Towing Weight?

Question

I have a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo that has max tow cap of 5000 lbs. I'm interested in buying a 20-24 ft travel trailer to begin camping. My question is the weight. Is the GVWR the one I need to consider when making a choice?

Answer 1

I had a Dodge Durango with a 5000lb towing cap. and towed a 4500lb 27ft camper.It didn't tow it very well,I ended up adding a computer chip,throttle body spacer and AEM air intake and it did a little better but in the end traded the Durango for a Dodge Ram.Now I can pull it 75 mph and don't even know it's behind me.Also don't skimp on a good towing hitch,get the name brand called "EQUILZER" weight distribution hitch.It stops the trailer from swaying which is one of the biggest problems with pulling a camper and will keep the camper level with the tow vehicle.If you do buy a camper I would keep it 1000lbs below your towing capacity,have you looked at the Kodiak hybrid campers.They are very nice inside with a lot of room and weigh under 4000lbs.

Answer 2

Your jeep can tow 5,000LBS but, you have to also consider passenger weights, equipment you will be hauling in the jeep and everything you or your family decides to place in that trailer will also have an effect on the weight. An 18-19ft. trailer would be the longest I would go. I've towed a 24' car hauler with a full size ford bronco on it, but I wouldn't do that very often, so the jeep can actually tow more than what its rated at, but the tow rating also considers the safety aspect of the tow vehicle such as braking, sway, acceleration, etc.

Answer 3

rule of thumb when towing....don't max out the tow capacity.... you never know what kind of conditions you could encounter.... for instance you 5000lbs is on flat ground and slight inclines... what happens when you have to go up a mountain in a huge rainstorm....not good...or worse come down it.... try to stay about 1000lbs under your limit...
if you are looking for a decent trailer to start off with... take a look into the Jayco JayFeather series. They stop at 19-20 feet and weigh about 3700 empty and 4200 full. that would be perfect for your Grand Cherokee.

Answer 4

When you go to the RV dealer, you can give them you vehicle model and they will tell you what you can buy. You also have to factor in cargo, water, and dogs/people. Your Cherokee is going to limit you to something like a trail manor or hi-low. Look them up on the net. If your serious about camping and a trailor you will have to move up to a decent truck.

Answer 5

the two who answer are both correct! you dont want to max it out plus you need to figure in your extras! grill, bikes, tents, coolers, people, ect ect ect. but if you tell your dealer what you plan on doing and how far you plan on travling they will best hook you up with the correct one. also keep in mind that if you have an automatic your putting more strain on it and might want to add on a bigger cooler for it if you plan on doing long trips!