Europeans differ in how that rate towing capacity. They do so with less tongue weight. Trailers are set to 50/50 weight balance. But they are required to travel at slower speeds.
Here in CA we have the same 55mph trailer speed limit, our JLUs can obviously safely tow 5500lbs at those speeds as they do so in half the world. I doubt the 50/50 trailer weight balance, that would result in massively more tongue weight and the Jeep already squats bad if you run 10% tongue weight on a 3500lb trailer. If they actually run less tongue weight than 10%, I think the tail wagging the dog is very likely with a 5500lb load. I don't personally tow with the jeep, as my truck is a much better tow vehicle, but I'd have no problem hitching up a 5k lb trailer if I needed to.
The rest of the US does not have the same 55mph speed limit. Manufacturers have to rate based on the whole country. 50/50 results in less tongue weight than 60/40 we use in the states. But yes tail wagging the dog at speeds over 60 mph is the reason we don’t follow the same ratings.
Agree, but if you need to move a 5k lb trailer, slow down and you're clearly good to go. I'd also argue that the new FF axle does nothing to the tow rating between 55mph and 80mph and thus in reality our JLUs have just been under rated all along?
I agree the axles have little to nothing to do with the change. I was just explaining the difference in how the States and the Euros do it.
It could be done, but not easily. The housings ends are quite different, with a much larger inner bore to accommodate the unit bearing hub.
All Euro spec towing info aside.....
Tow ratings in the U.S. are fairly rigorous: https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/
There is no way you'll convince me that a sport with 3.45 gears, weaker axles, softer suspension, softer shocks ever had the same tow rating as a diesel or XR Rubicon due to a grill change? Jeep saved money on the testing by having all models certified the same and left it at that. The cooling argument is weak, especially if you've been to Australia. The same Jeep can tow 5500lbs in 120⁰weather up hill there but in flat Florida that averages 80⁰ the cooling system is the limit? I think not. Even if the cooling system is the limit if you're trying to roll 80mph up a grade out of Albuquerque in 110⁰ weather, slow down? They didn't make a change for 2024 that would make the Rubicon any better at safely towing 5klbs than current models in my opinion. We aren't seeing bent rear axles from the thousands of us running 37"+ tires and wheeling them hard. Market demand pushed them to certify for a higher tow rating on the models that could have been certified higher already.
Hence the Gladiator.
Or the semi float 9.25" rear axle in my ram...with a 10,500lb tow rating.
