Anyone towing a 40, 60, 70 or 80 series behind their 200? (1 Viewer)

[TioChachie]

At some point in the next few years I hope to buy a 200 as my family vehicle/tow rig for a small camper ( less than 5k lbs). I can't wait! They are really growing on me. I currently have a 97 fzj80 weighted down with armor and spare parts that I doubt I will want to drag across the country with anything but a 3/4 ton, but does anybody have any experience pulling cruisers or whatever trail rigs around with the 200 series? Just curious, I drive carefully off-road, and my 80 has been super reliable long distance, but it does ramp up the stress in the woods when you have to drive your whole family across the country after wheeling it hard. Not really interested in a 3/4 ton diesel at the moment and I don't have to have a trailer queen , but maybe one day it might be fun chop up the 80 or get something lighter and wheel the $&@% out of it with no fear for the return trip because I'm pimping in the 2hundy. What do y'all think? Thanks

 

[Footwork]

I will be towing my 80 with my 200 from my house in South Louisiana to Superlift in Hot Springs in October. Let you know how it goes.

 

[TioChachie]

Awesome. Can't wait to hear about it, I was going to make the event there but wife wanted to go to ACL music festival here in austin where we live that weekend instead. Maybe next year.

 

[Corbet]

I can't speak from experience on the 200 but have spoken to a couple that tow larger campers. They report under 10MPG economy (mountains) but otherwise pretty pleasant driving.

A built 80 on a trailer is pretty much maxing out the 200's tow rating. I've towed a lot with diesels and there just is no substitute. If I were going to have an 80 as a trailer queen I'd want a diesel. For a couple times a year towing over 5000lbs the 200 all the way. As driving an empty 3/4 or 1 ton sucks.

A Tundra would be a compromise somewhere in-between those options above. Way more pleasant empty and a longer wheelbase for towing.

 

[crazy1323]

I've pulled a cooking trailer that weighs about what a trailer and built 80 would weigh. I have an LX so the AHC leveled out the rear. The trailer has about a 1,750 tongue weight.

While not my favorite vehicle to pull with. It does fine. Gas mileage with the 5.7 and 33"'a is bad to start with, with a trailer on flat terrain, it is awful. Fewer than 200 miles on a tank.

A longer wheelbase would make it much easier to pull with.

 

[BulletHead]

I've towed a 62 and a 45, was very comfortable.

 

[chilibit]

Crazy1323: 1750 lbs on the ball is more than the total rated load capacity of the LC. By a bunch. The capacity on the LX is even less. Figuring 12% of the braked load that would be about 15,000 for the trailer. Did you mean 175 pounds? But that is too light for an 80 plus trailer. I shoot for 12% of the towed load on the ball. That seems to be the rule of thumb.

 

[TioChachie]

Thanks for all the info, guys and keep chiming in because it is good to hear y'all's experiences. I'm more and more set on the 200 and all the better if it could safely tow my 80 with a good setup. If I don't like the way it tows then I could find a lighter trail rig or just not trail it, but I am glad it is a possibility.

 

[chilibit]

Thanks for all the info, guys and keep chiming in because it is good to hear y'all's experiences. I'm more and more set on the 200 and all the better if it could safely tow my 80 with a good setup. If I don't like the way it tows then I could find a lighter trail rig or just not trail it, but I am glad it is a possibility.

If you go with an aluminum trailer you could reduce the towed load by maybe a 1000 lbs. And if you had one built it might be advantageous to specify a longer neck to get some load off the hitch. Brakes on three axles is better than brakes on two if you like to keep the trailer "in trail." Load distribution hitch will help matters. A lot. And check out all the threads on LCool in Oz for their thoughts on NOT towing in Drive but in S either 4 or 5 to reduce torque converter slippage and heat. The better OBD-II scanners can read transmission fluid temperatures which might be wise.

 

[crazy1323]

Crazy1323: 1750 lbs on the ball is more than the total rated load capacity of the LC. By a bunch. The capacity on the LX is even less. Figuring 12% of the braked load that would be about 15,000 for the trailer. Did you mean 175 pounds? But that is too light for an 80 plus trailer. I shoot for 12% of the towed load on the ball. That seems to be the rule of thumb.

The tongue weight might have been a little overstated. It is probably closer to 1,000 lbs. the trailer is a poor design with the grill and smoke box (the heaviest parts) right at the front of the trailer.

I do my best to even it out by putting heavy items on the rear, but there is only so much I can do.

I usually pull it with an f-250 but have used the LX a few times.

 

[chilibit]

Crazy1323: No problem. Pretty amazing performance by the LX nonetheless.

 

[bjowett]

The drivetrain and chassis are up to the task, and well proven. Go for it.

 

[Footwork]

Looked at the stuff on LCool and it was really helpful. Also found and article in Autoblog about it. Did something really crazy and read the owners manual. If towing should be in S4. S5 and 6 are overdrive ratios. Guys on Lcool said they were getting better mileage out of S4 and S3 depending on the grade. All makes sense. Those guys are aces when it comes to 200's. A lot of good info out there.

 

[sweetmilk]

My 200 tows my FJ40 on a 16' dual axle aluminum trailer about 600# tongue weight no problem to Moab, Rubithon, Johnson Valley. It allows me to go far, wheel hard, and recover the 40 at trails end no matter what. Very happy with the combination.

 

[TioChachie]

Sounds awesome, I love my 80, but having a 40 and a 200 sounds even better! I'm glad to hear it pulls well long distance.