayed attached the whole time ;)
     
    neptco19, Oct 11, 2006
    #2
  3. Oct 11, 2006
    neptco19

    neptco19 That guy....

    Athens, GA
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    Also forgot to say, I got around 13k miles on them. That was with prob. a dozen hard wheeling trips on them, lots of tire spinning and rock bashing. You should be fine flat towing them, just make sure the air pressure is correct in them and they have a good even wear pattern on them, so you arnt running on just the centers/outsides of the tire.
     
    neptco19, Oct 11, 2006
    #3
  4. Oct 11, 2006
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    Well, I've no Swampers, but I do have pro Comp MT's...... the Jeep sees 6 or so K a year. I flat towed it 3100 miles to Tellico and back, and the wear was negligible....
     
    Patrick, Oct 11, 2006
    #4
  5. Oct 11, 2006
    johnny quest

    johnny quest Member

    Park City, UT
    Joined:
    May 23, 2006
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    what about using a second set of wheels and tires just for flat towing, and then swappin those out once you get to the trail head?? its a bit more wrenching than just stickin to the swampers, but you wont have to worry bout uneven road wear or whatever else might happen...
     
    johnny quest, Oct 11, 2006
    #5
  6. Oct 12, 2006
    evanjm

    evanjm Yeah, it's got an F-head.

    Leesburg, VA
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    Sep 13, 2006
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    I don't know about towing, but my daily driver is a TJ on 33x14.50 Boggers and I commute to work in that every day at speeds of 60-65 mph. They seem to do fine as far as wear goes--even though they do wear pretty fast, but they're swampers so it's ok!
     
    evanjm, Oct 12, 2006
    #6
  7. Oct 12, 2006
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2003
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    no experience with Swampers
    but if they are balanced and aired up properly
    I don't see any problems
    they are highway rated ?
     
    jpflat2a, Oct 12, 2006
    #7
  8. Oct 12, 2006
    evanjm

    evanjm Yeah, it's got an F-head.

    Leesburg, VA
    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2006
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    Speaking of balancing... I once heard from somewhere that you aren't able to properly balance the bias-ply boggers, is that true?

    I know mine have banancing weights on them and seem to be balanced--except on hot summer days after the jeep sits for a while and you get that wonderful old bias-ply flat spot the first mile or so down the road...
     
    evanjm, Oct 12, 2006
    #8
  9. Oct 12, 2006
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
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    have a set of Swamper SSR's probably fifteen thousand miles being towed no ill affects
     
    jd7, Oct 12, 2006
    #9
  10. Oct 12, 2006
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    2 trailer rentals is around the cost of 4 tires so you'd be money ahead flat towing.
     
    Glenn, Oct 12, 2006
    #10
  11. Oct 13, 2006
    NoFlyZone

    NoFlyZone Member

    Ridgeville, SC
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    4 trailer rentals and you could go buy one.

    I had know idea renting a trailer was that expensive.
     
    NoFlyZone, Oct 13, 2006
    #11
  12. Oct 13, 2006
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
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    Another option might be to buy a used car dolly, then put two regular old tires on the axle thats on the ground.
     
    BlueFlu, Oct 13, 2006
    #12
  13. Oct 13, 2006
    speedbuggy

    speedbuggy Looking for a Jeep now

    Living the Good...
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    Steve- this is a good idea. I have 4 rims and tires I'd give you as well ;)
     
    speedbuggy, Oct 13, 2006
    #13
  14. Oct 13, 2006
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Thanks guys, I've already debated the two sets oftires thing, as well as buying a tow dolly or a trailer. The problem with two sets of rims is the space that the swampers would take up while towing, and the space the "road" tires would take up in the garage the other 50 weeks of the year.

    As for the dolly/trailer idea, I'd have to rent a space to store it since the zoning nazis in my town won't permit it to be stored in my driveway. :mad:

    For the few times per year that I will need to tow it, I guess I can spring for new swampers every coupla years and just air them up to tow on them...
     
    w3srl, Oct 13, 2006
    #14
  15. Oct 13, 2006
    dvader

    dvader Member

    Northern Nevada
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    Jul 20, 2006
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    Flat towing has other problems. You can't back up very far or turn while backing up. Also, if you break something so your jeep won't roll, You either have to fix it there, or get a trailer.
     
    dvader, Oct 13, 2006
    #15
  16. Oct 13, 2006
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
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    Steve its time to move south my friend. ;)
     
    BlueFlu, Oct 13, 2006
    #16
  17. Oct 13, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    We've covered all this ground on other flat-towing threads...Steve was asking more specifically about the wear on his tires.
     
    Boyink, Oct 13, 2006
    #17
  18. Oct 13, 2006
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    11 years, 2 months and 20 days my friend. (But who's counting?) R)
     
    w3srl, Oct 13, 2006
    #18
  19. Oct 13, 2006
    NoFlyZone

    NoFlyZone Member

    Ridgeville, SC
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    Mar 17, 2006
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    You have the radial Swamper too, don't you? I would just take the proper precautions(inflations,extra axle parts etc) and drag that beauty on down here.
     
    NoFlyZone, Oct 13, 2006
    #19
  20. Oct 13, 2006
    NoFlyZone

    NoFlyZone Member

    Ridgeville, SC
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2006
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    OOOhhh you could turn the rear axle full floater with the Warn kit. That wont help with the tire wear but alot of other wear.
     
    NoFlyZone, Oct 13, 2006
    #20
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