Do some on line research Dave, Jeep have a less than stellar reputation in Australia.

Wasn't that photo someone posted the other day of a crash with the rig across the  whole highway a Grand Cherokee?

dave0591 wrote:

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Hi Folks, looking for another tug one that can tow at least 3 tonne + considering a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 3l diesel with 8 sp automatic has all the right spec's Appreciate your personal experiences.

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 Suggest you look elsewhere! The jeep is too short in the wheelbase,has a pathetic GVM,and there is no way that it will SAFELY tow more than 3000kg ATM.Perhaps you have an older model Ranger,but a 3.2 litre Ranger walks all over the Jeep,with better GVM and longer wheelbase.No time at present to give figures,but,put bluntly,the Jeep cant do the job! Cheers

Hi Dave,

Perhaps you'd be better off to go to a Jeep GC forum and ask the questions of real owners who have done exactly what you want to do. There's another caravaners forum that has exactly that. There are plenty of knockers who haven't even driven one. My personal experience? About 20,000 km now towing a 2600 kg single axle off-road van, including across the mountains of Tasmania with no issues whatsoever.

This question was also asked on Jan 18 2018 in this forum.
Here's my reply.

"My 2016 model has towed a 2600kg ATM single axle offroad van for about 15,000 km's, including a round trip of Tassie.  It would weigh less than most 21' vans, but the car has done an excellent job to date.  

It sits in 7th gear on the flat, and goes as low as 5th on some of the long highway hills.  We usually sit on 90 - 100 kph depending on the highway.  We average about 17.5 l/100 at those speeds.  It really depends more on headwinds than terrain.  On the Newell into a headwind on one stretch we were getting about 22 l/100.  Conversely, in some slow, hilly country in Tasmania, we actually returned less than 17. - Just shows what the effect of a high van poking out into the airflow has.  Mountain ranges are definitely not an issue.  There is plenty of grunt left in reserve for passing slow traffic. Not a great deal of engine braking though.

The thing you may have to watch is the GVM of the car when hooked up. Our towball weight is about 280 kg (the effect of a heavyish single axle van).  When fully loaded and fuelled with people, dogs etc, the car is close to it's GVM.  A lighter towball weight will be beneficial.  It's amazing how all the little things you take can add up.  I had the car accurately weighed with race car scales and it was about 50 kg more than I estimated.  Despite what some may say here, you will definitely need a WDH with that size van.  It's mandated by Jeep for anything over 2,268kg, so you have to have one - end of story.  No insurance otherwise.

GCM shouldn't be a problem unless your van is very heavy.

No reliability issues yet, and it's going for it's 60,000 km service next week.  Just make sure you use the correct low ash oil, and get the filters replaced on schedule.  I haven't gone down the popular diesel engine path of putting in extra fuel filters - the GC has 2 filters that are finer than the add-on kits.  Jeep dealer servicing costs a small fortune, so find a good reliable diesel mechanic if you can.

It's also one of the most comfortable long distance touring vehicles I've had (and I have been averaging about 30,000 km per year over various highways and byways for 40 years).  Closest I've had in the past was a Ford Territory - also very competent in eating up the km's."

Dave, your main issues with the GC will be payload, and perhaps GCM - depends on how much "stuff" you carry.  Have your van accurately weighed with ALL the load in it - like you are ready to go away in it.  Then do the sums.  The GC has a maximum payload of 668 kg , and can tow 3150kg when the car is fully loaded.  Payload includes passengers, all but 10 litres of fuel, towbar, WDH, and all the other bits like radio fridges, drinks and whatever else you add on over a bog standard car.  By comparison, a Toyota LC200 has a payload of only 610kg but can tow 3500 kg fully loaded.  Nissan patrol has 650kg payload and can tow 3500 kg fully loaded.  The GC is considerably more economical, though.  The only other wagons capable of the job are more expensive - eg LR Discovery or VW Touareg.  Or alternatively a dual cab ute, but again there are weight issues, overhang issues etc.  

The forum mentioned would also allow to connect with owners who have higher mileage than mine.  Look at other forums too before making up your mind.   There is a monthly online magazine called rvdaily.com.au (no affiliation) which has a section which shows the weights and capacities of almost every tow vehicle in Australia, including how much you can tow when fully loaded.  Just remember, fully loaded means you're at the limits of what a vehicle can do, so you're asking a lot from it.

Happy hunting,

Nev

k8Nevd wrote:

---

Hi Dave,

Perhaps you'd be better off to go to a Jeep GC forum and ask the questions of real owners who have done exactly what you want to do. There's another caravaners forum that has exactly that. There are plenty of knockers who haven't even driven one. My personal experience? About 20,000 km now towing a 2600 kg single axle off-road van, including across the mountains of Tasmania with no issues whatsoever.

This question was also asked on Jan 18 2018 in this forum.
Here's my reply.

"My 2016 model has towed a 2600kg ATM single axle offroad van for about 15,000 km's, including a round trip of Tassie.  It would weigh less than most 21' vans, but the car has done an excellent job to date.  

It sits in 7th gear on the flat, and goes as low as 5th on some of the long highway hills.  We usually sit on 90 - 100 kph depending on the highway.  We average about 17.5 l/100 at those speeds.  It really depends more on headwinds than terrain.  On the Newell into a headwind on one stretch we were getting about 22 l/100.  Conversely, in some slow, hilly country in Tasmania, we actually returned less than 17. - Just shows what the effect of a high van poking out into the airflow has.  Mountain ranges are definitely not an issue.  There is plenty of grunt left in reserve for passing slow traffic. Not a great deal of engine braking though.

The thing you may have to watch is the GVM of the car when hooked up. Our towball weight is about 280 kg (the effect of a heavyish single axle van).  When fully loaded and fuelled with people, dogs etc, the car is close to it's GVM.  A lighter towball weight will be beneficial.  It's amazing how all the little things you take can add up.  I had the car accurately weighed with race car scales and it was about 50 kg more than I estimated.  Despite what some may say here, you will definitely need a WDH with that size van.  It's mandated by Jeep for anything over 2,268kg, so you have to have one - end of story.  No insurance otherwise.

GCM shouldn't be a problem unless your van is very heavy.

No reliability issues yet, and it's going for it's 60,000 km service next week.  Just make sure you use the correct low ash oil, and get the filters replaced on schedule.  I haven't gone down the popular diesel engine path of putting in extra fuel filters - the GC has 2 filters that are finer than the add-on kits.  Jeep dealer servicing costs a small fortune, so find a good reliable diesel mechanic if you can.

It's also one of the most comfortable long distance touring vehicles I've had (and I have been averaging about 30,000 km per year over various highways and byways for 40 years).  Closest I've had in the past was a Ford Territory - also very competent in eating up the km's."

Dave, your main issues with the GC will be payload, and perhaps GCM - depends on how much "stuff" you carry.  Have your van accurately weighed with ALL the load in it - like you are ready to go away in it.  Then do the sums.  The GC has a maximum payload of 668 kg , and can tow 3150kg when the car is fully loaded.  Payload includes passengers, all but 10 litres of fuel, towbar, WDH, and all the other bits like radio fridges, drinks and whatever else you add on over a bog standard car.  By comparison, a Toyota LC200 has a payload of only 610kg but can tow 3500 kg fully loaded.  Nissan patrol has 650kg payload and can tow 3500 kg fully loaded.  The GC is considerably more economical, though.  The only other wagons capable of the job are more expensive - eg LR Discovery or VW Touareg.  Or alternatively a dual cab ute, but again there are weight issues, overhang issues etc.  

The forum mentioned would also allow to connect with owners who have higher mileage than mine.  Look at other forums too before making up your mind.   There is a monthly online magazine called rvdaily.com.au (no affiliation) which has a section which shows the weights and capacities of almost every tow vehicle in Australia, including how much you can tow when fully loaded.  Just remember, fully loaded means you're at the limits of what a vehicle can do, so you're asking a lot from it.

Happy hunting,

Nev

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       Hi Nev..... Great to see that youve had good experience with your Jeep,but I note that you are towing only 2600kg. However,there are some claims in your forum reply of Jan 18,2018,that do not stand up to scrutiny.The Jeep  has a GVM of 2949kg,(weight on car wheels,including towball weight) so any trailer you tow should have a  maximum GTM (weight on trailer wheels) of 2655kg if you are at all concerned about safety.The car would then  be the recognised minimum 10% heavier that the van that is needed to be to prevent the tail wagging the dog situation.Collyn Rivers,a renowned expert in weights and stability,believes that the car should actually weigh 20% more than the van if you are at all interested in safety.With the generally recognised ball weight being 10%,the biggest van this car can SAFELY tow would have an ATM of no more than 2950kg.With the car GVM at 2949kg,plus the van GTM of 2655kg  (90% of 2950kg ATM)you have a maximum SAFE  GCM of 5604kg.The ONLY way this car can tow 3500kg is if the trailer is a DOG trailer.(Or perhaps a 5th wheeler).I cant be bothered hunting up the Jeeps rated GCM,but using your figures of 3150kg van GTM plus 2949kg GVM,it must be 6100kg,or thereabouts?  (Or did your 3150kg figure refer to ATM?) Anyway,it doesnt matter how you massage the figures,there is NO WAY that that car can SAFELY tow more than 3000kg.To end,I say that,with a GVM of only 3350kg,there is NO WAY KNOWN that an LC200 can SAFELY tow 3500kg.With 3350kg GVM and 3015kg GTM (90% of cars GVM) the most your GCM should be is 6365kg.The Patrol Y62 loses 130kg off its GVM if ball weight is over 300kg,so you now have a car with GVM of 3370kg towing a van with max GTM of 3030kg,giving GCM of 6400kg ........the LC200 is only 6365kg.On top of these figures,both the LC200 and the Jeep have ridiculously short wheelbases,at 2850mm and 2915mm respectively.The Patrol is much longer at 3075mm,and therefore much more stable.I hope that these details can help those who are looking to buy tow vehicles,as it can be a minefield for those who simply believe the salesman! Many people will not understand,and many will simply ignore,but these are the facts.Sad inconvenient truth.Cheers

P.S If you want to do it properly,buy an LC79.....nothing compares or competes.

Hi Yobarr -

You say 

"The jeep is too short in the wheelbase,has a pathetic GVM,and there is no way that it will SAFELY tow more than 3000kg ATM.Perhaps you have an older model Ranger,but a 3.2 litre Ranger walks all over the Jeep,with better GVM and longer wheelbase.No time at present to give figures,but,put bluntly,the Jeep cant do the job! Cheers "

I'm not sure what you are basing your statement on.  Let's look at the facts for what the OP wants.  I've looked at the XLT version of the dual cab Ranger as it's closest to the Limited GC in specification.  The Ranger has a Kerb Weight of 2247 kg.   The Jeep has 2281 kg.  The GVM of the Ranger is 3200 kg which gives it a max payload of 953 kg.  The Jeep's GVM is 2949 kg, so therefore payload is 668 kg max.   However the Ranger's GCM with van attached is 6,000 kg while the Jeep's is 6,499 kg.  Looking at the OP's original post, he's looking to tow something 3,100 kg +.   Let's assume it's 3,150 kg.  

If you hook 3,150 kg behind the Ranger, the payload of the vehicle drops to 603 kg (6,000-3,150-2247).  The Jeep's equation is (6,499-3,150-2,281) - ie. 1,068kg.   However, the Jeep's max payload is 668 kg, so that figure applies.  In other words, for a 3,150 kg van, the Jeep can carry more than the Ranger.  Yes, the wheelbase of the Ranger is longer - in fact the longest of the most common tow vehicles.  However, the Jeep's wheelbase is 2.915 metres, longer than a Landcruiser LC200 at 2.850.  It just looks shorter because the overhangs are shorter.  The Jeep also has a shorter rear axle to tow ball length than the Ranger, which according to experts and the laws of physics, assist in stability.

As I said, people really need to research very thoroughly before laying big bucks on a vehicle that may or may not do the job they want.  Based on the specific case of 3,150 kg van, here's what you can legally carry in other popular vehicles without falling foul of the law or your insurance company.  

Landcruiser LC200 -        610 kg

Hilux SR5 Dual Cab -       425 kg

Nissan Patrol -                750 kg

Colorado LTZ Dual Cab -  729 kg

D-Max LSU Dual Cab -     779 kg

Amarok Highline V6 -      679 kg

Navara STX Dual Cab -   781 kg

Mazda XTR Dual Cab -    745 kg

Of course, for different weight vans, you get different outcomes.

Unfortunately, there are often no blanket outcomes.  Again, research thoroughly.  I had to, then had to critically look at what I wanted to take.  Generator or beer?  no brainer - a good LED lamp and a 12v fan don't weight much   Out with the AGM, in with Lithium - great decision - longer lasting, faster charging an LIGHTER   Sat TV or playing cards? Another fairly easy decision and then all becomes good & legal. 

Nev

Hi again Yobarr,

I agree with pretty much everything you say - but was just pointing out in my most recent post about the misconception may people seem to have about what people think they can tow with.  My personal decision after much research was to limit our van to a dual axle van of about 2,800 kg.  That was after we had bought the Jeep.  However, our preferred choice was spoilt by a sexist salesman who p'd the wife off, so we walked out.  We ended up buying a friends single axle almost new van for a very good price, with a heavier ball weight than we had planned for.  That meant some compromises with what we could safely carry.  Personally, I would limit the Jeep to about 2,800 - 2,900 kg towing, and include ESC (we have Dexter) for a safety net.  I have met a number of CG owners who regularly tow more than that and are happy. After reading, researching and driving, I have changed my previously somewhat naive aspirations, and I personally wouldn't own a van over 3,000 kgs and tow with a mainstream vehicle.

Others do, either legally or illegally - good luck to them.

Nev

Nevd wrote:

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Hi Yobarr -

You say 

"The jeep is too short in the wheelbase,has a pathetic GVM,and there is no way that it will SAFELY tow more than 3000kg ATM.Perhaps you have an older model Ranger,but a 3.2 litre Ranger walks all over the Jeep,with better GVM and longer wheelbase.No time at present to give figures,but,put bluntly,the Jeep cant do the job! Cheers "

I'm not sure what you are basing your statement on.  Let's look at the facts for what the OP wants.  I've looked at the XLT version of the dual cab Ranger as it's closest to the Limited GC in specification.  The Ranger has a Kerb Weight of 2247 kg.   The Jeep has 2281 kg.  The GVM of the Ranger is 3200 kg which gives it a max payload of 953 kg.  The Jeep's GVM is 2949 kg, so therefore payload is 668 kg max.   However the Ranger's GCM with van attached is 6,000 kg while the Jeep's is 6,499 kg.  Looking at the OP's original post, he's looking to tow something 3,100 kg +.   Let's assume it's 3,150 kg.  

If you hook 3,150 kg behind the Ranger, the payload of the vehicle drops to 603 kg (6,000-3,150-2247).  The Jeep's equation is (6,499-3,150-2,281) - ie. 1,068kg.   However, the Jeep's max payload is 668 kg, so that figure applies.  In other words, for a 3,150 kg van, the Jeep can carry more than the Ranger.  Yes, the wheelbase of the Ranger is longer - in fact the longest of the most common tow vehicles.  However, the Jeep's wheelbase is 2.915 metres, longer than a Landcruiser LC200 at 2.850.  It just looks shorter because the overhangs are shorter.  The Jeep also has a shorter rear axle to tow ball length than the Ranger, which according to experts and the laws of physics, assist in stability.

As I said, people really need to research very thoroughly before laying big bucks on a vehicle that may or may not do the job they want.  Based on the specific case of 3,150 kg van, here's what you can legally carry in other popular vehicles without falling foul of the law or your insurance company.  

Landcruiser LC200 -        610 kg

Hilux SR5 Dual Cab -       425 kg

Nissan Patrol -                750 kg

Colorado LTZ Dual Cab -  729 kg

D-Max LSU Dual Cab -     779 kg

Amarok Highline V6 -      679 kg

Navara STX Dual Cab -   781 kg

Mazda XTR Dual Cab -    745 kg

Of course, for different weight vans, you get different outcomes.

Unfortunately, there are often no blanket outcomes.  Again, research thoroughly.  I had to, then had to critically look at what I wanted to take.  Generator or beer?  no brainer - a good LED lamp and a 12v fan don't weight much   Out with the AGM, in with Lithium - great decision - longer lasting, faster charging an LIGHTER   Sat TV or playing cards? Another fairly easy decision and then all becomes good & legal. 

Nev

 

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Hi Nev

Bloody EXCELLENT POST 

Nevd wrote:

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Hi Yobarr -

You say 

"The jeep is too short in the wheelbase,has a pathetic GVM,and there is no way that it will SAFELY tow more than 3000kg ATM.Perhaps you have an older model Ranger,but a 3.2 litre Ranger walks all over the Jeep,with better GVM and longer wheelbase.No time at present to give figures,but,put bluntly,the Jeep cant do the job! Cheers "

I'm not sure what you are basing your statement on.  Let's look at the facts for what the OP wants.  I've looked at the XLT version of the dual cab Ranger as it's closest to the Limited GC in specification.  The Ranger has a Kerb Weight of 2247 kg.   The Jeep has 2281 kg.  The GVM of the Ranger is 3200 kg which gives it a max payload of 953 kg.  The Jeep's GVM is 2949 kg, so therefore payload is 668 kg max.   However the Ranger's GCM with van attached is 6,000 kg while the Jeep's is 6,499 kg.  Looking at the OP's original post, he's looking to tow something 3,100 kg +.   Let's assume it's 3,150 kg.  

If you hook 3,150 kg behind the Ranger, the payload of the vehicle drops to 603 kg (6,000-3,150-2247).  The Jeep's equation is (6,499-3,150-2,281) - ie. 1,068kg.   However, the Jeep's max payload is 668 kg, so that figure applies.  In other words, for a 3,150 kg van, the Jeep can carry more than the Ranger.  Yes, the wheelbase of the Ranger is longer - in fact the longest of the most common tow vehicles.  However, the Jeep's wheelbase is 2.915 metres, longer than a Landcruiser LC200 at 2.850.  It just looks shorter because the overhangs are shorter.  The Jeep also has a shorter rear axle to tow ball length than the Ranger, which according to experts and the laws of physics, assist in stability.

As I said, people really need to research very thoroughly before laying big bucks on a vehicle that may or may not do the job they want.  Based on the specific case of 3,150 kg van, here's what you can legally carry in other popular vehicles without falling foul of the law or your insurance company.  

Landcruiser LC200 -        610 kg

Hilux SR5 Dual Cab -       425 kg

Nissan Patrol -                750 kg

Colorado LTZ Dual Cab -  729 kg

D-Max LSU Dual Cab -     779 kg

Amarok Highline V6 -      679 kg

Navara STX Dual Cab -   781 kg

Mazda XTR Dual Cab -    745 kg

Of course, for different weight vans, you get different outcomes.

Unfortunately, there are often no blanket outcomes.  Again, research thoroughly.  I had to, then had to critically look at what I wanted to take.  Generator or beer?  no brainer - a good LED lamp and a 12v fan don't weight much   Out with the AGM, in with Lithium - great decision - longer lasting, faster charging an LIGHTER   Sat TV or playing cards? Another fairly easy decision and then all becomes good & legal. 

Nev

 

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 G`day Nevd ,

To give those figures a better perspective we need to deduct the 350 kgs of tow ball download if they are to reflect payload with the van hooked up. I believe also the Patrol is affected by some tow ball download restrictions . Fortunately not all of us want to tow a van with an ATM o f3500 kgs .

Cheers,

Jontee

Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr have you ever owned a Jeep ?

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 NO WAY.....too smart for that! Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr have you ever owned a Jeep ?

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 NO WAY.....too smart for that! Cheers

---

Gday...

Perhaps the question needs to be re-worded a little - "Have you ever driven a Jeep or towed with a Jeep?"

cheers - John

yobarr wrote:

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Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr have you ever owned a Jeep ?

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 NO WAY.....too smart for that! Cheers

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rockylizard wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr have you ever owned a Jeep ?

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 NO WAY.....too smart for that! Cheers

---

Gday...

Perhaps the question needs to be re-worded a little - "Have you ever driven a Jeep or towed with a Jeep?"

cheers - John

---

John maybe you are correct as it would be good to know exactly where Yobarr had actually gained his "personal experience" with this vehicle. I think Bill Bs question was a fair one Dave0591 had specifically asked for "personel experiences" on the capability of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited pulling 3T and to me that would normally come over a period of time doing exactly that. I once test drove a BMW and my brother in law gave recently gave me a drive his of his new Dmax with a 2.8T twin axle van behind it for about 20kms does that make me qualified to give an expert opinion on the capability of either of those 2 vehicles - I doubt it.  

Cheers

BB

Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr is a self appointed expert on all things re tow vehicles.

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 But doesnt he know his stuff?

Rusty W wrote:

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An lc79,noisy, uncomfortable, poor turning circle, good for pulling tree stumps out, great for absolute bush bashing, but not much else.
Grand Cherokee quiet, comfortable, economical, pulls like a train, drives like a limo. On 2014/15 the manual does not list a GCM, only GVM and axle weights, as long as you don't go over gvm 2949kg and 3500kg trailer weight and 350 kg towball down load. So with no ball load you can get 6449kg gcm or with 350kg ball load you end up with 6099 kg. 200 kg ball load with 3500 kg trailer could give you 2949 + 3300kg = 6249kg gcm

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 Hi Russell.....I dont know whether you are ignorant of weights,dynamics and safety,or whether you simply choose to ignore them,as many do? With a GVM of only 2949kg a Jeep has not a snowflakes chance in hell of SAFELY towing anything like 3500kg,unless the trailer is a DOG trailer.With a GVM of only 2949kg (weight on wheels) the Jeep cannot SAFELY tow a trailer with a GTM (weight on wheels) of more than 2680kg,giving a GCM of 5629kg.The generally accepted figure is that the GVM of the car should be 10% more than the GTM of the trailer,meaning that the heaviest trailer the Jeep can SAFELY tow would have an ATM of 2949kg.Collyn Rivers,a renowned expert on weights and dynamics etc suggests that the car should be 20% heavier than the trailers GTM....I know that this will create howls of protest from many,but these are the facts.Sorry if this is an inconvenient truth,but if it helps just one person avoid an accident then it is worthwhile.Cheers

P.S I can run super-safe,and legal on all axles,at 6800kg GCM,with 1350kg on the front axle,2300kg on the rear axle,and 3150kg on the vans axle group.....try that in your Jeep! The car is thus more 15% heavier than the van,and super-safe. 

rockylizard wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

---

Bill B wrote:

---

Yobarr have you ever owned a Jeep ?

---

 NO WAY.....too smart for that! Cheers

---

Gday...

Perhaps the question needs to be re-worded a little - "Have you ever driven a Jeep or towed with a Jeep?"

cheers - John

---

       H John....to answer your questions, Yes to both,but never again! Cheers 

yobarr wrote:

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Bill B wrote:

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Yobarr is a self appointed expert on all things re tow vehicles.

---

 But doesnt he know his stuff?

---

Bill B wrote:

---

yobarr wrote:

Bill B wrote:

Yobarr is a self appointed expert on all things re tow vehicles.

 But doesnt he know his stuff?

---

A legend in his own lunchtime and so modest

---

  Thanks Bill.....my posts are written simply in an attempt to help others understand weights,and the towing limitations of various cars.Glossy brochures and smooth talking salesmen regularly blind people to such limitations,and because they dont understand,people regularly get caught out.One classic example is the Dodge Ram 1500 which is lauded as a ute killer or some such,and advertised as having a tow capacity of 4500kg.Close scrutiny shows that,with a 1770kg rear axle,it cant tow more than 3000kg,unless the trailer is a DOG  trailer....another sad,inconvenient truth.Cheers

boab wrote:

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well said bb i found the only people who criticize the jeep brand are those who have never owned one

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 Hi Gary....there is no need to actually OWN a particular car to determine that it is not capable of SAFELY doing things that the  glossy brochures claim it can do.My comments are made to point out that,with a 2949kg GVM,the Jeep cannot SAFELY tow more than 2950kg ATM,or 2680kg GTM.This is not a criticism of Jeep in particular,as ALL the lightweights have this problem.Best seems to be the Ranger,which has a GVM of 3200kg,meaning that it can SAFELY tow a van with GTM of 2800kg,or,if you like,an ATM of 3110kg.Anybody who claims these cars can SAFELY tow 3500kg is living in LaLa Land.Cheers

Gday...

Yobarr, this the original post -

dave0591 wrote:

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Hi Folks, looking for another tug one that can tow at least 3 tonne + considering a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 3l diesel with 8 sp automatic has all the right spec's Appreciate your personal experiences.

---

You will note the information posted states an ability to "tow at least 3 tonne". The question was qualified by the query that the particular Jeep model "has all the right specs" and that personal experiences were being sought. You do say "the Jeep cannot SAFELY tow more than 2950kg ATM" so, in essence, IN THIS INSTANCE, you agree that the Jeep has the capability for the OP's job - there is no suggestion of wanting to tow 3,500Kg.

I agree that you have done EXTENSIVE research on a wide variety of vehicles and have arrived at what you regularly inform all and sundry is the PERFECT (only??) supposed safe and capable tow vehicle. So be it. You have arrived at your choice through that exercise and you are very happy with your choice.

You quite regularly quote the following on this and other places -

"The generally accepted figure is that the GVM of the car should be 10% more than the GTM of the trailer, meaning that the heaviest trailer the Jeep can SAFELY tow would have an ATM of 2949kg. Collyn Rivers,a renowned expert on weights and dynamics etc suggests that the car should be 20% heavier than the trailers GTM."

I am glad you qualified that statement with the words "the generally accepted figure". Despite the logic that has arrived at that 'generally accepted' figure there is no law, regulation or mandated requirement for that comment or specification.

It is the informed opinion (suggestion/advice?) from a well-qualified source - supported by others because of its logic - and one to which I would agree ... the 10% definitely but not sure about 20%.

Personally, given the way I travel I would find the vehicle you have chosen, and advocate, would not in any way be suitable to me.

But that is the joy of each having differing requirements, expectations and choices.

Cheers - stay well and travel safely - John

Rusty W wrote:

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Hi Yobarr, if I got a gvm upgrade on the jeep like you have on your ute, would that make it safer? Does your vehicle stop quicker now that you can carry more weight ?
regards Russell

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Silly post,,, what purpose does this post serve,,,, nil,,zilch,,,nada 

rockylizard wrote:

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Gday...

Yobarr, this the original post -

dave0591 wrote:

---

Hi Folks, looking for another tug one that can tow at least 3 tonne + considering a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 3l diesel with 8 sp automatic has all the right spec's Appreciate your personal experiences.

---

You will note the information posted states an ability to "tow at least 3 tonne". The question was qualified by the query that the particular Jeep model "has all the right specs" and that personal experiences were being sought. You do say "the Jeep cannot SAFELY tow more than 2950kg ATM" so, in essence, IN THIS INSTANCE, you agree that the Jeep has the capability for the OP's job - there is no suggestion of wanting to tow 3,500Kg.

I agree that you have done EXTENSIVE research on a wide variety of vehicles and have arrived at what you regularly inform all and sundry is the PERFECT (only??) supposed safe and capable tow vehicle. So be it. You have arrived at your choice through that exercise and you are very happy with your choice.

You quite regularly quote the following on this and other places -

"The generally accepted figure is that the GVM of the car should be 10% more than the GTM of the trailer, meaning that the heaviest trailer the Jeep can SAFELY tow would have an ATM of 2949kg. Collyn Rivers,a renowned expert on weights and dynamics etc suggests that the car should be 20% heavier than the trailers GTM."

I am glad you qualified that statement with the words "the generally accepted figure". Despite the logic that has arrived at that 'generally accepted' figure there is no law, regulation or mandated requirement for that comment or specification.It is the informed opinion (suggestion/advice?) from a well-qualified source - supported by others because of its logic - and one to which I would agree ... the 10% definitely but not sure about 20%.Personally, given the way I travel I would find the vehicle you have chosen, and advocate, would not in any way be suitable to me.But that is the joy of each having differing requirements, expectations and choices.                     Cheers - stay well and travel safely - John

 

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 Hi John.....always it is my intention to help others understand weights etc,but regularly some eggspurt attempts to argue against logic,physics and commonsense.Some will waffle-on about towing a 3500kg van for a million kilometres,behind a car that is much lighter,with No problems at all,as if this achievement is a result of their driving to the conditions,or some such rubbish. Such an achievement is more a result of good luck than good management.Several times,on a different forum, I have asked these eggspurts if any of them can explain why,if a vehicle has a GVM above 4500kg,any trailer that it tows must weigh less than the towing vehicle.To date I have received neither an acknowledgement nor an explanation.Too much thinking involved,perhaps? Common sense,physics and logic all would suggest thatvif a trailer weighs more than the car towing it,you will very quickly have a Tail wagging the  Dog scenario.The OP is seeking a vehicle that can tow at least 3 tonne.The Jeep is not that vehicle.Sad,inconvenient truth.Safe and happy travels to all.Cheers