Jeep Charokee towing

[marquette]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

i had a 1989 cherokee with the 4.0 and auto. i pulled a 17ft crestliner for short distances ok. i have a 1998 cherokee and a 2001 cherokee that i use for towing now. both have pulled the crestliner and a 16ft lund rebel to canada up and down the hills around the north side of lake superior. both have worked just fine. i have never had a problem with a launch ramp paved or dirt including a pretty beat up sand ramp last week end in texas on corpus christi bay. other than the fact they ride rough on the highway and have a pretty short wheelbase for stability they work great. but the short wheelbase is prety nice to back the boat into tight places.

 

[shawnc]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

You should add an auxillary tranny cooler if you don't have one from the factory. The XJ's came with AW4 trannies, which are pretty stout trannies. They are actually made my Aisin Warner, and not an actual chrysler product. If you keep it running cool, it should last a long time. I have over a 180,000 miles on my 94 and it still does well. I've never towed my boat except to move it around the yard (18.5' Tracker Targa pushing 3500 lbs). It does OK, but I have 4.56 gears and 34" tires with 6" of lift, more of an offroading machine than tow vehicle. I'm sure it would pull well with stock size tires and such low gearing in the axles, but like mentioned above the rear brakes are crap. Teraflex makes a rear disc conversion that costs about $600, or if you are handy there are several ways to swap disc brakes on using junk yard stuff, like from Ford explorer's, crown vics and even ZJ rear discs, all will give better braking. Another option would be to find a 87-89 XJ dana 44 rear axle. They are rare and can be pricey, but the drums were 10" rather than the usual 9" and the brake shoes were 1/2 wider. It's a much stronger axle that the dana 35 and 1st generation chrysler 8.25" axles. The Chr 8.25 axle from 96 and up are almost as strong as the dana 44, but still uses c-clips to hold the shafts in as opposed to semi float style of the d44.

You should also be aware that the short wheel base of the XJ will tow much different compared to a full size truck. It will tend to get pushed around more due to the light weight (XJ weigh in a little over 3000 lbs) and short wheel base.

 

[dan t.]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

hmmmm 1990 ,just about time for the unibody frame to start rusting out, check very carfully just in front of the front perch for the left rear spring.

 

[krakatoa]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Actually I have a SSV190 GLastron from 1993, this boat alone goes over 1250 pounds and with the trailer totally maybe goes up to 2K Pounds. I pull it with my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0L V6 I always pull it in "drive" BUT with the OutDrive in OFF, when pulling out from the ramp just in drive. Never had a problem and the gauges always in normal reading, hope this helps.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

To the original poster, yes the Cherokee will pull it but there are a couple of major things to be aware of:
1) the trailer MUST have brakes that work, the Cherokee's brakes are just adequate to stop the Jeep alone, on stock size tires. I pulled my 88 FW (3700-4000) with a 98 Grand Cherokee with 4 wheel disc brakes, when I first got it the trailer didn't have brakes and stopping was very difficult. Any panic stop and you're in trouble.
2) The Cherokee has weak rear leaf springs that will sag alot under load, you will either have to replace them with heavy duty units or use Air Lift airbags. I have the bags in the rear coils on my 98 and they work great.
3) The Cherokee's cooling system in certain years is not the best, you need to make sure the rad is clean and all components are functioning well.

And as a final note, the auto transmissions in the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are totally different, the Cherokee uses an Aisan Warner (AW-4) trans made by Toyota which is very durable, the dealer I got my Jeep from only replaced 2 in all the years they were used! The Grands use a Chrysler trans which is more prone to problems, esp with leaking internal seals that cause delayed cold shifting. Some of them are fine and some have a lot of problems.

I think it depends of the generaton of grand cherokees my 99 V8 has a dodge ram quarter ton tranny in it and its holding up really well at 140k

 

[BMWboatski]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Former owner of a 00' cherokee sport, I had a 4 inch body lift and 32' mickey thompson thornbirds it towed the jetski and dad bassboat just finds. I once smelled burning though the vents but it ended up being the AC going out. No problems with the tow.

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

4 months later and I am still torn on this decision. Can someone please convince me either way ....

 

[marquette]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

i owned a 1989 cherokee and still own a 1998 and a 2001. there is a big differance between the older body style and the newer style (1997 and newer) with vary little in common witht the grand cherokee. the 1990 had the older style cooling system that wasn't real great but worked ok. it may have the bosch brake system that basically sucked. i towed a 17 ft crestliner that weighed about 1700lbs loaded witht he 1989. i never had any problem on a launch ramp but it was a marginal tow vehicle as far as acceleration or braking. towing the same boat with the 1998 or 2001 was completly differant. more acceleration and better braking. i have/had tranny coolers on all of them. last summer i put a pair of cheap ($35) leaf helper springs on the 1998 before towing a 15ft flats boat from minnesota to texas. worked really well and will probably put a pair on the 2001 for towing this summer. they helped keep the body a little leveler so handling was better. in my opinion cherokees are a good little tow vehicle for around the state. up to 200 miles they are fine but after that the ride is uncomfortable. they will handle up to 2000lbs but you will know the boat is back there. if it is what you have to tow with then use it if you are looking to buy something then there are better choices for a tow vehicle. for me the cherokee is my tow vehicle and my back woods logging road hunting vehicle and for that combination it is a tough vehicle to beat.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

4 months later and I am still torn on this decision. Can someone please convince me either way ....

Although this forum is filled with lots of great boat info, I think venturing over to the jeepforum.com is warranted. There is an entire sub section on the Cherokees ( also known as "XJ" in jeep talk )

I use the same name over there and own a '01 Cherokee with a 2" lift and 31" tires. ( I use my 2500 suburban to tow my boats and the jeep for jockeying it around)

Jeff

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Seems to me like youve got tons of great advice so far.. Getting something that is 19 years old can be a long shot as far as it being dependable. A lot of people have had a chance to treat it like crap and not maintain it, thats the only thing I would worry about.

The Jeep in general is a great Jeep. Cherokees are known to last along time with little problems. The I-6 engine is awesome and as others have said, the tranny is known to be great.

xxturbowesxx, you are correct. The 4.7 V-8 got the 45rfe tranny which is the same tranny used in some Rams. Now they get a 545rfe which is just a 5 speed tranny. Its used behind the 4.7 and Hemi(5.7).

The 4.0 WJ(grand cherokee) had a 42RE tranny which is a great tranny if you keep the fluid changed, used the correct fluid(Big issue there), and keep it cool. If you tow with it and dont lock O/D out you will slowly kill it. Most problems with this tranny and most current chrysler trannys is the owners and people that work on them are too ignorant and do not use the correct fluid(ATF+4). The clutches slowly wear out and then you get a bunch of people saying chrysler cant make trannys. Personally, we have 4 Jeeps ranging from Grand Cherokees, to a Cherokee, to a liberty and weve never had a major problem out of any of them.

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

I looked under the hood of it today and saw metal piping running from the radiator below the motor and what it looked like, to the tranny. The radiator does NOT have a seperate smaller radiator for the tranny, but should it? Or is that just after market? Are the lines running from the radiator cooling the tranny? I am not sure if the tow hitch is factory, its rated for 5000lbs with trailer lighting.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

4 months later and I am still torn on this decision. Can someone please convince me either way ....

I tow a 19 foot Key West, which I am sure weighs slighly more than an 18 foot bass boat, all over South Florida with a 1993 Cherokee XJ which has over 180,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. It's my second XJ, I got about 210K miles out of my previous 1994 before crashing it twice and bending the steering pump mounting area the second time.

First, you _will_ need to replace the radiator first thing. The OEM radiator sucks - you'll see the temperature creeping up and that doesn't happen with the aftermarket replacements. Second, don't tow in overdrive, put the selector in "3". Third, braking is kinda sketchy so don't drive like you're in a sportscar.

-E

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

I looked under the hood of it today and saw metal piping running from the radiator below the motor and what it looked like, to the tranny. The radiator does NOT have a seperate smaller radiator for the tranny, but should it? Or is that just after market? Are the lines running from the radiator cooling the tranny? I am not sure if the tow hitch is factory, its rated for 5000lbs with trailer lighting.

The radiator has the transmission cooler integrated. The towing package (which I don't have) adds a second, separate smaller radiator for the transmission only.

-E

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

I am looking at buying a 1990 Jeep Charokee 4.0L straight 6 4x4.

I just read the original post again and noticed it's a 1990. I'd skip it. I can't remember the exact year of the change, but prior to 1993 or 1992, Cherokees used a problematic closed loop cooling system. From everything I've read about Cherokees, which is nearly everything on the planet, the closed loop system is a complete pain in the rear.

-E

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Yea the 90 has to much AMC and Renault influence. I sold my old 88 XJ last November with 185k on it running like a top with a great shifting AW4.
I wouldn't have pulled a lawnmower with it but it went down the road real nice.
Only automobile I ever owned where the back brakes would stop the vehicle as fast as the front, the brakes looked to be sourced from a GM J-Body.

I like my WJ much better, tho both leaked water into the cab via the roof rack.
My WJ has the 2 decent things AMC ever made weather-eye heating and the old AMC six.

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Well I bought the Jeep for $500, I really could not pass it up. My brother sold it to me, only 160k miles. I know it can pull the boat, my girlfriends dad pulled his 22' Ranger bass boat with a 4 cyl toyota PU. How hard is it to install the tranny cooler? Cut the pipe back to the tranny from the radiator and put it inline? Also what pipe is the return line TO the tranny? Thank you.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

Well I bought the Jeep for $500, I really could not pass it up. My brother sold it to me, only 160k miles. I know it can pull the boat, my girlfriends dad pulled his 22' Ranger bass boat with a 4 cyl toyota PU. How hard is it to install the tranny cooler? Cut the pipe back to the tranny from the radiator and put it inline? Also what pipe is the return line TO the tranny? Thank you.

Here's how I plumbed my trans cooler in my '90 suburban.

I purchased a trans cooler kit at my local western auto. I also purchased a short length of flared tubing to put back into the radiator where one of the original lines attached.

I installed the trans cooler in front of the radiator making sure it did NOT rub anywhere. I disconnected one trans line from the radiator with a flare nut wrench. Into that I installed the short piece of tubing I purchased. I ran one line to that new tubing. The other side of the cooler went to the line I took off the radiator. I pushed the nut back and tighten the hose clamp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You could cut one of the lines and hook up into there but with the way I did mine, if the cooler sprung a leak I could simply hook it back up as stock with just a flare nut wrench.

Jeff

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

How long does this take to do? Also, how much cooler does it make the tranny?

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

How far do you plan on towing this 18' boat?

You are not pushing the limits of the tow capacity of this Jeep, so I doubt a trans cooler will be the deciding factor on prevent a failed transmission.

However a 100$ trans cooler isnt a horrible expense.

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Jeep Charokee towing

I have one longer trip coming up in 2 weeks. It is only about 90 miles, but takes 2+ hours, speeds of 40 mph about average, and there is a stop 3/4 the way through to catch a ferry. I just noticed a small leak in the radiator and from what others have said, the OEM radiator are junk, so I plan on replacing it with a new one. All my other trips are going to be less then 30 mins. Will I NEED a tranny cooler or is it just the safe thing to do?