96 Grand Tow Rating 4.0
- Thread starter mattvw65
- Start date
very little
the 4.0 that I owned had difficulty getting to 65mph without a trailer behind it. I wouldn't think of towing regularly with one, but I suppose you could pull 2-3000 #s without it being unstable, it just won't go very fast.
the 4.0 that I owned had difficulty getting to 65mph without a trailer behind it. I wouldn't think of towing regularly with one, but I suppose you could pull 2-3000 #s without it being unstable, it just won't go very fast.
I tow with my XJ pretty constantly (just my tent trailer) and I can cruise at 75 easy in bad headwinds and hills it gets the tranny WAY too hot though.. but I was dumb enough once to tow a scout on a carhauler with the XJ once across the valley and into Tooele.. I will NEVER NEVER do that again.
I know ZJRog on here has towed with his a bit mayhap he will pipe in
I know ZJRog on here has towed with his a bit mayhap he will pipe in
Now that I can see the site again...
A few weeks ago I dragged home my daughter's XJ on a tow dolly. I believe the ZJ is rated for 4,000 or 5,000 pounds with the 4.0. I will say that towing the XJ was ALL the weight I think one should ever tow with the 4.0. Takes a while to get up to speed, you will slow on the hills. And plan accordingly for stopping as the ZJ brakes stock are about at their limit. To say I wanted more brake is a SLIGHT understatement. If you MUST tow that much weight, I encourage trailer brakes (my popup trailer will likely be getting them), or find something bigger to tow with. At the very least, use a trailer with surge brakes.
On the otherhand... I was very pleased with how well the ZJ did under the circumstances and my MPG wasn't horribly bad for the trip (170 miles).
My experience, your results may vary, specifications subject to change without notice and some settling may occur in shipping. Packed by weight, not volume.:greg:
A few weeks ago I dragged home my daughter's XJ on a tow dolly. I believe the ZJ is rated for 4,000 or 5,000 pounds with the 4.0. I will say that towing the XJ was ALL the weight I think one should ever tow with the 4.0. Takes a while to get up to speed, you will slow on the hills. And plan accordingly for stopping as the ZJ brakes stock are about at their limit. To say I wanted more brake is a SLIGHT understatement.
If you MUST tow that much weight, I encourage trailer brakes (my popup trailer will likely be getting them), or find something bigger to tow with. At the very least, use a trailer with surge brakes. On the otherhand... I was very pleased with how well the ZJ did under the circumstances and my MPG wasn't horribly bad for the trip (170 miles).
My experience, your results may vary, specifications subject to change without notice and some settling may occur in shipping. Packed by weight, not volume.:greg:
I wouldn't want to tow more than an XJ or equivalant with the ZJ again. My Supercrew is much better suited for that, not sure what a 4x4 Ranger on a Uhaul trailer weighs, but that wasn't too bad with surge brakes, better with real trailer brakes I'm sure.
That opinion of yours doesn't have anything to do with the transmission rebuild you needed for the "tow rig" ZJ, does it?
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
We've had a 4.0L ZJ for about 11 years now? I'd not tow over about 2500 lbs with it. A tent trailer is a decent match for the rig and I don't think I'd go any heavier than that.
No, that sucked on the wallet though.
I would say the deciding factor was driving down price canyon in a snow storm with trailer in tow.
I've been at least 2 situations I can think of off the top of my head when I was towing with my Dodge that I'm pretty sure would have had dire consequences had they happened while I was towing with the ZJ.
I made that post above, at matts. I am all loaded up with my 96 with my 91 Sidekick on the trailer, I think trailer is rated at 4000, weighs about 700, all aluminum deck 10 footer. Kick sits on it like a glove. Sidekick I would imagine is sitting at about 3000, with bumper, roll cage tires etc... hauling me, girlfriend and her son. I know its not ideal, and you tried to tell me to not get the ZJ as something to Tow with Cody, but I couldn't resist the price. Spent the day today changing the Crank Sensor, and pulled the front drive line while I was at it, save a mpg or two. I tow with a 4.3 silverado pickup at work with a 3500ish loaded trailer on a daily basis so I am used to not having a ton of power.
I will be looking into getting a truck... very soon.......................................
I will be looking into getting a truck... very soon.......................................
I familiarized myself with it, pulled it over trappers loop and up some other canyons this week, and I read a lot about the rollovers on 6. Speed, speed speed speed has always been the issue, come into a corner too fast, with braking that's not sufficient, and the top heavy trailer will tumble right over...
If you see a green GC tomo going down 6 at like 60, with a trailer and zuk on it
that's me.
I would put that front drive line back on if it were me. An mpg or two wont be worth it if you get into something where you wish you could just pop it in 4-lo. I am sure you are not planning on something like that happening, but there have been a few times when I have been pulling a trailer in a full-size truck, and either pulling off the road or something, 4x has made it possible to get back on the road or out of a sticky situation.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
I familiarized myself with it, pulled it over trappers loop and up some other canyons this week, and I read a lot about the rollovers on 6. Speed, speed speed speed has always been the issue, come into a corner too fast, with braking that's not sufficient, and the top heavy trailer will tumble right over...
If you see a green GC tomo going down 6 at like 60, with a trailer and zuk on it
...and going up at around 25-30 mph, esp. past the rest area near the top.
****, my 4.0 ZJ geared at 4.56 on 35's with some motor work could barely get itself up to 60 mph. I have a hard time believing a 4.0 ZJ, loaded with people and gear, and a 4000# trailer behind it will see 60 mph on anything that is not down hill.
It took a little while but I was able to keep 65 pulling that XJ. Certainly slowed on the hills a lot though. But it really didn't do as bad as I thought it would given the situation and hilly terrain. It sure could have been a lot worse.
I will also need to mention my 95 ZJ has the full tow package and cooling and 3.73s and rolling on 30s at the time. I also replaced the headgasket last year, and the ZJ currently has about 165,000 on it.
I will also need to mention my 95 ZJ has the full tow package and cooling and 3.73s and rolling on 30s at the time. I also replaced the headgasket last year, and the ZJ currently has about 165,000 on it.
Brad J
Registered User
- Location
- Woods Cross, UT
Saw you on I-15 in SLC this afternoon, hope it goes well
Trailer Idea was ditched before I hit farmington, took it back to layton and put it on a car dolly. On the way down I averaged about 65, with dropping into the high 50's.
On the way back however, I clicked off the OD, sat the rpm's around 2900ish on flat, and topped out at 3100 climbing and REALLY flew. I was doing about 75-80 from Spanish fork to layton. The ZJ performed WELL above my expectation's 31" tires, stock gearing. Flowmaster, K&N fipk2, Bored Throttle body.... blah blah... I kicked it down more than I liked but this jeep flat out impressed the HELL out of me with my Sidekick on the dolly. I know the GVRW is about 3100 on the kick, but with a tent and some sleeping bags in it, in addition to the hard top, 6 point cage, and rear swing out I have no idea what my weight is. I have read the empty stock weight with stock tires is about 2500.
I was VERY impressed with my return trip, I was pretty nervous on the way down, kept checking my Trans fluid, oil pressure, and straps, made about 6 stops on the way down, let the jeep breath.
PS averaged 12mpg on the way down, 11 back ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Normally see about 20 with the MTR's on it freeway
On the way back however, I clicked off the OD, sat the rpm's around 2900ish on flat, and topped out at 3100 climbing and REALLY flew. I was doing about 75-80 from Spanish fork to layton. The ZJ performed WELL above my expectation's 31" tires, stock gearing. Flowmaster, K&N fipk2, Bored Throttle body.... blah blah... I kicked it down more than I liked but this jeep flat out impressed the HELL out of me with my Sidekick on the dolly. I know the GVRW is about 3100 on the kick, but with a tent and some sleeping bags in it, in addition to the hard top, 6 point cage, and rear swing out I have no idea what my weight is. I have read the empty stock weight with stock tires is about 2500.
I was VERY impressed with my return trip, I was pretty nervous on the way down, kept checking my Trans fluid, oil pressure, and straps, made about 6 stops on the way down, let the jeep breath.
PS averaged 12mpg on the way down, 11 back
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwNormally see about 20 with the MTR's on it freeway
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