I'm looking to tow my race car to and from race tracks several times a year. I have read several threads that state the towing capactiy of the XJ is 5000 lbs max. I'm looking to tow a car that weight around 2000 lbs on a open car trailer with trailer brakes with a load distributing hitch. I have done a lot of maintenance recently including all new coolant hoses, ball joints, U joints, tie rods, ball joints, fluid changes and flushes. Jeep is a 95 XJ 4x4.

I currently have a 4.5 inch lift and 33x10.50 tires. Current differential gearing is factory at 3.55. I plan to go to 4.40 or 4.56 gears, i'm using a tansmission cooler though it's small and I plan to upgrade to a larger one (AW4 auto tranmission). I will also change the diff fluid to 80w140. Is there anything else I should consider before regularlly doing this? Is it resonalbe to do this with the XJ or should I just sell it and get a truck more meant for towing?

I routinely tow more than that with mine, but mine is box stock. With those tires and the lift, I'd say it's probably not a good idea. But with the lower gearing.... maybe....

The 5000 tow rating is GVW, trailer + towed vehicle weight.
Watch the weight of a steel trailer, they can be over 2000 pounds.

I just bought an open car trailer, all aluminum, dual 3500 lb axles, dual axle brakes, 1250 pounds, rated 7000 GVW.
So theoretically, I can pull a vehicle weighing 3750 pounds with the Cherokee.

Towed it empty with XJ on 33s 4.56s AW4 70mph, A/C on, 650 miles and didn't even notice it back there.

I would not attempt it without re-gearing to 4.56.

How far are you talking here - just across town or hundreds of miles down the highway?


Just my $0.02 (not much experience with jeeps yet but lots of towing), for anything more than occasional local use, get a full size pickup and save the XJ for what it was meant to do. It will probably be cheaper in the long run.

Yes a few key questions need to be answered one being the distance you will be towing the car and terrain of the highway? What is the loaded weight of car and trailer both and how much extra weight will be inside the XJ tools, race fuel, floor jacks, tires, parts to make needed changes to the car when you race.


The reason I ask these questions is I have raced (drag racing) for over 40 yrs. so know how much has to go with you to the track. I also ran a S/S Dirt Track car for 4 yrs. and it took a whole lot of extra things to go with it. Fuel is one of those things at the drag strip I always had 3 5 gal. containers.


My trailer is an all steel race car trailer with under floor lockable storage 20' in length with brake's on both axles. My XJ is unable to tow it with my wagon on it alone and not the ATV loaded either. I hooked up to it once just to see and hauled it around the section where we live 4 mi. not a good haul for me but JMHO. This is with 4.56 gears and 33x12:50x15" tires, gears would be a must have thing.


I do use my other Jeep to tow with my car and the XJ but when going and have to take a lot of extra equipment we use a F-350 Crew Cab Power Stroke or a Diesel Pusher Motor Home.


This combo works well for me as for towing and I do so often with it.

The race tracks are 200-300 miles away so it is quite a hike. As someone had previously mentioned, I would probably go with a aluminum trailer so the total weight would be close to 3000 lbs. I would not have to carry many tools and spare parts with me as I have buddies that go that have vehicles and trailer much more suited for the purpose so I could load everything with them

I know towing like this with the XJ isn't ideal but it was a better alternative for me then having to sell it and get another truck. I love the XJ and would rather not sell it at all but as finances sit, I wouldn't have a choice.

I appreciate all the experience and information thus far!

Okay, I'm going to be blunt:


I'm not sure how you can afford to race cars at a track several hundred miles away but can't afford a suitable tow vehicle? You might get by with it for a while, or you might wreck or have a serious breakdown with your XJ and then you will not have an alternative to drive


Manufacturer "towing capacity" don't mean much IMO. Some of them are way overblown and some are way too conservative.


I'm guessing that for about $2000+/- you could pick up a decent older ford/chevy 2wd pickup, which would be orders of magnitude better than towing with an XJ. A 3/4 ton would be best but even a half ton long wheelbase would be okay. Sometimes I see old "camper specials" (3/4 ton 2wd) with low miles going for dirt cheap, because no one wants 2wd anymore - but 2wd should be adequate just going to the track.


Heck, you could even add a camper shell and overnight at the race track

With lift, tires and no gears you will struggle. The post above from Marty is a good reference. He is running the right gear and has done some performance mods so it's good for him, but he mentioned towing an empty trailer, 1200 pounds. I have towed a bit with my XJ when it was stock, but only for little stuff like jet skis and a small trailer.

There is no question that a truck is a superior tow vehicle in almost every way. They have large and robust cooling systems, more capacity and usually have a good tow package factory installed. If you tow a lot I would go truck.

Sure hope you have trailer brakes.. Panic stops will be awful..

Trucks are made for towing, Cherokees are made to drive.
What will happen to your finances when you break down in BFE and have to wait for a shop to install a new engine or transmission? Or worse yet, get in to an accident that you'll remember for the rest of your life.
YMMV but it's not worth it to me...

16' steel dual axles both with brakes is like $2500, rated to 7000 and weighs 2200 pounds. So cargo/vehicle can be 4800 pounds.
16' aluminum dual axles both with brakes is like $4500, rated to 7000 and weighs 1250 pounds. So cargo/vehicle can weigh 5750 pounds.


A fully build off road XJ is right around 4800-5200+ pounds.


We plan to pull an XJ with a XJ. Both will be built for the job at hand.

^^^ You plan to pull 7K lbs with an XJ ????

What he said.

Closer to 6000 pounds with the alumn trailer. On the other end RaceJeep is like 3000 pounds plus trailer.


Be smart, go slow, brake early. The electric dual axle brakes are nice.


I also have a F150 to tow with.