XJ tow/wheeler

[Badcop]

So my wife cons me into buying a 23' Fleetwood Pioneer. It within reason is a fairly light trailer weighing in dry at around 3600ibs. There duel axle and have a tongue weight of 450lbs.

1. Has anyone here ever wired in there own Electric Brake controller on there tow rigs?

2. Have any ideas on how to plumb in a second trannie cooler?

3. Anyone used dual stock XJ electric fans, one for intermittent and one on a switch on/off run?

The XJ will be a temporary tow rig for the trailer until I decide to trade int he TJ on a truck or just buy yet another damn vehicle.

I just got done using a buddys TRD Tundra with the 3.90's and 33's to tow it up and down I15 between Brigham and Ogden with out a problem, it actually pulled it wuite nicely. I owuldnt use a toy but my new hitch for the XJ isnt in yet. Just out of curiousity I used another friends 02 WJ and it pulled it like a dream so I cant imagine my XJ with 4.56's and an extra trannie cooler couldnt do it.

Methods already taken to help with towing it:

Added 2 leafs to my leaf pack to help with sag, will probably buy some overload springs to help also.

Ordered the torsion trailer hitch with the purchase.

If theres any ideas as to what else I could do to help, please chime in.

 

[Caleb]

So my wife cons me into buying a 23' Fleetwood Pioneer. It within reason is a fairly light trailer weighing in dry at around 3600ibs. There duel axle and have a tongue weight of 450lbs.

1. Has anyone here ever wired in there own Electric Brake controller on there tow rigs?

2. Have any ideas on how to plumb in a second trannie cooler?

3. Anyone used dual stock XJ electric fans, one for intermittent and one on a switch on/off run?

The XJ will be a temporary tow rig for the trailer until I decide to trade int he TJ on a truck or just buy yet another damn vehicle.

I just got done using a buddys TRD Tundra with the 3.90's and 33's to tow it up and down I15 between Brigham and Ogden with out a problem, it actually pulled it wuite nicely. I owuldnt use a toy but my new hitch for the XJ isnt in yet. Just out of curiousity I used another friends 02 WJ and it pulled it like a dream so I cant imagine my XJ with 4.56's and an extra trannie cooler couldnt do it.

Methods already taken to help with towing it:

Added 2 leafs to my leaf pack to help with sag, will probably buy some overload springs to help also.

Ordered the torsion trailer hitch with the purchase.

If theres any ideas as to what else I could do to help, please chime in.

d or e rated tires, load distro hitch, and the sway bar things that go on the hitch, and take it slow...even then thats gonna be fun I know people have done it but when I had my 02 XJ I towed three four wheelers and it was all over the road when I got over about 50 mph...the XJs jsut aren;t up to the task of towing much weight...they are rated for 5000 lbs. (atleast my 02 was) but you would have to be a psycho path to tow 5K with one...I think a light tent trailer is more fit for an XJ...

 

[Hickey]

I think your biggest problem will be managing cross winds and the tongue weight, which is a bit much for an XJ. The XJ is a very light vehicle.

 

[Brett]

The XJ is a very light vehicle.

Around 3300 lbs if I recall properly

 

[Tacoma]

Dude, you're gonna die. Get a bigger tow rig!

 

[Badcop]

Dude, you're gonna die. Get a bigger tow rig!

OK then, I guess the TJ gets traded in after it gets fixed from the fender bender....

 

[Milner]

XJ's are not good tow rigs for anything....Our XJ hated pulling an empty 1500lb trailer home from vegas. It was the begining of the end fro the motor. Even with the late model style 3 core radiator and some other cooling tricks, it over heated on almost every hill. I was forced to tow the Bronco from the exhaust shop to home with it....I had to put it in 4 low to make it up 4500 S by home
NOT RECCOMENDED

 

[mbryson]

I towed a light Coleman tent trailer around all the time. The XJ handled it great, but I don't think I'd want to tow a lot of weight all the time. Personally, I think 2000 lbs is the limit for the XJ due to junky brakes (not counting the bigger tires that most of us run), and the light weight of the vehicle. I'd rather tow with the XJ than our ZJ, though.

Possible Point of Interest: I had occasion to tow Brent Orton's XJ on a flatbed trailer from Crescent Junction to Moab (should have gotten a picture--that was awesome). I'd guess that setup at 6000-6500 lbs (his trailer is pretty light) and I couldn't/wouldn't go over 40 mph.


CONGRATS on the trailer! Sounds sweet! I think you'll be a lot happier with a Suburban/Excursion or full size pickup of some kind as a tow rig.

 

[anvil]

Like everyone else said that is a lot of weight for an XJ. But if you are going to do it, a brake controller is a good idea. They are pretty easy to wire up.

 

[rjmax]

The brake controllers are pretty straight forward to install. I did one and I just followed the instructions with the controller and it worked great. You shouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[Badcop]

Ive made some plans to enhance my XJ both towing and offroad (equilizer tow hitch, and 4.88's), however it is now only temporary, my wife buckled and we are trading in out TJ for a truck, WOOHOO!!