LOST JEEPS :: View topic - What does the factory tow package entail?

Towing capacity 5,000 pounds when properly equipped
Includes:
- 7-Pin Wiring Harness
- 7-to-4-Pin Wiring Adaptor
- Class III receiver hitch* has a 2-inch opening and can handle loads of up to 5,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, if a trailer is equipped with a load-equalizing hitch. *Check Owners Manual for hitch types, load capacity and heavy-duty equipment required. Do not exceed rated tow capacity of vehicle as equipped. Towing may require some items not supplied by MOPAR.
- Full-Size Spare Tire
- Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
- Power Steering Cooler
- Trailer Sway Control
- Trailer Tow Group

Mike08Liberty wrote:

That's about all I can get from the Jeep website. I wonder if, for example, you get a bigger radiator (I'm assuming that's what is meant by "heavy duty engine cooling") and it just swaps out for the regular one or if new equipment is required, such as brackets and what not.

Same goes for the power steering cooler, which I think might be nonexistent without the tow package, is it not? What the heck is "Trailer Sway Control"? That sounds like a programming change to the computer. As for the full size spare, I know that can be added without a headache, unless you hit your head doing it.

-SR-

My biggest problem with that Parts Catalog is that I have trouble decoding which parts go with which options packaged. The sales codes are there to determine that, I figure, but it's kind of cryptic how they will give a tow package sales code of [ABC] (just an example) and then, on the same page, say something about tow package sales code [ABD], where [ABD] isn't mentioned anywhere. I suspect there is a code reading convention at work there that isn't explained in the manual. Perhaps the first two letters of a sales code specify a general option and the last letter designates a subset of that option. :?:

A good exercise to see this is if you try to find out which skid plates make up the full set. Depending on what page you look at, it seems to give redundant or conflicting information. Ugh!

-SR-

greatoppressor wrote:

A good exercise to see this is if you try to find out which skid plates make up the full set. Depending on what page you look at, it seems to give redundant or conflicting information. Ugh!

-SR-

Maybe that will give you guys a little appreciation for what those of us who are parts guys have to go through on a daily basis. :roll:

I have total respect for parts guys. Caterpillar parts manuals are some of the hardest to understand

Here is an easy picture

With the factory package you can tow 5000 pounds, according to Jeep -- but they don't tell you its 5000 pounds on level ground. I tow loads around 3500 to 4000 pounds several times a year (as in firewood out the national forest). It tows find until you need to climb a mountain grade. Then it barely can do 35 mph, and since you have engaged the tow/haul button your mileage becomes 11-12 mpg. The grades where I've seen this are probably 8 to 10%.

I've never noticed the trailer sway software cut the throttle, and I have felt the trailer sway a couple of times. What I know for sure is the rear brake pads wear out very fast because the software senses the load and proportions more braking to the rear. Any trailer with a gross weight over 2000 pounds needs have brakes. -- With that, the Liberty also needs a brake controller. Its half-way wired for one, minus a plug. So you spend a couple of hours running power and ground to the battery, finding the trailer brake control wire behind the plastic, and tapping into the right wire on the brake light switch. On the 2012 it was white with a green trace. Its not hard.

After I installed a brake controller, I realized the trailer had been pushing the Liberty on steep down grades when the brakes were applied. With the controller, more power is sent to the trailer brakes and it holds back the Liberty.

My two cents.

Author:	greatoppressor [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:19 am ]
Post subject:	What does the factory tow package entail?
When I bought my KK, I was hoping to get one with the factory tow package, but none were around and we really didn't want to order the vehicle because we had no idea when Chrysler was going to start cranking out new KKs. I asked the sales rep what it would take to add the equipment to make it equivalent to the factory tow package. He said that it would be too cost prohibitive, so I left it at that. After some thinking, I'm not so sure it's that cost prohibitive and would be nice to know that I could manage 5000# of towing capacity if needed (who knows what the future holds). So, I'm wondering what exactly does the factory tow package entail? I know that the hitch receiver and wire harness can be installed as an aftermarket upgrade, but what about the other stuff? First of all, what other stuff is there (new transmission cooler and what not, perhaps) and can it be installed on a KK that didn't come with it from the factory? -SR-

Author:	Mike08Liberty [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:24 am ]
Post subject:
Towing capacity 5,000 pounds when properly equipped Includes: - 7-Pin Wiring Harness - 7-to-4-Pin Wiring Adaptor - Class III receiver hitch* has a 2-inch opening and can handle loads of up to 5,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, if a trailer is equipped with a load-equalizing hitch. *Check Owners Manual for hitch types, load capacity and heavy-duty equipment required. Do not exceed rated tow capacity of vehicle as equipped. Towing may require some items not supplied by MOPAR. - Full-Size Spare Tire - Heavy Duty Engine Cooling - Power Steering Cooler - Trailer Sway Control - Trailer Tow Group

Author:	wolverine [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:14 pm ]
Post subject:
I would also like to know. My main reason for putting it on is to use as a recovery point and to pull very light (just a few hundred pounds) stuff so I just installed the tow hitch and wiring harness and have made no plans on adding any engine cooler. But it would be nice to know what would be suggested if I decided to pull something heavy in the future.

Author:	greatoppressor [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:38 pm ]
Post subject:
Mike08Liberty wrote: Towing capacity 5,000 pounds when properly equipped Includes: - 7-Pin Wiring Harness - 7-to-4-Pin Wiring Adaptor - Class III receiver hitch* has a 2-inch opening and can handle loads of up to 5,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, if a trailer is equipped with a load-equalizing hitch. *Check Owners Manual for hitch types, load capacity and heavy-duty equipment required. Do not exceed rated tow capacity of vehicle as equipped. Towing may require some items not supplied by MOPAR. - Full-Size Spare Tire - Heavy Duty Engine Cooling - Power Steering Cooler - Trailer Sway Control - Trailer Tow Group That's about all I can get from the Jeep website. I wonder if, for example, you get a bigger radiator (I'm assuming that's what is meant by "heavy duty engine cooling") and it just swaps out for the regular one or if new equipment is required, such as brackets and what not. Same goes for the power steering cooler, which I think might be nonexistent without the tow package, is it not? What the heck is "Trailer Sway Control"? That sounds like a programming change to the computer. As for the full size spare, I know that can be added without a headache, unless you hit your head doing it. -SR-

Author:	Mike08Liberty [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:
Your best bet is to go to the dealership and talk to them ... OR check this out and see if it can help you. ** caution when opening, it's a 500+ service parts catalog PDF file. If you are on a slow connection it will slow your computer to a crashing halt. http://oskin.ru/pub/chrysler-dodge/manu ... 9/08KK.pdf

LOST JEEPS http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/

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Author:	Diggerfreek [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:38 pm ]
Post subject:
greatoppressor wrote: Mike08Liberty wrote: Towing capacity 5,000 pounds when properly equipped Includes: - 7-Pin Wiring Harness - 7-to-4-Pin Wiring Adaptor - Class III receiver hitch* has a 2-inch opening and can handle loads of up to 5,000 pounds of gross trailer weight, if a trailer is equipped with a load-equalizing hitch. *Check Owners Manual for hitch types, load capacity and heavy-duty equipment required. Do not exceed rated tow capacity of vehicle as equipped. Towing may require some items not supplied by MOPAR. - Full-Size Spare Tire - Heavy Duty Engine Cooling - Power Steering Cooler - Trailer Sway Control - Trailer Tow Group That's about all I can get from the Jeep website. I wonder if, for example, you get a bigger radiator (I'm assuming that's what is meant by "heavy duty engine cooling") and it just swaps out for the regular one or if new equipment is required, such as brackets and what not. Same goes for the power steering cooler, which I think might be nonexistent without the tow package, is it not? What the heck is "Trailer Sway Control"? That sounds like a programming change to the computer. As for the full size spare, I know that can be added without a headache, unless you hit your head doing it. -SR- OK here is my take, the radiator is the same for all KK's. HD cooling is the having both a mechanical and electric fan on auto KK's... Trailer Sway Control is programed in to the computer. If it feels like the trailer is getting out of hand, it will cut your throttle(I think).... I think All KK's have PS coolers.. I could be wrong on this one

Author:	toy4everyseason [ Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:45 am ]
Post subject:
I had the same question when I bought my KK. Digger is right, the HD cooling is a mechanical and electric fans in a different shourd. The trailer sway control is programming to the computer and my stealership told me my computer could not be reprogrammed with the sway control so the only way to get that programming is from the factory. BTW every KK has a power steering cooler, it's in the front opening under the grill

Author:	greatoppressor [ Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:43 am ]
Post subject:
I managed to find the two fans in the Parts Catalog and also saw the PS cooler as well as noticing that there was only one radiator available and one PS cooler available (not sure how Jeep claims that "power steering cooling" is part of the tow package when it's already there). My biggest problem with that Parts Catalog is that I have trouble decoding which parts go with which options packaged. The sales codes are there to determine that, I figure, but it's kind of cryptic how they will give a tow package sales code of [ABC] (just an example) and then, on the same page, say something about tow package sales code [ABD], where [ABD] isn't mentioned anywhere. I suspect there is a code reading convention at work there that isn't explained in the manual. Perhaps the first two letters of a sales code specify a general option and the last letter designates a subset of that option. A good exercise to see this is if you try to find out which skid plates make up the full set. Depending on what page you look at, it seems to give redundant or conflicting information. Ugh! -SR-

Author:	Rick K [ Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:
greatoppressor wrote: My biggest problem with that Parts Catalog is that I have trouble decoding which parts go with which options packaged. The sales codes are there to determine that, I figure, but it's kind of cryptic how they will give a tow package sales code of [ABC] (just an example) and then, on the same page, say something about tow package sales code [ABD], where [ABD] isn't mentioned anywhere. I suspect there is a code reading convention at work there that isn't explained in the manual. Perhaps the first two letters of a sales code specify a general option and the last letter designates a subset of that option. A good exercise to see this is if you try to find out which skid plates make up the full set. Depending on what page you look at, it seems to give redundant or conflicting information. Ugh! -SR- Maybe that will give you guys a little appreciation for what those of us who are parts guys have to go through on a daily basis.

Author:	greatoppressor [ Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:
Rick K wrote: greatoppressor wrote: My biggest problem with that Parts Catalog is that I have trouble decoding which parts go with which options packaged. The sales codes are there to determine that, I figure, but it's kind of cryptic how they will give a tow package sales code of [ABC] (just an example) and then, on the same page, say something about tow package sales code [ABD], where [ABD] isn't mentioned anywhere. I suspect there is a code reading convention at work there that isn't explained in the manual. Perhaps the first two letters of a sales code specify a general option and the last letter designates a subset of that option. A good exercise to see this is if you try to find out which skid plates make up the full set. Depending on what page you look at, it seems to give redundant or conflicting information. Ugh! -SR- Maybe that will give you guys a little appreciation for what those of us who are parts guys have to go through on a daily basis. I feel for you. I truly do. In my line of work, I deal with parts lists for products that are more complicated that vehicles, and our parts lists are monumentally easier to read than the KK parts list (and probably every other automotive parts list). Even the parts list for my Honda motorcycle is easier to read. Sheesh! -SR-

Author:	Diggerfreek [ Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:
I have total respect for parts guys. Caterpillar parts manuals are some of the hardest to understand

Author:	tjkj2002 [ Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:21 pm ]
Post subject:
Diggerfreek wrote: I have total respect for parts guys. Caterpillar parts manuals are some of the hardest to understand There service manuals aren't much better either.

Author:	Diggerfreek [ Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:
Here is an easy picture

Author:	SilverKK09 [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:28 am ]
Post subject:
Diggerfreek wrote: Here is an easy picture I see you are using a laptop (compaq or HP) that uses windows vista... dude... get a mac =)

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Author:	Diggerfreek [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:
Nope, I'll stick with my HP I have always been a pc man. All through out school, we had macs and I hated them. I did like the G5's we had in HS. You could play unreal tournament and slaughter any one because they were so fast

Author:	Rick K [ Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:
I've always been a Mac user but some things (like playing blackjack online) require a PC, so I ended up with this: The PC notebook is okay. In fact I use it a lot for putting pictures online, like I'm doing now. Part of that is that I can't find the USB cable that came with the camera and the Acer has a card reader slot.

Author:	waysidecharlie [ Sat Jun 30, 2018 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: What does the factory tow package entail?
With the factory package you can tow 5000 pounds, according to Jeep -- but they don't tell you its 5000 pounds on level ground. I tow loads around 3500 to 4000 pounds several times a year (as in firewood out the national forest). It tows find until you need to climb a mountain grade. Then it barely can do 35 mph, and since you have engaged the tow/haul button your mileage becomes 11-12 mpg. The grades where I've seen this are probably 8 to 10%. I've never noticed the trailer sway software cut the throttle, and I have felt the trailer sway a couple of times. What I know for sure is the rear brake pads wear out very fast because the software senses the load and proportions more braking to the rear. Any trailer with a gross weight over 2000 pounds needs have brakes. -- With that, the Liberty also needs a brake controller. Its half-way wired for one, minus a plug. So you spend a couple of hours running power and ground to the battery, finding the trailer brake control wire behind the plastic, and tapping into the right wire on the brake light switch. On the 2012 it was white with a green trace. Its not hard. After I installed a brake controller, I realized the trailer had been pushing the Liberty on steep down grades when the brakes were applied. With the controller, more power is sent to the trailer brakes and it holds back the Liberty. My two cents.

Author:	GordnadoCRD [ Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: What does the factory tow package entail?
waysidecharlie wrote: With the factory package you can tow 5000 pounds, according to Jeep -- but they don't tell you its 5000 pounds on level ground. I tow loads around 3500 to 4000 pounds several times a year (as in firewood out the national forest). It tows find until you need to climb a mountain grade. Then it barely can do 35 mph, and since you have engaged the tow/haul button your mileage becomes 11-12 mpg. The grades where I've seen this are probably 8 to 10%. I've never noticed the trailer sway software cut the throttle, and I have felt the trailer sway a couple of times. What I know for sure is the rear brake pads wear out very fast because the software senses the load and proportions more braking to the rear. Any trailer with a gross weight over 2000 pounds needs have brakes. -- With that, the Liberty also needs a brake controller. Its half-way wired for one, minus a plug. So you spend a couple of hours running power and ground to the battery, finding the trailer brake control wire behind the plastic, and tapping into the right wire on the brake light switch. On the 2012 it was white with a green trace. Its not hard. After I installed a brake controller, I realized the trailer had been pushing the Liberty on steep down grades when the brakes were applied. With the controller, more power is sent to the trailer brakes and it holds back the Liberty. My two cents. The very same exact system on the export KJs is rated over #7000 in Europe.

Author:	Wayside Charlie [ Sat May 02, 2020 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: What does the factory tow package entail?
I don't believe you get Trailer Sway Control with the add on tow wiring. But no one has proven that you don't. I think that is in the programming of the TPMS. Note that unless you have a trailer with brakes (7 wire connector) you really should not be towing 5000 pounds. The limit without trailer brakes is actually 2000 pounds even with the factory tow package. And with either the factory tow package or the add on, you also need a brake controller. There is no power going to the trailer brakes without a controller. The factory tow package also has different wiring from the add on package. Brake lights are tied through relays in the rear to both the trailer brake lights and the third brake light.