So true! A month after I bought my F150 in 96 we loaded 3000 pounds of tobacco in the bed and hauled it 50 miles to market, I knew after that I was gonna keep this one a long time(still got it with 250k miles). 4.9L I6, cant beat that torque.

When I was in high school I had a 71 F100 that I used to load the bed level full with corn and take it to have it ground into feed then haul it home. I am certain there are moments on those trips that the front wheels were not on the pavement That was about 2k pounds in a truck that only weighed 3300 pounds(according to the feed mill scales).

 

It's not just your family. It's everybody else, and their families, on the road with you.

I'm not trying to be preachy here, but I don't appreciate people doing things like the OP is seriously considering doing while on the road.

It's not just his life and property that is at stake here.

Buy a truck or don't get the boat. It really is that simple.

 

The answer to the question is yes. The question you should be asking is if you are comfortable doing it. Things are always more exciting when you are closer to the edge of a vehicles ability. We could recommend things to make the load more manageable for the cherokee but if you aren't comfortable doing it in the end, why waste the money?