ZRJ '00 Cherokee XJ

I have a 2000 Sport XJ. My family and I are about to move to the NW Suburbs of Chicago. I was looking at the UHaul website for trailer rentals because we've sold most of our furniture and will only have boxes. They have a 6'x12' cargo trailer as an option.

Empty weight is 1920lbs. Max load weight is 2480lbs. Total weight is 4400lbs. Am I wrong in thinking I should be able to tow that okay?

Or should I go with the 5'x10' cargo trailer? It's empty weight is 1250lbs and max load weight is 1550lbs for a total of 2800lbs.

I haven't towed a lot with it other than a popup camper.

Thanks in advance.

CompleteCherokee

you should be fine towing that, just make sure that your hitch is in good shape and that the tongue / towing weight matches

crabmushrooms5

How many miles will it be towed? What percentage of that will be stop and go traffic? What is the actual load weight of the cargo? Up to 5k you should be good. Slow easy acceleration, increased following distance, and keep an eye on your temp.

Firestorm500

You load that sucker to the max, it will outweigh your Jeep by about 1,300 pounds.

You might be able to get it moving, but can you stop it or do an emergency maneuver with it--safely?

Looking at uhaul.com, the maximum allowed cargo weight in your configuration is 2,080 lbs. with a 6x12, but only with a class III or IV hitch.

autosurgeon

Those trailers have surge brakes so you should have no trouble stopping it as long as they are working correctly.

Firestorm500

Have you ever seen a "PIT" maneuver on a cop show?

ZRJ '00 Cherokee XJ

Thanks for all the info.

I think we've decided to rent a truck instead and make 1 trip. Once we do that I'll ride the Amtrak back home and then drive the Jeep up by itself.

By the time we rent trailer twice, and pay for gas for 2 trips we could just rent the truck.

autosurgeon

Have you towed much. I have all kinds and weights of trailers.

Firestorm500

Tow the Jeep on a trailer behind the truck.

md21722

Good plan on renting the truck. The Jeep will pull it, but stopping will be problem even with the surge brake.

Comanche1987

Yeah one of those situations where you can do something but it's smarter to do something different. If you were experienced with trailers you wouldn't have asked, I know I rather have the adjust ability of electric trailer brakes when I'm towing stuff. If I was pulling over 4k with my XJ I would like to have a weight distribution hitch, they really make a big difference. My Friends 99 4 runner was rated 5k and had 7k on it, both trailer axles had electric brakes. It drove great, no sway and could make a fast maneuver, brakes felt decent, it looked like the most dangerous vehicle on the road but it drove great. He put over 3,000 miles pulling these 2 cars.

Fred/N0AZZ

I know a little about towing not as much as some I'm sure but have been towing a race car since 1966 (new Dodge Hemi) behind a 50 Chevy PU all I could afford at the time with the car payments, insurance and racing at 19 yrs old with 2 full time job plus 1 part time lol. Anywho a very poor tow rig to say the least but used it.

Yrs. later I owned 3 towing companies in the Denver, CO area and towed about everything using trucks from a 3/4 ton repo wrecker up to Peterbuilt tractors. One of the most dependable ones for off road at the time was a twin boom Dodge 1 ton 4x4 Power Wagon with a 318 that did most 4x4 recoveries in the mountains

The XJ setup properly can be used to tow and several members do so here without problems the key is setup. Factory towing package really helps and everyone should have the HD Receiver hitch installed if planning on towing and electric brakes/controller.

I Tow with my GC often but quite a different deal completely, I did pull this trailer once off road with the XJ to bring another XJ out with a differential that had been torn loose. I didn't want to use my Overland on that trail as its full of trees brush etc. and not enough clearance.

Firestorm500

4Runner is bigger, longer wheelbase, and a body-on-frame vehicle.

Apples and oranges.

IJM

What do you mean by HD receiver hitch? Are you referring to a class III hitch? Also, isn't the towing package basically just an external trans cooler and some hitch wiring?

Fred/N0AZZ

Yes it is but some try to use a lighter hitch because they do not have the nut strips for the class III installed.