I remember it also being difficult to identify actual hitch ratings on my Ram. It's identified as a Class IV on the window sticker, but the only thing I was ever able to find was a max tongue weight listed on the tow guide.
You would only want to tow at 80% of your capacity anyway. 5K lbs is heavy for a vehicle that only weighs 4,600 lbs.
As opposed to the 6,200lb tow rating of the 2001 grand cherokee that weighed 4k lbs? The 10,500lb tow rating of my 2017 ram rebel that weighed 5,800lbs? The new 3500 diesel trucks that weigh 7,500lbs and have tow ratings north of 30klbs? The 60klb trailer behind your average semi that weighs 15klbs? A trailer that barely outweighs the vehicle is far from heavy towing. The JLU has been rated at and safely towed 5,500lbs in Europe and Australia for 5+ years. Their testing isn't quite as stringent, but the cooling system is the biggest thing holding down our tow rating in my opinion. Jeep practically admitted that when they got the JT with virtually the same drive train, axles, and vehicle weight rated up to 7klbs by opening up the grill. Marketing will have you believe the rating increase is a result of the new full float axle, but the non-full float in the JT can handle double the load of the JL? I call BS all around.
Frame strength, wheel base suspension among other things all factor into what a vehicle is capable of towing. European standards have nothing to do with it. And you can’t compare an OTR tractor/trailer combo to a Jeep Wrangler, or a full size pickup. It’s not the same math. And who’s dragging a 5K lbs trailer in Europe with a wrangler?
Frame strength...gc was thin sheetmetal unibody. Wheelbase...gc is ~10" shorter in that regard. Suspension...gc was basically a tj front Suspension, had smaller brakes, and weaker axles, etc. Very familiar with both vehicles as I've wheeled and modified both over tens of thousands of miles. Regardless of rating I would gladly tow more with the jlu and it would be safer and more controlled. You do realize that people on Europe and Australia pull trailers, camp, and wheel too right? There are thousands of people who have been towing up to 5500lbs with their JLUs for 5 years. It's our steep uphill grade in 96⁰weather requirement that set the JLU limit so low in my opinion, although that doesn't explain the full float axle bumping it up to 5k. Axle failures would be prevalent if it was at all the limiting factor as European models get the same axle, and they simply aren't. I'm not telling you to go hook up a 5klb trailer, but if I needed to I wouldn't hesitate to say bob's your uncle or g-day mate and go for it personally.
Which we know is erroneous. Nobody has seen one with a Class III hitch.
I still want to see what hitch they put on European models. It can't be the class 2 with 3500ln rating and then they all just tow 5500lbs.
class two hitches are 1 1/4”. Jeep is 2”.I remember it also being difficult to identify actual hitch ratings on my Ram. It's identified as a Class IV on the window sticker, but the only thing I was ever able to find was a max tongue weight listed on the tow guide.
I cant find a wrangler tow guide, There is a crappy tow info link I was able to find on Jeep's site that has some info:
https://www.jeep.com/hostc/towing/basics/trailerWeight.do
Its a 2” class 2. Listed as class 2 on all the Jeep info.class two hitches are 1 1/4”. Jeep is 2”.
