Jeep for towing
I am looking at buying a 2012 Jeep wrangler or rubicon. I know that they up'ed the HP in them to around 280ish. Does anyone use one to tow and how good of a job does it do? I don't tow far much as my boat sits in my lift but if I ever want to it would be nice to know that I can. I would look to run some 32-33's on it as well. Thanks
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If you are looking at a 2 door, I think they are rated for like 2,000 pounds, and the 4 door is 3,500. I don't know that I'd want to tow any sort of weight for any kind of distance with such a short wheel base, which is why the ratings are so low.
I have a Grand Cherokee (rated at 7,500 towing capacity) and it does great. |
4 door. wow that sucks! I guess doable for for launching at the start of the season and pulling at the end.
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I used my Cousins 2006 Jeep Wrangler 4-door with 4wd to tow a 2001 X-star about 175 miles last week. Did Great at the Ramp. Very sluggish when getting on Highway. I kept it about 60-65 on interstated and left plenty of Room to stop. i was glad i didnt have to stop quickly or it could have been a hairy situation.
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I am curious to see what the tow rating is as well for the 2012 4 door. My wife has been bugging me for years to get her one but with the old engine and tow ratings, it isn't even enough to consider pulling my RZ2 that comes in at 6,000 lbs on the trailer. I kept hearing rumors that they would offer the Hemi for 2012 but it looks like they are just offering this upgraded V6 which still doesn't sound like quite enough to do what I want. They look so cool though, have to give them that!
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2012 is still 3500 lbs. It's a liability thing in the US, the same vehicle in Europe with a diesel is rated over 5k. It's the same reason uHaul won't rent a trailer to a wrangler owner if the softop is on.
Jeep engineers always claimed it was cooling issues with the old engine that kept the rating at 3500lbs, now that excuse is gone and the tow rating wasnt increased. I think for occasional use, the Wrangler Unlimited would be fine. I tested out the trailer sway control, very cool. |
arent they still 6 cylinders?
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You're talking very short wheelbase. Probably be real easy to get into sway, and have fun stopping. I've pulled a few cars with a stepside F-150 and it sucked with the 302 pulling 6000+ lbs, and the light weight and short wheelbase made for all sorts of fun on the highway with wind and whenever I had to stop quickly. I wouldn't tow with a Jeep unless it was an emergency, or less than a mile on residential roads to the ramp, or better yet... Just use the Jeep to move the trailer around the yard if you have a tight space to get it where you need it. Short wheelbase is great for moving trailers around and that's about it as far as towing.
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towing with a jeep wrangler is putting everyone on the road in danger. please don' t do it.
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yeah the wrangler wouldnt do very well, its class 2 towing, i used to tow my boat 200miles twice a year with a Escape V6 and it was awful. was same 3500lbs class 2, my boat weighs about 4000lbs w/ trailer and gear.
i since got a 06 Jeep Commander w/ the Hemi rated at 7200lbs class 3, and its amazing, i can easily with the switch of a button goto "Tow" mode which takes off the overdrive and probably has something to do w/ keeping the tranny cool. and i can set the cruise at 70-72mph w/ no problem on my long trips and you can tell your towing something but not by much. towing the boat w/ the commander is the same feel of when i towed just the trailer w/ no boat w/ the escape. great vehicle. allthough the wrangler i looked up and it would probably do what the escape did: Terrible |
You guys crack me up. F250s for everyone!
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nope. no jeeps(maybe a cherokee) for towing. unless you want to be unsafe and blow your tranny immediately
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I tow my nauti 2001 which is a small boat but no trailer brakes with my 07 2 door wrangler and feel safe. The power is the biggest problem but that is supposed to be fixed on the 2012s. I read all of this stuff and was planning on wrecking it the first time I drove it but for occasional towing I think you are fine. I have access to a 3/4 ton diesel ram and have never felt the need to use it.
If your trailer has good brakes I would say you are safer than most of the people on the road. From my experience you will be fine. Don't listen to a bunch of people who have never tried it. Go try it. If you are close to me come by and you can hook my jeep up, pull it around and do it without killing anyone. |
I have a friend with a 4 door w/ 32s and 3.73 gearing and he tows an 18.5' Bayliner with it. He says it doesn't do well on the highway. I have no details on what specifically that means. You shouldn't have any wet ramp issues if it's 4x4.
If you've got a 21' or smaller v-drive on the lighter side w/ trailer brakes in good working order and just plan on doing it around town I'd use it if it was a 4 door long wheelbase version. Maybe do some brake upgrades (Do they have factory rear disks or drums?) and add some airbag helper "springs" to the rear to help it handle the tongue weight. A weight distributing hitch would help a lot too and shift weight to the front axle but they're a bit of a pain to setup for short tows. You just have to keep in mind that you're exceeding the legal limits and pushing the physical limits of the vehicle so plan your moves way in advance. Take off slow and stop slow to minimize wear on your equipment. I'd probably use low range when pulling the boat up the ramp every time to go easy on the transmission and I'd also cut your transmission/transfer case maintenance interval in half. If it's an auto install a transmission cooler. If it already has one put a bigger one. |
These threads never fail to entertain. I use a 2000 Grand Cherokee for towing, 160k on it and no issues; ever. The transmission inthe 2012 Wrangler is actually shared with Hemi powered vehicles so it's plenty strong.
Also, has anyone ever panic stopped with their trailer hooked up? Do you guys have brakes that work? Every trailer setup I have ever towed stops the same, if not better that the tow vehicle by itself. The systems are designed to do so based on the trailer capacity. |
thanks for the info. some mixed views here but that is what the internet is for. My boat is a 2008 X15, good trailer brakes. I'm not worried about the round town towing as that is 2-3 times a year at about 1 mile per time. It is if/when I want to tow far on the highway. I saw someone towing an X-Star with a new range rover once and thought "wow that thing is all over the road". I guess all short wheel base trucks can be a bit of a handfull. But someone bleow points out that the 4 door wrangler is 2 inches longer than the cheorkee. I would plan on lifting it and running 32-33's so not sure if that helps or hurts.
Well I do like the F250's as well so....... |
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If you're hitting the highway a weight distributing hitch is a must. It's technically required on my dodge 1/2 ton for my 23' MasterCraft but I'm only over the non-weight distribution limit by like 100-200 lbs so I don't have one. On a Jeep where you're exceeding the rating by probably 1,000 lbs you'd need it to maintain somewhat safe steering ability.
If you're not familiar with them they limit the vertical flex of the connection between the tongue of the trailer and the hitch of the tow vehicle. You can adjust the tension to the point where you actually transfer tongue weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle. This is a similar principle to a 5th wheel hitch but on a lighter duty scale. |
07-09 Grand Cherokee 3.0 Diesel!
Best purchase I have made. 7500lbs towing capacity and it it tows my 21ft Supra it with ease! |
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People in Europe would do it with a Fiat 500...LOL!
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thanks for the other suggestions but the only reason I'm asking about the wrangler is because I like it. If I liked the cherokee I would ask about that. Its not a money thing either.
Now I am past the Jeep and liking the F250 (drove my friends F150 this weekend). I would by the full 4 door with 6 foot bed. Are there many differences between 2010 and 11's or 12's in the F250 and if so does anyone know what they are? Thanks |
Edgar, try to pm Hate n Pain. He is the Ford man. He just got a new F150 crew cab with the 6cyl eco boost I believe.
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I am not sure about the brand new motor, but you will hate towing with the 3.8 V6 mini van motor that comes stock in them since 2007. It is nothing like the old 4.0L inline 6 cylinder. Drop a V8 in it and it would do fine, but that motor can barely even move the jeep itself. I have driven them stock and lifted with wheels and tires and they have just enough power to move themselves. If you re-gear them you will certainly get more power, but that platform is still not really designed for towing. They are light vehicles and will get pushed around my today's vdrives. If you wanted to just tow short distances and only occasionally it will do it, but not ideal for sure. Many of the boats listed above that people are towing with are also much lighter than modern day wake board boats.
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I don't know why everyone thinks that 4.0L inline 6 was all that great. I had a 2001 Wrangler with 33's and the 5 speed and that truck was still gutless. Took it up to Vail to go snowboarding and it wouldn't even do 65 up the hills. I have heard that the v6 is even more gutless but in all seriousness, the 4.0L was nothing to get excited over.
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So if it's relatively flat, and short distances, and unloaded, and not very often, then maybe. The F250, even the F150, is a way better choice for any amount of difficult towing. |
Timmy
Not saying the 4.0L is a towing beast but the new motor will not hold a candle to it. I have heard there is supposed to be some new motor options coming down the pike and hopefully they are in the 2012. I have not followed the wranglers much anymore and won't until they start putting a decent motor in them. |
^^^ I agree with Tyler. Jeep Wranglers make terrible tow vehicles. They are underpowered before you put a trailer on them. I have owned two of them, both with the 4.0L. The new engine is worse, and the vehicle has only gotten heavier.
Look, I know what it's like to want a certain vehicle so badly that you try to justify it even though it doesn't meet your needs. I have purchased lots of cars based on this philosophy. What always happens is you fall out of love with that car you wanted so badly when you realize it can't do what you need it to do. When we were first boat shopping, we had a Honda Odyssey and a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (pictured below). I did not want to have to buy a new truck and a new boat. So I desperately tried to do what you're doing... justify the wrong vehicle. I posted lots of threads on whether or not the van or the jeep could tow a boat. In hindsight, I don't think I was looking for the right answer; I was looking for somebody... anybody to tell me what I wanted to hear. To those of you telling the OP it's okay to tow with a Jeep Wrangler, shame on you! He would be putting himself, his family, and those around him in harm's way. In the end, I broke down and bought a Suburban (which has since been replaced with a Denali XL). Here is the best advice you are going to get... make yourself "want" a vehicle that's good a towing. It's easy to get excited about them too... there are some pretty bitchin' tow rigs our there (a few examples are pictured below my old Jeep). http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...E/P1020208.jpg http://www.trucktoyzstore.com/realm/...884_detail.jpg http://www.cstsuspension.com/ecom/im...0.DSC_0027.JPG http://www.classyauto.com/image_larg...mage_id=541714 |
would be cool if they offered the HEMI but I am hearing not for 2012
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The new motor for 2012 is a pretty big boost.
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But... you can always do it aftermarket! http://www.aev-conversions.com/store..._composite.jpg |
Still not a towing machine but...it gives you more hp and torque than a Tacoma and there's a bunch of people towing with those.
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I originally said go for it because I thought that you were using it to take it on and off the lift and on side streets but if you want it for long trips you should probably look elsewhere. I don't think you will be very happy towing long distances with a jeep especially a lifted one.
Good luck |
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Here is another jeep that would definitely pull a boat. But stopping it would be a different story.
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Give me a break... |
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Okay... what's more ridiculous... ?
Another question for ya... Where in my post did I say it was "absolutely necessary" to have a 3/4 ton?. I don't even have one myself! I simply posted some pictures of them since I think they look nice, tow well, and might appeal to the OP. Forgive me for trying to bring some color and life to this boring thread. |
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It never said absolutely necessary in your post, but many have that mentality. You posting only pictures of three quarter ton monsters seemed to fit that mold. |
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Dear OP, I think towing with a Wrangler is a swell idea. Don't worry about the tow rating being 3,500 lbs, and your boat weighing 5,000 lbs. What's 1,500 lbs. between friends? As long as you don't lift it, you'll be fine. Besides, I know you will always tow the boat completely empty (no gas or gear of any kind), and the ramp is only 25 yards from your driveway, right? Also, it's a good idea to load up the Jeep with passengers and gear. Cuz, duh, who rides alone? The best part is that every pound you add to the Jeep actually raises the tow rating. Cool, huh? Finally, don't worry about getting in accidents while towing as your insurance company will surely step in to cover any loss. They like when their customers ignore blatant safety regs. Lawyers and plaintiffs will miss these details as well. Here are few pics of Wranglers towing 5,000 lb. loads so you know for sure it's a good idea... I hear they got sway control, yo! http://www.etrailer.com/merchant2/gr...033_aa_500.jpg http://casitaclub.com/archives/uploa...1050072540.jpg https://www.jeep.com/shared/2011/wra...ontrol_pri.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...arlman/198.jpg http://file.vustv.com/4vWlFZvNlLYd5.jpg Ooops... ignore that last one. :) |
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Why do people take things so personal around here?
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ha ha... this thread is getting good!!!!
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As for the pictures.... you didn't like my truck pictures, so ya know... I tried a different set of pictures I thought you might like. Can't please everybody. I actually tried hard to find pics of an Unlimited towing a wakeboat, but they don't exist because PEOPLE DON'T TOW WAKEBOATS WITH WRANGLERS. P.S. Thanks for the gold star! |
They didn't tow wakeboats with Wranglers because they didn't have enough power...2012 may change that. :D:D
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