Towing with Jeep Grand Cherokee

[rwriley1053]

Originally Posted by Webefine

That payload number of 1050 does not sound right, if it is that means that Jeep weighs 5,750 pounds! A quick search on line and I cannot find any Jeep GC with a curb weight over 5,000 pounds.

I would take the jeep to the scales and then work my payload numbers from there!

x2 ! These numbers just don't add up. You have GVWR of 6,800 lbs, and a curb weight of 4,700. So add 1,050 to 4,700 and you get 5,750 - which is nowhere close to 6,800 lbs number. Yet - those are the numbers on your door sticker.

My Tahoe has a curb weight of 5,500 lbs, GVWR of 7,300 lbs, and the payload sticker says 1,797 lbs. Do the math and payload and GVWR come within 3 lbs of each other. 5,500 + 1,797 = 7,297 - and that is my understanding of how those numbers should relate to each other.

I agree, take your Jeep to a scale and see what the curb weight really is.

For these numbers to make sense, your curb weight would have to be 5,750 lbs, which would be more than my Tahoe.

[RedRoverComeOver]

Originally Posted by rwriley1053

x2 ! These numbers just don't add up. You have GVWR of 6,800 lbs, and a curb weight of 4,700. So add 1,050 to 4,700 and you get 5,750 - which is nowhere close to 6,800 lbs number. Yet - those are the numbers on your door sticker.

My Tahoe has a curb weight of 5,500 lbs, GVWR of 7,300 lbs, and the payload sticker says 1,797 lbs. Do the math and payload and GVWR come within 3 lbs of each other. 5,500 + 1,797 = 7,297 - and that is my understanding of how those numbers should relate to each other.

I agree, take your Jeep to a scale and see what the curb weight really is.

For these numbers to make sense, your curb weight would have to be 5,750 lbs, which would be more than my Tahoe.

Attached was a screen shot of my Jeep without occupants when testing different loads last year.

[Hersbird]

Yes you can haul 4 passengers in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, yes you can tow 7800 pounds with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. You just can't haul around 4 passengers AND tow 7800 pounds with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The only SUV that was good at hauling both passengers while towing a large trailer was a 2500 Suburban. With almost 3000 pounds of payload and 10,000 pounds or more towing capacity, it was the boss. An Excursion was also good but Ford porked it up a good 1000 pounds more curb weight than a 2500 Suburban with the same GVWR.

[Naturefreaks]

Hi, Hopefully this helps. I got fooled by the Jeep weight rating. I purchased a 2010 Grand Cherokee with a Hemi thinking I could pull my 2010 26 foot R-vision SuperSport ( I think the weight was around 5400 lbs. I even talked to the mechanics at the dealership " heck ya you can pull that trailer " What a load of BS, it can pull it in a straight line with no incline and no wind. We did one trip and we got tossed around like a rag-doll, even had the BlueOx WD hitch. I literally thought my family was going to .......The gas mileage was next to ridiculous, drove 100 miles and had to fill up. Dont put your and your family's life at risk if you have any doubt.

[mjhawker]

We towed with a 2014 Grand Cherokee with 5.7 Hemi a Rockwood 2109S. It had towed at about 4500lbs we had two adults and we were at the limit of the rear axel weight limit. We really liked that Jeep. But we traded it in for a 2022 Chevy Tahoe with 3.0 Duramax. It tows 8,000lbs but had a cargo capacity of 1444lbs. We have not towed our trailer yet, but we are excited to tow our TT next month.

[EmersonTT]

Originally Posted by Spaceace

Thanks for the feedback. Hard to believe that Jeep advertises being able to tow 7,200 pounds with this car but I can’t even town a 3,500 pound trailer with my family of 4 due to a low payload.

I need to find a midsize suv with more payload…

I have towed a similar size and weight trailer (Rockwood 2109s) with my 2014 Jeep GC for 7 years and over 50,000 miles with no problem, with my wife and myself, loaded with gear such as a generator and extra gas for those remote long distance tows (Labrador Highway and Dempster Highway). We’ve towed up many long steep grades with no problem. The Jeep never breaks a sweat. I have the diesel engine, but that hemi is a match for power, just not for MPG.

[rwriley1053]

Originally Posted by RedRoverComeOver

Attached was a screen shot of my Jeep without occupants when testing different loads last year.

So your Curb Weight was 5,620 ??. It's closer to 6,800 GVWR and 1,050 payload, but still a little off. Heavier than I thought a Jeep GC would be, and I think heavier than the OP thought too.

[taylorfs]

I have a slightly different perspective! I towed with a 2007 GC with your specs, towing a 192 RBS with a 650 lb tongue weight. Yes, it worked. But not well. Towing a trailer that tall with a vehicle that short, both height and wheelbase meant a very squirrelly ride with lots of trailer sway, particularly on the highway. And yes with a good WD hitch. Yes, it worked, at least until the strain caused the engine to, in an Elon Musk kind of way, to do a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" in a gas station.

[backin15]

I have a slightly different perspective as well. I have had many tow vehicles, and have never had a better towing experience than with our Grand Cherokee. Now our Rpod is a very small camper and I certainly would not tow a 30 footer with it. It does require a weight distribution hitch, and with one we have experienced no sway at all. With the two of us and Rocky the rescue mutt we are probably near payload capacity, but the air suspension handles the load well. The engine has gobs of power and effortlessly pulls our camper and the worst gas mileage I have seen is 12, even got 15 on one trip.
Overall we have been very happy with it and I do recommend it for a couple with a small travel trailer, or a family with small kids and a popup. As long as you watch the payload it is a great vehicle.

[RedRoverComeOver]

Originally Posted by Naturefreaks

Hi, Hopefully this helps. I got fooled by the Jeep weight rating. I purchased a 2010 Grand Cherokee with a Hemi thinking I could pull my 2010 26 foot R-vision SuperSport ( I think the weight was around 5400 lbs. I even talked to the mechanics at the dealership " heck ya you can pull that trailer " What a load of BS, it can pull it in a straight line with no incline and no wind. We did one trip and we got tossed around like a rag-doll, even had the BlueOx WD hitch. I literally thought my family was going to .......The gas mileage was next to ridiculous, drove 100 miles and had to fill up. Dont put your and your family's life at risk if you have any doubt.

Naturefreaks - R-vision SuperSport, 29', 600 lb. hitch weight, 7,600 lb.
Couldn't find similar since older model
https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2010-...s-26bhs-tr8366

Looking at the specs I could find, I wouldn't even attempt to pull with my Jeep.

Originally Posted by taylorfs

I have a slightly different perspective! I towed with a 2007 GC with your specs, towing a 192 RBS with a 650 lb tongue weight. Yes, it worked. But not well. Towing a trailer that tall with a vehicle that short, both height and wheelbase meant a very squirrelly ride with lots of trailer sway, particularly on the highway. And yes with a good WD hitch. Yes, it worked, at least until the strain caused the engine to, in an Elon Musk kind of way, to do a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" in a gas station.

taylorfs - Ultra Lite 192RBS, 22' 5", 490 lb. hitch, 6,000 lb. GVWR
https://coachmenrv.com/travel-traile...ite/192RBS/235

Not sure I'd attempt pulling with the GVWR spec myself. What was the engiine?


Yes, each experience is going to be different. Grand Cherokees (WK) still have lots of different model trims ('22 have 8 now), options, and engines from V6, diesel (no longer offered), and different V8s.


Current models from web sites:
Spaceace - Geo Pro G19BH, 19', 425 lb. hitch, 4,486 lb. GVWR
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...pro/G19BH/4396

Iowa Frogfarmer - Clipper Cadet 17CFQ, 20' 4", 333 lb. hitch, 3,833 lb. GVWR
Didn't see Cadet and only saw this one.
https://coachmenrv.com/travel-traile...ite/17CFQ/3872

mjhawker & EmersonTT - Mini Lite 2109S, 22' 4", 557 lb. hitch, 5,837 lb. GVWR
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...lite/2109S/908

RedRoverComeOver - Geo Pro G16BH, 18' 6", 461 lb. hitch ,3,961 lb. GVWR
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...pro/G16BH/3799


If you have the factory tow package and at least a diesel, you should be able to safely tow a smaller TT with reasonable cargo and a lower passenger count.

[Iowa Frogfarmer]

RedRoverComeOver: It appears that you have fallen into the trap of believing numbers from manufacturers rather than real measured weights. Yes my Clipper Cadet has a GVWR of 3833. When mine rolled out the door it weighed 2909 lbs per factory sticker. Using 15% for hitch weight you get 436 more or less. And single axle trailers are notoriously tongue heavy. The hitch weight you quote is a unit without any optional equipment or battery and lp tank on the tongue. I have a hitch scale. Fully loaded with our things my unit weighs 3440lbs (per CAT scale) with 492 lbs of that weight on the tongue. Why? Optional heavier fridge. Heavier optional solid steps. Optional microwave. Full LP tank. Optional deep cycle battery. Self installed power jack and 2 additional stabilizer jacks on the front corners of the unit (vs only rear from factory). The reason you did not see this model as current is that FR/Coachmen dropped it in favor of a more expensive model (17FQ) with pretty much the same floor plan. My 2015 GC has the 3.6 v6 and factory tow package. With a Husky WD hitch have had no stability issues towing my unit. Pretty sure I would not want to attempt mountain driving with it but for here in the Midwest it is more than adequate to get around.

[RedRoverComeOver]

Originally Posted by Iowa Frogfarmer

RedRoverComeOver: It appears that you have fallen into the trap of believing numbers from manufacturers rather than real measured weights. Yes my Clipper Cadet has a GVWR of 3833. From the factory when it rolled out the door it weighed 2909 lbs per factory sticker. Using 15% for hitch weight you get 436 more or less. And single axle trailers are notoriously tongue heavy. The hitch weight you quote is a unit without any optional equipment or battery and lp tank on the tongue. I have a hitch scale. Prior to loading anything into my unit the tongue weight was 502 lbs. Why? Optional heavier fridge. Heavier optional solid steps. Optional microwave. Full LP tank. Optional deep cycle battery. Self installed power jack and 2 additional stabilizer jacks on the front corners of the unit (vs only rear from factory). And the reason you did not see this model as current is that FR/Coachmen dropped it in favor of a more expensive model (17FQ) with pretty much the same floor plan. My 2015 GC has the 3.6 v6 and factory tow package. With a Husky WD hitch have had no stability issues towing my unit. Pretty sure I would not want to attempt mountain driving with it but for here in the MidWest it is all I need to get around.

Yes, those were base numbers I could find and understand real world numbers will be different. I was just grouping members that mentioned models and actually towed with a GC.

[Iowa Frogfarmer]

I've never understood where they get some of the numbers they use in promo stuff. Guess my advice would be when you are out shopping have the dealer put a scale under the hitch and see what it really is. Scary when you think of all the people out there that have no idea how much load they are putting on their vehicle. A few years back I had a salesman tell me that my Dodge Journey could pull a 4000 trailer with no problem. Hmmm...Journey was rated at 2000 lbs and a 200 lb hitch weight. Ya. Right.