Can A Jeep Wrangler Tow An Airstream? (Let’s See)

A Jeep Wrangler is a magnificent series of vehicles from Jeep. It is an engine of power and force, able to carry its weight.

But you probably know that it can do more than carry its weight. It can tow other mid-weight vehicles.

If you are a camper with Jeep Wrangler, you could contemplate getting an airstream. This acquisition will make your journey more enjoyable.

But is Jeep Wrangler up to the towing task?

Your Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is all you need to tow an airstream. That is because your Jeep Wrangler towing capacity exceeds the average weight of an airstream. Don’t let the respective sizes confuse you. In airstream towing, all that matters is the towing capacity and weight. 

Can a Jeep Wrangler Pull an Airstream?

A Jeep Wrangler has the towing capacity to pull a typical airstream for an off-road adventure.

The Jeep Wrangler is a heavy-duty truck capable of pulling additional payloads.

Some trim levels of this car series have a factory-installed max tow package. 

This towing capacity means the engine design allows it to pull more weight along safely. What’s more?

You don’t need any particular modification to your vehicle before using it as a tow truck.

Typically, a tow vehicle requires several features if it can tow adequately. Some of these features include: 

• A strong receiver hitch
• Heavy-duty front and or rear axle
• All-Terrain tires for off-road journeys.
• Powerful anti-lock brakes

The good thing is that your typical Jeep Wrangler has these features. In fact, a trim level with maximum towing capacity has these features and many other features to aid towing.

You need some equipment to set up for a typical car-to-car towing. However, an airstream has all the equipment you need for towing.

Therefore, there is no need to buy any additional equipment before hitting the road.

However, it is crucial to know how to set up the process properly and adhere to safety tips to make your journey safe and enjoyable. 

#1. The Process of Towing

There front compartment of your airstream is all you need to set up the towing process of your car.

This front part has the hitch, hitch jack, Safety chains, emergency break-away switch, and the power cable. 

Here is a stepwise process of Jeep Wrangler towing your airstream. This process is simple, even for a first-time driver.

• Raise the hitch using the hitch jack once the vehicle parks in front of your airstream. The hitch should be above the ball mount of your Jeep Wrangler. The ball mount or the hitch receiver is at the rear end of your vehicle. Use the jack to bring the hitch to fit on the ball mount.

• Once the hitch and receiver connect properly, the next is to attach the safety chains. The safety chains also have their receiver. Here is a tip: cross the safety chains to make an “X” shape when connecting them. These safety chains are only available in newer models of airstreams. 

After connecting the chains, they should not touch the ground to have a spark.

However, it should have an adequate level of slack for movement and turns around corners and rough terrains.

• The next step is to connect the power cable or power pin. This power cable connects to a power port at the rear end beside the hitch. In some models, this receiver port is just under the plate. The power cable acts as an indicator for your airstream.

The power cable sends signals that include brake lights when you apply brakes in your car. Other indications include running lights, emergency flashes, and others.

It also charges your airstream batteries while towing.

Once you have the setup above, you are ready to start towing your vehicle. First, however, it is essential to note the following safety tips before starting your journey.

#2. Towing Tips and Precautions

There are tips to help ensure safety while driving around with your airstream attached to your car.

If this is your first time setting up this Jeep Wrangler tow, it is essential to take note of these tips. 

• Practice driving around in ample space to test your setup. Make every imaginable turns and practice every likely scenario to test your driving skills and level of handling.

• It would be best to put any luggage or extra load on the front side of your airstream and not the rear end. This setup will prevent drags and heavy sways when driving.

• You should add more space to your braking distance because of the extra weight your Jeep Wrangler is pulling along.

• Make sure you account for the different weights of your setup. They are necessary to determine the smoothness of your journey. A typical Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, for instance, will tow your average airstream comfortably. However, there is a need for specificity. 

Can a Jeep Wrangler tow an Airstream Basecamp?

The Airstream Basecamp is a portable airstream for small adventures with a typical small family. It is, in fact, the smallest trailer in the airstream series.

A Jeep Wrangler can pull an airstream basecamp conveniently. This fact is especially true for a car with maximum towing capacity in the series. 

The standard weight of an empty airstream basecamp is about 2600 lbs. On the other hand, the max tow capacity of a car in the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited series is 3500lbs.

This vast difference means your Jeep can tow an airstream basecamp irrespective of the load you bring along inside the camper.

Can a Jeep Wrangler tow an Airstream Bambi?

The Airstream Bambi is a bigger version compared to basecamp. However, it is still one of the RVs with mid weights. It is very similar to the basecamp.

As you can guess, your Jeep Wrangler can tow an Airstream Bambi. The model has an average weight of 2900 pounds. This weight gives room for additional luggage.

However, it is crucial to minimize the added load, so it doesn’t exist the max tow capacity of your Jeep. 

Also, Bambi’s average weight exceeds the towing capacity of some of the cars in this series.

So it’s important to note the towing capacity of the different trim levels in the series.

Jeep Wrangler Towing Capacity?

Only trim levels in the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited series have the max tow capacity of 3,500 pounds.

If your car is not a part of the Unlimited series, it has a carrying capacity of 2000 lbs.

This capacity is less than the average weight of an airstream; ergo, it is not one for towing.

The advice is that you get a car with a towing capacity exceeding the airstream weight. Pushing the carrying capacity to the extreme or limit can affect driving and handling. 

Note that there are two significant types category of Jeep Wrangler. These are:

• Jeep Wrangler series
• Jeep Wrangler Unlimited series.

Below are a few things closely associated with your Wrangler towing capacity that you should consider when preparing for a tow. These are: 

#1. The Dry Weight

The dry weight is the basic weight of your airstream when it is empty and without any extra luggage or human. You can also call this the actual weight of the airstream.

Some refer to it as the unloaded vehicle weight.

#2. Net Carrying Capacity

This capacity is the total weight your typical airstream can carry. The new weight must not exceed this net carrying capacity when you add your camping luggage.

So, there is also a limit to the amount of airstream load. 

It doesn’t matter if the total weight does not exceed the vehicle carrying capacity; you mustn’t exceed this capacity.

#3. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

This term is for the total weight for the entire setup. It includes the weight of the airstream, the vehicle, the added luggage, and the passenger going on the trip.

This weight should not exceed your vehicle’s tow capacity. Your manufacturer usually gives the figure.

These are the basic terminologies along with your Jeep Wrangler towing capacity. Once you have the figures, you can set them up accordingly.

Next, you decide what luggage gets to follow you on the trip and what luggage stays back home.

Things to Know When Towing With Your Jeep

Final Thoughts

Your Jeep Wrangler Unlimited series can pull your medium-sized airstream. The basecamp and Bambi are some of the airstreams that fall in this category.

The adventure life is one with fun for a camper. So get all you need ready and journey off to the highs and lows. It sounds like fun!