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2019 Jeep Wrangler w/ 2021 Tab 400 Boondock

LammyWinnLammyWinn Member Posts: 26
edited December 2020 in Camping & Travel
Before we purchased our trailer we looked everywhere to see if our Jeep can comfortably pull a Tab 400 Boondock edition. This is our first travel trailer and we took it cross country in the winter over Christmas. 

2019 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited V4
2021 NuCamp Tab 400 Boondock

So far we made it up all the passes at 70+mph with no issue. It doesn’t even feel like we are towing anything. We have sway bars installed. 

I’m posting to say, it can be done. We have the AC blasting for our dog since he hates the heat, but also blind, so he gets car sick. Can’t roll the window down due to snow or rain coming into the Jeep. Smooth towing.



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Comments

  • TomCanadaTomCanada Member Posts: 286
    Glad to hear it!  We are awaiting arrival of our 400 and there's a lot of naysaying out there regarding TV towing capacities (our Q5 has a 4400lb limit) - seems people like to stay far away from the manufacturer's limits without realizing those limits already factor in a lot of safety margin, with extreme inclines/declines, braking, etc. all factored in.  I'm feeling very comfortable we'll be fine and sounds like you are too!
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,445
    edited February 2021
    @LammyWinn. Yiu might want to change your post on the Jeep, it reads:
      “ Jeep Rubicon Unlimited V4”. I think you mean V6, as I do not believe Jeep make a V4 engine?   Nice to know you are towing your TaB 400 without any real issues.
    our Jeep JT also tows the TaB400 nicely, but have not tried in snow yet.

    To resize your photo easily, click on image when selecting it to post, go down and click on image size window thst pops up, and select Medium Quality, and Bob’s your uncle... 
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • LammyWinnLammyWinn Member Posts: 26
    edited December 2020
    Denny16 said:
    @LammyWinn. Yiu might want to change your post on the Jeep, it reads:
      “ Jeep Rubicon Unlimited V4”. I think you mean V6, as Jeep does not make a V4 engine.   Nice to know you are towing your TaB 400 without any real issues.
    our Jeep JT also tows the TaB400 nicely, but have not tried in snow yet.

    To resize your photo easily, click on image when selecting it to post, go down and click on image size window thst pops up, and select Medium Quality, and Bob’s your uncle... 
    cheers
    My Jeep is actually a 4 Cylinder Turbo. Not a V6. Posting from iPhone, so it’s not letting me select size :(
    I’ll keep trying to post a photo though. 🙏🏽 
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  • ChrisFixChrisFix Member Posts: 725
    edited December 2020
    @LammyWinn
    What's the tongue rating on your Wrangler, 350lbs? Is the tow rating 3,500lbs?
    Seems you might be overloaded on the tongue spec. 2021 T@B 400s seem to run in the high 300lbs or low to mid 400lbs. If you haven't already, you might want to hit the CAT scale and see what you actually have. If you tow heavier than your vehicle specs, it is a potential liability issue should the worse happen.

    BTW, it's an inline 4 cylinder, not V...so I4.
    After two years of looking and considering...finally the proud owner of a 2021 T@B 400 Boondock!
    2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E with Redarc Trailer Brake Controller
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  • LammyWinnLammyWinn Member Posts: 26
    edited December 2020
    @ChrisFix
    Thank you. I4 learned something new. 
    The tongue weight is currently at 310 pounds and the trailer weighed in at 3215 lb. with our gear, holding tank full, and empty grey and black tank. 

    And yes the manual says the rating is 350lbs for tongue weight and 3,500lbs for towing. 
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  • ChrisFixChrisFix Member Posts: 725
    @LammyWinn
    Glad you weighed it and know that it is within the Wrangler's specs.
    People are often surprised by the actual weight of their rigs...especially in regard to tongue weight. 
    After two years of looking and considering...finally the proud owner of a 2021 T@B 400 Boondock!
    2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E with Redarc Trailer Brake Controller
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,445
    Nice to know the axle change on the 2021 TaB400 resulted in a lower tongue weight.  The new axle position along with the batteries located at the rear, worked to reduce the tongue weight.  A 2018 TaB400 tongue weight was right at around 400 lbs, +/- a few pounds.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • texasaubiefantexasaubiefan Member Posts: 62
    Nice.   I’ve got a Tab 320 and pull behind a 2016 JK edition.  Not sure I’d try anything larger as I have 33s and a 3” lift on the Jeep.   Update us later after you’ve traveled more with it.   I’d love to get the larger 400 and given all the off-roading I do once I get to my destinations, I’m not willing to part with my Jeep.  
    2017 T@B 320-S, Sofitel (M@bel)
    Mabel is my great grandmother that I never knew.  She took her 3 sons (ages 8-2) on an epic adventure from Alabama to Florida in the 1930's in the back of a pick up truck.  I named my female English springer spaniel after my mother.  Might as well go for broke with the brownie points in Heaven!   
    TV: 2018 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrew 
    David & Jill, Houston, TX
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  • jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,391
    texasaubiefan said:
    Nice.   I’ve got a Tab 320 and pull behind a 2016 JK edition.  Not sure I’d try anything larger as I have 33s and a 3” lift on the Jeep.   Update us later after you’ve traveled more with it.   I’d love to get the larger 400 and given all the off-roading I do once I get to my destinations, I’m not willing to part with my Jeep.  
    My 2011 JKU had a 2.5 AEV Dualsport lift and Rubicon take off tires/rims. It was pretty lousey towing experience.i was glad to upgrade to a WK2.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • PhilWPhilW Member Posts: 12
    Thanks for posting the pics. We have a 2020 Tab 320 S Boondock Edge that we pull with our 2016 Sahara Unlimited. We were interested in the 400 but concerned with the weight. I would be interested in seeing more about your towing experience. We may consider an upgrade in the future. Also looking at a 2021 Rubicon Unlimited with the 4 cylinder turbo.
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  • TRobTRob Member Posts: 54
    Before we purchased our 400 BD we rented an Airstream Basecamp to see what features we wanted in our future camper. We rented it from someone with a 2015 Wrangler Sport. We pulled it behind out 2015 Wrangler Sahara JKU on a 3" lift with 35s. 

    As total newbies we didn't really know much about proper weight, WDHs, etc. We pulled it from Florida to Ouray, CO and back. I was surprised at how well it towed. It was not perfect by any means. Especially on the passes in the rockies. I had to shift with the manual mode of the automatic. As long as we kept up speed and higher RPMs it got us through just fine.

    We didn't really like the Airstream and ended up getting a 2021 Tab 400 Boondock. We had plans to get a new vehicle to replace the Jeep when our 15 year old turns 16 in May since he gets this one. The more I read about payload the more I thought we were probably over. I weighed the Jeep one corner on at a time on a rum scale at work and found that we would definitely be over our payload capacity with the camper hitch weight included. I have steel belly plates, a winch, steel bumpers, over 100 lbs of misc recovery gear, etc. So we ended up getting a Gladiator Rubicon with a 7000 lb tow capacity. It's already built up for the trails and should get us through anything our Wrangler could handle. And it can tow our camper much more easily.

    The bottom line from my point of view is that a Wrangler that has proper gearing and the tow package can pull a 2021 400 if you tow it really close to dry. You are really pushing it though and will find it hard to bring anything extra along. It will be running high revs in the mountains. For those used to towing with a big pickup it would be unacceptable. For me, being new to it, It was fine.
    Troy / 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon / 2021 Tab 400 BD / Sarasota, FL
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  • LammyWinnLammyWinn Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2021
    PhilW said:
    Thanks for posting the pics. We have a 2020 Tab 320 S Boondock Edge that we pull with our 2016 Sahara Unlimited. We were interested in the 400 but concerned with the weight. I would be interested in seeing more about your towing experience. We may consider an upgrade in the future. Also looking at a 2021 Rubicon Unlimited with the 4 cylinder turbo.
    Our 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited 4iL (I4) Turbo (2” lift) did awesome. We didn’t rev and maintained a 70 mph speed easily up passes. We weighed the trailer and tongue weight several times on our trip at the CAT stations. It was good to go under the limit even when we had the fresh water tank at 1/2 full and full propane tank. 
    Maybe it helps that we’re minimalists, so we travel pretty light. I think our heaviest item in the trailer is my 3 cast iron pans. 
    So far towing the trailer was no issue. 
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,445
    edited January 2022
    I like the way my Jeep Gladiator tows our TaB400, I did add the max tow springs and shocks to eliminate some porpoising issues on rough roads, I have a 6,500 tow capacity, 650 lbs tongue weight and 1200 lbs cargo capacity on a stock Sport S model.  Gets fairly good mileage towing too, I only loose about 4 mpg towing whilst towing, on a average mixed highway and country roads trip I was getting 16-18mpg.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • XanaXandXanaXand Member Posts: 4
    How did it go with your Jeep? I've got a 2019 JLU MOAB with the tow package, and want to buy the newer 2021 or 2022 TAB 400 with the lower tongue weight. I'm getting yes, no, and am I crazy for responses.

    Thanks! Glad to join these forums BTW.
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  • KimmieGuyKimmieGuy Member Posts: 27
    Thanks for all of the info.  I have a 2019 Jeep JL Rubicon pulling a 2020 Tab320S.  I’d love to consider going bigger, but the Jeep love is REAL… 😂 Now I have some things to consider for someday. ♥️



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