Towing with Cherokee XJ
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: lawrence KS
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
i dont have money to buy a truck to tow so i do with what i got. never on the highway the lake is a 10min drive from my house and if some dumb *** pulls out in front of me they probably gonna wish they didnt...
and im not saying its safe or the right thing to do, but it works.. dont hate!
Last edited by xj20004x4; Sep 6, 2010 at 03:10 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
I got a 97 with 3in lift, 31s,5 speed and i pulled my race car (81 olds w\big block chevy) on a 20ft all wood deck dove tail,and it dosent do to bad.trailer brakes help a ton but ive done it without,and if you plan on doing it often id recomend regearing,and if its a heavy load you might need helper spring or air bags\shocks to help the leafs out im going bags but havent\cant put them on right yet.
Thanks, Derrold
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Last week I pulled my 22' camper (4400 lb empty, probably getting close to 4800 lb with food, bicycles, clothes etc loaded in) about 400 km (250 miles) each way.
96 XJ, 4.0, AX15, 2" lift (spacers front, S10 springs rear), weighs in at 4000 lbs empty.
On my test run with 31x10.5 tires, it really struggled, so i got a set of 225/70R15's to use when towing.
Typical speed 80 km/h (50 mph).
Maximum 90 km/h (55 mph), above that things start to get squirrely.
Trailer has weight distributing hitch, but no sway control bar. When people passed me, it pushed me around a bit, but nothing really bad. Worst was a greyhound bus overtaking me.
Trailer brakes are ESSENTIAL. There's no way the XJ could stop it without.
I just replaced all the trailer brakes last year, so I have some confidence in them. A good controller is also essential - the cheap controllers don't sense how hard you are stopping, they just ramp up to your max setting. The better ones sense how hard you are stopping, and apply trailer brakes accordingly. I had no trouble stopping, never even had to push hard, the trailer brakes did most of the work. Of course, when towing I also leave good space in front of me. Stopping with the XJ and trailer brakes was much better than it was 2 years ago towing with my Suburban and bad trailer brakes.
I wouldn't even think of pulling this with an auto trans. My clutch tends to chatter, so I did take some care to keep rolling, so I wouldn't have to pull away from a dead stop very often. When pulling away, I did so gently, at least until the clutch was fully engaged. If I had to pull away up a steep incline, I planned to put it in low range to get rolling, but I never had to do this.
Almost any sort of hill required 3rd gear, bigger hills needed 2nd, and down to 40 mph or so.
Using A/C while towing this rig resulted in engine temps climbing. (On my test run I found I was cooling-limited, so I replaced the fan clutch - that helped a lot). On level ground, I could run at 50 mph, with A/C on low, without getting too hot (it was maybe 80 degrees out, and when you are pulling like this, the floor gets almost too hot for your feet).
That's my experience and opinion, YMMV. I plan to do it again.
96 XJ, 4.0, AX15, 2" lift (spacers front, S10 springs rear), weighs in at 4000 lbs empty.
On my test run with 31x10.5 tires, it really struggled, so i got a set of 225/70R15's to use when towing.
Typical speed 80 km/h (50 mph).
Maximum 90 km/h (55 mph), above that things start to get squirrely.
Trailer has weight distributing hitch, but no sway control bar. When people passed me, it pushed me around a bit, but nothing really bad. Worst was a greyhound bus overtaking me.
Trailer brakes are ESSENTIAL. There's no way the XJ could stop it without.
I just replaced all the trailer brakes last year, so I have some confidence in them. A good controller is also essential - the cheap controllers don't sense how hard you are stopping, they just ramp up to your max setting. The better ones sense how hard you are stopping, and apply trailer brakes accordingly. I had no trouble stopping, never even had to push hard, the trailer brakes did most of the work. Of course, when towing I also leave good space in front of me. Stopping with the XJ and trailer brakes was much better than it was 2 years ago towing with my Suburban and bad trailer brakes.
I wouldn't even think of pulling this with an auto trans. My clutch tends to chatter, so I did take some care to keep rolling, so I wouldn't have to pull away from a dead stop very often. When pulling away, I did so gently, at least until the clutch was fully engaged. If I had to pull away up a steep incline, I planned to put it in low range to get rolling, but I never had to do this.
Almost any sort of hill required 3rd gear, bigger hills needed 2nd, and down to 40 mph or so.
Using A/C while towing this rig resulted in engine temps climbing. (On my test run I found I was cooling-limited, so I replaced the fan clutch - that helped a lot). On level ground, I could run at 50 mph, with A/C on low, without getting too hot (it was maybe 80 degrees out, and when you are pulling like this, the floor gets almost too hot for your feet).
That's my experience and opinion, YMMV. I plan to do it again.
And you replaced the fan clutch? Was it bad or is there some optimum replacement part?
Thanks, Derrold
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 11
From: London Ontario Canada
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Towing a load too heavy and long is as bad as street racing.
No argument here. I don't believe I have read anywhere here someone advocating that.
Your argument seems to be anything heavier than a canoe is too much for a cherokee.
If you need to two regularly buy a truck large enough to do it safely. If you were the only one on the road do what you want but you are not.
I have been driving for 33 years many of those years pulling loads professionally or at least driving professionally.
I've been doing it for 37. Whats large enough? Whats that mean?
I have seen all kinds of idiots hauling 28ft boats with a small front wheel drive car. Sure it will get it rolling and might even get up to speed. Is it safe?
Maybe. Does he have trailer brakes? Is the load balanced?
Once came upon an accident where there was a small Toyota pickup and a utility trailer all tore apart. There was also what looked like a pallet load of 12' drywall scattered over 3 lanes of traffic. There were 2 bodies covered with blankets on the side of the road from the small car he ran into when traffic came to a stop too fast for him to stop for.
For Christs sake STOP IT! So f'n what! How does this idiots mistake mean that you can't have a trailer on a XJ? Maybe he was driving too fast PERIOD!!!!!!!!! How does that mean his load was unsafe?
You drove by. you didn't examine the scene like a CSI.
A bigger vehicle DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL STOP FASTER! Quite the opposite in fact. You've forgotten all your physics lessons haven't you?
One of those bodies was pretty small which I assume to mean it was a mom, dad and child. See much of that and the idiots that cause stuff like that to happen and you will understand where I come from
I know were your coming from. I've been there. It's not fun.
Flame me, kick me off the site or whatever.
I would NEVER want you kicked off. It's obvious you care, but I want and demand facts not feelings.
No argument here. I don't believe I have read anywhere here someone advocating that.
Your argument seems to be anything heavier than a canoe is too much for a cherokee.
If you need to two regularly buy a truck large enough to do it safely. If you were the only one on the road do what you want but you are not.
I have been driving for 33 years many of those years pulling loads professionally or at least driving professionally.
I've been doing it for 37. Whats large enough? Whats that mean?
I have seen all kinds of idiots hauling 28ft boats with a small front wheel drive car. Sure it will get it rolling and might even get up to speed. Is it safe?
Maybe. Does he have trailer brakes? Is the load balanced?
Once came upon an accident where there was a small Toyota pickup and a utility trailer all tore apart. There was also what looked like a pallet load of 12' drywall scattered over 3 lanes of traffic. There were 2 bodies covered with blankets on the side of the road from the small car he ran into when traffic came to a stop too fast for him to stop for.
For Christs sake STOP IT! So f'n what! How does this idiots mistake mean that you can't have a trailer on a XJ? Maybe he was driving too fast PERIOD!!!!!!!!! How does that mean his load was unsafe?
You drove by. you didn't examine the scene like a CSI.
A bigger vehicle DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL STOP FASTER! Quite the opposite in fact. You've forgotten all your physics lessons haven't you?
One of those bodies was pretty small which I assume to mean it was a mom, dad and child. See much of that and the idiots that cause stuff like that to happen and you will understand where I come from
I know were your coming from. I've been there. It's not fun.
Flame me, kick me off the site or whatever.
I would NEVER want you kicked off. It's obvious you care, but I want and demand facts not feelings.
Last edited by Jamie57; Sep 6, 2010 at 07:05 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Willard UT
Model: Cherokee
Pull what you want to behind these trucks I just hope you are nowhere near me. I have a 5x10 trailer I pull my lawn mower on and pull it with the 90 XJ once in a while. It pulls it OK but gets pretty hard to handle at times because the Jeep is just too short to pull much of a load.
Some of you guys are really putting your lives and others around you in jeopardy pulling the stuff I have seen and read about here. If you need to pull these loads buy a truck designed to pull it. Some of these loads I wouldn't pull behind my 71 F100 with disc brakes and a 460. Trailer brakes help stop the trailer sure and a weight transfer hitch will help with the swaying but the let that trailer start swaying one time when a Semi is passing you with about 30 mph on you and the guy in the other lanes swerves into you lane and see what happens.
I just hope you don't have your family with you at the time everything piles up against you as it will sooner or later
You really need to think about it before you hook up to the next trailer
Flame me all you want but I needed to say this.
clint
Some of you guys are really putting your lives and others around you in jeopardy pulling the stuff I have seen and read about here. If you need to pull these loads buy a truck designed to pull it. Some of these loads I wouldn't pull behind my 71 F100 with disc brakes and a 460. Trailer brakes help stop the trailer sure and a weight transfer hitch will help with the swaying but the let that trailer start swaying one time when a Semi is passing you with about 30 mph on you and the guy in the other lanes swerves into you lane and see what happens.
I just hope you don't have your family with you at the time everything piles up against you as it will sooner or later
You really need to think about it before you hook up to the next trailer
Flame me all you want but I needed to say this.
clint
Last edited by trplxj; Sep 6, 2010 at 07:27 PM. Reason: because...
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 11
From: London Ontario Canada
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I agree 110%. An XJ is NOT a tow rig people!!!!! A 7,000 lbs. load is far too much to be towing with a XJ. Even if you have all the so called "safety" equipment, ie. brake controller, load leveling hitch, all that stuff. (and you've done it safely before doesn't mean you will one of these times in the future) That still doesn't mean you can tow a load that exceeds the factory tow rating safety. Event the factory tow rating is too high in my opinion.
I too want to don't want to be on the same road as the guy towing a big heavy load with a tiny little tow rig. I value my life too much.
I too want to don't want to be on the same road as the guy towing a big heavy load with a tiny little tow rig. I value my life too much.
And it has f all to do do with what they or you are towing.
I have a Class A drivers licence in Ontario. The only thing I'm not licensed to drive is a loaded ambulance. I have to be retested every 5 years (It used to be 3) and now that I'm over 50 a medical every year.
When was the last time you bozo's had a drivers test. Hell some of you don't even know the rules of the road and have to be told by others on this forum that YOU MUST RUN A CATAYLITIC CONVERTER every where in North America. Your scared that someone wants to tow something behind their XJ? Regardless if they're doing it right?
Christ I'm scared because you morons ARE ON THE ROAD.
And BTW how the hell do you know how much that load behind my XJ weighs anyways. You Superman or something?
Back to the point. The manufacturer rates the load that can be towed on certain caracteristics of the vehicle. And that can change by the addition of things like heavier springs, air bags, load levelers and trailer brakes. How do YOU know what I have or haven't done to make my vehicle SAFER?
About the only person I will let, tell me, my load is safe or not will be a transportation official from a state or provincial goverment who has had the required training and qualifications.
I'm so tired of Chicken Littles. I'm outa here.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Willard UT
Model: Cherokee
me too............ I wonder what the guys on the tow rig section of pirate would have to say about this............. 
one other thing. I am very aware of the people that have the cell phone stuck to their head, yelling at the brats in the back seat, strung out on antidepressants, and just don't care. I live in Utah, home of the junkie, molly mormon soccer mom driving the kids to god only know what activity. I would bet we have the worst drives in the states.
one other thing. I am very aware of the people that have the cell phone stuck to their head, yelling at the brats in the back seat, strung out on antidepressants, and just don't care. I live in Utah, home of the junkie, molly mormon soccer mom driving the kids to god only know what activity. I would bet we have the worst drives in the states.
Last edited by trplxj; Sep 6, 2010 at 07:52 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Willard UT
Model: Cherokee
P.S. this statement is completely and 100% WRONG!!!! it all depends on year of vehicle, and location. There are locations (mine included) that any vehicle 9? and older (don't remember the exact yearearly 90's) do not have to have a cat to pass inspection and emissions. I know this because I spent 14 years of my life as a grease monkey, and still do it when the shop needs a extra hand.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Willard UT
Model: Cherokee
me too............ I wonder what the guys on the tow rig section of pirate would have to say about this.............
one other thing. I am very aware of the people that have the cell phone stuck to their head, yelling at the brats in the back seat, strung out on antidepressants, and just don't care. I live in Utah, home of the junkie, molly mormon soccer mom driving the kids to god only know what activity. I would bet we have the worst drives in the states.
one other thing. I am very aware of the people that have the cell phone stuck to their head, yelling at the brats in the back seat, strung out on antidepressants, and just don't care. I live in Utah, home of the junkie, molly mormon soccer mom driving the kids to god only know what activity. I would bet we have the worst drives in the states.
crap, I forgot one thing. They all drive BMW's. Basic Mormon Wagon. aka, minivan.
bottom line is we don't see eye to eye when it comes to towing with a XJ. I'm not saying that a XJ can't tow. I'm just saying that a XJ shouldn't tow a 20 something foot 4000 lbs plus loaded travel trailer. That's all. But like I said before, opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 11
From: London Ontario Canada
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
P.S. this statement is completely and 100% WRONG!!!! it all depends on year of vehicle, and location. There are locations (mine included) that any vehicle 9? and older (don't remember the exact yearearly 90's) do not have to have a cat to pass inspection and emissions. I know this because I spent 14 years of my life as a grease monkey, and still do it when the shop needs a extra hand.
Just because your a grease monkey doesn't make you a licensed mechanic.
I know that FEDERAL laws which supercede state and provincal, both in Canada and in the United States MANDATE that if the vehicle came with a catalytic converter it MUST HAVE ONE to be licensed and on the road.
You show me a FEDERAL law that says otherwise and then I'll believe you.
And none of this I know a friend that knows a friend that heard it from his congressman's mistress crap. I want the legislation.
AND PM it to me. Quit messing up the OP's thread!
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Willard UT
Model: Cherokee
second thought jamie57. I can still make it to the beer fridge too. How about we leave it as is and stop highjacking this thread. Lets agree to disagree and have another cold one. what do you think? I'll have another one if these crappy American production beers and you hav another one of your bad A Canadian beers, sound good?
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,322
Likes: 6
From: Summerville, Ga
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.5 4 cyl.
did NOT feel like reading all the very long posts in this thread...so ill just say what i have to say and be done with it I would say the 4.0 could DEFINITELY handle that load...now it wouldnt do it like a diesel or a v8, but it could handle ALOT more than you think it would. Think about this. My dad works shutting down a chemical company and we get lots of scrap metal and other misc stuff for free because they are leveling the plant. So about every 3 weeks or so we have a big load to carry home of industrial equipment and such. Now we have no work truck or anything else to use, so we just use my dads 04 tacoma (4cyl 5 speed 4x4 extended cab) that is hooked up to run trailer brakes on a dual axle solid steel car trailer.... One this trailer, we have carried what we weighed out to be *truck scales for the 18 wheelers still worked* something like 8500 or so. OK, the truck weighs around 3500 so that would mean that the loaded trailer was about 5000lbs. And this was pulled about 20 miles to our house over the mountain. It has done this more times than i could count with even more weight than that. Now granted..sometimes we had to drop it into 4lo on some of the steeper parts of the mountains, but other than that if you take it slow anything 5 speed can pull a house down if you want.
I would say the 4.0 could DEFINITELY handle that load...now it wouldnt do it like a diesel or a v8, but it could handle ALOT more than you think it would. Think about this. My dad works shutting down a chemical company and we get lots of scrap metal and other misc stuff for free because they are leveling the plant. So about every 3 weeks or so we have a big load to carry home of industrial equipment and such. Now we have no work truck or anything else to use, so we just use my dads 04 tacoma (4cyl 5 speed 4x4 extended cab) that is hooked up to run trailer brakes on a dual axle solid steel car trailer.... One this trailer, we have carried what we weighed out to be *truck scales for the 18 wheelers still worked* something like 8500 or so. OK, the truck weighs around 3500 so that would mean that the loaded trailer was about 5000lbs. And this was pulled about 20 miles to our house over the mountain. It has done this more times than i could count with even more weight than that. Now granted..sometimes we had to drop it into 4lo on some of the steeper parts of the mountains, but other than that if you take it slow anything 5 speed can pull a house down if you want.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 693
Likes: 0
From: Carrollton, Georgia
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Liter High Output
Pull what you want to behind these trucks I just hope you are nowhere near me. I have a 5x10 trailer I pull my lawn mower on and pull it with the 90 XJ once in a while. It pulls it OK but gets pretty hard to handle at times because the Jeep is just too short to pull much of a load.
Some of you guys are really putting your lives and others around you in jeopardy pulling the stuff I have seen and read about here. If you need to pull these loads buy a truck designed to pull it. Some of these loads I wouldn't pull behind my 71 F100 with disc brakes and a 460. Trailer brakes help stop the trailer sure and a weight transfer hitch will help with the swaying but the let that trailer start swaying one time when a Semi is passing you with about 30 mph on you and the guy in the other lanes swerves into you lane and see what happens.
I just hope you don't have your family with you at the time everything piles up against you as it will sooner or later
You really need to think about it before you hook up to the next trailer
Flame me all you want but I needed to say this.
clint
Some of you guys are really putting your lives and others around you in jeopardy pulling the stuff I have seen and read about here. If you need to pull these loads buy a truck designed to pull it. Some of these loads I wouldn't pull behind my 71 F100 with disc brakes and a 460. Trailer brakes help stop the trailer sure and a weight transfer hitch will help with the swaying but the let that trailer start swaying one time when a Semi is passing you with about 30 mph on you and the guy in the other lanes swerves into you lane and see what happens.
I just hope you don't have your family with you at the time everything piles up against you as it will sooner or later
You really need to think about it before you hook up to the next trailer
Flame me all you want but I needed to say this.
clint