Any ideas what an older CJ7 jeep is rated to tow????

kebo · Jul 14, 2013

Today on the interstate I came upon a tow vehicle (which was the older model CJ7) with a 16 or maybe 18 ft trailer hooked to it. There was a older model ford two wheel drive long bed pick up sitting on the trailer. I swear, that jeep looked like it was almost dragging the rear bumper from the way it was squatting!! I passed by as it was stopped in the emergency lane, so no, I didn't get a chance to take a pic as I went by it at 55mph. Whomever was driving it was standing between the jeep and the trailer, looking at something with the hitch maybe. Couldn't tell what was going on with it though. I have no idea what those jeeps were rated to tow, but it just seemed like it might have been over its limit a bit??

Diamondpilot · Jul 14, 2013

Most were rated at 2500# to 3000#. They are awful tow vehicles. I once towed a 3000# 28' pontoon and it was a white knuckle experiance due to the short wheel base.

Chris

schmism · Jul 15, 2013

I was assocated with a jeep club in stlouis for over 10 years. couple of guys would try to tow with the wranglers. 1500lb small utility trailer with lawnmower or camping gear is max IMHO.

couple tried 2500-3000 trailers of various types. (boats, small campers etc) and it was a 40mph white knuckle ride as chris says.

RobertN · Jul 15, 2013

I grew up around older Jeep's. Light utility trailer with camping gear etc was ok. Anything more was too much; they are too light and have too short of a wheelbase.

The older ones were worse; many of the pre-'72 models were only about 22-2300lbs from the factory.

My Dad towed a 16' travel trailer, once, with his '70 CJ5. He had a brake controller, and went slow. I was with him(this was in '73 or '74). That was a white knuckle ride for sure. When it came time to bring the trailer back to my grandparents, he used my other grandfathers 3/4 ton GMC. MUCH better! That CJ5 had enough power with the stock V6 and gears. But it was so short and light.

Later post '75 CJ5/CJ7 were all new, and weighed a lot more. Still would not want to tow much with them...

bucktaker · Jul 15, 2013

I just towed my 6600 lb boat to the gas station 3.5 miles and back with my 99 wrangler 4.0 5 speed top speed was 30mph way too much weight but it was necessary to avoid 4.69 per gal at the marina.

tessiers · Jul 15, 2013

I've had a dozen or more jeeps from 52' up through a 2000 model, they all suck at towing, period. They can do it, we haul farm equipment all over the place with them, 15 MPH though. As has been stated they got lots of power, just no footprint. We have a small pop up camper under 2k and that was the limit at road speeds as far as I'm concerned, actually too much for the older ones but OK behind the 2000 wrangler.

lilranch2001 · Jul 15, 2013

I have had 4 CJ's in my younger days and all of them had hitches on them, they were not the "best" tow vehicle, but could do the job as long as you stayed on back roads.

Would I do it again???
HAIL NO! That's what happens when ya get old, you get wiser

tow653 · Jul 15, 2013

I tried to haul a car on a fairly heavy car hauler,behind a CJ5 from the Missouri/Oklahoma border to near St. Louis. Car was broken down,so had to push up on trailer. Went about 1/2 mile and unloaded it,and got a different tow vehicle. It was **** scary driving it and didn't feel like killing myself or anyone else.

sld · Jul 16, 2013

I had a '77 CJ5 that I used ONCE to tow a friend's 19' Bayliner about 30 miles to a lake. Halfway there, when I went to hit the brakes, the pedal went to the floor and a warning light came on. I just look at my buddy and thought "Oh crap". Since there were 2 nice looking girls with us I didn't say a word. I just took it easy the rest of the way.

Well, the boat died and I ended up having to pull it out on a sand beach. In 4 wheel low that Jeep was a beast. Ended up being a "hero" for doing the beach extraction. Never towed again with that Jeep.