Can I haul 5,500 lbs for one trip?

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:18 pm

My jeep does not have the tow package but I have installed a class IV hitch. A have a friend who has a 25' Pearson sailboat. I think the dry weight of the boat is just over or just under 5,000 before the trailer itself. end to end the trailer length would probably be somewhere between 27 and 30'. I'm not sure if it would be one or two axels. IF and I stress IF I haul it for him, I will be taking it about 100 miles on pretty much flat highway other than 1 bridge. I would try to do it in the evening so there's not much traffic.

So the question is if I did this twice (round trip) and not much more than that am I risking damaging my jeep? The only things I won't have is the mechanical fan, the heavy duty cooling for the transmission and the cooling for the power steering.

It's mostly highway travel and not to many turns so I think the steering will be OK. I would keep the speed at or below 55 and probably keep the overdrive off so I would imagine that will keep the temp on the transmission OK. Temps the time of the year I would be doing this usually don't get much warmer than 70 at night and more than likely will be in the low 60's. Since it's a sail boat the "frontal area" won't be that large and it will be fairly aerodynamic so I should have that much wind drag. But at the same time it will also sit up higher than the Jeep b/c it has a fixed keel. I think on the boat would be about 7' high while it;s on the trailer.

Without the two package the max rating is 3,500 lbs. With it you can pull 5,000. If I had to guess I'd be close to 5,500 lbs if I hauled his boat. I would definitely use trailer sway bars and I would assume that the trailer has it's own brakes. It's a 100 mile trip, not just a pull to a boat ramp from the parking lot and I realize that. If I risk any damage to the Jeep I won't do it, but I just feel like I can take it slow and I'll be OK. So what are your thoughts?

DryBones · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:22 pm

I wouldn't.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:27 pm

30' is going to push that liberty all over the road.. if you need to move it less than 1 mile at 10 miles an hour, sure thing. But the liberty is too small to safely haul a 25' sailboat down the highway.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:38 pm

it wouldnt be the smartest thing in the world but im also not the smartest person in the world and id prolly try it

hatu · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:42 pm

save your jeep....tell your friend to rent a truck and you'll ride shotgun....

jdorris · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:44 pm

That is a lot of boat. Trailer brakes won't do you any good if you don't have a trailer module installed in your jeep, same for the sway bars, you have to have something to hook them to. Not to mention the mechanical problems that could arise. Surely somebody has a truck you could borrow.
Just my .02

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:04 pm

If you had WD, anti sway, and the trailer had great brakes I would still have to think about it.

I wouldnt do it with my Jeep.

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:09 pm

aside from the overall size the strain on the tranny, power steering and engine with out the coolers will be dangerous. You could maybe get by but it WILL cause problems in the future if you get away with it now.

I would not do it.

Not sure I would pull a trailer and boat that size even with the coolers, especially without brakes on the trailer.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:17 pm

I do have the factory tow package and I wouldn't even touch that load with my Liberty. I use the rule of 10%. If Jeep says my KJ can pull 5000 pounds, I try to stay under that by 10% to be safe and run at the maximum. I can tell you though, that after about 3500 pounds the KJ is very unhappy.

I tow a 15' sailboat behind my KJ but it weighs 410 pounds + gear.

Rush345 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:41 pm

I agree with the other in fact the previous owner of my '95 Dakota 4x4, 5.2 Ltr with automatic he trashed his front cv's trice towing his "Go-Fast Boat" and a year after I bought it the automatic transmission blew up.. The engine had the guts just the rest of the drive train wouldn't handle the abuse. considering the reputation of the transmission in the later models. I wouldn't risk it either.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:09 pm

With the 42RLE..........I wouldn't even try it.

I have towed over 6000lbs with my KJ without the tow package but I did add a huge AUX tranny cooler(made for a 28,000lbs GVWR RV) and I have the 45RFE tranny,but only towed that wieght for about 30 miles at speeds not over 45mph.

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:19 pm

OK, sounds like a big no all around. I'm glad I didn't get a few maybes.

Here's the next question. Without the tow package am I really fine if below 3,500? I feel like even if I did that I might want to install an aux trans. cooler if I'll be up in the mountains. I'm thinking abour renting a small pop up camper trainler this summer. But it's not wroth it if I might damage the Jeep. If that's the case I'll just stick with the tent.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:23 pm

There has been more then one trail ride that a newer KJ(with the 42RLE) has had the tranny temp light come on when we still where on the road to the trailhead and not even on the trail yet and not towing anything here in the mountains of CO and the kicker is they have the tow package with HD cooling.A AUX tranny cooler with a AUX cooling fan would be best.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:53 am

mechanical issues aside the length on that sucker compared to the relatively short drive train of the KJ would be my concern.

Straight6Jeff · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:42 am

I have an 05 w/o the tow package, and have logged 50k miles towing. Hundreds of thousands of miles logged on other vehicles towing. Towing is not simply hooking to a trailer and pulling the load. You have to watch the tach, know your powerband and torque curve. When to downshift and how to keep the converter locked up. Having worked in a diesel garage, I have seen hammerheads grenade every type of transmission by not paying attention to the tow vehicle and what it is saying while towing the load. How many times have you heard someone pulling a load floor it from a dead stop? With the converter unlocked, the temp will spike very quickly. Get the load rolling first, ease into the throttle. Now, the 1st gear ratios of the 42 RLE and the 45 RFE are not the best to get loads rolling.

Tires play a huge roll in towing. Towing any significant weight with a p-rated tire is downright squirrely. LT tires have a stiffer sidewall and will handle the heat and load.

With that said, towing a sailboat of that size with a jeep, or even a 1/2 ton truck is not advisable. Can the vehicle do it, sure. Will it do it safely, probably not. If you are pulling the boat through NY, You would probably be stopped by DOT within the first 50 miles. NY is a tough state.

moose · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:24 am

scoobysnax wrote:

OK, sounds like a big no all around. I'm glad I didn't get a few maybes.

Here's the next question. Without the tow package am I really fine if below 3,500? I feel like even if I did that I might want to install an aux trans. cooler if I'll be up in the mountains. I'm thinking abour renting a small pop up camper trainler this summer. But it's not wroth it if I might damage the Jeep. If that's the case I'll just stick with the tent.

At 3500# you should be fine, but I'd add the trany cooler. Well, that's assuming you bought rather than leased and care what is going to happen in a few years :lol:

I towed a pop-up with my Renny and it was fine (had the tow package though). Just make sure you have 10-15% of the weight on the tounge (so for a 2000# camper with 500# of options and 500# of gear, you need 300# on the ball - see http://www.etrailer.com/faq_trailertowtips.aspx for more details)

scoobysnax · **Posted:** Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:57 am

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fusea ... 350004.cfm

It's late so I didn't even get past the 2nd page but this is an interesting thread from another forum. Granted this guy (are you on this site too?) is using a CRD which is different and appears to have a very good anti-sway system (I don't know anything about those yet.) When I have a few (hours) I'll try to read all 11 pages and see what his finally results were on other trips.

There's an interesting link in there (I didn't actually click on it) that says the CRD is rated for 7,000+ lbs in Europe.

Also, I don’t want to stir up a major debate, I just thought it was anther interesting perspective.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:45 am

scoobysnax wrote:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20350004.cfm

It's late so I didn't even get past the 2nd page but this is an interesting thread from another forum. Granted this guy (are you on this site too?) is using a CRD which is different and appears to have a very good anti-sway system (I don't know anything about those yet.) When I have a few (hours) I'll try to read all 11 pages and see what his finally results were on other trips.

There's an interesting link in there (I didn't actually click on it) that says the CRD is rated for 7,000+ lbs in Europe.

Also, I don’t want to stir up a major debate, I just thought it was anther interesting perspective.

yes he has posted a picture of himself doing it, he is over in the CRD section pretty often

MNKK · **Posted:** Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:01 am

wow, That whole thread is nothing but a bunch of people B'ing and moaning about how he can't safely do that. Judging from the dates on the posts, I'd say he can. Cuz he is still around. I only got to page 7, that was enough reading for now. very informative though. thank you for that.

hatu · **Posted:** Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:02 am

MNKK wrote:

wow, That whole thread is nothing but a bunch of people B'ing and moaning about how he can't safely do that. Judging from the dates on the posts, I'd say he can. Cuz he is still around. I only got to page 7, that was enough reading for now. very informative though. thank you for that.

I don't see it that way...The OP asked for opinions on if he should do it or not, that's what he got...very simple. Obviously, whatever route he takes, it really doesn't matter, it's his choice.....I'm not seeing how your post helped the OP or this thread.....

Can I haul 5,500 lbs for one trip?

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