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Anyone towed 6k lbs?
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Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Anyone towed 6k lbs?
Has anyone ever towed at or over the 5k mark? I'd like to tow about 5500 or 5600 lbs. I'd do it just one day for about 200 miles in relativelyi flat driving, with some city driving but mostly highway. The KJ would not be heavily loaded itself (of course mine weighs some 4800 lbs anyway).

The combined max weight allowed per manual is 10,100lbs. That's towing and load weight total (and KJ). I'd be at about 10,500 I think.

Any experiences?
Author:  jsc7002 [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
ya Ive helped my friend move and I prolly had around #5500 at one point and it did fine sagged quite a bit but I also didnt go far just a couple of blocks


also I believe there was one guy who towed a 1979 Chevy Suburan 3/4 ton diesel I cant remember how far he went though
Author:  Jeepjeepster [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 1:50 am ]
Post subject: 
If its ALL flat(with few redlights, shifting is bad), your have a good tranny cooler, and whatever you are towing has GOOOOOOOOD brakes, then I would be worried. :lol:

If you do, just take it easy and be sure to keep O/D locked out. Thats going to still be a heck of a load for that tranny though.
Author:  valvestem [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone towed 6k lbs?
AdamIsAdam wrote:
Has anyone ever towed at or over the 5k mark? I'd like to tow about 5500 or 5600 lbs. I'd do it just one day for about 200 miles in relativelyi flat driving, with some city driving but mostly highway. The KJ would not be heavily loaded itself (of course mine weighs some 4800 lbs anyway).

The combined max weight allowed per manual is 10,100lbs. That's towing and load weight total (and KJ). I'd be at about 10,500 I think.

Any experiences?


Aside from violating several motor vehicle laws, do you really want to take a chance? What if someone hits you and all is revealed about being overweight? What if the tranny says not me not this, bye, bye? What would your insurance company say if an accident happened? To risky for me, but it's your choice.
Author:  VTNomad [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:49 am ]
Post subject:  Towing
I towed a full size Chevy Van on a 16' trailer over a mountain and had no problems. I drove over the mountain on I-26 from Asheville, NC to Bristol, Va, road grade was 6-8% in some places. The only thing I was concerned about was my brakes on the way back down, but was surprised at how well they stopped.
Author:  Jeepjeepster [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Towing
VTNomad wrote:
I towed a full size Chevy Van on a 16' trailer over a mountain and had no problems. I drove over the mountain on I-26 from Asheville, NC to Bristol, Va, road grade was 6-8% in some places. The only thing I was concerned about was my brakes on the way back down, but was surprised at how well they stopped.


Wow, Ive been over that mountain a few times. Did it get slow going over the hill? Did it downshift into 2nd?

I wish I had the 45rfe that had the alternate 2nd downshift.. She hits 4k rpms if it downshifts into 2nd wihen towing.. :?
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Anyone towed 6k lbs?
[quote="valvestem]Aside from violating several motor vehicle laws, do you really want to take a chance? What if someone hits you and all is revealed about being overweight? What if the tranny says not me not this, bye, bye? What would your insurance company say if an accident happened? To risky for me, but it's your choice.[/quote]

Is it illegal to tow that much? I mean, it may be dumb, etc, but illegal? What if I run 20 psi of tire pressure in my Ford Explorer and crash, would my insurance not pay? Seriously? I'm asking? maybe towing above recommendation of mfr is illegal. I don't kow.

I mean, I'd be about 500-700 lbs over in towing. Might be really hard to even tell that even if I had an accident.

But is it worth it? That's what I'm trying to determine. Now sure how else to rent a tow vehicle.
Author:  805gregg [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
One problem with towing too much is the tail wagging the dog so to speak.
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
Right. Any suggestions other than keeping speed down. (obviously, I'd keep OD off. And AC off if possible per the manual.)

Also, I have trailer hitch and in my year, the tranny cooler was the same wtih or without tow pkg, but the only difference was the manual fan which I don't have. I'm thinking if I'm fine especially if I'm not in B2B traffic.
Author:  Jeepjeepster [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
Not much you can do for the swaying other than load whatever you are towing correctly. What are you towing anyway? If its a car on a trailer, be sure to load the car so that it puts weight on the Jeep.

A WD setup and anti sway is the only other thing you can do but that would be pointless to buy for just this one time. If you get beside a big semi, be prepared to get some swaying..
Author:  oldhockeyvb [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
Not a good idea, your life is worth more than the cost of a rental.
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm looking to tow my 3750lb LeMans to the track. I can rent a trailer from u-haul, but that's it. I wish they rented tow vehicles too. To my knowledge the only thing they rent to tow them is a moving truck. I wonder if they rent their vans or pickup trucks set up to tow trailers... Worth a phone call!
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Trailer is a steel steal at $49 per day. But the smallest truck they rent to tow it with would be a 10' at $19.99/day PLUS 1.89 PER MILE! So a 250 mile round trip day would cost me $600 plus gas! I bet I can hire a tow truck driver to do it for less.

So I gotta find a friend with one of those full size SUVs who wants to show off how much he can tow with it and just borrow it. That'll do it.
Author:  Cowcatcher [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Unless you have some pretty peculiar state laws in your neck of the woods I would doubt there would be a legal issue. The towing limits of a vehicle are placed there by the manufacture not the government. The state may have towing regulations associated with trailer weight and the need for brakes and emergency braking systems incase they come unhooked. They may have rules regarding length, trailer weight versus number of axles, etc too but that is a whole 'nother issue.

If you do foul up and get in an accident that is another matter and they may decide at that point that towing something heavier than recommended was a contibuting factor but then they are going to cite you for wreckless driving one way or the other anyhow. If you are cautious you can puul a lot more than Jeep suggests with a Liberty.
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yea, that's exactly my feeling.

I was mostly looking for feedback from others THAT HAVE DONE so already. Things like:

"yes, I've done it and it's fine but just keep speed down."
or,
"I've done it and WOULD NEVER do it again because..."

etc.
Author:  VTNomad [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Towing
Jeepjeepster wrote:
VTNomad wrote:
I towed a full size Chevy Van on a 16' trailer over a mountain and had no problems. I drove over the mountain on I-26 from Asheville, NC to Bristol, Va, road grade was 6-8% in some places. The only thing I was concerned about was my brakes on the way back down, but was surprised at how well they stopped.


Wow, Ive been over that mountain a few times. Did it get slow going over the hill? Did it downshift into 2nd?

I wish I had the 45rfe that had the alternate 2nd downshift.. She hits 4k rpms if it downshifts into 2nd wihen towing.. :?


I took it slow, it did drop into 2nd a few times, but not nearly as often I thought it would. Averaged 16 mpg, but a lot of that was thanks to the down hills.
Author:  Big D [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've towed with 6500 lbs with a vehicule that was rated for 5000 lbs. No probs. You'll be fine.

Since you have the tranny cooler, you'll be ok. What I do is switch the gears manually whether standard or manual. What you're trying to do is get into the higher torque curve although the Jeep has it around 4200 or so I believe.

Pump the back tires to MAX pressure, leave front stock, load the trailer correctly, shift manually keeping the revs nice and high (no OD) and you'll be fine.

I went from South Carolina to Toronto through the Carolina mountains with no probs. I was towing a vehicule too. The only thing that annoyed me was that stupid electric tension brake. But other than that smooth as possible.
Author:  AdamIsAdam [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
thanks for the tips!

I'd also likely change the tranny fluid when i'm done. Maybe the rear diff fluid too. Cheap insurance.
Author:  Jeepjeepster [ Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, changing the fluids would be a great idea. Engine oil also..

Shifting the gears manually like Big D said is a great idea. If you start going up those hills and it starts shifting in and out of 2nd, go ahead and shift it into 2nd and slow down alittle so that the rpms are around 3,500-4k..
Author:  swtwomyn [ Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:54 am ]
Post subject: 
I was on a trail run with friends last year and my friends Wrangler broke. It was undrivable and we towed it to the top of Shoe Creek with another Rubicon Wrangler. I borrowed a car trailer that was homemade and about 2500 lbs. it's self...then put the Wrangler on it (total weight...?) and towed it down a mountain, and about 40 miles on a highway. The transmission got hot on the way to get the Wrangler (just the weight of the trailer) while going up the mountain to where we left he Wrangler. Had to stop and let it cool off for about 30 minutes. The wrangler pushed me down the mountain in hairpin curves..I prayed the brakes would last, they did but got very very hot. When I went to take a tire off later that week the nuts had locked up from the heat, broke off several of the lugs. I have spacers on it so it also broke some of them. I had to replace about 8-9 lugs. Some on spacers and some on the axle. I had to replace brakes front and rear and transmission and transfer case fluids were changed. It checked out O.K. and I have not had any problems since. I got the brakes and rotors changed a month ago all of them. I don't have the tow package, or a transmission cooler...I was stupid, but learned a lesson.

Sounds like you will not have any problems with your towing that load. Good luck!
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