Yj front hitch question

[Black Betty]

Hey guys, its been awhile but I have question in regards to a front hitch receiver on my Yj.

The Yj is basically stock, 4.0l with ax15.

I'm looking to buy a trailer and have doubts my wk will be able to back it into the parking spot in my alley due to the swing room required to back it in.  I was thinking of adding a front hitch to the Yj so I could get it into my spot.

The trailer is a jayco hybrid.  Tongue weight is 410lbs, dry weight 3800, gvwr is 4850.  This little trailer does have a tandem axle and is 20' 11" total length.

I would use the front hitch solely for putting the trailer into the back yard.

Is the little Yj going to be able to support this?  The way I'd be putting it in is actually on a minor grade downhill FYI.

Ideally I'd like to put this into an off road bumper, that way i can say "honey, I need this so we can have our trailer at home"

What's the pros thoughts and has anyone else done this before?

Thanks!

[Bnine]

A front hit h won't make it easier. Mirrors will. Just find some mirrors you can clamp on when backing in the trailer so you can see.

With a front hitch you would be completely blind. Seeing nothing but the trailer nose.

2 low is another nice to have when parking trailers.

[cLAY]

A front hitch does make it way easier as you can crank the trailer around tighter/faster, also with the short wheel base of the YJ it can more easily maneuver it a tight alley than a larger tow vehicle could.


I don't see a problem with this other than that you may need 4wd to maneuver it in/out on the incline, do to how light the YJ is in the back. This could be pretty stressful on the driveline with all that weight on the front wheels and then cranking the wheel over to maneuver.

Do you have a rear hitch on the YJ.

[cLAY]

BTW how big is your rv pad? I watched a neighbor struggle with this same issue for a summer. Always took multiple tries to get his RV into the back pad which was perpendicular to the alley. Then one day I noticed that he just started parking the trailer diagonally on the pad and let it hang over the lawn a bit. After thinking about it a bit I wondered why rear drieways and garages weren't angled toward the alley to allow easier entry/exit. Last place I had in town required a 3pt maneuver to get my dually into my garage.

[LLYJ]

I have a receiver on mine, works great for getting my trailers (off road and bike) in the tight spots I leave them - I have hd springs so not a problem with 500lbs I would think (obviously my tongues are no where near that) but that said alot of hd bumpers and stingers with a hilift jack, and an 8274 gotta be pretty close to that weight - also consider how many YJ's have a plow on the front which can easily be close to 500lbs - now consider what Bnine said with visibility, def take that into account ! - all that said a spotter to guide you in is by far the simplest solution.


This post requires more cowbell

[Black Betty]

Thanks for the reply guys, unfortunately there was a type o in the trailers length, it is actually 24' 8" there abouts.  Although my wk can tow it (fully loaded is 4950), the backyard cannot accommodate it.

And yes the whole point for the front hitch was for tighter manuverability, I would have a pretty little spotter each time for sure.

[Bnine]

A front hitch does make it way easier as you can crank the trailer around tighter/faster, also with the short wheel base of the YJ it can more easily maneuver it a tight alley than a larger tow vehicle could.


I don't see a problem with this other than that you may need 4wd to maneuver it in/out on the incline, do to how light the YJ is in the back. This could be pretty stressful on the driveline with all that weight on the front wheels and then cranking the wheel over to maneuver.

Do you have a rear hitch on the YJ.

A front hitch does make it way easier as you can crank the trailer around tighter/faster, also with the short wheel base of the YJ it can more easily maneuver it a tight alley than a larger tow vehicle could.


I don't see a problem with this other than that you may need 4wd to maneuver it in/out on the incline, do to how light the YJ is in the back. This could be pretty stressful on the driveline with all that weight on the front wheels and then cranking the wheel over to maneuver.

Do you have a rear hitch on the YJ.

Only if you can see clay. Otherwise it's a lot harder than backing in.

Reaction speed when moving crap with a wrangler is a moot point. That are already a all enough and turn tight enough that it does t matter. Forwards or backwards they will cut and follow faster and tighter than what you need.

Shunting is for farm equipment and flat decks you can see around. Not for walled trailers. Shunting just makes it harder when you can't see.

[cLAY]

Not sure what you are seeing with mirrors that a person wouldn't see out the front windshield, thats one one the biggest advantages, better field of view, not sure how mirrors suddenly let you see around corners.

I shunt stuff all the time, bigger/smaller, as do most RVs dealerships using a tractor's 3pt hitch or forklift, side by side. When needed to I use a spotter, sometimes two when I cann't see the first spotter. The fact is that with a front hitch a trailer can be stuffed into a spot where it would be impossible otherwise. The short wheel base of the YJ is beneficial in a narrow alley where you need to worry about swinging the arse end or backing into the neighbors fence. Doesn't matter what you shunt with having the steering axle closer to the trailer hitch lets makes the trailer react way faster.

[Bnine]

Not sure what you are seeing with mirrors that a person wouldn't see out the front windshield, thats one one the biggest advantages, better field of view, not sure how mirrors suddenly let you see around corners.

A jeep is narrow, you cant see down the side of the trailer when backing straight. With mirrors you can. Thats why shunting rigs in trucking yards sight severely offset to one side, and have a mirror to see down the other side.

In a jeep, without extended mirrors, all you see is wall. You dont know where you are going. Forwards or backwards.

Yeah your trailer reacts faster, but if you cant see, it dont mean crap. 15 years as a truck driver I've had lots of experience backing crap up. Mirrors are king, and approach is 90% of the back up. Cut in on your left side whenever possible.

Trying to shunt blindly while starring at a trailer wall will just make you completely dependant on a spotter, and if said spotter doesnt know how to spot with cut and follow directions you will spend the day frickin' around trying to do something you could do yourself in 5 minutes with some extended mirrors.

You keep posting like reaction speed is most important thing to backing crap up. It isnt. Visibility and preparation is just as important. Taking away your visibility just so you can turn faster (which isnt even required in this situation) is just dumb.