Towing... what's to much??

NewOldTimer · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:43 pm

I'm going to be helping my daughter move in a couple of weeks,
and will be picking up a trailer from U-Haul for the task.

I have a 2004 3.7L, and a Reese style hitch. I don't know if it's factory, or added by
the original owner. Also, I've upgraded to 4.10 gears, but I'm still running stock size tires.

I'm not new to towing, but haven't done so yet with my Liberty, so I want to
get an idea of what might be "to much" trailer.

I'm thinking the standard 16 ft enclosed U-Haul will large enough for the move,
but will it be to much trailer once loaded??

Any thoughts???

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2013 11:12 pm

Biggest thing will be stopping depending on the weight. I have pulled a 6 X 10 fully loaded from Northwest Ohio to Boston and then back and also from here to Orlando and back
I have a 5 X 8 open with 2 foot sides that I stack full with fire wood and while both pull OK with no issues its mainly brakes that I wish I had more of at times

iMTB · **Joined:** Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:27 pm **Posts:** 273

I tow a boat. I have also towed a huge load of trees. The KJ does well with a few thousand pounds. I would feel comfortable towing a large trailer fully loaded.

HoosierJeeper · **Joined:** Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:23 am **Posts:** 1218

I towed a dual axle 6x12 Uhaul trailer from FL to WI with no issues. It was pretty well loaded.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Nov 02, 2013 1:34 pm

Your Owner's Manual (pg 266) has a handy chart that provides some guidance; if you lack a copy you can get one from the Jeep site under the Owners tab.

That said from personal experience in my vehicle up to 2,000+a bit combined with a fully loaded KJ CRD and with a friend towing (full grown truck not CRD) 9,000 lbs:
1. tandem axles are highly desirable on heavier trailers
2. I wouldn't tow anything much over 2,000 lbs without trailer brakes. This (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=69117&p=739421#p739421) rig worked fine on braking even hard stops in a few heavy traffic situations but I could tell we had a lot riding on the KJ brakes and would not have wanted to push them much harder especially on less flat roads.

Bottom line is I'd pay more attention, within reason, to trailer tires/weight loaded/brakes than simple trailer size when considering the maximum to tow. Plus of course terrain to traverse.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Nov 03, 2013 8:37 pm

NewOldTimer wrote:

I'm thinking the standard 16 ft enclosed U-Haul will large enough for the move,
but will it be to much trailer once loaded??

Any thoughts???

Did you find a 16' enclosed U-Haul? According to U-haul's website, a 6 X 12 is their largest enclosed trailer. The 6 X 12 weighs 1,920 lbs. empty. In most states, it is illegal to tow anything weighing over 2,000 lbs. without trailer brakes. I would not want to be on public roads towing anything that weighed more than 2,000 lbs. without trailer brakes. Brake controllers are cheap and most trailer/RV repair centers will install them fairly cheap. Even if you found a 16' enclosed trailer, that is way too much trailer for the KJ.

KJ_WHEELER_2010 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:23 pm

I've towed a 16ft flatbed with an XJ on it with my KJ. Gotta watch when it comes to braking....takes a lot longer. But that's to be expected.

jacob03kj · **Joined:** Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:47 pm **Posts:** 34

I towed a 6,000lb trailer (27' with a 3,200lb Christmas Tree on it-don't even ask lol, it was a 35' tree) through the Big Bear, CA area (5-7 thousand feet altitude) and then all the way to San Diego (150 miles) with no problems. That is with my lifted KJ with E-range 31" tires, already costing me power. The KJ did fine, brakes were great too (trailer had no brakes). Never went over 50 mph, mostly due to the lack of trailer brakes, however, the trailer never swayed and I never felt like I had too little power nor a significant lack of braking power. This was not the most responsible tow (was originally going to use an F450, but it broke down the night before), oh and I forgot to mention it was raining. We did have 2 spotter cars, one in front and back because the tree was a lane and a half wide, but overall the KJ did fantastic! Pulled some steep (6-8%) grades too! I have both an aux trans cooler, aux power steering cooler, and the mechanical+electrical fan, and in the mountains my 45RFE trans never exceeded 210 degrees on the uphills (autometer trans temp gauge), and my engine never exceeded 214 degrees. I do have the hayden fan clutch though which engages at 206 degrees, compared to the mopar one which engages at about 235 degrees.

profdlp · **Posted:** Tue Nov 05, 2013 2:24 am

jacob03kj wrote:

I towed a 6,000lb trailer (27' with a 3,200lb Christmas Tree on it-don't even ask lol, it was a 35' tree)...

You must have an awesome living room with a cathedral ceiling. :SOMBRERO:

TwoBobsKJ · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2012 8:03 pm **Posts:** 463

profdlp wrote:

jacob03kj wrote:

I towed a 6,000lb trailer (27' with a 3,200lb Christmas Tree on it-don't even ask lol, it was a 35' tree)...

You must have an awesome living room with a cathedral ceiling. :SOMBRERO:

JeepCoMj · **Joined:** Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:54 pm **Posts:** 161

I tow other KJ's home with mine and my tow dolly with trailer brakes and had zero issues. Hell, I've done that with my XJ without issues...

Greenwing7 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:02 pm

tows fine, does't like the box trailer as much but I've pulled that boat from Madison, WI to Austin, TX and pulled the box trailer from St. Louis to Madison, WI.

We also pull this little guy with the Grand

Towing... what's to much??

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