Bent Frames - Big Thing or isolated?

[DarthAWM]

Towed with mine yesterday.
No issues at all.

Whoa big fat tires and everything

Sponsored

 

[Rusty PW]

Towed with mine yesterday.
No issues at all.

Is that the new roof mounted 5th wheel set up?

 

[Lunentucker]

Is that the new roof mounted 5th wheel set up?

They added a third freedom panel and it hooks up where that middle seat used to be. Keeping the weight over center mass makes the jumps possible.
Mojave only.

 

[DanW]

I think the issue isn't the raw tongue weight or occasional hit as much as it is oscillations. Off-road with a trailer, I would only want to pull half what my truck is rated because continual bouncing significantly increases the effective force on the hitch and frame. Singular hits are largely absorbed but repeated cycles cause fatigue.

People don't think about it but any manufacturer rating is for typical on-road use only. Off-road is going to be much closer to two-thirds or half that number.

Very good points. I think your formula, 1/2 rated rate, is a good rule of thumb for off-road towing.

I don't think I'd tow more than a teardrop or dedicated lightweight camper off-road, anyway. Less for the Jeep's sake, but more for the trailer. I think that bouncing and jostling would beat the shit out of the trailer and all of its contents.

My plan for camping will be to go to my destination and park the trailer then head out to explore in the Jeep. Unless doing an overlanding trip.

 

[chorky]

Is that the new roof mounted 5th wheel set up?

They're trying to recreate the old 70's VW fifth wheel

Very good points. I think your formula, 1/2 rated rate, is a good rule of thumb for off-road towing.

I don't think I'd tow more than a teardrop or dedicated lightweight camper off-road, anyway. Less for the Jeep's sake, but more for the trailer. I think that bouncing and jostling would beat the shit out of the trailer and all of its contents.

My plan for camping will be to go to my destination and park the trailer then head out to explore in the Jeep. Unless doing an overlanding trip.

Vintage Trailer Works has a new teardrop option available that I think is pretty cool. The roof is cut out and they attached a RTT so you have some nice standing room now to change and whatever. Theres a couple other trailers doing that now too but they are larger so the VTW is stilll a small teardrop. It's a pretty cool option I think.

 

[hepcat]

My plan for camping will be to go to my destination and park the trailer then head out to explore in the Jeep. Unless doing an overlanding trip.

After 45 years of camping with Jeeps, that's exactly what I do. And I want to be COMFORTABLE in my trailer when it's miserable outside. I've hauled a number of trailers over the years, tent campers included. The "overland" trailers, hybrids, and tent trailers all have all of the disadvantages of a tent and none of the advantages of a travel trailer. I don't much care about travelling waaaay up in the mountains or the deserts any more, but if I did, I'd just take a tent like I did in the old days with my CJ-7. Finding a nice base camp with the travel trailer that you can get in and out of easily and making day trips is just fine for me.

 

[chorky]

After 45 years of camping with Jeeps, that's exactly what I do. And I want to be COMFORTABLE in my trailer when it's miserable outside. I've hauled a number of trailers over the years, tent campers included. The "overland" trailers, hybrids, and tent trailers all have all of the disadvantages of a tent and none of the advantages of a travel trailer. I don't much care about travelling waaaay up in the mountains or the deserts any more, but if I did, I'd just take a tent like I did in the old days with my CJ-7. Finding a nice base camp with the travel trailer that you can get in and out of easily and making day trips is just fine for me.

I am considering buying a 2005'ish Ford Chinook for this reason. They can be converted by U-Joint to 4x4 with a mild lift for rough FS or BLM roads (not 'off road') and beefier than the modern camper van fad. But still no more than 20-25' long (Gladiator is just over 18' long), with full bathroom, 30+ gal of water, a nice couch and diner, with a decent cooking setup. I'm thinking of getting one to restore for my dad to use, and then myself during retirement. If I even make it past 60 I'll want comfort and a nice lakeside view more than the rust of being in the middle of nowhere - by then most those places will probably be shut down or developed or packed full of people anyway.

 

[hepcat]

I am considering buying a 2005'ish Ford Chinook for this reason. They can be converted by U-Joint to 4x4 with a mild lift for rough FS or BLM roads (not 'off road') and beefier than the modern camper van fad. But still no more than 20-25' long (Gladiator is just over 18' long), with full bathroom, 30+ gal of water, a nice couch and diner, with a decent cooking setup. I'm thinking of getting one to restore for my dad to use, and then myself during retirement. If I even make it past 60 I'll want comfort and a nice lakeside view more than the rust of being in the middle of nowhere - by then most those places will probably be shut down or developed or packed full of people anyway.

I just sold my '04 Airstream Interstate on the T1N Sprinter chassis to pay for my new-to-me 2020 travel trailer. The Chinooks are amazing little class C mohos. You might also look for a Born Free "Built for Two."

 

[Dakarra]

Name the three shops

One is Shift Autowerks in Southern California. I name them because they are profiled in the original video and I contacted Jerry directly for some of his observations. I will not name the other two without their permission.

 

[Dakarra]

Just tossing this out there, not necessarily ending up this way with this thread, but in some cases, things seem to fall apart when names, links or pictures are asked for.
I would like to know what shops, where they are located, and pictures.

For the most part, frame bending has been pretty well explained here by a couple of othe rmembers who actually know stuff about frames, and a video explanation and so on.

I think I should change my screen name to Paul Harvey.
"and now you know....... the rest of the story.........."
There almost always is more to it.

I fail to see how attacking me personally stops you from contacting Jerry at Shift Autowerks, who started this whole freaking debate, and ask him all your techno-babble questions. I appreciate that you know a great deal about the engineering involved with this stuff (and I mean I really do respect that). Obviously I am NOT qualified to debate the science or the engineering involved in this topic. I saw the video, asked the question, and learned that I have a problem. So instead of attacking me about science or a lack of pictures to satisfy your superior attitude - why don't you just call Jerry at Shift Autowerks and ask him the same questions. I started this thread to ask questions of those that might have more knowledge, not to be attacked because I'm not an engineer and can't answer your questions to your (self absorbed) superior attitude. Instead of sharing your broader knowledge to help a fellow Jeeper in jam, you chose to be a complete AxxHxle.

 

[Dakarra]

I fail to see how attacking me personally stops you from contacting Jerry at Shift Autowerks, who started this whole freaking debate, and ask him all your techno-babble questions. I appreciate that you know a great deal about the engineering involved with this stuff (and I mean I really do respect that). Obviously I am NOT qualified to debate the science or the engineering involved in this topic. I saw the video, asked the question, and learned that I have a problem. So instead of attacking me about science or a lack of pictures to satisfy your superior attitude - why don't you just call Jerry at Shift Autowerks and ask him the same questions. I started this thread to ask questions of those that might have more knowledge, not to be attacked because I'm not an engineer and can't answer your questions to your (self absorbed) superior attitude. Instead of sharing your broader knowledge to help a fellow Jeeper in jam, you chose to be a complete AxxHxle.

PS, it was highly qualified engineers that said it was okay to fly the shuttle that day. That didn't work out so good either.

 

[Dakarra]

PS, it was highly qualified engineers that said it was okay to fly the shuttle that day. That didn't work out so good either.

PSS the second shop is Tribe-16 in the Dallas area. I don't have permission to use the 3rd shop's name.
PSSS it was also qualified engineers that said not-very-many-people would die from the fire-prone Ford Pinto. So again, spare me the superior accusations and insinuation just because I can't answer your questions. And on that note, perhaps you noticed that over a million people are without electricity (you know, that "sparky" stuff that makes the lights go on and impresses low wattage bulbs like myself) in Dallas. and maybe, just possibly, I had something more important going on than answering your questions in a timely manner.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No one is attacking anyone - just asking questions - and questioning how towing only 300 pounds tongue weight on normal roads will bend a frame.
Pictures are always good - usually when someone says they were in an accident or have a problem with something broken - there are pictures.
But too often we don't get the whole situation and all information up front. It takes multiple questions and pages to get there.

I'm not the only one "questioning" a JT frame bending on an unmodified Jeep, stock springs and shocks, with only 300 pounds on the tongue, with no extension, and on normal streets and highways.

Please read my post you quoted again. I said "not necessarily.................. with this thread............" trying hard to not be accusing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don't have permission to use the 3rd shop's name.

Well, that's interesting. They diagnose bent frames but won't use their name?

Open question - anyone here know why that might be?

I know about the storms - we were with no power ourselves, storm after storm, tornados, straight line winds at 50-70 + mph, a mess. So I understand and get that. It wasn't as bad here, but some wind turbines went down, rows of power poles, trees uprooted, yeah, at least we can relate even if it wasn't as bad here as there. (Lucky to have a small generator here to keep the well and critical things going) I monitor things like the disasters down there. It will be a big mess there for a while.

At this point, there's no more to say.
Until or unless someone releases information specific to your exact case, no one here can do more than purely speculate.
It's pretty much the end of the trail here - no use more back and forth.
The shops are covering other cases - only something specific to your exact case can make a difference now.
So, I'm out without pictures or some very specific information on your exact case of bent frame - not what others are seeing.

 

[Dakarra]

Well, that's interesting. They diagnose bent frames but won't use their name?

Open question - anyone here know why that might be?

I know about the storms - we were with no power ourselves, storm after storm, tornados, straight line winds at 50-70 + mph, a mess. So I understand and get that. It wasn't as bad here, but some wind turbines went down, rows of power poles, trees uprooted, yeah, at least we can relate even if it wasn't as bad here as there. (Lucky to have a small generator here to keep the well and critical things going) I monitor things like the disasters down there. It will be a big mess there for a while.

At this point, there's no more to say.
Until or unless someone releases information specific to your exact case, no one here can do more than purely speculate.
It's pretty much the end of the trail here - no use more back and forth.
The shops are covering other cases - only something specific to your exact case can make a difference now.
So, I'm out without pictures or some very specific information on your exact case of bent frame - not what others are seeing.

I said I didn't have permission. I didn't say they wouldn't give it. (back to that point about people having other things to do than satisfy you)

Sponsored