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simpleJL

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On another note - my Rubi pulled my little 5x9 utility trailer with some furniture on it with ease. Couldn't even feel it was there. Not a whole ton of weight though. lol

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bobzdar

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At highway speeds, engine power output is the least of your worries. Even big rig engines only make 300-500 HP.

Brakes, cooling, and sway stability are what really matter. With a short-ish wheelbase and modest brakes, no Wrangler is going to be a towing champ. But I doubt a 2500 lb trailer is going to be much of a problem, either.
Grand Cherokee has the same engine and trans, same sized 4 wheel discs and a shorter wheelbase. Tow rating is 6500lbs...Jk limiting factor was cooling according to a jeep engineer, don't know if the jl is the same or if it's really something else - my theory is they won't rate anything with a removable top very high even if the vehicle is perfectly capable.
 

Oilslick

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I pulled my 2k lb honda pioneer on a tilt bed trailer, it's too much for it on a single axle trailer for sure. I would hate to do a swerve to avoid an accident and end up causing one! I am bummed about how squirrely it felt, guess I'll just use the sierra.
Just to be clear, plenty of power, just not a great feel and I sure ain't gonna buy a new trailer on a hunch that it would improve how it handles. I would have it loaded with my family and all there stuff so I think it would only get worse than my trial run.
 

The_Phew

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Grand Cherokee has the same engine and trans, same sized 4 wheel discs and a shorter wheelbase. Tow rating is 6500lbs...Jk limiting factor was cooling according to a jeep engineer, don't know if the jl is the same or if it's really something else - my theory is they won't rate anything with a removable top very high even if the vehicle is perfectly capable.
Removable top means the Wrangler structure is much less rigid than a unibody crossover like the GC, not to mention the intentionally flexible chassis of the Wrangler. Trailer sway stability absolutely suffers in the Wrangler, and is definitely the main reason the Wrangler has a low tow rating. I bet the Scrambler has a much stiffer chassis to enable its ~6500 lb towing capacity (in addition to its longer wheelbase).
 

bobzdar

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Removable top means the Wrangler structure is much less rigid than a unibody crossover like the GC, not to mention the intentionally flexible chassis of the Wrangler. Trailer sway stability absolutely suffers in the Wrangler, and is definitely the main reason the Wrangler has a low tow rating. I bet the Scrambler has a much stiffer chassis to enable its ~6500 lb towing capacity (in addition to its longer wheelbase).
I don't think chassis flex has anything to do with it, small pickups with a ladder frame (ie Colorado) will have more chassis flex by virtue of the bed not being connected to the cab. The wrangler has a ladder frame along with a continuous body that should allow less chassis flex than a separated cab/bed small pickup. I'm betting it's more a liability/crash issue with the removable top than anything, especially given non USA wranglers have a 5k tow rating.
 

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Gecko-JKU

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The previous go to answer was that the cross-member that the hitch is bolted to is the leading factor of the low tow rating. That tied with the "off road tuned" springs/shocks and smaller disc brakes combined to create the lower rating.

I pulled my 2k lb honda pioneer on a tilt bed trailer, it's too much for it on a single axle trailer for sure. I would hate to do a swerve to avoid an accident and end up causing one! I am bummed about how squirrely it felt, guess I'll just use the sierra.
Just to be clear, plenty of power, just not a great feel and I sure ain't gonna buy a new trailer on a hunch that it would improve how it handles. I would have it loaded with my family and all there stuff so I think it would only get worse than my trial run.
The Wrangler is very finicky IMO about trailer balancing. If you aren't properly load balanced it gets squirley quick. I've had my pop up trailer want to wiggle all over the place on the way out to a camping trip and be rock solid on the way home just from how I had the items placed inside the camper.
 

Oilslick

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The previous go to answer was that the cross-member that the hitch is bolted to is the leading factor of the low tow rating. That tied with the "off road tuned" springs/shocks and smaller disc brakes combined to create the lower rating.



The Wrangler is very finicky IMO about trailer balancing. If you aren't properly load balanced it gets squirley quick. I've had my pop up trailer want to wiggle all over the place on the way out to a camping trip and be rock solid on the way home just from how I had the items placed inside the camper.
Yeah, I might try again with a borrowed aluminum trailer, see if it's any better .
 

JASPER

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This guy on a Facebook JL group overloaded the shit out of his and stated it towed fine. Despite having a massive buttload of tongue weight. lol

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for the love of god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

JASPER

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has to be
That backend is really squatting! How much weight do you think that is?
over 600lb. ive stood on my hitch 230lb and my front end barely moves at all
 

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bobzdar

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I guess we know the hitch isn't the weak link, wow.

I'll be towing my airstream this weekend, it's over 3500lbs but I have a properly sized weight distributing hitch with sway control, once setup the jeep sits pretty level. We'll see how it does.
 

Hip2u77

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We might take our RZR somewhere this weekend. If we do I'll let you know how it does.

Ours is a '14 RZR 1000 that I've towed on numerous local trips and also from Kansas City to Moab and West Virginia 5 times with our '14 JKUR on stock tires (or 35s) using a Maxey 5x10 ATV trailer so I've been curious myself to how our JLUR will do. (Before anyone says it. . . that trailer is almost 900lbs. It's not a cheap Harbor Freight special.)

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bobzdar

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Speaking of weak links, are you vying for the 2018 Darwin Award?
It's way more competent than this, which is rated at 5k lbs with wd hitch. Incidentally it's rated at the exact same 350/3500lbs without wd hitch. My trailer is under 5k loaded, so we'll see.

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