Pop-up Camper with 99 TJ

I am sorry for the confusion most of it brought on by my vauge post. I am wondering if a 99 TJ 4-cyl 5 speed 2.5 would pull a pop-up camper? I am in the midwest and have no plans to go thru the mountains or anything like that. Mostly Interstate traveling and occasionally rolling hills. Thank you all for your responses. If I read the owners manuel right I am OK up to 2000 lbs.

Reply to
Gene Pool
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Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

Bill, that is only with the new lighter 2.4 engine I believe.

I think the 2.5 was still ok up to the 2000 lb. Could be wrong, but....

To the OP, just don't lug the engine, that sucks gas and is hard on parts. If you keep it in it's sweet spot for rpm and don't tailgate you should be fine.

The 2.5 is geared good enough that I have been on highway trips to get there and runs with them and I didn't know until I was shown later on that they 'only' had a 4 banger.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

"L.W.(ßill) Hughes III" wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

The real issue isn't ifthe TJ can pull the camper its will the camper can swing the TJ during emergency manuvers. The TJ is a short wheel base vehicle and a camper can be improperly loaded and start swaying from passing trucks, dumb drivers cutting you off, etc. I suggest you consider taking this question to the RV forum rec.outdoors.rv-travel. They have answered it many times with real world experience.

Reply to
Howard

Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

Hi Gene,

I respect Bill and Mike's comments regarding the 2.5L and the trailer. But, I got to tell you the real deal based on my experience. I have a 91

4.0L YJ and a 13 ft Jayco pop-up. I've yanked that thing all over the US including coast to coast at least three times since 1994 when I first bought the trailer. I always pack it up with everything I need for the trip or campsite. I've never had it weighed when packed, but I'm reasonable sure I've never exceeded 2000 lbs. Bottom line is that I've struggled pulling that thing and have made several mods to my Jeep in order to gain additional capability. When it was stock, I would'nt haul that thing any more than a couple of hundred miles. The 4.0L just wasn't up to the task. I added a high lift cam and headers to the motor, a free flowing exhaust system, re- geared to 4.10s for my 33X12.5 tires and finally got to a point I was happy with the Jeep's performance while hauling the trailer, with three teenagers to boot. I like to keep speed and have hauled that thing up to 80mph on the straight out. No wagging the dog either. On the hills -- I mean little hills -- it still struggles and gas mileage drops significantly to around 10-13mph. I am comfortable enough knowing that my Jeep can pull that thing for most anything I want to do, barely. I have serious doubts that your 2.5L is up to the task beyond a few hundred miles in minimum traffic. When rigged and loaded right your Jeep will pull that trailer in a very stable manner. I'm convinced though, that you won't be pleased with the 2.5L performance and may even become discussed with the outcome. Bottomline -- go for it and if your disappointed, well all I can say is either live with your decision or get a vehicle more suitable to your desires.

v/r Scott

91YJ w/fixins

Reply to
reconair

You know, something always confuses me about trailer towing.....

As far as I know, the law here in Canada says you are only allowed to tow a trailer of 'any' size behind 'any' passenger vehicle at the maximum speed limit of 55 mph or 90 kph.

It totally blows my mind when I am buzzing along at 120 kph or 70+ mph and these fools with the pop up and utility trailers or even big dual wheel ones go blowing by me with the freaking tires bouncing all over creation because 'who' even thinks about balancing the tires or knows when that rumble means one tire is doing 6" in the air and 20-50' hops....

I am sorry, but I think the TJ with the 4 banger can handle a pop up doing the 'Canadian' speed limit for towing one with no real issues at all, same for an emissioned to crap YJ's 4.2.

Just my $0.02.....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

rec>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Hey Mike,

There's no disagreeing with you here and man, your totally right. But, I'm talking human nature. Here in the good ol US of A, people just want to get where they're going in the least amount of time. Yeah, I bust the speed limit from time to time and pullin a trailer while doin it. That's just a risk I'm accepting. I agree, that the sensible advice is to give the newbies and the wanna be's the "within the law" and "according to the operator's manual" point of view, not only for their safety, but also for ours. It's just that people use those things as a point of departure and make up their own mind on how they're gonna do things. Yep, the 4 banger can handle the pop-up within the limits. But, whose limits? Stay slow and deliberate and everyone will be safe, no doubt. But, when your trying to keep in step with bumper to bumper traffic @ 75mph plus on Interstate 95 during a three day weekend, you would at least like to blend in instead of becoming a road hazard for all the other crazies.

Point being, if someone wants to know the limits of his or her's vehicles, let's give them the real deal so they can tune their expectations to the real world.

btw, If I start to bounce, I'll slow down until I don't. Sure, I take risks, but I'm not willing to jeopardize my safety nor the safety of others.

Scott

Reply to
reconair

I agree too. Our 400 series highways up here are 110 kph or 70 mph plus in the slow lane, someone doing 60 mph is a hazard. Center lane is

120-140 kph and the fast lane, well.... One weekend I dropped into the fast lane with my old Volvo GLT and still had folks crawling up my butt at 200 kph.....

When my wife and I want to just have a nice drive, we have a secondary system that has a speed of 80 kph with 90 - 100 kph or 60 mph tops is the norm.

These roads are the one to tow on and tons of folks do. On a 200 mile trip to our normal bush area, the 'slow' road only adds a half hour and the drive is pleasant with nice rural scenery. Found a buffalo farm, honey farm all the veggies one can dream of, etc....

I know how twitchy my Jeep gets at 80 mph and towing while being there, well.....

Mike

rec>

Reply to
Mike Romain

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