Bumper hitch towing capacity
 

I'm looking at a '90 MJ, 4.0L, 4WD, manual transmission. It has what appears to be a stock rear bumper with a tow ball on it. I believe it's all stock. My question:

What's the towing capacity of the stock bumper?

I'm trying to figure out whether it's even remotely possible to tow a 2700 lb car back with me on a Uhaul car dolly with the stock setup. I suspect it isn't, but I figured I would ask. If I buy the MJ, I'll have to drive my car to the next state over to bring it back alone, and I'm trying to figure the best way to get both vehicles back home.

Look at the bumper. It should be stamped on the bumper. I think its 3500. I can check mine in the morning.

Honestly your best bet is to find a friend you can trust to help with the venture. Safety needs to be your priority. I'm sure someone would be glad to help ya

It's over there, and I'm over here, so I won't be able to check it until I go look at it. I was trying to think ahead about how I can get it back. I can take it to Uhaul and have them put a heavier hitch on it if I buy it, but I figured if the bumper were rated high enough to pull my Subaru I might be able to avoid that.

That would be great. Thanks.

I have no friends.

Seriously, though, none of my friends are really in a position to be able to drop everything with their jobs and kids and parole officers to leave the state with me. This would probably have to be an overnight trip for them. I'm going to be over there anyway for business.

I'm not all that concerned about towing. I've done my share of pulling cars and trailers. It's just a matter of figuring out the logistics.

I bet uhaul won't let you tow the other car with the current setup.

That's a good point. Uhaul used to let you tow anything with anything, but then apparently their lawyers got involved.

I think it depends on the location, though. The last time I rented a trailer from them, their stupid online reservation tool said that the trailer I wanted to tow wouldn't work with the GMC Yukon I used to tow it (which was BS), and that my vehicle would be subject to inspection before the rental. They didn't even look at it. I could have hooked it up to a Ford Escort for all they cared.

They use the same system in store also. I had a problem when I needed a trailer to haul my jeep across town. They said the trailer and jeep couldn't be towed behind a Silverado 1500. And they wouldn't let me rent it. So I told them I was towing a miata instead and I was on my way with the trailer.

No way i would bumper pull any car on a trailer no matter what truck it is.You need a true hitch on it not a bumper ball or watch the bumper come off on you lol.I would rent a car drive to where ever you need to go buy the mj turn in the rental and drive the mj back home.

I wouldn't be towing a trailer. I have a 2700 lb Subaru that would be going on a tow dolly that should weigh no more than a few hundred pounds. If the bumper hitch capacity is 3500 as mentioned above, I should be below it, assuming that I don't see any problems with the bumper when I'm underneath it for the inspection.

I have some other potential options. I just wanted to see if this one were possible.

uhaul car transporters are very heavy.

i wouldn't tow it empty with a bumper ball.

Are you sure the bumper can even be trusted to stand on? I live where the rust is and that's a pretty common sight.

I wouldn't do it. I'd only trust the bumper hitch for a very small open trailer with not much on it.

Nope. I haven't been underneath it yet.

I've had trucks in the past that had bumpers rated for towing but with capacities so small they were essentially useless. Before I wrote it off with the MJ, I thought I would ask. Sounds like I have my answer.

There are a lot of moving parts to this deal, so much so that it probably won't even happen. It looks like a good deal as it sits, but it gets to be less of a bargain the more cost I tack on to get it back home.

Can't use a dolly?

I found 1,450 pound towing.

u cant rent a uhaul truck?