anthony9634

i own a 2004 silverado ls ext. cab 2wd 4.8l el60 trans. i bought it with all modifications which include a 10" lift and 37" tires and 4.88 gears. it has 93,000 miles. I am wondering if i can tow my dads 98 wrangler behind my truck. I wont be towing on a trailer and theres no brake system besides that of the small brakes on my truck. i will be towing it about 200 miles icluding over the tehachipi grade to an off road area that we ride dirtbikes and go jeeping. i am wondering if it is a flat out bad idea to risk towing the 4500 lb jeep for this distance. i was considering unhooking the jeep at the bottom of the grade and having my passenger drive it over and down and re-hooking up at the other side. but the main issue is towing it there in general. if it is too risky i may just drive the jeep without my truck. any insight is appreciated, thanks.

OLD WRENCH

With the gears you have you could probably tow it all right but my concern would be with stopping. You are towing about the same weight as your truck is.If you get in any hills you coulod be in trouble.

DoubleO7

Welcome to the forum.
You have a 10" lift on a 2WD truck?
Really?
Is it to get the 37" offroad tires under it or 37" bling-bling tires under it?

4500lb Jeep, thats pretty heavy, what model?

Anyways I agree you could pull it. Stopping would be iffy.
Are you gonna flat tow or tow it on a dolly?
Either way you want your drawbar (ball height) down to where either are suppose to be oriented.
If either the towbar or the tow dolly tongue is going up at any angle, a sudden stop of the tow vehicle will want to lift the rear of your tow vehicle.
Which reduces your braking power further.

Georooney

Are there any local laws about tow weight and braking systems? Some jurisdictions don't allow towing a vehicle much over 1.500 lbs without having a braking system, either hydraulic or electric. Unless you're a commercial tow truck, that is.

I've towed trailers without brakes, and I'll tell you it can get hairy in the corners, let along on the hills. You take a corner too fast when your towed weight is approaching your truck weight, and next thing you know the trailer/jeep/whatever is trying to keep going straight and dragging the *** end of your truck along with it. Think dogs stuck together!

anthony9634

@old wrench-
Yes i agree. After driving around the block and down the highway for a short distance braking became my main concern.
@double 07-
Yes like i said i bought it with most modifications. I bought it in 07 with 50k miles from a Guy who was way behind on payments and was about to get it repossessed. So i met him at the bank and gave him $500 and paid off his loan which was $8000. I was stoked! And yes it has toyo open country m/t's and i have used them off road. Have caught myself several times wishing it was a 4x4 3/4 ton duramax/Allison which will DEFINITELY be my next truck. The Jeep is a 98 wrangler with a 4" lift with 33" toyo open country m/t and of course 4wd. It is an SE with 4 cyl 5spd. Its definitely underpowered on the highway but rock crawling and off roading it does really well. Its a flat tow with all fourth tires on the Jeep on the ground.I borrowed a hitch with no drop so that the tow bar was level with the Jeep and the ball.
@georooney
I'm not sure about the laws around here.

DoubleO7

just google "state trailer brake laws".
The weird thing or stupid thing is some require brakes for X pounds trailer weight.
But then exempt all flat towed vehicles from the same law.
Makes no sense.

Georooney

When did the law have to make sense?