New Tow Car

[woleary]

Ok, I am looking at buying a new or slightly used Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 6cyl 4x4 as a four on the ground tow car. I am new to toads so I am curious what people will think of this car as a toad, both Good and bad.

I am looking for ones that have manual transfer case so I can put the transfer case in neutral and my understanding is the steering column on those do not lock. What else do I need to be checking for?

What will I need to have done to it once I buy it to make it my Toad?

[webslave]

I'm going to say that you will be over your tow weight (if it is 5K, which is mostly likely your limit). That curb weight is most likely without any options; any options that you have on that vehicle over what comes on the stripped version will have to be added to that 4875 lbs. along with the weight of your tow equipment (base plate(s), tow bars, auxiliary braking equipment. It all adds up pretty quickly.

The bigger Jeeps are heavy, I had a 2008 Jeep Hemi Commander. It tipped the scales (with all the options) at 6627 lbs ready to tow. I currently tow the Jeep Cherokee in my signature and it tips the scales at 4880 lbs (as weighed at a CAT scale) and the curb weight was "listed" as 4400 lbs. I don't carry anything in the Jeep when I'm towing, so, you can see that my options and tow equipment added almost 500 lbs. to the "curb weight". I used to tow a 3/4 ton RAM 2500 CTD pickup that came in at a bit over 8,000 lbs, but, my diesel pusher couldn't tell it was back there...I could see the truck's mirrors so I knew it was still hooked up. My Jeep Cherokee is so small (comparatively) that unless I'm turning sharply, I can't see it at all. I use the RVi brake's communication system to let me know it is still hooked up...

[enblethen]

Make sure you check the owner's manual for weight of towable weight. Don't go just by what the hitch says.

[woleary]

That's a great link, Thank you. Now I am just looking a curb weights for these cars wondering how my RV will handle the weight of the Jeep Grand Cherokee? Only way to really know is to tow it but that's an expensive fix if I decided I think its to heavy.

[enblethen]

Go to this link and input your vehicle selection. You should be happy with results. May not the gospel but close!Remco Towing

[woleary]

Thanks for all the support, I am researching the answers to some of your questions

Year is 2015

Transmission: is The TorqueFlite® 8 eight-speed automatic transmission
Transfer case is Quadra trac 11
Curb weight is 4875

[lanerd]

Hi Bill, I had to go back over your old posts to see what kind of rv you have...it would be nice if you put this info in your signature so that everyone will know what you're talking about.

I agree with others... you need to pay close attention to the towing limit of the rv and the "actual" weight of the towed vehicle. By the way, a "tow" vehicle is the one doing the towing (such as your rv).

Some Class C's are only capable of 3500 lbs towing limit but most are 5000 lbs.

Sounds like you're wanting 4WD plus a little comfort. Can an AWD vehicle be a substitute for 4WD? Provide us with a little more info and we can better provide you with recommendations.

To answer your other question...you'll need a base plate (what the tow bar connects to) installed on the toad, light wiring (brake, tail, signal) installed, and a toad auxiliary braking system with breakaway capability.

Hope this helps

Ron

[dicknellen]

The base curb weight on a 2015 Jeep GC is almost 4700 lbs. Your Itasca hitch is probably rated at 5K. If you carry a few things in the Jeep you may be over 5K. I towed a 2004 Jeep GC that with gas and the normal things I carried in it when towing weighted a little over 4100 lbs and on the flat highways was fine, but pulling a grade I sure knew it was behind my 30' 2004 Class C with the V10. Dick

[j-d]

To Hank's point, Lighter IS Better! If you already have a heavy towable vehicle or you absolutely must have one to meet your actual needs, that's one thing.

But if you can go lighter, that's good. Even in hilly west Florida, we can feel the difference towing our Corolla vs. our Frontier pickup.

Hank and I have Class C motorhomes with Ford V10 engines. Class A gas coach might tow a little more easily, but the power's essentially the same. Got a Diesel Pusher? Sure, go ahead.

[Hank85713]

you also need to know how much you can tow and then how much one of these things weigh. My 94 ranger sc 2wd weighed in around 4000lbs and the rv has a 5000lb rating so since you are in the c section you will be very close to what you can tow I would guess. I think the jeep will be more than the ranger.

[enblethen]

Need to have more information.
Year?
Transmission?
Transfer case?