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Old 01-14-2011, 06:29 AM   #1
pappy65
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towing jeep

Has anyone on here towed a jeep behind their Montana?
 
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Old 01-14-2011, 12:26 PM   #2
CamillaMichael
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Was just reading an "article" in Trailer Life magazine...Trailer Life's "expert" seemed pretty much against towing anything behind a trailer...he pointed out issues with weight problems with the truck and its hitch, as well as breaking problems.
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Old 01-14-2011, 01:07 PM   #3
exav8tr
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Pappy, you are probably looking at voiding your warranty from Keystone if you tow something that heavy. They only recommend adding a bike to the installed hitch....At least something under 200 lbs...
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Old 01-14-2011, 01:37 PM   #4
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Something else to consider: You can not back up if you are hauling a vehicle behind your Montana. It can't be done attached to a Motorhome either.
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Old 01-14-2011, 02:39 PM   #5
Hooker
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by pappy65

Has anyone on here towed a jeep behind their Montana?
IMHO, a very bad idea. When Keystone recommends only a bike hitch and voids the warranty if you haul anything bigger...what does that say about the frame?!?
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Old 01-14-2011, 02:57 PM   #6
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My opinion... Bad idea.
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Old 01-15-2011, 04:00 AM   #7
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Anybody can build a bridge but it takes an engineer to build a light bridge. Thats to say they don't put any more steel in the frames on these than is absolutely necessary. Steel is expensive and they build these campers as cheep as they can make them look nice.
So can you pull a Jeep? Heck yes. But that isn't the question. The real question is how far and how safe. We already have a problem with the frames on these campers breaking up.
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Old 01-16-2011, 08:44 AM   #8
Keith Schweizer
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Has anyone beefed up their montys so that the frame is strong enough to flat tow a jeep? Being in the western states I do see many fivers heading down the highway with boats, jeeps, etc. in tow. I would like to do this someday ONLY if it can be done in a safe manner with out destroying the fiver.Do any of the SOB's build their frames stronger than Keystones to tow anything behind their fivers?
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Old 01-16-2011, 11:28 AM   #9
CamillaMichael
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And it is also illegal in some states to haul anything behind your fifth wheel....
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Old 01-16-2011, 01:08 PM   #10
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There are a lot of people towing cars behind their 5th wheel RVs. Makes a difficult combination to stop if you need to stop quick (car in front of you stops dead). What are you going to do. Chances are if you are in any kind of accident, your fault or not, you're going to have a lot of legal implications involved. Boy, I wouldn't try it. It's definitely not worth it.

I had a person tell me that they needed their car when they arrived at their destination because it was much more economical to run. True, but would you save that much over driving your tow vehicle when you go sight seeing?

I think that triple towing is a macho thing, not meant for people like me.

Orv
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Old 01-16-2011, 01:17 PM   #11
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I had MorRyde install a hitch while in Goshen two years ago. The hitch they installed is rated for 3000 lbs and a 300 lb tongue weight. I put a Swagman double bike carrier on mine and carry two 30 lb bikes. That's it for me. So, In answer to your question about beefing up the frame, I'm sure a good welding shop could do that, but, as others have said, is it safe? I'm one of those that does not mess with warranty items until they run out. I'm sure you will make the right choice.
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Old 01-16-2011, 01:43 PM   #12
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

I had MorRyde install a hitch while in Goshen two years ago. The hitch they installed is rated for 3000 lbs and a 300 lb tongue weight.
I don't think there is a problem with the hitch...it's the frame on the Montana that is weak.
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Old 01-16-2011, 02:18 PM   #13
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quote "Do any of the SOB's build their frames stronger than Keystones to tow anything behind their fivers?" Just to answer the question ...
Excel fivers have a 10" by 2" box steel frame which claims to be 2X stronger than an I beam frame. Excel also offers a class 3 hitch with somewhere around a 5000# tow rating on their frames.
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Old 01-18-2011, 10:01 AM   #14
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I think you question has already been answered. Wanting to have a Jeep or smaller vehicle than the truck when we get to our destination is one of the reasons we went the direction we went with our new tow vehicle this past year. Plus no problems with double towing in the states that do not allow double towing.
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Old 01-18-2011, 12:10 PM   #15
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Very nice rig, but I can't be envious of something I could never do! Even in your case, putting your Jeep behind the Monty is not a problem for the TV, it's a problem for the RV frame.

Rick, so how do you get the Jeep down after unhitching the Monty? Ramps? Crane? 4x4 drive away?

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Old 01-18-2011, 12:38 PM   #16
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WOW! I love your TV!
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Old 01-18-2011, 01:08 PM   #17
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Rick, I want to know where you park that TV? We've stayed at many CGs where there was barely room for a Pick-up, yet alone your Jeep and Major TV.
I know, getting off topic. In my opinion towing something Like a Jeep or even a Smart car behind a Monty would be a no-no.
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Old 01-18-2011, 03:19 PM   #18
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It is illegal in many states. The first time we saw that configuration is when we headed to the Southwest. Never have seen it on the East coast. Looks like it can be dangerous.
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Old 01-19-2011, 02:53 AM   #19
CamillaMichael
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by RickW

I think you question has already been answered. Wanting to have a Jeep or smaller vehicle than the truck when we get to our destination is one of the reasons we went the direction we went with our new tow vehicle this past year. Plus no problems with double towing in the states that do not allow double towing.
Looks like you have all the tow capacity you would ever need, but I would like to see you parallel park that rig!
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Old 01-19-2011, 10:51 AM   #20
RickW
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The Jeep is very easy to load/unload. I can do it in under 10 minutes including strapping it down.



Keep in mind how accessible most freight docks are. There are a lot of them with very tight access. These trucks are designed for it. I have 2 advantages over a 1T dully when it comes to parking.

* I have a 55* wheel cut (most pick-ups only have 40*~45*)
* My hitch is 6' behind the rear axle not on top of the axle. So my pivot point is more advantages

To give an idea of how easy the truck is to drive/park, the truck right now as I type this is parked in my driveway here at the house. To access my driveway is from the alley only (standard 10' wide alley). I do have a driveway that is 3 cars in width but I can back the truck in with no problems.

With the 3400 almost 39' long I only look for 'Big Rig' sites. If the site works for a 40'~45' Motorhome I can make the site work.

We spent 50 nights on the road in 2010. The longest single stay at any site was 5 nights. Only in 3 campgrounds did I have to park the truck in overflow parking. Which is not a issue because we get around in the Jeep. We only use the truck to move the trailer.

A HDT is not for everyone, but it works very well for us. It is extremely comfortable to travel in. It has plenty of power. It can safely bring the whole rig to stop if the trailer brakes fail. I have less invested in this truck than any new 1 ton. My mileage is similar. Maintenance is also similar (Higher for each service but more miles between services). It has been a smart choice for us and my motor still has several thousand miles of life left in it. So the odds of us ever needing to buy another tow vehicle is very low. We absolutely love having the Jeep for exploring in when we get to our destinations instead of a Crew Cab dually.
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