Pig Towing Question

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Rescue Wagon

Rescue Wagon

Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Threads
46
Messages
285
Location
Cheyenne, WY
So now that I am getting a lot closer to having a road worth Pig (2f install and Suspension Upgrade) I wanted to look at building an off-road camper trailer from the remains of my old slide-in truck camper.

What I wanted to know was the specs on the Pig from GVWR to Axle Weight Limits.

I am going to most likely be building the camper from a military surplus trailer but don't want to go so crazy that the Pig won't be able to move it or worse it killing me.

So let me have it.:hillbilly:
 
Towing

Don't know what the FJ55 limits are, but with a rebuilt 2F and rebuilt suspension, we have been towing a starcraft 11RT trailer - both to the sierras and down highway 1 in California.

The trailer weighs approx 2500 lbs loaded and tongue weight is about 300 lbs.

Here are pix of the camp trailer and our little military utility trailer.

Hope this helps.

Greg
sherm with trailer.webp
sherm and alex with jeep trailer.webp
 
Thanks for the info. I just found a website the says the max tow for a 55 is 3500lbs and that the max rear axle weight is 5000lbs. With that info I can figure out what my tongue weight can be once I weight what my current axle weights are.

I am thinking about building a Teardrop Camper that I can take with me off-roading.
 
How does the 55 drive on hills, etc. with the 2F and that kind of weight in tow? I would like to get a trailer at some point too, but I'm looking at the F motor right now...
 
ChuckB,

What will affect the ability to climb will be your gear ratio. My 55 has 4.11's so it should climb well, but if you have the 3.9 gears it might struggle on a long climb.

For a few years I ran a diesel with 3.54 gears and it got great fuel milage but when trying to go over some of the passes on I-70 in CO it would struggle if I was towing close to my max weight.
 
Rescue Wagon said:
ChuckB,

What will affect the ability to climb will be your gear ratio. My 55 has 4.11's so it should climb well, but if you have the 3.9 gears it might struggle on a long climb.

For a few years I ran a diesel with 3.54 gears and it got great fuel milage but when trying to go over some of the passes on I-70 in CO it would struggle if I was towing close to my max weight.
Click to expand...

I believe my 55 has 4.11's also, right? My fear is that once I move back to California I will be going into the mountains at 25 mph with a trailer in tow. I'm only running 245-75-16 tires right now too, which are basically 31's. What size tires are both of you guys running?
 
Tough Hills

Hills are my downfall. Not sure what ratio I've got, but i am running 33 x 9.50s and it is a slow trip up the mountain! The engine's got the pep, but I just wind down until we are going 30-35 up the hill.
 
shermantank55 said:
Hills are my downfall. Not sure what ratio I've got, but i am running 33 x 9.50s and it is a slow trip up the mountain! The engine's got the pep, but I just wind down until we are going 30-35 up the hill.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. I guess its just something you have to get used to with these rigs and the stock motors. I used to be in the same position in my 60 with 32's and the 3.73 (i think it is) gearing. Long hills killed me even with no trailer.

By the way your 55 is VERY nice. I'm using your's as a model for how I want mine to look.
 
Not sure what tire is stock to a Pig as I am just getting my first one running. But If you are running anything larger than stock you need to look at regearing your rig if you plan on running in the hills at all.

Mine currently has 4.11's with 30inch wheels which I believe is the stock configuration. Once the lift is on I will probably run 35's so I will need to change gears. I can't remember the exact formula but you need your stock tire size, new tire size, and rpm at 55 that you ran with stock tires. This will return the vehicle to stock performance even with larger tires. Hope this helps.

Or you can just do a Diesel Conversion and not worry about it.
 
I found the formula this morning:

rpm = mph x gear ratio x 336 / tire diameter

So just plug in the stock info to figure out your rpms and then insert your new tire diameter and then try inputing different gear sizes that are available to go into your axle.

I did mine real quick and to get the same rpms going from 30" tires to 35" tires I'll need to go from 4.11's to 4.56 gears.

I have also attached a link to a chart that is a little easier to use.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/protopaccessories/gear-ratio.pdf

The rpm highlighted in black are optimum for the tire size and ratio combination. These will most closely give you the best overall drivability. If you're looking for a ratio that will give better fuel economy for highway driving at the expense of some acceleration and overall performance, choose a ratio in the yellow shaded area. If you're looking for a ratio that will improve acceleration and towing power at the expense of some fuel economy, choose a ratio in the blue shaded area.
 
Nice to see you around again James!

Gearing/tires is always a fun topic. I would REALLY watch your weight on that trailer.

My pig with 35's 4.11's rebuilt 2F and marks carb ran really good but was still a dog getting up to speed and in the hills. I can't imagine towing with it. I'm sure gears would help but you're still dealing with rolling resistance and those bigger tires.

My 80 has 4.88's and 35's and quite a bit more horsepower than a 2f and even still, I imagine towing will take it's toll.

it'll tow, but don't be surprised if you are running 20mph up some hills. :eek:
 
Well at least with 35's and 4.11's you should have seen an increase in fuel economy.

I understand that the extra weight from the tires has an effect but gears will make a huge difference if you can get into a power curve you are happy with. Like I stated earlier my 3/4ton Dodge had 3.54 gears which made it get around 23mpg on the highway but when I ran a trailer load to the max limit of the truck it would not get off the line to save its life and it would do around 30mph going up Loveland Pass. And this was a Turbo Diesel so power was not an issue. I have seen the same make and model truck running 4.11's and towing pass me on Loveland Pass like I was standing still but they complain of only getting around 18mpg on the highway.

So its a matter of trade offs, get good fuel milage, be able to go 75mph, and have no guts on the hills and when towing. Or get worse fuel milage, Limit your top end speed , but climb like no ones business. Thats why if you look at the link I attached the chart gives you three options: Good Fuelmilage, Good Towing, or Split the Difference.
 
Thanks for the chart, that is very helpful. Looks like I would in the black with 4.11s and 33's. Probably the best compromise for an all around decent ride.
 
No problem ChuckB.

Shermantank55,

Whats is the overall length of your camper? I am going to build my own but wanted to see how you liked taking a trailer that size with you. I either need to figure out if I can do a slide out bed like your trailer or I will be building a trailer 15' long without the yoke.

Thanks.
 
In 1995 my family of 5 took a trip from NW Washington State, down to L.A. then to the Southwest.. AZ, NM, all that... in our '79 fj55 with 3.73's and 235 85 16's(on splitrims with hubcaps) We pulled a 1966 15' Aloha travel trailer that slept six, loaded down with everything we'd need for a month...I gotta say it didnt pull the grades all that well (ok, it sucked) but the memories are priceless... I remember one day of about 300 miles we were driving completely level, no hills at all. but against a fierce headwind. We could not hold 4th gear... it was like a long grade. We would charge ahead in 3rd and then make the quick shift to 4th and the speed would slowly diminish until we had to downshift again... The altitude and that rarified desert air musta had something to do with the sluggish (piggish) ? performance too, because when we hit Oregon
and sea level on the way home, and drove through a frikken hollywood type rainstorm,(water injection) it felt like someone had bolted on a turbo when we weren't looking. All the kids got their license in that pig, and a few weeks ago, I was hours away from parting it out for it's internals for another cruiser project, when a '76 fj 40 rustbucket appeared under my nose here on our island. It just wasn't that pigs time to go...and with those new specter fiberglass fender combinations.. hmmmmmm
 
island45 said:
In 1995 my family of 5 took a trip from NW Washington State, down to L.A. then to the Southwest.. AZ, NM, all that... in our '79 fj55 with 3.73's and 235 85 16's(on splitrims with hubcaps) We pulled a 1966 15' Aloha travel trailer that slept six, loaded down with everything we'd need for a month...I gotta say it didnt pull the grades all that well (ok, it sucked) but the memories are priceless... I remember one day of about 300 miles we were driving completely level, no hills at all. but against a fierce headwind. We could not hold 4th gear... it was like a long grade. We would charge ahead in 3rd and then make the quick shift to 4th and the speed would slowly diminish until we had to downshift again... The altitude and that rarified desert air musta had something to do with the sluggish (piggish) ? performance too, because when we hit Oregon
and sea level on the way home, and drove through a frikken hollywood type rainstorm,(water injection) it felt like someone had bolted on a turbo when we weren't looking. All the kids got their license in that pig, and a few weeks ago, I was hours away from parting it out for it's internals for another cruiser project, when a '76 fj 40 rustbucket appeared under my nose here on our island. It just wasn't that pigs time to go...and with those new specter fiberglass fender combinations.. hmmmmmm
Click to expand...

DON'T PART IT OUT!!!

BLUF: (Bottom Line Up Front) I guess I'm going to have to get used to just cruisin' and enjoying the ride until I wake up one day and there is a turbo diesel in my engine bay... It could be worse I guess :hhmm:
 
Trailer length

Rescue Wagon said:
No problem ChuckB.

Shermantank55,

Whats is the overall length of your camper? I am going to build my own but wanted to see how you liked taking a trailer that size with you. I either need to figure out if I can do a slide out bed like your trailer or I will be building a trailer 15' long without the yoke.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Our trailer is about 20' hitch to spare. If I did it over again, I'd go with the 10RT which is only 13.5'. The length is no problem on the road and the long tongue helps with turning and backing, but I would eliminate the front deck (we use it to store our bikes). Off road I think the length will be more of an issue on switchbacks and trying to fit into small campsites.:cheers:
 
Those are my thoughts exactly, but with a family of 5 it is driving me crazy trying to come up with a camper design that will sleep us all and still be towable off-road.
 
Sleeping 5

Check this out:
Starcraft RV Folding Camping Trailers - Floorplans > RT Series

We bought the Starcraft RT to take off road. This might give you at least some idea of what you could design for your family.
The RT is not for the Rubicon, but it is pretty heavy duty and I wouldn't shy away from some moderately rough stuff.

The smallest one still sleeps 5
 
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