10 Best Tow Bar For Jeep Wrangler (Unlimited Towing) | Expert’s Guide

As much as we love getting uninterrupted service from vehicles at the expense of minimal maintenance, life isn’t that kind all the time.

I mean, you can never know when you run into a towing situation while on the highway. One second you’re driving like a king and the next thing you know is your Jeep needs to be towed.

Even if your jeep is all up to scratch, sometimes you’ll need to tow it behind your motorhome. Stuck in the middle of nowhere without a backup vehicle sucks, right? The best tow bar for jeep wrangler can be a great assist in these situations.

In this article, we’ll discuss tow bars, and why you need specialized ones. Trust me, reading this article is far more enjoyable than waiting for hours on the road. So, keep reading.

Best Jeep Wrangler Tow Bar Comparison Chart

Image	Product Title	Max. Load (Pounds)	Editor’s Rating	Price
	Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha Tow Bar (Editor’s Choice)	6500	9.7	Check Price
	Roadmaster 520 Falcon 2 Mounted Tow Bar	6000	9.5	Check Price
	Demco 9511008 Dominator Tow Bar	7500	9.2	Check Price
	Currie Enterprises CE-9033JK Tow Bar	N/A	8.6	Check Price
	NSA RV Products (RB-9025) Tow Bar (Editor’s Choice)	8000	8.4	Check Price
	Smittybilt 87450 Tow Bar Kit	5000	9.0	Check Price
	EZ Travel Collection Universal Tow Bar	5000	8.1
	Hiltex 20046 Universal Tow Bar	5000	8.2
	Reese Towpower 7014200 Adjustable Tow Bar	5000	7.8
	CURT 19745 Bar for Dinghy Towing	5000	7.5

Best Tow Bar For Jeep Wrangler Choices in 2022

A tow bar is needed to carry a jeep behind an RV or motorhome if you don’t want to use a full-sized trailer. Although there are a lot of all-purpose tow bars available on the market, some are more optimized for jeeps.

They are strong, usable on a wide range of bumper widths. Apart from regular bumpers, they can be used with modified and aftermarket bumpers. Also, they are strong enough to carry the huge weight of a jeep wrangler.

Finding the right tow bar can be a challenge. You have to make sure the tongue capacity and jeep weight rating is suitable with the tow bar. However, we have reviewed different types of tow bars so that you get a wide pool of varieties to choose from.

Our 10 Picks Of Best Tow Bar For Jeep Wrangler

Tow bars come in all sizes and weight capacities. Some are adjustable and some are not. Depending on your using frequency and requirements, there isn’t a single choice you can adhere to.

That’s why, we have listed not one, not two, but 11 top tow bars that are leading the market in their own way. While they all might not be suitable for your particular situation, most of them will be. And more importantly, they’ll deliver performance.

1. Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha | Best Tow Bar For Flat Towing

It’s not what’s seen from the outside, it’s what you are made of.

Sometimes, skinny people can surprise you with their display of strength. Just like Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha will surprise you with its weight carrying capacity.

At first, this tow bar will look like a regular one. Simple looking, compact, and lightweight. Weighing only 35 pounds, you’ll find maneuvering this product surprisingly easy.

But this beast can carry up to 6500 pounds of weight, which is enough for jeep wranglers, cars and even small trucks. The bar is made of robust steel. The triple lug design allows it to handle a higher weight with utmost stability.

This bar has a self-aligning feature when mounted behind an RV. The hookup pins used to mount it can be disconnected quickly once you reach the destination. Also, the locking handles have an easy release mechanism for quick detachment.

This product has a great failsafe in place. The safety cables can facilitate 10,000 pounds of weight. The tow bar is covered with rubber boots which keeps it protected from dirt, grime, and rust. When you’re not using this, you can fold it away and store at the back.

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Bottom Line
The Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha has one of the best weight to weight carrying ratio on the market. It’s easy to maneuver, can be locked into position when used and can be released instantly after use. The sturdy construction will help it last longer. Overall, I don’t think the absence of power cords should be a buzzkill for buyers.

2. Roadmaster 520 Falcon 2 Mounted Tow Bar | Best Tow Bar For The Money

Roadmaster 520 is a heavyweight tow bar. It comes with numerous safety and construction features that make it last for a long time.

For instance, this one is 50 pounds in weight. Some might say that’s pretty heavy. But it’s the heaviness that brings stability and prevents excessive shakiness. On top of that, it comes with nylon bushing that is self-lubricated. This feature reduces friction between the inner and outer arm.

The smooth exterior will instantly draw your eyes and leave you praising the aesthetics. The powder coating increases the durability and protects the bar from dirt and grime.

The bar can carry 6000 pounds of weight. This means you can tow vehicles up to 3 tons i.e. small trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. The telescoping arms are extra-long, and the large hookup radius makes sure you can connect and disconnect it quickly.

Not all of us like wasting time attaching and detaching the tow bar, especially while on the run. The patented latching mechanism and foldability allow the user to quickly use it and store after use.

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Bottom Line
Safety cables are important safety accessories that can further secure your towing setup. Although this product doesn’t come with cables, that probably has to do with the surprisingly affordable price. This gives you the freedom to buy safety cables you like separately in addition to this tow bar.

3. Demco 9511008 Dominator Tow Bar | Best Tow Bar For RV

The good thing with tow bars is, you can always find something for your budget. If you have a tight budget, you’ll find good products that don’t cost much. If you have a good budget, you can lay your hands on exquisite models.

Demco 9511008 comes from the ‘Dominator’ series. It lives up to the name, providing high weight capacity despite being lightweight. Coming from a line of robust and competent tow bars, this one can carry up to a whopping 7500 pounds.

That equals to 3.75 tons. It works well for jeeps, large and medium cars, cargo vehicles, etc. You can even carry small trucks, depending on the weight. The parts are made of steel and aluminum. The aluminum alloys used are industrial quality, while steel prevents wearing and rusting in the vital parts.

This tow bar makes hooking up much simpler with independent arms. Additionally, you can disconnect the bar easily with the help of the easy trigger release.

The product comes with coiled safety cables, which will work as a backup if the tow bar fails to deliver, which is very unlikely. The manufacturers also provide a mounting clip to safely attach the cables.

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Bottom Line
The product isn’t your hundred dollars tow bar, that’s for sure. However, when it’s your precious vehicle and valuable hours on the line, you would want something that’ll deliver to its potential. The tow bar is very easy to hook and disconnect. And it will provide all the sturdiness you need.

4. Currie Enterprises CE-9033JK Tow Bar Mounting Kit | Best Tow Bar Mounting Kit

This is a tow bar baseplate kit which was made keeping jeep wranglers in mind. The package includes a baseplate, bolts, and nuts, tow bar attaching fork, everything you need to facilitate a tow bar.

It’s compatible with some of the popular tow bars out there, i.e. CE-9033F and CE-9033D. It will also work with most of the Blue OX tow bars. Being 31 pounds in weight, you can maneuver and install this plate with ease.

The Currie CE-9033JK is exclusively made for JK Wranglers. It should fit JK wranglers of the 2007 model and up without any problem. However, for JK models of 2010 and up, you will need to trim the bottom of the front side cross member. Some of the JK 2013 and up models might not work with this kit since they have different front bumpers.

This kit will work as a direct replacement for the plastic valance panel that comes from the factory. All you need to do is bolt it and you’re done. The black powder coat semi-gloss finish gives this kit enhanced look and guards it against grimes. The package contains tow bar attaching forks provided by the manufacturer.

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Bottom Line
What’s not to like in this product? It’s cheap, well-built and sturdy. It is compatible with your precious JK Wranglers. It even comes with forks that you need while attaching a tow bar. As for the paint job, you can keep it as it is, or can execute a do-over.

5. NSA RV Products (RB-9025) Aluminum Tow Bar| Strongest Tow Bar

The Ready Brute Tow Bar, also known as the RB 9025 is premium tow bar. It isn’t cheap, and that’s because it delivers performance unmatched to its counterparts. The structure is beefy, super strong and completely made of billet aluminum.

With a weight capacity of 8000 pounds, it can carry any car or truck behind your vehicle. You’ll like the powder coated stylish look. Apart from the look, the coating guards the tow bar against weather and grime.

This bar is fairly lightweight, only 30 pounds. The clevis design is non-binding, which means you can hook and unhook it effortlessly. The arm extensions are covered with rubber sleeves which keeps the operation smooth and going.

This is a versatile tow bar and works with the popular baseplate brands out there. It is compatible with Demco, Blue Ox, and Roadmaster baseplates, the ones you typically use. The model doesn’t come with surge brake. However, it has another model (NSA RV Products RB-9050) that comes complete with a surge brake.

Nevertheless, it does come with a pair of quality safety cables. The coiled safety cables can be used as a failsafe for the towing operation. The tow bar can be folded easily and stashed at the back of your RV or Motorhome.

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Bottom Line
The product price might seem high for people with a tight budget. If that’s the case, there are other cheaper but sturdy models in our list. But this tow bar definitely justifies the price with the beefy look, solid performance and high weight carrying capacity. As for the clevis, you can either purchase the RB 2050 model that comes with a clevis or buy it separately.

6. Smittybilt 87450 2″ Ball Adjustable Tow Bar Kit | Best Low Budget Tow Bar

Now that’s what I call value for the money! Smittybilt is one of the cheapest tow bars you’ll find, but it doesn’t come cheap in features. It excels in terms of durability, versatility, and endurance.

For an affordable bar like this, the weight carrying capacity is quite good. It can carry 5000 pounds of weight while around 32 pounds itself. The noteworthy feature about Smittybilt 87450 is the adjustable 2” coupler or ball mount. The ball mount is designed to work with a variety of different vehicles.

The lateral strut brackets and safety brackets keep the entire construction in place. If you on the run and in a hurry, the two D-ring mounting brackets will help you connect and disconnect the tow bar quickly.

For added security, safety chains are provided by the manufacturers. These chains are nickel plated and made of steel underneath to provide the user with a degree of protection. There are two sets of chains provided, one for the tow car and one for the towing car.

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Bottom Line
This product strikes a nice balance between prices and features. It might not feel out of the blue, but it delivers decent performance. The safety chains are competent enough to provide backup. As for the bolts, you can just change them to number 8 bolts, it’ll cost a mere few dollars.

7. EZ Travel Collection Universal Tow Bar | Tow Bar With Magnetic Lights

This is yet another low cost and affordable tow bar. Being so low priced, you might think it’ll fall far behind compared to the thousand dollars products. But upon your surprise, it will provide you great performance.

The tow bar itself is around 35 pounds in weight. Comparing to most of the products on the market, you have to admit it’s lightweight. Yet, it can carry up to 5000 pounds of weight. You should be able to tow jeep wranglers, small cars without any problem.

It comes with a strong, heavy-duty coupler. The coupler can facilitate 2” balls. The arm can be extended from 24 inches to 41 inches depending on the application. The adjustable arms are universal fits and can be used with any bumpers.

The attachment and detachment are pretty easy. The brackets are horizontal which increases stability. The tow bars can be attached easily to the brackets with the help of two pins. The package comes with safety chains for added security.

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Bottom Line
The tow bar is easy to install and remove. It doesn’t come too heavy but provides a decent carrying capacity. The lights have plenty of wires with them. Some users expressed their dissatisfaction with the light’s performance, but there are plenty of other people who were actually satisfied. As for the tow bar itself, it’s a catch for such a low price.

8. Hiltex 20046 Adjustable Universal Tow Bar | Lightest Tow Bar

Sometimes, simple can be outright stylish. If you don’t believe that, just look at the Hiltex 20046 Adjustable Universal Tow Bar. It comes in a universal size that fits most of the vehicles out there. Furthermore, it doesn’t show any pressure and compression problems.

The product weighs only 29 pounds. It can carry up to 5000 pounds of weight. The capacity allows it to work with Jeeps, Sedans, Cars, SUVs, and Vans. However, always try to keep your expectations near reality.

Apart from the bar, there are two 30” safety chains integrated into the system to increase further protection. It can fit almost all bumpers within the 24 to 41 inches range. The arm extension feature and the 2” fitting ball makes hooking and unhooking it a piece of cake.

The simple folding mechanism will help you store it. The bar is made of heat treated, hardened steel. So you can expect it to last longer. Overall, it’s not something that’ll wobble your heart, but it’ll do its part well.

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Bottom Line
The main problem with low priced tow bars is they give up performing after some days. This one doesn’t come with such low quality. With the strong design and performance oriented modifications, it should last around longer. You can improve the performance by upgrading the chains and bolts (to number 8) for a few dollars.

9. Reese Towpower 7014200 Adjustable Tow Bar | Cheap Tow Bar

This one is a basic, simple, yet effective tow bar. It doesn’t come with unnecessary features just to substantiate a bloated price tag. Rather, I come cheap and leave the users well equipped to buy additional accessories of their choice.

Like many of its low price counterparts, it doesn’t come with safety chains. You might actually like it because often the chains are not up to the mark. So the user ends up buying new ones anyway.

It is a 32 pounds tow bar with 5000 pounds capacity. It comes with a 2-inches ball coupler. Along with the help of pins and clips, you can attach and detach it easily with the vehicle.

The length and width are adjustable. You can adjust the width by loosening the bolt and moving it. As for the length, adjust it by bolt holes situated in 2 inches increment. If you want, you can mount it permanently on your vehicle, which will save you time while connecting, disconnecting the vehicles.

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Bottom Line
You’ll enjoy the adjustable feature and simplicity of this product. It works well for simple towing. But for higher models, if you have more sophisticated uses in mind. You need to purchase safety chains separately. As for the U-bolts, either purchase them or just drill the bar to match your current ones.

10. CURT 19745 Black Bar for Dinghy Towing | Best For Dingy Towing

This is the cheapest tow bar on our list. If you’re looking for highly adjustable tow bars, you can choose CURT 19745 Black Bar. With a carrying ability of 2000- 5000 pounds, this one is exclusively designed for A-frame trailer designs.

It has both top wind and side wind design. So you can either bolt it or directly weld it with the trailer. The arms are also expandable from 25 inches to 41 inches which facilitates smooth towing. It can be folded and stored securely when not in use.

As for the bolts, they are 5/8 inches in diameter. The attachment plate bolt holes are situated at an interval of 4.5 inches. The robust coupler fits 2-inch balls. This tow bar has quick disengage brackets to attach and detach it quickly.

The bar is made of steel, which aids in the durability of this product. The black powder coated finish guards against weather hazards and road grimes.

The product weighs only 31 pounds. Anyone looking for jeep and A-frame trailer to be towed behind, the CURT 19745 can be a very affordable solution.

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Bottom Line
This one is as cheap as you can get. However, it’s a great basic tow bar which will help you with simple towing. Although safety chains aren’t included, with such a low price, I’m sure you won’t mind spending a few bucks for purchasing safety chains and bolts.

How To Choose Best Tow Bar For Jeep Wrangler?

Installation

How easily you can install and detach a tow bar would determine the ease of use you’ll get from it. The level of easiness depends on three main factors, movability, the number of brackets and locks, and how strong these locks are.

Tow bars can be heavy. If you want to move around it effortlessly, look for a tow bar within 5-35 pounds range. Make sure the product has enough locks and releasing mechanism to easily attach and remove it. Some tow bars allow permanent attachment with the baseplate.

Although there are many bars that can be used with any baseplate, it’s always wiser to choose the tow bar from the same brand the baseplate is.

Safety Backup

You can never be certain about the tow bar, no matter how good it is. It’s a tool and it ‘might’ fail to deliver accidentally. So look is other safety backups are in place.

Good tow bars have safety cables and wires as fail-safes. In case the tow bar gets disengaged, they’re the ones that keep the vehicles steadfastly attached to each other.

The cables should be thick and strong enough to withstand the agony. Also, they should contain strong clamps or hooks on either side. Many brands don’t sell them with the package. However, if you get them along with the tow bar without paying extra, that’s surely a relief.

Weight Capacity

This is an important issue to attend when you choose tow bars. The main function of a tow bar is to drag a vehicle behind another. So whether it can handle the weight or not is a critical question.

Since specific vehicles have a specific weight, you don’t have to beat around the bush. Just make sure the bar can handle more weight than the weight of the ‘toad’.

Ideally, for motorcycles, you can do with 3 tons capacity. For larger cars, jeeps, and SUVs, the safe capacity will be around 3-4 tons. For light and heavy trucks, the range will be respectively 5-6 and 6-7 tons.

Since the Jeeps wranglers weight around 4000-5000 pounds, a tow bar with a weight capacity of 3-4 tons should be enough.

Towing Brackets

These things might look small, but they carry the most burden during the towing. These are the attachments where you attach the hooks. Usually, they are placed on the front of the toad, and some on the back of the towing vehicle.

They should be made in a way that can absorb the weight and don’t come right off. Ideally, towing brackets made of steel and aluminum are strong enough. They are also environmentally immune.

Additional attachments like shock absorption reduce pressure on the brackets and hooks. Usually, they come in the form of springs. If you get a product with good shock absorption, that’ll reduce the need for safety wires.

Weather Resistance

You will hear the word ‘all-terrain’ from the tow bar manufacturers. While not all of them have all-terrain sustainability, it is surely an advantage to have.

You see, just like tires, the performance of tow bars can also be influenced by the weather. Some tow bars don’t do well in freezing weather, gets jammed and difficult to operate.

All-terrain tow bars stay functioning regardless of the weather. They don’t jam in the winter, don’t get awkwardly extended in the summer, and definitely don’t get corroded by water, humidity, mud and grimes. They are the one that’ll probably last around longer and deliver you a great value for the money.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How To Use A Tow Bar?

Answer: There are mainly four principles you need to follow when you use a tow bar. We’ll discuss them in short-
A. Make sure you can flat tow the vehicle, with all four wheels in the touch of the ground. There are some vehicles that get damaged while towed by all wheels on the road.

B. Usually, car manufacturers recommend a suitable towing method for the given model. Some cars might need dollies while towing. Remember, if there is a restriction against towing with all four wheels on the road, you shouldn’t use a tow bar.

C. Install brackets on the front bumper of your car. You need to be as precise as possible because there are cutting and drilling involved with the process. Make sure you take your time and follow the exact measurement from the tow bar manufacturers.

D. Install the tow bar using lynch-pins. Make sure it is attached securely. Attach additional wires and safety cables to the vehicle.

2. How Long Does It Take To Fit A Tow Bar?

It depends. Some vehicles don’t need to cut the bumper, while others will need it. Usually, the fitting procedure takes 1 or 2 hours on average. But depending on your particular situation, the time can be more or less.

3. How Much Does A Tow Bar Cost?

There are several costs associated with a tow bar. As for basic price, the price of tow bar alone can cost between 30-60 dollars (for occasional use), 80-250 dollars (for more robust models) and 400-1200 (strongest models). The price depends on materials and weight capacity.

Additional wires (if not included with the package) might cost 5-50 dollars. If you want trailer hitch, installing one will cost you around 100-850 dollars (400-500 on average).

The installation cost depends on several factors, including the price of a customized base plate. The cost is dissimilar for different mechanics and repair shops.

4. What Tow Bar Do I Need?

There are several types of tow bars. The types are Horizontal hitch, Sawn neck, Flat Tongue, Rear Steep, etc. Your choice should be made on your vehicle type, weight and whether you want permanent attachment of the bar or not. Also, the types are divided into ‘classes’ to represent their weight carrying capacity.

Our recommendation is, check our reviews and Amazon pages. If you yet have questions, carefully read all the information provided by the manufacturers online. Contact them or a local dealer if you need further information. Let them know your vehicle model and they’ll probably inform you of the suitable tow bar right away.

5. How To Tow A Jeep Wrangler With A Tow Bar?

Answer: For a jeep wrangler to be towed, all four wheels need to be in contact with the ground. Also, the transfer case should be shifted to a NEUTRAL position. Here are the steps-

• Depress and clamp brake pedal, set the parking brake.
• Shift to NEUTRAL (N) from automatic transmission.
• For manual transmission, depress the clutch pedal.
• Now, shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
• Start engine, release parking brake.
• Shift to DRIVE (D) from automatic transmission.
• For manual transmission, shift to gear.
• Release the brake pedal, make sure the Jeep doesn’t move.
• Shut the engine OFF, place the ignition key into the unlocked OFF position.
• Shift to PARK (P) from automatic transmission, apply the parking brake.
• Attach the Jeep Wrangler to the tow vehicle using a tow bar.
• Release the parking brake and you’re good to go.

Once you reach the destination, apply the parking brake. Remove the tow bar, then release the parking brake.
Shift to NEUTRAL (N) from automatic transmission. For manual transmission, depress the clutch pedal.

Shift the transfer case into the position you want, i.e. 2H, 4H, 4L. Shift to DRIVE (D) from automatic transmission, or just release the clutch.

Now, you’re done. The whole process will probably take less time than you needed to read.

Final Words

You can overlook it, and wish that you don’t have to use this for dreadful reasons. Or, you can use it on a regular basis while towing a jeep whenever you hit the road. But one thing is sure, you cannot ignore its importance.

Jeep tow bars are meant to guard you against hassle, not turning into one. This will happen only when you stop compromising for mediocre and get the best tow bar for jeep wrangler.

Most of the products we reviewed are not only great for jeeps, but they also work for cars, SUVs and other vehicles as well. Hopefully, this detailed guide will help you to find a suitable tow bar for your vehicle.