autoxracer
Cincinnati,Oh-USA
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Joined: 08/19/2004
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Towing an utralite (with a Jeep Liberty), wondering about using a sway control w/o weight distribution - feasible? doable?
dbLD250
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JHUCK
Lowry, Minnesota
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Joined: 11/27/2006
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Need to more about the vehicle unless you know the tow rating. I looked & some Libertys have a tow rating of 5000lbs. Might want to look at smaller hydrids for something that weight. Remember when looking at weights of trailers look at the Gross weight not the dry weight.
'05 Thor Wanderer 221SD
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Road Ruler
Canada
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Joined: 09/11/2003
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Your goal should be to set it up optimally which would include WDH with some kind of sway control.
A top quality brake controller and the whole thing adjusted up right. If the jeep tires have too much side play you may want to look for a more appropriate tire for towing.
Airstreams.... the best towing trailers on the planet!
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crappie_fisherman
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Joined: 08/09/2005
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autoxracer,
A jeep liberty has a very short short short wheelbase. It will be more "prone" to sway due to the simple physics of the ball hitched trailer imparting yaw forces on the short wheelbase of the liberty.
You didn't mention the length of the trailer or the weight of the trailer...but it is my opinion that a TV with this short of a wheelbase will benefit GREATLY from ANY form of sway control.
Proper tongue weight (TW) is ALSO crucial with a ball pulled trailer. 10-15% of the LOADED trailer weight is what you need to provide as TW with 12-14 being better and allows some margin to shift some of the load without going under the 10% too easily.
As RoadRuler states...you need to have a proper setup with WD AND sway control. Even if the tongue weight is UNDER the receiver rating on your hitch...add a sway control device such as a friction bar to that setup and you won't be disappointed.
Those once in a lifetime BAD MOMENT when you need sway control (i.e. down hill, cross wind, semi's passing both sides) is TOO LATE to go back and get sway control. Your TV is non-optimal from a wheelbase standpoint and the P-rated tires will flex in the sidewalls...give the TV some help for that one time things "may" get bad.
These are just my opinions...
Good luck,
joe.
DH, DW, 2 DD's
2005 Excursion V10 w/4.30's
- Hensley Arrow
- Prodigy
- Hellwig rear sway bar
- RoadMaster Suspension
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bluwtr49
Green Valley, AZ
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Joined: 09/12/2005
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There are quite a few Libertys towing small TT's. If you have the CRD then it really is a nice TV. As was stated earlier, you do need to be aware of the w/b limitations and purchase accordingly. A good hitch like equal-i-zer is essential.
Visit a couple of the Liberty forums and check with the members who have TT's.
Dick
2008 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited TRD
2009 Cougar 268 RLS ~8400 lbs road wt
Equal-i-zer 12,000 lb hitch, Prodigy BC.
2006 Jeep Liberty Turbo Diesel.....TV in Training
2005 Jeep GC 5.7 HEMI,(retired)
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Bill 720
Lawton, Ok, USA
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Hi: What ultralite is it and how much does it weigh? Also, what is the length of the trailer? These are the factors that figure into what you need or don't need. Bill
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windpusher
Maryland
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Joined: 10/18/2006
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We have a Jeep Liberty and for the last 3 years pulled a Starcraft Cent. pup with a loaded weight of a little over 3,000lbs. Now granted we pulled it with standard hitch but with electric brake and at 60 to 65mph she started to sway. My wife did not like to drive when we pulled the pup. In Feb. we bought a 2007 F150, Scab with tow package and pulled the pup over 1,000 miles last month. We did not even know it was behind us and we both enjoyed the trip. My wife even drove two thirds of the distance home with it. We are planning to upgrade to an ultra-lite before next summer and I would not want to pull it with the Jeep. By-the-way we kept the Jeep as my wife loves to drive it(when not towing) and it has given us good service for five years in October. Just what we have experienced with our Liberty. Hope it helps.
Jeff
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scotth92
Colorado
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We've been towing a 19' (closed) Pop-up trailer (180# hitch/2500# fully loaded) for the past year behind our Libery, and anything above 62 MPH definitely led to swaying. I had the dealer install one sway bar and it seems to have fixed the issue beyond 70 MPH, which is beyond how fast I would ever drive.
I haven't seen any hard-sided trailers I would even consider towing behind the Liberty with it's weight limits (5000# tow) and short wheel base, BUT I've only been looking for BH models for the kids so there may be trailers out there that could work.
Good luck!
PS - this forums have been immensely helpful to me as I narrow my search for both a new TV and TT. Thanks to all the wonderful and knowledgable posters out there!
Scott, Holly, and 2 little ones
2009 Heartland North Trail 31QBS
2002 Ford Excursion Limited PSD
Prodigy Brake Controller & Equalizer Hitch
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Mousefart
New Jersey
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Joined: 08/15/2004
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I tow with my Liberty.
When I towed my Niagara PUP (around 3000 lbs) I had a friction sway bar which made it bearable but I never really felt in control. My headlights also tended to point at the treetops and blind people at night.
My 18 ft hybrid (around 3500 lbs) actually tows pretty decent with just a friction swaybar but again, my headlights were pointed at the tree tops.
I finally forked out the money for an Equal-i-zer hitch and now I tow nice and level and the sway control is good too.
Scotth92, my hard sided trailer actually tows MUCH better than my PUP ever did. PUPs seem to be inherrently unstable no matter what you tow them with.
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Perrysburg Dodgeboy
Perrysburg, Ohio USA
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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I agree with Joe and would add that you go with the friction style SC I would use two not just one.
We had a Jeep Liberty and I couldn’t what to turn that thing in at the end of our lease (we even turned it in early). My major complaint was the soft ride do to the junk Goodyear tires Jeep puts on them. If I were you I would get into a set of D load range tires before towing.
Don
Perrysburg Dodgeboy
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