anyone ever tow with a cherokee?
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,168
Likes: 5
From: Milwaukee, WI
Year: 1987
Engine: Check
it's not only the brakes you need to worry about. The more important issue is the ability of the pulling vehicle to be able to CONTROL the weight behind it. Stopping in a straight line will be sketchy at best. Consider what would happen while braking and turning at the same time, possibly at the bottom of a hill or in an emergency situation. Now imagine what will happen when you turn your cherokee with the light *** end, and the trailer keeps wanting to go straight. This also comes into play if the trailer starts to move side to side, when buffeted by wind (maybe from a passing tractor trailer), from being loaded unevenly, or from unforeseen events (tire blowout, pothole, etc). Your cherokee will NOT be able to control a heavy load in these situations.
Bottom line, towing anything bigger than a small trailer with a cherokee is a bad idea, they are simply too light and have too poor of a braking system.
Bottom line, towing anything bigger than a small trailer with a cherokee is a bad idea, they are simply too light and have too poor of a braking system.
Registered Users
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 4
From: morrisonville ny
Year: 2000 @ 1994 givin away
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thats why I have a truck to tow with I dont think that xj's are really any good at towing,well maybe a lawn mower that about it, This is my opinion on the xj mainly cause they have no backbone(frame).Crappy cooling, and crappy brakes unless they are brand new ( factory brakes).
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 5,482
Likes: 25
From: Virginia Beach by way of Michigan
I'd stay away from towing a trailer with a car on it. I've done dolly with a late 80's Ford Probe and it was fine but even then the braking sucks. The most I tend to tow is 2 jet skis right now.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Akron, OH
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
I have a 93 4.0 AW4 and I have only tried to pull a car on a car hauler once and I will never do it again. First you will be able to tell that the transmission will not like it. 2nd if you have to stop safely within a mile you can forget about it. I have towed just the trailer by its self(about 1500-2000lbs) and power wise it did good but yet again the stopping power just sucks. I would highly advise not to do it buth thats juat my $.02
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 855
Likes: 1
From: Southern California
Year: 1989 Laredo
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Inline 6 Renix
Yea, I towed a motocycle with my Jeep, did the job VERY easily, I wouldn't want to towe any large itmes though, not without a full set-up (trany cooler mainly)
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, SC
Year: 1990 - 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have towed a couple of vehicles including my Chevelle on a double axle trailer w/o brakes behind my Jeep. It was not fun. It took a long time to stop. If you want to tow on a regular basis, get a vehicle designed for towing this load level.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 2
From: WI
Year: '99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.o
When I was still running 31s with a 3" I was more then confertable pulling my exoed 95 xj on a duel axle trailer with the fluid brakes built in the tong of the trailer. Getting going was slow since it was prob over 5000# but stopping wasn't bad. Had to plan ahead. I do have a huge trans cooler. But I would do it agean without ? With that trailer and 31s. Now with 5.5" lift and 36s I won't. Still have the same gears for now. If u have a brain u will should be fine.
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
One of the things noone has mentioned... is Illinois law. Depending on the class of plates on your XJ.. probably either passenger car or B-trucks. There is a weight limit for what you can be legally towing. Now is that going to come into consideration 99 times out of 100... not really... but you get one state trooper that knows what he is doing, and wants to do it.. and you have a real problem. Illinois also has regulations on how many car sales you can do per year without getting a dealers license.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,322
Likes: 6
From: Summerville, Ga
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.5 4 cyl.
it can pull it. Last year when my dad lost his job he made a living off buying/fixing cars off craigslist and selling them. Pulled every one of them on a solid steel car trailer with a steel floor and trailer brakes (about 2000lbs by itself) with a 2004 toyota tacoma ext. cab 4x4 4cyl 5 speed. Im not saying it pulled it easily, but it pulled it. The technique behind it is staying in one gear and driving slow on mountains/big hills. With the automatic you could just switch to 1 or 2 to use the engine to help with the braking and keep the speed down while keeping you tranny from constantly downshifting.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
I tow a 21ft boat around with my xj and it has never batted a eye. I also have towed a car on a dual axle flatbed. I towed a 19ft boat that weighed 4000# 120 miles, and the xj never even stuttered.
I personally think the xj's are a great tow rig. I have towed a LOT with mine, and it has never let me down.
I personally think the xj's are a great tow rig. I have towed a LOT with mine, and it has never let me down.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, AL
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I've pulled a bunch of stuff, full size pickup (with a tow strap though), 2 4 wheelers on a trailer, and a 25 foot boat with no brakes on the trailer. Towed all that stuff just fine, stopping with the boat was a little sketchy but wasn't a big big deal. I would recomment gettting one of those things that you hook up to the hitch but it just hooks up to like the bumper and steering arm. Like what they use for hauling cars behind an rv. That way you don't have the extra weight of a trailer
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,168
Likes: 5
From: Milwaukee, WI
Year: 1987
Engine: Check
I tow a 21ft boat around with my xj and it has never batted a eye. I also have towed a car on a dual axle flatbed. I towed a 19ft boat that weighed 4000# 120 miles, and the xj never even stuttered.
I personally think the xj's are a great tow rig. I have towed a LOT with mine, and it has never let me down.
I personally think the xj's are a great tow rig. I have towed a LOT with mine, and it has never let me down.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 11
From: London Ontario Canada
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I tow everything with my XJ. It's properly set up with trailers that have brakes and I use load levelers as well as a sway bar.
Never have a problem.
All you guys that have had scary rides probably shouldn't be towing a lawn mower. It's obvious from your posts that you haven't a clue on how to set up a vehicle for towing or how to drive while towing.
Just an FYI i bought a tandem axle flat bed (With brakes and a class 4 hitch)in Texas and put a 70 Olds Cutlass 442 on it. I towed everything back to Toronto Canada without one problem. As long as you don't count the Trooper giving me a speeding ticket.
So to the OP Yes the XJ is a capable hauler as long as you set it up correctly. And don't listen to the whiners. They just like to hear themselves talk.
Never have a problem.
All you guys that have had scary rides probably shouldn't be towing a lawn mower. It's obvious from your posts that you haven't a clue on how to set up a vehicle for towing or how to drive while towing.
Just an FYI i bought a tandem axle flat bed (With brakes and a class 4 hitch)in Texas and put a 70 Olds Cutlass 442 on it. I towed everything back to Toronto Canada without one problem. As long as you don't count the Trooper giving me a speeding ticket.
So to the OP Yes the XJ is a capable hauler as long as you set it up correctly. And don't listen to the whiners. They just like to hear themselves talk.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,168
Likes: 5
From: Milwaukee, WI
Year: 1987
Engine: Check
I tow everything with my XJ. It's properly set up with trailers that have brakes and I use load levelers as well as a sway bar.
Never have a problem.
All you guys that have had scary rides probably shouldn't be towing a lawn mower. It's obvious from your posts that you haven't a clue on how to set up a vehicle for towing or how to drive while towing.
Just an FYI i bought a tandem axle flat bed (With brakes and a class 4 hitch)in Texas and put a 70 Olds Cutlass 442 on it. I towed everything back to Toronto Canada without one problem. As long as you don't count the Trooper giving me a speeding ticket.
So to the OP Yes the XJ is a capable hauler as long as you set it up correctly. And don't listen to the whiners. They just like to hear themselves talk.
Never have a problem.
All you guys that have had scary rides probably shouldn't be towing a lawn mower. It's obvious from your posts that you haven't a clue on how to set up a vehicle for towing or how to drive while towing.
Just an FYI i bought a tandem axle flat bed (With brakes and a class 4 hitch)in Texas and put a 70 Olds Cutlass 442 on it. I towed everything back to Toronto Canada without one problem. As long as you don't count the Trooper giving me a speeding ticket.
So to the OP Yes the XJ is a capable hauler as long as you set it up correctly. And don't listen to the whiners. They just like to hear themselves talk.
However, ust because you CAN do something doesn't mean its a good idea, or the best choice for the job.
But you are right, if you have nothing else and no other choice, it can be safely done if precautions are taken.