Towing with 4 liter Jeep Cherokee

[icedog-10]

Looking at picking up a used Jeep Cherokee and was wondering if anyone uses the 4 liter version for towing. I have a 93 and 2000 205 and would use it for short trips and a yearly 4 hour trip. Thanks for your help.

[03 35th Anniversary]

You won't be breaking any speed records.

Standard or automatic trans?

[flipper]

I'd worry about stopping more than going.

[bbymgr]

I traded in my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (V8) in May. I have an X1 (205V) and didn't like the sway I got when towing above 55mph. As Flipper stated breaking was an adventure as well. My Jeep was an automatic with the Quadra-Trac 4 wheel all time. I now have a Dodge Quad Cab 1500. I towed this summer from northern Indiana to Douglas Lake in Tennessee. Went through the mountains in Kentucky and had no problems.

[swagboy]

Both answers are partly correct...

Assuming your vehicle can tow the load (ie. is actually rated for the job, which yours almost assuredly is, but it's easy to verify anyway) then it can do it, although you may not be able to tow at 60+ MPH on the freeway. Basic physics tells us you can tow enormous loads with small HP, more HP just allows you to tow the load FASTER.

I've just been through the same mission as you, trying to figure out if my 4 cyl S10 could pull my '88 Tristar... it does. I wouldn't want to trek through any steep mountain passes or have to get anywhere quickly, but it does the job for 95% of my needs, and I already own it!

Good luck!

[bigmac]

Many people seem to think that towing capacity revolves primarily around engine power. It doesn't. It's mostly about frame and wheelbase. I don't know about your boats, but you need to know how much the boat/trailer weighs on-the-road and what the tongue weight is. Then you need to look at the towing capacity of the jeep and make your decision from there. Bear in mind that many/most hitch manufacturers and vehicle owner's manuals spec the towing capacity based on weight-distributing mode, whereas almost all boats are towed in weight-carrying mode. IOW, your vehicle may spec at a towing capacity in weight-distributing mode of 7000 lbs and 700 lbs tongue weight, but in weight carrying mode only be capable of 3500 lbs and 350 lbs tongue weight. The penalty for exceeding that is decreased steering, decreased braking, and potentially dangerous sway that can set up a moment and flip both vehicle and boat.

IMHO, you're going to be pretty close to the edge with that boat/vehicle combination and I wouldn't do it. But...take the heavier of the two boats down to your local truck scale or landfill and weigh it with gas and gear, and then measure the actual tongue weight. As to the jeep, find out its real towing capacity in both weight-carrying and weight-distributing mode. If the boat/trailer exceeds it, you take your life (and potentially others) in your hands and you'd be a fool to push it.

As to the engine, it doesn't matter. You will want a transmission cooler, but otherwise the power train is relatively irrelevant to the situation

[M-Funf]

I towed my old boat with a '94 4.0 Cherokee with a towing package. The boat was a small 16' runabout with O/B engine. Power was O.K., but braking was bad so I added larger disks and 4-pot calipers to the front.

When I bought the '76 MC (which isn't very heavy), I towed it ONCE before I sold it. Even with the towing package on the Jeep, the transmission overheated, I was going maybe 15mph up the hills, and braking was not good...

Now I have a '96 Grand Cherokee with the V8 and towing package. So far, no problems.

So, I would say it won't be good enough. Maybe for the short trip, but not the long one...

[icedog-10]

Thanks for all your help. My company truck is a Silverodo 1500 which handles both boats great. There is some debate within the sales force if we are allowd to tow with the company truck. I just do and hope that nothing happens. That is one reason for the two boats. Cheaper than a new truck and easier to get than a new job. The jeep would be for my son when he starts to drive in a few months so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone.

[ORX-1]

I had an 04 cherokee and thought about towing with it, never did but thought about it. I added the air shocks in the rear in order to counter act the weight, when you load that thing down the back will sag real bad. so get the air shocks and you can load them up and then when you put the load on it will level out. Mine was a 4.0 and I never got the guts to tow with it, upgraded to an '07 tahoe and haven't had any issues.

[JohnE]

Thanks for all your help. My company truck is a Silverodo 1500 which handles both boats great. There is some debate within the sales force if we are allowd to tow with the company truck. I just do and hope that nothing happens. That is one reason for the two boats. Cheaper than a new truck and easier to get than a new job. The jeep would be for my son when he starts to drive in a few months so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone.

I bet your son would like a full size pickup instead of that Jeep.....:D

But what about looking into a Grand Cherokee - they seem to be had fairly cheap.

[puck_11]

I just towed my Prostar 205 2500 miles across the country through the rocky mountains to northwest, WA with my V6 4.0L Explorer. It can be done, but like most have said, you are limited in speeds sometimes. The only time I worried about stopping power was when I was headed down a decent hill/mountain. If you're just towing across flat land it's probably not that big of an issue. What's more of an issue though, is it the best vehicle for your son to start towing in, maybe, maybe not. An experienced tow driver can handle the sways and swings and anticipate the longer stopping distances. Just some things to think about.

[rodecker1978]

Many people seem to think that towing capacity revolves primarily around engine power. It doesn't. It's mostly about frame and wheelbase. I don't know about your boats, but you need to know how much the boat/trailer weighs on-the-road and what the tongue weight is. Then you need to look at the towing capacity of the jeep and make your decision from there. Bear in mind that many/most hitch manufacturers and vehicle owner's manuals spec the towing capacity based on weight-distributing mode, whereas almost all boats are towed in weight-carrying mode. IOW, your vehicle may spec at a towing capacity in weight-distributing mode of 7000 lbs and 700 lbs tongue weight, but in weight carrying mode only be capable of 3500 lbs and 350 lbs tongue weight. The penalty for exceeding that is decreased steering, decreased braking, and potentially dangerous sway that can set up a moment and flip both vehicle and boat.

IMHO, you're going to be pretty close to the edge with that boat/vehicle combination and I wouldn't do it. But...take the heavier of the two boats down to your local truck scale or landfill and weigh it with gas and gear, and then measure the actual tongue weight. As to the jeep, find out its real towing capacity in both weight-carrying and weight-distributing mode. If the boat/trailer exceeds it, you take your life (and potentially others) in your hands and you'd be a fool to push it.

As to the engine, it doesn't matter. You will want a transmission cooler, but otherwise the power train is relatively irrelevant to the situation

Big Mac said it well. I tow my X2 with a Grand Cherokee and it does fine even at 65 mph but once you I get into hilly terrain it's a different story. If your son is not an experienced driver I would be reluctant to let him take on the challenge of towing a beloved MC with an older Cherokee....

[JohnE]

I didn't take it that he is letting his inexperienced son tow. I took it that he is getting his son a Jeep and then he will use it to tow rather than take a chance with something happening to his company truck. But ICBW.

[dummy]

I'd agree you'd be at the razor's edge towing a 4K-5Klb MasterCraft & trailer with an XJ, but you can do it. Make sure the surge brakes on the trailer are good and it'll take a lot of stress off the stock braking system.

The 4.0L is a great engine. Replace the cracked factory exhaust manifold with a header. I put a Gibson header and cat-back on my '99 and it made a huge difference in power at all rpms. However, I cracked the Gibson from a lean tune (you'll have similar problems towing grades) so I replaced it with a Banks header and it's been fine. I'd also put a cold air intake on.

The AW4 auto tranny is great. Change the filter, don't forget they use ATF+4 synthetic fluid, and add the biggest cooler you can fit and it should be okay. The NP231 part time t-case is pretty bulletproof, as is the NP242 full/part time t-case.

I'd go for a '97-newer to ensure you get the better Chrysler 8.25 rear axle. It's a lot stronger than the Dana 35 found in some of the older XJs, although most 4.0L versions do have the 8.25. Gearing will probably be 3.55 from the factory. Just keep the tire size at 30x9.50 or smaller and the gearing will be fine for towing.

Brakes, EBC makes some nice slotted and dimpled rotors for the front and sticky GreenStuff or YellowStuff pads. You can convert the rear drums to discs, but it's probably overkill if the surge brakes in the trailer are working correctly.

One more thing - XJs, WJs, ZJs, etc. don't have frames. They're unit bodies. Higher capacity trailer hitches for these vehicles will tie into both the bumper mounts (rectangular 4-hole on each side of the rear) as well as lengthwise along the "framerails". The framerails are basically laminated sheetmetal formed into a box. The hitch will run along the outside of these 2 "framerails" and will have reinforcement plates that are inserted inside the "frame". If the one you buy already has a hitch, stick your head under to check it out. If it's not the higher capacity, then I'd swap it out for one that is.

Overall, they're really good vehicles. Lots of fun for little money. Good luck.

[puck_11]

I'll throw in another point since I reread the thread and realized you haven't purchased it yet. If you're smart you won't buy a vehicle like a Cherokee to tow the boat, you'd only use it if you already have it. You'd be a doing yourself a huge favor in spending the extra cash or going a few years older to get a real tow vehicle. Towing with a vehicle like that is similar to driving a bayliner, it works, but its just not the same. You'll thank yourself later.

[icedog-10]

I am not going to let my son tow anything until he can prove he is ready. I was looking at the cherokee as a smaller solution for a young driver that can also tow a boat. I could get a bigger truck but young drivers tend to run into things when the car is too big. By the way, I was looking at the Grand Cherokee. I am worried about sway and the stress it causes when I tow a boat. Thanks to everyone for your input. Nothing has been purchased yet.

[bigmac]

My daughter's first car was a Grand Cherokee with the V-8. She loved that vehicle and it performed well for her. Of course, I was the one that paid for the new transmission when it went out.

[jacobe]

I tow my 92 205 with my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0 which does fine here on the Seattle freeways. I also tow it across the pass to Eastern WA several times during the summer. It does it, and will keep up with traffic but I do feel bad for the car. If you don't plan on pulling over anything more aggressive than what I already do...you should be fine. Just be careful as it isn't the optimal vehicle to be doing it with.

[dapicatti]

Grand Cherokees are great, but not for towing long haul. We have had 2 of them, a 96 and 2003, upgraded to the Yukon when we bought the X2. We have to haul over big hills every weekend, and the GC just wasn't up to it. It would be fine on flat areas, and towed well up the hills but I never really trusted that it would stop well. Short hauls should be ok, but I wouldn't go too far. We used ours several times on 3 hour trips, made the decision to upgrade really easy. Loved them overall. Can't beat them in the snow.

[dapicatti]

My daughter's first car was a Grand Cherokee with the V-8. She loved that vehicle and it performed well for her. Of course, I was the one that paid for the new transmission when it went out.

Seems to be a problem that is hit and miss. Ours went out at 70k, others never go out. The V-8 is the only way to go IMO.

[icedog-10]

I think it is funny that we are talking about towing with a Grand Cherokee and the consensus is that it will work, but it is not the best option. Then we see a video talking about how great it is for towing Mastercrafts. The information everyone is providing has been very helpful. Thanks to all that have responded.