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1975 Brutally Simple Daily Driver

Didn’t hardly pay to take the top off this year. Really didn’t drive it much this summer. I welded shut 26 holes in the rear fender well tops before the top went back on… completely forgot about the cracks in the suspension mounts until the shop was cleaned up.

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Getting to be sweater weather.
 
I’m headed for Easter Jeep!… probably. There is a slight chance I’d be able to piggyback on a trailer with another rig, but I’m also planning for the worst. Besides, what CJ owner wouldn’t benefit from a tow bar at some point?


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My Comanche has gone through a bit of an overhaul lately also. I went from 4.10s and 31s to 3.73s and 235/55/15s. Added a rear sway bar also. This thing hauls!

Obviously I’m still in the mocking up phase but the tow bar is nearly done. I think I know the right answer, but I’m not sure my truck is enough truck to go 800 miles. The truck handles awesome with the front and rear sway bars. On paper the CJ weights around 3000#. If I were to do it, I’d leave the top at home, put the windshield down, and air up the CJ’s tires to 35#.

Talk me out of it?… please?
 
I don't know if I would tow that much weight that far, probably the truck will tow it , but with the jeep not having tow brakes, that is a lot of weight pushing the tow vehicle, especially in a very slight jack-knife situation. The only way to recover from a developing Jack-knife is to release the tow vehicle brakes and apply the trailer brake. Quickly!
 
Rent a fullsize SUV if you can, all fords and gms will have a hitch.

I have considered using a weight distribution hitch on the front of the towed jeep to put tongue weight on the tow bar.
 
That scares me....XJ size brakes trying to stop 2 vehicles. I wonder if you could use one of those brake assist things that RVers use? I'm not sure there's enough room in a CJ5.
Also you'll probably need some weight in the bed to keep the CJ from pushing you around corners.
 
colojeepguy said:
That scares me....XJ size brakes trying to stop 2 vehicles. I wonder if you could use one of those brake assist things that RVers use? I'm not sure there's enough room in a CJ5.
Also you'll probably need some weight in the bed to keep the CJ from pushing you around corners.
Click to expand...

The axles and brakes are out of a ‘94 Grand Cherokee. It now has 11” drums in the rear and the front calipers have a larger contact surface on the pads than the old setup. I agree on loading the bed too.

I’m absolutely not set on this configuration! After giving my truck a birthday I’ve been very surprised with it. The change in gear ratio along with the smaller tire and bigger brakes makes for a completely different feel in a very good way. Where I’m at is planning for the worst.
 
neohic said:
I think we can agree that none of this is!
Click to expand...
Much like my 2nd gen tacoma - which is probably a bit heavier than your MJ, but similar brakes after your upgrade - its not ideal, but it works if the driver is responsible. For a couple trips to Moab and California etc each year for about 5 years, and given where I lived at the time in Denver with a small house and limited parking, it was a great solution that just required a bit of care. I've said this before around here - I probably could have driven the CJ to Moab in about the same amount of time as towing with the smaller truck, but its still a lot more comfortable cabin, ride, AC, radio etc. And it gives a partial option to get a broken jeep home more easily (depending on what might have broken). Its not the absolute BEST solution in terms of towing a jeep in general, but it may very well be the right solution in a specific scenario.
 
neohic said:
And give up fuel economy all the time?! People enjoy skiing but they don’t wear the books all the time.
Click to expand...

I get 23 on the highway. 15-17 towing the cj.
17 was tires aired up and windshield down. 15 was tires down and top on.
 
Jw60 said:
I get 23 on the highway. 15-17 towing the cj.
17 was tires aired up and windshield down. 15 was tires down and top on.
Click to expand...

I was referring to replacing a daily driver that gets 38 miles per gallon with something that’ll get much worse. My property doesn’t have room for another vehicle and I’ve got zero interest in having a vehicle that primarily sits but still needs registration and insurance.

I've been scheming a few options:
  1. Renting a truck/trailer is around $1k
  2. Renting a U Haul and a dolly is around $1k
  3. Buying a YJ suspensions and brackets to make it all work is around $1k
  4. Maybe piggyback on a trailer with another rig but it'll definitely be a squeeze for the cost of fuel
  5. Throw together a tow bar for next to nothing and figure it out plus the cost of fuel
The problem with driving it out and back is the ride quality. Right now the tires live at 20# and there's probably more suspension in the sidewalls than there is in the leaf springs on the road. It's not completely horrible... but it's also not something I'd look forward to for 800 miles. Early last week I was ready for a "loose the shop moment" and start ordering parts to redo the whole suspension. Then the realization that should anything get delayed or go wrong that I wouldn't have a Jeep to take to Moab set in. Eventually, I need to address the awful suspension on this thing. Before I spend anything else on it, I should really see how it wheels! I've upgraded the engine (out of necessity), added a limited slip in the rear diff, added the NP435, rock sliders, some creature comforts, and yet I've never really wheeled it outside of some basic trails around my place. It might be terrible! I might even hate it! I won't know until after this trip.

Before the trip, the top is coming off to ditch a bunch of weight. I'm not out anything to hitch it up and see for myself how it pulls. I'll throw the spare for the CJ and the truck in the bed for good measure. Years ago I used to flat tow my '72 Volkswagen all over with my truck or a '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 4.0. Granted, there's about 1000# difference between the CJ and a Beetle and I completely understand how that affects the driving characteristics of the tow vehicle. Would it be a real super hero move to roll into Moab after driving all the way there?... you bet! Would it also be a super hero move to roll into Moab with my truck towing the CJ?... also yes.

Flat towing will never be my first choice. People have been flat towing them for years though behind other CJs, station wagons, and other such vehicles that we'd look at as questionable now. So much of it comes down to being smart about it!... even if that means admitting that it just might not work out.
 
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Did you look into just renting a dolly to tow behind the truck?
Or buy with intent to resell?
I love mine.
 
neohic said:
I was referring to replacing a daily driver that gets 38 miles per gallon with something that’ll get much worse. My property doesn’t have room for another vehicle and I’ve got zero interest in having a vehicle that primarily sits but still needs registration and insurance.

I've been scheming a few options:
  1. Renting a truck/trailer is around $1k
  2. Renting a U Haul and a dolly is around $1k
  3. Buying a YJ suspensions and brackets to make it all work is around $1k
  4. Maybe piggyback on a trailer with another rig but it'll definitely be a squeeze for the cost of fuel
  5. Throw together a tow bar for next to nothing and figure it out plus the cost of fuel
The problem with driving it out and back is the ride quality. Right now the tires live at 20# and there's probably more suspension in the sidewalls than there is in the leaf springs on the road. It's not completely horrible... but it's also not something I'd look forward to for 800 miles. Early last week I was ready for a "loose the shop moment" and start ordering parts to redo the whole suspension. Then the realization that should anything get delayed or go wrong that I wouldn't have a Jeep to take to Moab set in. Eventually, I need to address the awful suspension on this thing. Before I spend anything else on it, I should really see how it wheels! I've upgraded the engine (out of necessity), added a limited slip in the rear diff, added the NP435, rock sliders, some creature comforts, and yet I've never really wheeled it outside of some basic trails around my place. It might be terrible! I might even hate it! I won't know until after this trip.

Before the trip, the top is coming off to ditch a bunch of weight. I'm not out anything to hitch it up and see for myself how it pulls. I'll throw the spare for the CJ and the truck in the bed for good measure. Years ago I used to flat tow my '72 Volkswagen all over with my truck or a '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 4.0. Granted, there's about 1000# difference between the CJ and a Beetle and I completely understand how that affects the driving characteristics of the tow vehicle. Would it be a real super hero move to roll into Moab after driving all the way there?... you bet! Would it also be a super hero move to roll into Moab with my truck towing the CJ?... also yes.

Flat towing will never be my first choice. People have been flat towing them for years though behind other CJs, station wagons, and other such vehicles that we'd look at as questionable now. So much of it comes down to being smart about it!... even if that means admitting that it just might not work out.
Click to expand...
If you have a towbar and a tow rig, we can hit some more difficult trails over around Buena Vista and Leadville!
 
ITLKSEZ said:
Did you look into just renting a dolly to tow behind the truck?
Or buy with intent to resell?
I love mine.
Click to expand...

Briefly. I wouldn’t turn down a dolly if I could find one. Otherwise, U Haul’s website says they won’t rent me a dolly with my configuration. I know there’s untruthful ways around that though.
 
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