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Small Boat Towing Report

ObtuseMeatball

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Hi all,

Just wanted to put a little report on towing a small boat. I did a little searching before I picked up the boat and couldn't find anything specific for my situation. It was nothing crazy or beyond specs, but figured it might be helpful for anyone doing the same type of towing and want a little reference.

2020 JLU with 4 cyl. turbo
Factory tow package
Class III mount in the receiver w/2" hitch ball
18' boat (21' on the trailer)
Non-braked trailer
Approx. 2700 lbs total (boat & trailer)

There seemed to be very little squat in the back once the trailer was hooked up. Apart from seeing it in the mirrors, it didn't even feel like the trailer was back there whenever moving from a full stop. Acceleration felt a little slower than usual, but I expected that. Braking also didn't feel compromised and handled stopping everything without a problem.

Drove about 2.5 hours nearly all highway (no huge grades from central to north GA). Managed just under 16 mpg according to the Jeep. I kept it average 60-65 mph for the whole trip and the transmission did a very good job of shifting nice and smooth. The oil and trans temp stayed just around 200*.

For me, overall the Jeep did an excellent job with towing an average size boat with a factory set up. Very happy with it!

Jeep Wrangler JL Small Boat Towing Report IMG_20200808_130131


Jeep Wrangler JL Small Boat Towing Report IMG_20200808_153743
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NickM

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What a timely post, thank you. I just purchased a 22' pontoon boat with 60 hp motor. Boat, motor and trailer total less than 3000 pounds (on paper) and appears to be within the 3500 pound limit. Not sure of tongue weight so will need to make a visit to a CAT scale at a truck stop to get it all weighed.

I have no intention to tow long distances, just need to be able to move the boat from marina to storage and back.

Would appreciate feedback from others who are towing near the upper weight limit.

TIA
 

ChiefJL

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I personally tow my 20” boat with roughly the same weight as you described all season on my JKUR. Usually a couple trips to the cabin and around to various lakes here in MN. I’ve never had any issues with transmission or oil temp with it. The dealer I purchased from tows a larger boat at around 4500lbs with his JLUR frequently also (we’ve met at the river and lake a few times). I haven’t and wouldn’t tow anything that heavy but at or just under 3500lbs has worked fine for me for a few years.
 

NickM

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I chickened out and used my daughters Expedition to move the pontoon boat from marina to storage. I figured the boat would be like the tail wagging the dog. Even though it’s under 3k pounds there is a lot of wind surface area behind the JL.
 

Dan M.

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I chickened out and used my daughters Expedition to move the pontoon boat from marina to storage. I figured the boat would be like the tail wagging the dog. Even though it’s under 3k pounds there is a lot of wind surface area behind the JL.
Probably a good idea if you have a larger vehicle available to fill in. I'm sure the Jeep would have been fine for a short trip, but no point stressing about how it will go.
 

TimnTexas

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I have towed a 21 ft wake boat with my old JKU 6spd (sold) 2.5” lift and JLU many times. It is probably 4500lbf with trailer. Going about 2 to 3 miles to boat launch is fine. Longest I towed it was probably 7 to 8 miles. Anything longer than that and I would use our explorer which is rated to 6000+. Towing with the JLU feels stable and fine. Remember the JKU was rated at 4500 lbf in Europe, so I didn’t worry about it. My JLU is 2.0 turbo as well.
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