04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

[campbug]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the camping scene, and have been looking at a 2004 Dutchmen travel trailer, that has a wieght rating of around 4200lbs I believe this trailer to also be around 23.5 feet long. My jeep is rated at 5000# max towing capacity, With this trailer and my jeep including family I will have around 800lbs for extras, but even with that the dealership says I should be ok with my jeep handling it, but I still have a bit of doubt because I am thinking this may be a little much for this type of vehicle to tow.

My Jeep is a 04 Jeep Liberty 4x4 3.7ltr v6

I was wondering if I could get some advice on this combination. Only downside this is the first camper my spouse has liked.

Thanks
campbug

 

[turnipbwc]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Campbug,
I would NOT even think of pulling a trailer that size with a jeep liberty. My first reason is the short wheel base the jeep has. I seen 3 trailers being pulled by short wheel base vehicles roll over this past summer on I-70. The State Police said one reason they wrecked was they were being pulled by short wheel base SUV'S. Look around the highway and you will see very few are pulled by SUV'S. You don't see any pulled by cars anymore. Almost everyone is using pick-up trucks. If you use your jeep liberty to pull your trailer you are just asking for trouble. Life is to short to take chances. Buy a pick-up with plenty of HP and you will not be sorry.
Whatever you do be careful and Good Luck.
turnip

 

[Gary B]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Hi Campbug, welcome to the forum, as trunip42 posted don't even consider it! The Liberty has way too short a wheel base and the V6 will be under powered for that size TT, and you will be much closer to actual weight to figure 1200 lbs for all the stuff when loaded. A long time ago we had a Jayco 24' travel trailer and it was about the limit for a Ford F-150 with a 300 6 CID cyl. and while you V6 maybe rated with more HP it can't hold a candle to the towing power of the inline 300 6. If a larger tow vehicle is out of the question then you'll need to find a smaller camper and there are lots of lighter/smaller trailers out there, maybe something like a Hybrid or the Scamps or Casita's or a folding trailer. Good luck with the search. :bleh: :approve:

 

[turnipbwc]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Campbug,
If you do decide to go to a smaller trailer you have to remember you are going to a single axle on a much lighter trailer. That will make it sway during traveling, especially when those 18 wheelers pass you. When the wind hits you from them you could loose control. I personally do not like a small single axle trailer and feel they are unsafe. A lot of people will disagree with me and that's what makes this country so great, the right to disagree.
I have done a lot of research and in a few years I am going to a 5th wheel and a bigger HP truck than the one I have now. I believe the 5th wheel is the way to go these days. I see tons of them on the highway and have been to dealers just talking to them about trailers, Class A, Class C and 5th wheel. I am sure there has been roll overs with 5th wheelers but I have never seen one.
End result, trade that jeep in on a full size pick-up with at least a 5.7 engine and buy a 5th wheel. Happy RVing.........
turnip

 

[Gary B]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Hi THE statement that single all single axle trailers sway is absolutly false, sone poorly designed over loaded trailers will but the Scamps and Casita's DO NOT SWAY, I know many folks that tow them with compact/ Ranger, S10, Dakota's and cars and have not one problem.The folks that bought the 16' Scamp from us tow it all over with a Buick Park Ave. no sway control or wt bars, we have very good friends from ND that tow their 16' Scamp all over the country with a Jeep Charokee with the inline 6 no sway control or wt control.
A 5th wheel is what I prefer and we have owned 3 over the years but if anyone thinks you can't get into trouble towing a 5th wheel they have their head burried. On ice or slippery roads a 5th wheel will jackknife so fast you won't know what happened until the dust settles and the bumping & banging stops. My uncle a very experienced rver had the sad experience of hitting black ice in west Texas and it totalled out his brand new (less than 2500 miles) F-250 he had a 29' Hitchhiker 5th wheel and he was one of the most cautious drivers I've know so it can happen to anybody anytime when towing. I've had a couple of scares myself and I never tow faster than 65 on good dry roads have a dually truck, excellent brake controller and try never to take chances, but it happens every now and then it's called experience. :laugh: :bleh: :approve:

 

[turnipbwc]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Like I said, that's what makes this country so great. The right to disagree.
I drove an 18 wheeler over the road for 13 years and I know all about jackknifing and black ice. I seen a small single axle camping trailer blow a tire and the trailer came loose from the SUV that was pulling it and it rolled. If that was a duel axle trailer I dought it would have came loose. The driver could have controled it and got off the road without any problems, changer the tire and been on his way.

 

[campbug]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Thank you for the information, Ill check around and see about a larger vehicle, If We cant find one, well drop trailer size. ANd thanks again for the advice, well appreciated.

campbug

 

[campbug]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Hi! Everyone, just thought I would update you on our purchase, I checked and around and at the moment purchasing a larger vehicle is out of the question. So we called and dropped the purchase on the dutchmen and asked about trail manor and hybrid trailers, they said there was some in, so but they was at the local r/v show, so we waited till the weekend and mozied on down, the trail manors was a really nice set up but did not suit our needs, so we looked at some hybrids and found a r-vision trail cruiser that was perfect for what we was needing it is a 21 foot but much lighter than the dutchmen and my liberty handles it with ease, we had a wieght distribution hitch and a anti sway bar, which I am sure helps, I only travel on interstates around 60mph and have no trouble so far with sway, even when passed by big rigs there is a bit of sway but no more than I am use to from other vehicles I drive at work, so I feel very comfortable with this set up.

And Thanks again for the replies
Campbug

 

[turnipbwc]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Campbug,
I am glad you found something lighter. I was worried about you pulling that 4200 lb dutchman behind your jeep liberty. I sort of figured you would do more checking before buying.
Good luck and happy RVing,
turnip

 

[Gary B]

04 Jeep Liberty Towing Question

Hi campbuy, congrats on the new rig have a great time camping, sounds like you found a nice camper :bleh:
:laugh: :bleh: :approve: