Cherokee as tow vehicle question

I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I don't
know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some point
someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.

It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI
sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving members
of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550 pounds.

Lee Ayrton wrote:
> I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I
> don't know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some
> point someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.
>
> It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI
> sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving
> members of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550
> pounds.

Factory tow group came with a transmission cooler added to the front
of the radiator. Given this is winter, that shouldn't be an issue.
I towed a U-haul from Calgary AB to Oklahoma with no problems.

Max tow capacity for the XJ is 5,000 lbs. But hitch weight and angle
are as important as trailer weight.

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-trailertowtips.aspx
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/how...1/article.html
http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm

You also should have a good set of shocks and no iffy suspension bits.

Don't forget to put on runaway chains, those are required by law.
A couple sections of midweight chain long enough to allow the
trailer to turn and short enough to not drag on the ground.
I secured mine with a set of padlocks. As a bonus that means
no one could take my trailer while I was in the hotel.

I always had to think about two turns ahead in order to pull through.
Backing a trailer isn't rocket science, but I prefer not to.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

"L.W.\(Bill\) Hughes III" > wrote in
:

> http://www.goat****erbill.com/DickheadHughes.html

Fixed.

--
Cujo - The Official Overseer of Kooks and Trolls in dfw.*,
alt.paranormal, alt.astrology and alt.astrology.metapsych. Supreme Holy
Overlord of alt.****nozzles. Winner of the 8/2000, 2/2003 & 4/2007 HL&S
award. July 2005 Hammer of Thor. Winning Trainer - Barbara Woodhouse
Memorial Dog Whistle - 12/2005 & 4/2008. COOSN-266-06-01895.
"I've been called an asshole in about every language now!!!" -
Roberta "Mop Jockey" Wolfe in a rare moment of honesty.

DougW wrote:

> Lee Ayrton wrote:
>> I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I
>> don't know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some
>> point someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.
>>
>> It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI
>> sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving
>> members of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550
>> pounds.
>
> Factory tow group came with a transmission cooler added to the front
> of the radiator. Given this is winter, that shouldn't be an issue.
> I towed a U-haul from Calgary AB to Oklahoma with no problems.
>
> Max tow capacity for the XJ is 5,000 lbs. But hitch weight and angle
> are as important as trailer weight.
>
> http://www.etrailer.com/faq-trailertowtips.aspx
> http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/how...1/article.html
> http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm
>
> You also should have a good set of shocks and no iffy suspension bits.
>
> Don't forget to put on runaway chains, those are required by law.
> A couple sections of midweight chain long enough to allow the
> trailer to turn and short enough to not drag on the ground.
> I secured mine with a set of padlocks. As a bonus that means
> no one could take my trailer while I was in the hotel.
>
> I always had to think about two turns ahead in order to pull through.
> Backing a trailer isn't rocket science, but I prefer not to.

That 2 inch tow rig is probably the limiting factor. My '88 FSM gives a
couple of configuration related tow limits that depend on the engine and
tranny you have. 6-cyl and auto show up to 5k with the factory package but
that drops down to just under 2k with either a 4-Banger and manual tranny.
Funny part is that the auto is rated to pull more than the manual.

Your likely limit is what U-Haul says, regardless of the what the factory
says and you'll be limited by contract (and automagically liable if
anything goes south on you if you exceed their limits) so swallow hard and
be comfortable that the company limits are conservatively below any
configuration limits on the hardware.

--
Will Honea

"Lee Ayrton" > wrote in message
news
>
>
> I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I don't
> know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some point
> someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.
>
> It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI
> sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving members
> of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550 pounds.
>
>
>


First off with the XJ, U-haul wouldn't rent me any bigger than a 5'x8'
enclosed trailer.
Secondly, since no one else mentioned it...DO NOT tow in overdrive.
I overheated the tranny and spewwed fluid out the vent on the 5 mile trip
home with the empty trailer. Filled the tranny back up, crammed the trailer
as full as I could get it and towed from Sonora, CA to Mountain View, AR in
Drive with no further problems.

--
Old Crow
'82 FLTC(P) 'Mistress Pearl'
'87 FLTC 'Fugly'
'61 F-100
BS#133, SENS, TOMKAT, SLOB#13, MAMBM

On Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:27:49 -0600, Old Crow wrote:

> "Lee Ayrton" > wrote in message
> news
>>
>>
>> I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I don't
>> know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some point
>> someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.
>>
>> It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI
>> sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving members
>> of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550 pounds.
>
> First off with the XJ, U-haul wouldn't rent me any bigger than a 5'x8'
> enclosed trailer.

I wondered about that.


> Secondly, since no one else mentioned it...DO NOT tow in overdrive.
> I overheated the tranny and spewwed fluid out the vent on the 5 mile trip
> home with the empty trailer. Filled the tranny back up, crammed the trailer
> as full as I could get it and towed from Sonora, CA to Mountain View, AR in
> Drive with no further problems.

Yeap. I did remember the "don't tow in OD" from a long ago thread, but
thanks for refreshing my memory.

On Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:56:15 -0700, Will Honea wrote:

> Your likely limit is what U-Haul says, regardless of the what the factory
> says and you'll be limited by contract (and automagically liable if
> anything goes south on you if you exceed their limits) so swallow hard and
> be comfortable that the company limits are conservatively below any
> configuration limits on the hardware.

Thanks, good to know.

"Lee Ayrton" > wrote in message
news
>
>
> I have a 97 Cherokee, 4.0, auto, /part/time 4WD transfer case. I don't
> know if it has any sort of facotry towing package but at some point
> someone put a 2" frame-mount receiver on it.
>
> It is possible that I'll want to two a UHaul box trailer from AZ to RI

That's going the wrong way. ;^)

Earle

> sometime in the next few months. How much weight do the surviving members
> of RAMJ-W think I can safely tow? UHaul says up to 1550 pounds.
>
>
>