Jeep Grand Cherokee Tow Vehicle

[Bigventure]

Originally Posted by TrvlnRN

This thread has been extremely helpful in selecting a TV. I traded in my Audi A5 today for a '16 JGC Limited Anniversary Edition. They're adding the tow package for me to pull my '76 Argosy 22'. It's a lovely ride and I'm confident with my choice. Now on to selecting tow accessories and we're ready to hit the road!

You need a full size spare tire as well. The trailer towing package also has extra cooling. There should be a wire pig tail in a bag in the glove box to hook up your brake controller too.

[AirstreamJim]

Originally Posted by TrvlnRN

This thread has been extremely helpful in selecting a TV. I traded in my Audi A5 today for a '16 JGC Limited Anniversary Edition. They're adding the tow package for me to pull my '76 Argosy 22'. It's a lovely ride and I'm confident with my choice. Now on to selecting tow accessories and we're ready to hit the road!

Which engine? You are limited to 5,000 lbs tow capacity with the 3.6L V6. Also, having the dealer install the "tow package" as an option is not the same as getting the factory Trailer Tow Package VI option. At the least you won't get the rear load leveling suspension, and there may be other things you don't get as well. Also, I believe you won't get the trailer brake controller wiring harness under the dash, which means someone (the dealer, l hope) will have to splice wiring under your dash.

You should strongly consider buying a vehicle that came from the factory with the trailer tow package.

Jim

[mazoolah]

Anybody set up a hensley with the air suspension ? We are thinking about going up to a 25 (20 now) and am interested in the hensley as a posible upgrade from the equil i zer . Its working fine , but if im buying new bars etc , i could be talked in to it .tighter turning radius could be good ,not sure if weight transfer or ride would inprove? I know it has got to be quieter ha!

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by mazoolah

Anybody set up a hensley with the air suspension ?

Yes and it is easily done. The self-leveling can be turned off so that the effects of the weight transfer are readily seen. How to turn it off varies with the year of the Jeep, but is the same as disabling the self-leveling for changing a tire.

Any weighing you would want to do at truck scales doesn't require turning off the self-leveling.

Tim

[Williker]

2006 Jeep Commander with 5.7 HEMI.
I've been towing a 3.5 Ton dump trailer for years without WD and a 1992 25' Excella Classic with WD, the Jeep pulls both with ease. Brakes very well, doesn't overheat on hills and is very comfortable to drive in any weather. I might think twice if I moved up in size but the 25 is no problem.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by mazoolah

Anybody set up a hensley with the air suspension ? We are thinking about going up to a 25 (20 now) and am interested in the hensley as a posible upgrade from the equil i zer . Its working fine , but if im buying new bars etc , i could be talked in to it .tighter turning radius could be good ,not sure if weight transfer or ride would inprove? I know it has got to be quieter ha!

Yes on my 2011 JGC the system can be temporally disabled. It automatically reactivates at 15 miles an hour. I have no idea how that would effect the set up of the hensley.

[AirDFW]

[QUOTE=AirJackson;1778137]I just started towing my 23' with a Jeep GC diesel. Power is great and braking seems adequate. The only problem I have experienced is when traveling down a long'ish grade then into a curve. Twice on the way down to Florida and three times on the way back (from Ohio) we experienced significant swaying. Think "white knuckles on the steering wheel". It was enough that I will be trading this Jeep soon for a pickup like a Tundra (smallest) or Denali diesel as we are planning an extended trip out west late this summer. Live and learn.[/

[Williker]

Sway would be you hitch setup and tounge weight balance. You will get sway with any vehicle if you hitch is not set up properly. A Grand Cherokee is more than capable of pulling a 23' Airstream unless you over weigh the trailer.

[mazoolah]

[QUOTE=AirDFW;1985032]

Originally Posted by AirJackson

I just started towing my 23' with a Jeep GC diesel. Power is great and braking seems adequate. The only problem I have experienced is when traveling down a long'ish grade then into a curve. Twice on the way down to Florida and three times on the way back (from Ohio) we experienced significant swaying. Think "white knuckles on the steering wheel". It was enough that I will be trading this Jeep soon for a pickup like a Tundra (smallest) or Denali diesel as we are planning an extended trip out west late this summer. Live and learn.[/

I would never butt in to someones choice, however i would like to say I've had good luck with my grand Cherokee ,pulling both my old 20 foot and my new 25 . Perhaps have someone look at your setup? I am no expert but between reading setup threads here ,watching youtube ,and talking to streamers at rallies ,i have fine-tuned my setup. I have it to where it feels really planted .Might save you some money if you can get yours tweaked to where it tows better ? And on the reverse of that suggestion ,a second opinion might help you validate your decision to change . Most important is that you feel you have a safe rig ,and can enjoy the ride .good luck

[VernDiesel]

Terryg post 50. Good post. I have some info. Here is a link for a better price on the filterpan. Half the price.

https://www.moparpartsstore.com/ram/...name=trans-pan

You can also get trans fluid that meets proper spec for warranty for less than half the price than the trans fluid that Mopar slapped its name on. Amsoil has some. B&N in Ohio will also blend some to spec for you & put the spec on the jug. Many also use Valvoline max life a full synthetic. Last I picked some up on sale $22 a gallon in the Red jug. It only takes 6 quarts for a pan drop. A good transfer pump makes it quicker easier & cleaner. Follow the instructions. For temps I used the in dash digital trans temp.

I change it every 100k and have 340,000 miles on my ED Ram transporting AS & other TTs from the Mfgs to dealerships. No problems with this transmission.

The heat thing if the Jeep works like the Ram just keep the sustained climb rpms below 3k & let it drop to the gear & speed it needs to (likely no less than 50) and you should never have a heat derate where the computer pulls fuel.

AirJackson as others have alluded to get a properly sized WDH with built in sway control take her to a CAT scale get trailer & truck measured level with the most equal axle weight distribution and you will have a safe stable combination. Size of the TV certainly isn't irrelevant but it should be secondary to proper set up and not used as a cover up. (As many do)

[Airhead2018]

When inquiring about the weight handling capabilities of our Suburban towing the 30' Classic the salesman told us he was going to tow his 30' Classic with his JC. That's why he got the hemi. After towing with our Suburban we think he is full of it!

[vselec]

Originally Posted by Carmel-Jon

Considering a 2015 Diesel Grand Cherokee TV for 19' International Serenity.
Tired of driving a truck.

Anyone out there pulling with a grand Cherokee?
How would it handle a 4500# trailer?

Thanks,
Carmel-Jon

Have pulled my 2008 19' international with my 2015 GC diesel sense new and it pulls like a dream no issues at all. Just purchased a 25' 2018 but dont have it yet, I hope the jeep pulls that as good.

[AirstreamJim]

Originally Posted by vselec

Have pulled my 2008 19' international with my 2015 GC diesel sense new and it pulls like a dream no issues at all. Just purchased a 25' 2018 but dont have it yet, I hope the jeep pulls that as good.

We pulled our 25FB with our 2015 GC Diesel for a few months before we upgraded to a RAM 2500. Here's why we upgraded: payload (or more accurately, lack of payload capacity).

The JGC has a max payload rating of 1050 lbs. according to the door jamb sticker. That 1050 lbs. has to cover your tongue weight, WD hitch weight, all the humans inside the Jeep, all the pets inside the Jeep, and all the gear/cargo inside the Jeep. In most cases, with a 25FB Airstream, you run out of payload capacity at tongue weight plus first human. Leave the spouse, kids, and dog home.

We did it for a few months. The Jeep towed beautifully, we enjoyed the tow experience. We didn't enjoy the nagging thought that we overloaded the Jeep every time we pulled the Airstream. When we got a financial windfall a few months after we bought our Airstream, we bought the RAM 2500 and haven't thought about payload, tongue weight, or anything else, since. We had our ProPride hitch set up properly, dragged it across the CAT scales to make sure we were good, and went camping.

Jim

[tmcguffy]

I pulled a 2014 25 FC for about 15,000 miles a lot of it in the mountains. I just bought a 2015 27 FC and pulled it back from Oregon to N.M. The Jeep did fine. I keep the Jeep and the trailer light as much as possible. There is no doubt that a big truck is a better tv but then your stuck with a big truck all the time.
Tom

[Troutboy]

I towed our 2017 23D FC for one year with our JGC 2014 Summit. I modified the batteries and power system in the AS and was able to drop the tongue weight of the AS to 600 pounds.

As a previous poster stated, the issue is payload. That 1050 is just not enough if you have a decent size trailer and family. Take the 600 pound tongue weight (higher on a stock trailer or larger AS), and that left us just 450 pounds for people, cargo and pets. With 5 passengers (3 kids and a wife) and. 70 pound dog we were already at 600 pounds without anything else in the vehicle. I just got an F150 with an 1800 pound payload.

The Jeep towed the 23D nicely. No issues. I live in Colorado. It did strain the engine in the mountains and I had to run the engine at higher RPMs in the mountains, 3000-4000 RPM. The engine was made for that, but it is louder than normal as well. On steep mountains, top speeds were 50 mph.

Remember, the JCG has a max tow capability around 7200 pounds. When we bought the AS, we felt the 23 (max weight of 6000) was the largest we could adequately and safely pull given our family size.

On another note, I loved the JGC. However, I feel I had a lemon. The list of issues I had to fix in such a new car was overwhelming. We replaced the radiator, the alternator, the main blower, the ac compressor, the front differential, transmission cooling lines, wiper motors, just to name a few. The Jeep,was great up until around 40-45k miles, then it started to fall apart. I had an extended warranty that covered all of this, but was at 95k miles, and the warranty ended at 100k. It was disappointing, but the quality on my Jeep was very poor, and I couldn’t see driving it anymore.

I have never owned a truck, and have a 90 mile round trip work commute. One week in and I can say that the drive quality is incredible as well as the gas mileage. I’m getting over 20 mpg depending on how much around town driving I do, and the ride is smooth and cabin is quiet.

I don’t have all the bells and whistles and tech I had in the Jeep, but I like it so far. There is a learning curve on parking for sure, still seems like I am doing 5 point turns to park.

All in all, the Jeep did fine, but now I don’t worry about payload or towing and revving engine in mountains. Oh, and if you like the bells and whistles, you can get that on the new trucks, if you are willing to dish out the $$$$

My truck is a 2018 Ford F-150 XLT

[Jim Flower]

Originally Posted by Troutboy

I towed our 2017 23D FC for one year with our JGC 2014 Summit. I modified the batteries and power system in the AS and was able to drop the tongue weight of the AS to 600 pounds.

As a previous poster stated, the issue is payload. That 1050 is just not enough if you have a decent size trailer and family. Take the 600 pound tongue weight (higher on a stock trailer or larger AS), and that left us just 450 pounds for people, cargo and pets. With 5 passengers (3 kids and a wife) and. 70 pound dog we were already at 600 pounds without anything else in the vehicle. I just got an F150 with an 1800 pound payload.

The Jeep towed the 23D nicely. No issues. I live in Colorado. It did strain the engine in the mountains and I had to run the engine at higher RPMs in the mountains, 3000-4000 RPM. The engine was made for that, but it is louder than normal as well. On steep mountains, top speeds were 50 mph.

Remember, the JCG has a max tow capability around 7200 pounds. When we bought the AS, we felt the 23 (max weight of 6000) was the largest we could adequately and safely pull given our family size.

On another note, I loved the JGC. However, I feel I had a lemon. The list of issues I had to fix in such a new car was overwhelming. We replaced the radiator, the alternator, the main blower, the ac compressor, the front differential, transmission cooling lines, wiper motors, just to name a few. The Jeep,was great up until around 40-45k miles, then it started to fall apart. I had an extended warranty that covered all of this, but was at 95k miles, and the warranty ended at 100k. It was disappointing, but the quality on my Jeep was very poor, and I couldn’t see driving it anymore.

I have never owned a truck, and have a 90 mile round trip work commute. One week in and I can say that the drive quality is incredible as well as the gas mileage. I’m getting over 20 mpg depending on how much around town driving I do, and the ride is smooth and cabin is quiet.

I don’t have all the bells and whistles and tech I had in the Jeep, but I like it so far. There is a learning curve on parking for sure, still seems like I am doing 5 point turns to park.

All in all, the Jeep did fine, but now I don’t worry about payload or towing and revving engine in mountains. Oh, and if you like the bells and whistles, you can get that on the new trucks, if you are willing to dish out the $$$$

My truck is a 2018 Ford F-150 XLT

Attachment 302824
My old 2008 Jeep Diesel tow vehicle dropped in for a visit at Markham Park. The Jeep now has almost 500,000 k on it. It was a great tow vehicle but not nearly as good as my current 2014 Jeep Diesel. Both Jeeps set up by Can Am for towing a 30 footer.
Jim

[Jim Flower]

My old 2008 Jeep Diesel tow vehicle dropped in for a visit at Markham Park. The Jeep now has almost 500,000 k on it. It was a great tow vehicle but not nearly as good as my current 2014 Jeep Diesel. Both Jeeps set up by Can Am for towing a 30 footer.
Jim

[bono]

Hi Jim,

What are the specs of your trailer (weight, TW)? What is your maintenance schedule when you are towing? How often you change the engine oil, transmission oil, other?

I am towing 7k lbs / 33 ft long trailer with BMW X5. It tows great, so far over 8k towing miles. I started changing the engine oil every 7,5k miles vs. 10k miles before.

Thanks!

[Jim Flower]

Hi Bono, I perform all maintenance in accordance with schedule B (rough service) of the manufactures recommendations regardless of towing or not towing. My Airstream usually exceeds 7000 lbs. I rarely accelerate or stop quickly and I cruise along at 62mph. Your X5 should easily match or exceed the performance of my Jeeps if it is a Diesel. I do not have much faith in 3l gas engines for towing 7000 lbs. Jim

[Troutboy]

Guess I should have gotten a diesel Jim. I really liked the Jeep but just couldn’t get over all of the issues we had.

Has your 2014 been good? No radiator or alternator issues? How many miles on it??

A broker friend here in Co had forensic history in cats turned in, and for the Jeep GC gas, the average engine miles to replacement was in the 140k - 160k range.

My older Jeep Cherokee (box style) had two engines replaced. Maybe I drive them wrong or I just have bad luck.