rob_engineer

As you can see from my avatar, I tow a heavy toyhauler. When fully loaded it i about 4500 pounds. All precautions are taken (dual axle brakes. Brake controller. Load dist hitch. Sway control. Safe driving speeds). My question is, when its time for new tires can I consider a lift and bigger tires or will it degrade my towing experience? 2012 JKU manual trans. 3.73 rear with max tow package. Currently running rubi takeoff tires. I just got back from a 700 mile round trip towing the trailer. It does fine, but I would not want it to get worse in any way.

2013-JeepJK

The Jeep is rated from the factory to tow ~2500lbs for a reason... Buy a pickup if you tow 4500.

4W-Jive

The bigger the tire you run, the less pulling power you'll have. It will be noticeable.

RescueGreen#3

Mods, duplicate post. Please delete

RescueGreen#3

Actually, the owners manual max tow says 3500 for a JKU with tow pkg.

In Europe the same configuration is rated at 5k (iirc). Go figure. You could probably get away with it BUT.... if you do get into a wreck, even though the other guy could be drunk, driving down the wrong side of the road with a blindfold on throwing strippers out of the trunk & you could still be liable simply because you were well over the vehicle manufactures recommended tow limit.


I tow a 3000 tent trailer with a JKU Sahara with tow pkg, 6 speed 3.8 engine, with a 2.5" TF lift, spidertrax spacers just fine. I don't like doing it too much but yes, I have taken it over the mountain passes.
I have also towed a 2500lb race car on a 1200 lb tandem axle trailer. Again, it did okay but I wouldn't make a habit of doing it across country anytime soon.

I'd buy a ford turbo diesel if I did





Here it was with factory 18" rims with 32.3" duelers



And the car... With 2.5" lift. Ps... I also had installed a professional grade brake controller system fwiw...




From rear...

rob_engineer

Thank you. This is the type I response I was hoping for. I am we'll aware of the rated capacity. I am also well aware of the higher rating for the exact same vehicle in other countries. I am also aware that the jeep liberty is rated for 5000 pounds even though that is lighter, narrower, shorter, and less powerful than the JKU. I have now towed my toyhauler over 4000 miles. Tows fine, I just don't want to degrade the experience any and want to keep that in mind when it's one to get new tires.

Ryan0260

If you plan on going with bigger tires, a regear will be a must in order to keep any towing ability.

DGriz

I agree with the previous poster... re-gear!

I have been towing my travel trailer for almost 2 years now, dry weight 3,000 lbs, and with stock tires and 4:10 gears it was pulling like a champ. As soon as I went to 33" tires, I lost ALOT of power. It's especially noticeable while climbing. Where I used to maintain 55 mph on a 6% grade, I now barely manage to keep it above 40 mph.

Oh, and I'd recommend a trans cooler too if you haven't already added one. The Superchips tuner with tow setting sure is a nice addition as well.

RescueGreen#3

Ahhhh, no worries. It's great that you are well aware. Just a nod of warning from experience however, I have owend my JKU for nearly six years with many more towing miles than 4k.
I have had to replace rear gears, differential carrier, throwout bearing, clutch.

Please understand that the oem parts/ components of a JK towing are a bit on the chinsey side. The stuff just isn't HD enough. 4k+ is a lot of weighty for the vehicles components. You surely do not have to take my well earned advice of experience but I just wanted to throw it out there. Be safe

rob_engineer

I truly do appreciate your real world experience. I did not go into this blindly. I really wanted a JKU and I really wanted a toyhauler. I got the best towing ability I could with the JKU and I got the smallest toyhauler that met my needs. I think that the 3500 rating is an artificial number based on the fact that the same exact vehicle is rated higher in other countries and the fact that the liberty is rated for 5000. I never can find the true story about why the JKU is officially limited to 3500. Some say its because the top (or lack thereof) does not protect the occupants in the ever of a crash, which is why uhaul has policies against renting trailers to wranglers. Others say its because t can't maintain 45mph over some mountain pass. I am comfortable with pulling 4500 and I appreciate that it may wear things out faster than if I was not towing. Can you elaborate on the items you had to replace. At what mileage? Purely due to towing, or was there some offloading as well?