How much boat will a Jeep Wrangler tow / launch?
#41
Senior Member

We used to pull a 17 Montauk with an early 90's 4 cylinder Wrangler. it pulled and launched fine, but withtht extra weight, the car was slower than Christmas and that is saying a lot since a 4 cylinder Wrangler without anything behind it redefines slow..
The hardest pulling short wheelbase Jeep that I have ever heard of was the TDI Liberty. I seem to recall it having a 6500 pound capability. Unfortunately, that model was available everywhere else in the world other than our market and can only be had in the US in a "kit" form that is beefed up to military standards by an aftermarket contractor and certified for "of road" use. The price without the crate motor is north of $45K
There was talk about that turbodiesel engine being made available for the previous generation Wranglers as a crate motor, including the original two door long wheelbase model, but in light of Chryslers subsequent troubles, I think that went nowhere. Theengine will not pas current emissions regs and from what I have heard, Chrysler/Fiat has no intentions of bringing the current Euro 4/5 compliant version into the US anytime soon.

There was talk about that turbodiesel engine being made available for the previous generation Wranglers as a crate motor, including the original two door long wheelbase model, but in light of Chryslers subsequent troubles, I think that went nowhere. Theengine will not pas current emissions regs and from what I have heard, Chrysler/Fiat has no intentions of bringing the current Euro 4/5 compliant version into the US anytime soon.
They made the diesel as an option in 2005-2006. They are hard to come by but you can find them. 6500# towing and 24mpg on the highway. Not bad from such a little car.
-Svence
#42
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Location: Emerald Isle, North Carolina
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Let me start by saying that I am aware this is a ridiculous question...
I am thinking about getting a new boat in the 20-24' range (WAC or CC) and I just don't understand how to figure the towing capacity while factoring in the short wheel-base of the Jeep Wrangler. (It is a V6 2004 with 4WD and the boat ramp is literally 1 mile from my house.)
Frankly, I think it is a really bad idea. My nightmare is that a boat that size will jack knife the Jeep or pull it into the water on a steep ramp.
Having said all that... any horror stories or success stories of Wrangler towing and launching out there?!?!
;?
I am thinking about getting a new boat in the 20-24' range (WAC or CC) and I just don't understand how to figure the towing capacity while factoring in the short wheel-base of the Jeep Wrangler. (It is a V6 2004 with 4WD and the boat ramp is literally 1 mile from my house.)
Frankly, I think it is a really bad idea. My nightmare is that a boat that size will jack knife the Jeep or pull it into the water on a steep ramp.
Having said all that... any horror stories or success stories of Wrangler towing and launching out there?!?!
;?
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...ty-chart17.htm
#45
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Location: Houston, TX / Point Clear, AL
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I did a Google search " Jeep Wrangler towing capacity". Heres what I got. Says max towing capacity is 1000 lbs. I had a buddy that used to tow his 24' Superboat to the ramp with his. It was only a 5 block drive. He wouldn't advise trailering it on the the highways. Make sure the trailer is set up properly, with the proper tongue weight.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...ty-chart17.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...ty-chart17.htm
#47
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Pulling was never a problem with my 22 foot boat and the old cj 6 cyl. It was stopping!!! A 20 foot boat on a trailer without breaks will push the jeep on a wet road with the breaks locked up for a long ways. I never hit anything but it sure made it interesting. The dare devil days of youth, i lived through them and grew out of them.
#48
Senior Member

I bought a new jeep cherokee country 4.0 in 1996...went and had a hitch
put on it....In 1999 I bought a new 21.7 trophy walkaround...I used the jeep to tow the trophy about a half hour each way four to eight times
a year on busy streets and at times on the highway....never once had
a problem....starting or stopping
the trophy weighed about 50 pounds less the the same size grady....
sold the trophy a three years ago but still have the jeep....spent 300.00
once at Cottmans for some minor problem...
put on it....In 1999 I bought a new 21.7 trophy walkaround...I used the jeep to tow the trophy about a half hour each way four to eight times
a year on busy streets and at times on the highway....never once had
a problem....starting or stopping
the trophy weighed about 50 pounds less the the same size grady....
sold the trophy a three years ago but still have the jeep....spent 300.00
once at Cottmans for some minor problem...
#49

You are talking about the Liberty, right? It had the VM Motori 2.8 liter I-4. I meant that the never got the Wrangler version, but they are all over Europe. The "crate" motor for the older Wranglers was supposed to be that engine, but without the troublesome O2 sensor.
#53
Senior Member

You should also have a tranny cooler installed....a rebuilt tranny is $2000 for that Jeep and it will overheat when towing in the summer months.....
#54
Member

There is a lot to this topic indeed. I've been a jeeper all my life, owning 6 of them over the past 15 years. I've towed with most of them. I currently own a 19' CC, I really wanted a 21-23 but because of my jeep I couldn't. As stated time and time again here, it's not the pulling, it's the stopping. I tow my boat all over Long Island (going to Montauk tomorrow) as well as upstate a couple times a year so I needed something I could safely tow. I'm at about 3K fully loaded (1600lb hull, 400 engine, trailer and fuel another 1K or so) and it's ok. I just have to leave some extra space and drive cautiously.
The towing capacity of most jeep wranglers (reg wheelbase) with the 6 cylinder is 2000 lbs. The same drivetrain in an Unlimited Wrangler (long wheelbase) is 3500 lbs. Again, this is because of the short wheelbase jeeps being pushed from behind. If you really need to pull anything larger make sure the trailer has good brakes.
The towing capacity of most jeep wranglers (reg wheelbase) with the 6 cylinder is 2000 lbs. The same drivetrain in an Unlimited Wrangler (long wheelbase) is 3500 lbs. Again, this is because of the short wheelbase jeeps being pushed from behind. If you really need to pull anything larger make sure the trailer has good brakes.