IdahoXJ97

I own a '97 XJ and I'm wanting to pull an aluminum bumper pull 2 horse trailer. Is that even possible to do with my Jeep? Everything I find online is about Grand Cherokees, and the general consensus is not to pull horses with those.

If I can pull a trailer with my Jeep, what all do I need to put on it?

Thanks in advance!

Martlor13

First off how much does the trailer weigh and how many horses will you carry? The jeep cherokee is only rated for 3500 pounds for towing. I think that is correct. If people are saying that about grand cherokees then no way should you pull it on xjs then.

cruiser54

5000 lb rating with load equalizing Class III hitch, 4.0, auto trans, and trans cooler.

Martlor13

Ahhhhh thanks for the correction. But that's the max with everything right?

cruiser54

Yep. Right out of the owner's manual.

andrewmp6

A 2 horse trailer is 2400lbs if it dont have a dressing room,If it does then its 3200 lbs.A horse about 1000 lbs to 1200lbs,Then add in a bale of hay,Food water anything else you need to carry your close to that 5k mark if not over it.How far do you need to take the trailer ?

BlueRidgeMark

Andrew, your math is off. With just a pair of 1000 lb. horses, he's over the 5000 mark.


In other words, this ain't gonna work!

It will pull it with no problem. Keeping it going down the road in a straight line is questionable, stopping will be exciting, and any emergency stop will end in disaster.

Fred/N0AZZ

Mark is right as I have pulled quite a few horse and cattle trailers and one thing I would not want is a couple of horses moving around at the same time behind my short wheelbase XJ. Knowing what it feels like behind our 3/4 and 1 ton trucks then add in feed, tack, grooming supplies may be more than the OP wants to even consider.

IdahoXJ97

Sorry it was kind of a dumb question. I've seen some people do it, I don't know how far they pull. But when I researched it there was a lot of people saying no, so I thought I'd just ask and make sure. Thanks for all the replies

Fred/N0AZZ

No need to be sorry it was one of those questions where could I do this vs. should I do this. Just because you can doesn't mean you should because someone else had did it....


Welcome to the forum!!!

BlueRidgeMark

Nope. Not dumb question. Good question.


Good because you asked first, instead of just going out and doing dumb.

cruiser54

Agreed.

andrewmp6

I rather you ask then do something that could hurt you or others.

AceWhite

Nitro Circus would do it......

Anony

I don't usually tow much over 2000 lbs as this is what a stock XJ can adequately tow with out any problems. Going heavier towards 5000 lbs the XJ starts to become bogged, possible problems can occur such as trailer wag, effect steering, braking, shifting, etc. The TW (tongue weight) for the XJ is around of a maximum of 500 lbs. I once tried loading a fairly heavy 6x12 cargo trailer and the rear end sank 4+ inches, way to low for towing.

My tow hitch sticker shows: 2000 lbs max. and 5000 lbs max with weight dist. gear. ( My XJ didn't come with a tow package, appears to have a factory hitch with wiring)

If you want to look at it from an insurance company perspective the tow capacity can be calculated in part from a vehicles GVWR rating on the door sticker or the GCWR (gross combined weight rating) if the vehicle has one. If in an accident an insurance company might try to determine a vehicles GVW weight and add it to the trailer weight, trying to determine some sort of GCW (gross combined weight) or GCWR.

Here's a couple towing calculators

http://www.huskytow.com/towing-calculator/

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-...eight-tt.shtml


Technically the GVWR can only be changed by the auto manufacture. This is the rating insurance companies sometimes use in case an accident that occurs due to being overweight, overloaded, etc. However the insurance company would also need to look at the tow capacity ratings ***.

The GVWR is often used by RV'ers who tow trailers, toads, etc behind their motorhomes. Also used when towing 5th wheels and trailers.

My XJ door sticker GVWR is 4900 lbs, there are also some axle ratings.
__________________

*** For towing capacity (not to be confused with GVWR) A 2000 XJ specification PDF has towing capacity as:

Max. Gross Trailer Weight Std. _______ 2000 lbs. (900kg)

Optional ________ 5000 lbs. (2250 Kg) - must have auto. trans.

Jeep weight specifications:

Curb Weight - Estimate: from 3015 lbs. to 3353 lbs.

Payload (Includes Occupants & Cargo) ___~1150 lbs. (590 kg) (+/- depending on year, options, aftermarket suspension, etc.)

Weight Distribution, %F/R ______ 53/47

____

When towing much over 2000 lbs I recommend a weight distribution hitch. A weight distribution hitch helps to stabilized the trailer and ball hitch as it offloads the TW to the front of the tow vehicle. XJ's hitches Class III are usually rated for a max. 500 lbs TW.

Here's one explanation of the above towing capacity ratings from Jeep.
________
The 5000 pounds is the maximum allowable unhitched weight of the fully loaded trailer sitting on the scales. Then one uses the 10% to 15% tongue weight guidelines so it tows properly which means that the tongue weight should be between 500 and 750 pounds. ( TW exceeding much over 500 lbs, possibly 500 lbs and under, depending on payload, condition of suspension, etc. a stock XJ's is going to have problems without a WDH)

If a properly configured weight distribution hitch were used, the theory is that ⅓ of the tongue weight is on each axle of the tow vehicle and the remaining ⅓ is on the trailer axle(s). That ⅔ of the tongue weight comes out of the payload capacity of the tow vehicle and hopefully there is enough remaining capacity for driver, passenger(s) and stuff to not exceed the axle ratings of the tow vehicle.
_________

How To Set Up a CURT Weight Distribution Hitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnO_9hd5SA0

It's important the trailer payload is evenly distributed from front and rear and the tw (tongue weight) is correct.

You Tube