Towing with jeep

[s2gots]

Hey guys, I just purchased a 2002 jeep grand Cherokee overland. It has the tow package, and the v8 engine.the tow rating is 6500 lbs.
I have always towed with heavy duty diesels, so towing with a smaller vehicle is something new too me.
I only plan on towing by boat, which is on a tandem axle trailer. length of trailer is about 25', and weight of trailer, fully loaded is about 5k.
Anyone tow a similar set up? Is a weight distribution hitch necessary?
Tia

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Towing with jeep

I've got an '05 with the 4.7. It tows my boat fine but you sure know it's back there. I'm less than impressed. My boat probably weighs a third of what yours does.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing with jeep

Weight dist would be nice since you've got the light duty 4 link with coils in the rear.

 

[calvinator]

Re: Towing with jeep

I tow my 4600lbs boat & trailer with my v6 powered Astro van. My trailer is 26' long dual axle, same as yours.

It is a average towing experience. Plenty of power to get up the ramps and around town. Highway is fine too, I often trailer to a bay that is 90 minutes away. You'll know the boat is back there but no white knuckling. Make sure your trailer brakes are **perfect**. This season a trailer brake line rusted through and I towed (limped) the boat back home with no brakes. Braking at anything over 30mph was unsafe. I fixed the brakes and even tried some panic stops -- braking is perfect and worth every penny spent!

When hooked up, check into Timbrens if you have a lot of rear end squat.

Weigh Dist hitch not needed.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing with jeep

I tow my 4600lbs boat & trailer with my v6 powered Astro van. My trailer is 26' long dual axle, same as yours.Weigh Dist hitch not needed.

Doesn't an astro van have leafs in the rear? Completely different experience than a short 4 link with coils. The reason I'd recommend the weight dist for the grand cherokee is the nasty thing that happens if that type of suspension starts getting swayed back and forth.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Towing with jeep

Having towed tandem farm trailers with short vs long wb p/u's, tow vehicle is aware that the trailer is back there. The good part is that the shorter the wb of the tow veh is as compared to the wb of the trailer, the easier it is for you to determine it's destiny when backing. Conversely keeping an eye out for "jack-knife" is important. If you use a receiver hitch and the tongue is long and "clean" that usually doesn't present a problem.

Mark

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with jeep

There is a third factor here besides wheel base and suspension design. The distance from the ball to the rear axle is what makes the Astro acceptable whereas the Jeep maybe not. That short overhang on the Astro/GMC Safari mini vans is what made them pretty decent tow vehicles. I had one with AWD and it was an awesome all around vehicle. The only gripe -- not enough foot room on the drives side due to the front wheel hump intrusion.

 

[s2gots]

Re: Towing with jeep

I figured a weight distribution hitch would be necessary. Just want to know what to expect when I do tow my boat, get an idea what to expect from the smaller vehicle.
Tia for all the advice!!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with jeep

Properly set up and driven responsibly it will be fine. Having working trailer brakes is a must. You could even add an anti-sway bar if necessary. No -- a standard weight distributing hitch with spring bars does not add anti-sway characteristics.

 

[merchonda]

Re: Towing with jeep

It's a solid tow vehicle and a good option in that weight range if you are not towing too far or too often. Key is use AFT +4 synthetic which is like aged whiskey to a Chrysler. Change it more often since you are higher on the weight rating range. Thing I find is these vehicles have a solid axle with coil/shock (as opposed to leaf) so they handle a little different--maybe feel a little soggy, but dramtically improved from the previous model. Just get used to riding lower than a truck and looking up at your boat.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Towing with jeep

I would atleast get some Airlift 1000's bags for the rear. We put them on our Pathfinder which has a tow rating of 6000lbs and our boat loaded weighs int eh range of 5000lbs.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Towing with jeep

Do your self the BIGGEST POSSIBLE favor to DRIVE & stop with no wiggle.

Get your trailer weighed with the HULL FULLY LOADED WITH ALL THE STUFF you will REALLY put in it. Go to a Recycling Center with a scale. Pay a few bucks for the accuracy they have...... Then do the different % tongue weights with confidence........ If the tow vehicle starts to raise the front. You have a serious problem with going straight in winds passing tractor trailers.

Brakes on BOTH Jeep & trailer need a TOTAL check out . Electrics now have fantastic 1 knob adjustments to brake very safely.

Look like Calvinator or stay home.

Looking safe as possible Calvinator.

 

[s2gots]

Re: Towing with jeep

I think I'll try the wd hitch first and see how that works thanks again!!

 

[cribber]

Re: Towing with jeep

Spend to $5 - $10 and have your boat, trailer, and gear weighed as you would head out for a day on the water. If you're at 5K pounds you're at 77% of capacity and you should be fine without load leveling. Most states require surge brakes with any trailer over 3000# gross and make sure they are working properly.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Towing with jeep

There's a lot to be said for overkill on towing. I'd much rather not even feel that my boat is behind my vehicle than to have to "white knuckle" it every time I tow.

 

[chris.j.marshall]

Re: Towing with jeep

Before you go with a WD, I'm pretty sure Grand Cherokee's were switched to a unibody platform around that era.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Towing with jeep

Before you go with a WD, I'm pretty sure Grand Cherokee's were switched to a unibody platform around that era.

I think that started in '05.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Towing with jeep

Actually,

"the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always been built using a carlike unibody chassis rather than a body-on-frame design."

http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/grand-cherokee/

 

[canman]

Re: Towing with jeep

hi everyone , i have a 1998 jeep grand cherokee straight six in it with a class 3 hitch thats it nothing else , we have a 1989 22 foot thundecraft magnum , i think its around 4500 pounds fully loaded on a tandem axle trailor , we pull it every weekend to the boat ramp , 40 miles one way , no problem ..

 

[gunsup007]

Re: Towing with jeep

Hey s2gots I think you will be fine... I pull my boat with a two wheel drive 2004 Jeep GC 4.0 v6 and I have no problems. I'm estimating that I'm pulling around 3500-4000. I would recommend upgrading the brakes. I have EBC slotted rotors and their yellow stuff brake pads. I also upgraded the shocks to Edelbrock. With those two upgrades it makes a huge difference.