Towing a JKRU - what vehicle?

[ChrisL]

I need to buy a new vehicle and need to tow but don't really want a traditional pickup truck since I would need a 4 door for the kids and I think they are too big.

Anyone know what a JKRU "built" weighs on a trailer? If we convert our jeep to offroad only, we would go with 40-42" tires and Dana 60s or whatever.

Our biggest boat is only 6000 pounds which is within the range of most cars I am looking at.

Does a jeep on a steel trailer weigh 6000 pounds? 7500 pounds? Is it a lot more? I really have no idea.

Would you tow a jeep on a trailer with a Gladiator with the "max tow" package which is 7650 pounds with the gas engine. For some reason, I guess GVWR, the diesel tows 1000 pounds less.

I am also waiting for the new Toyota Sequoia to come out, 9500 pounds towing capacity.

I am also looking at a BMW X5 and Mercedes GLS450/550 but I don't think that makes a ton of sense.

My cousin, who owns a boatyard in NH told me to buy a Chevy 2500 and don't look back, LOL.

Chris

[BlackNBlue-ISH]

My truck, trailer and keep weigh a combined 12,600 lbs. the truck is likely around 6k, the trailer is 2k, so that leaves 4,600 lbs of mostly stock weight TJ on 35’s. The JKRU is much more especially with D60’s and 37-40’s

I’ve towed with a Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 and now towing with a ram 1500 with the 5.7. I can’t imagine towing with a V6 and while it’ll technically do it, I’m not sure I’d want to. You may have the wheelbase, but it’s everything else like drivetrain and definitely the brakes.

On the plus side, my 2019 ram classic gets almost 20-21mpg highway and has room for all my stuff and friends if I had ‘em.

[Car Jack]

The longer the wheelbase, the less the trailer affects the tow vehicle. You also could consider an aluminum trailer. After my first steel/wood deck trailer which weighed way too much, I went with aluminum and was really happy. I also upped my wheelbase from a TJ (yes) to a Suburban which allowed my to up my trailer from a 14' open aluminum (900 pounds empty) to a 16' enclosed aluminum (2100 pounds empty). I actually stopped one night on the way home from the racetrack because it felt like I lost my trailer completely. I hadn't, it just didn't move my Suburban around.

So how about a Suburban? With my kids at the time, I could put one in the 3rd row passenger side and the other 2nd row driver side and they couldn't touch each other (so no screaming kids). But they still could smile at each other (so after a while, screaming kids) I also found that the Suburban pulling the enclosed trailer got about 10 mpg better than my TJ (4.0L) did towing.

[mudpup96]

if you got the big bucks and want the interior space for things, check out the wagonner. 5.7 hemi, truck frame with a 10k tow cap but at a big price tag.

[MDSRACING398]

The jk on tons and 42's is going to be around 6500lbs.
So scratch 7000 lb car trailer off. Now your on to a 10 or 12,000 lb trailer. Conservatively say 2,000lbs. Add gear. Your around 9,000. 3/4 ton or bigger don't look back. People say they pull with this and that even 1/2 tons. It's not safe. Going to wear parts out faster too.

[pirahnah3]

What ^^^ that man said.

Ill say that my 2500 doesnt even know there is a trailer back there no matter what the load I have on. Have I moved a 7k trailer with a car on it with a half ton, yes, but it def needed a lot more motivation to get moving and allow plenty of stopping space.

[RandyCarol]

In my younger days I used to flat tow a built Samurai with a Toyota pickup (pre Tacoma). Yikes.

[ChrisL]

Thanks, everyone for the feedback, I have a few boat trailers and landscaping trailers but did not realize the weight of a car trailer. Does a 10k trailer still have a hitch ball or does that go to a pintle hitch?

A suburban would fit into the 1500 size truck category I assume? Sounds like I should get a 3/4 ton for towing. Seems like even a "full size" 1500 isn't a perfect tow rig for these weights.

The search continues!

[Kurt]

Hitch ball. 2 5/8"

[TheDirector]

On the plus side, my 2019 ram classic gets almost 20-21mpg highway and has room for all my stuff and friends if I had ‘em.

OMG! That is awesome, ill be your friend if you want.

[TheDirector]

The jk on tons and 42's is going to be around 6500lbs.
So scratch 7000 lb car trailer off. Now your on to a 10 or 12,000 lb trailer. Conservatively say 2,000lbs. Add gear. Your around 9,000. 3/4 ton or bigger don't look back. People say they pull with this and that even 1/2 tons. It's not safe. Going to wear parts out faster too.

And yes, definitely be safe, my neighbor towed something too heavy for his 1500 and ended up flipping it and wrecking the vehicle, trailer and load. He's lucky it wasn't more.

[nostaw]

A suburban would fit into the 1500 size truck category I assume? Sounds like I should get a 3/4 ton for towing. Seems like even a "full size" 1500 isn't a perfect tow rig for these weights.

There are versions of the Suburban that are 3/4 ton / 2500 models that can tow up to 9600 lbs. Look here:

https://www.autopadre.com/towing-capaci ... t-suburban

That's got towing capacity for every Suburban model/engine combo from '02 to '22.

JW