TXiceman wrote: You need more tow vehicle of smaller trailer. That trailer is bound to weigh closer to 4700# wet and loaded. The 5000# on the liberty is a maximum and based on a base model vehicle, no cargo, no hitch, and only a 154# driver. Depending on the way you travel with the cargo and such in the liberty, your real world tow rating is probably less then 4500#.
Next issue is that the Liberty is just plain too small for a 23' trailer. Personally. I'd be concerned trying to pull anything other than the smallest pop up.
Sorry to put a major thunder stprm on your parade.
Ken
You're confusing tow rating with GCWR. The liberty has a GCWR of 10,560 lbs. Also Jeep, at least, factors in all std equipment for each model when publishing the ratings so it's not a base model it's as equipped for each varient. The wt of the cargo, passengers, and etc has nothing to do with the tow rating, only the impact on the vehicle GVWR and then, combined with the TT GVW rating on the GCWR.
FYI, the liberty has a w/b only 3" less the the GC which is a great TV.
Dick
2006 Jeep Liberty Turbo Diesel.....TV in Training
2005 Jeep GC 5.7L HEMI, 330 HP, 3.73 GR, 12,200 lb GCWR
2005 Jayco Jay Feather 25Z 5800 lb GVW, 4" lift
Equal-i-zer 10,000 lb hitch, Prodigy BC.
I love how people who don't tow with a liberty speak for it. I tow a 19' 4000# gvw HTT with mine and it tows fine for the most part. I do wish it had a little more power for the long steep uphills but I just let the engine wind out and it works. I even think it stops better with the trailer than without it. I have not had any sway issues with mine, I am using the Equal-i-lizer hitch. I really don't think people know how strong of a suv it really.
Been there, done that. Never again. But, I was using a Chevy S10 Blazer V6 4dr. I'd guess it's about the same size as a Liberty. Don't tow with your Liberty again. You are already not happy towing with it. No amount of "add-ons" or "adjustments" are going to magically make you happy towing a decent sized TT with a smaller sized vehicle. (Regardless of what a good vehicle the Liberty is.)
Either keep the Liberty as a commuter, family vehicle and scrounge up some cash to buy an older Suburban or 1/2 ton truck; or trade in that Liberty on a full-sized tow vehicle.
And Bmach, I don't need to ride a Kawasaki Ninja 250 to know that it is too small for my 260lb 6'2" self.
My TT is the same size as the OP's and it's actually closer to 26' including the tongue. Too small for a vehicle with a 106" wheelbase and a 61" track.
SKG, if that makes me a fanatic, well... OK. I think it's more realistic than fanatic, but...whatever.
68 Me & DW
93 DD
03 DD
06 F150 Screw 6.5' Bed, 4x4, 5.4, 3.73
04 Tahoe 23RB-GL Honda EU2000 Parallel Cables "I hope you like Guinness, Sir. I find it a refreshing substitute for...food." Col. Jack O'Neill, Stargate SG-1.
Just out of curiosity looked at the Jeep website. The Liberty, with the 3.7 V6 has a tow rating of 3500lbs. My '97 Cherokee, with the I6, had a tow rating of 5000. I towed a popup that weighed 2500 and was fine. Would not have dreamed of trying to tow my 5500lb Nash with it.
Bmach wrote: I love how people who don't tow with a liberty speak for it. I tow a 19' 4000# gvw HTT with mine and it tows fine for the most part. I do wish it had a little more power for the long steep uphills but I just let the engine wind out and it works. I even think it stops better with the trailer than without it. I have not had any sway issues with mine, I am using the Equal-i-lizer hitch. I really don't think people know how strong of a suv it really.
I HAVE towed with a Liberty. Yes, it will BARELY tow a 18ft - 19ft trailer but it is FAR from ideal. The OP is talking about a much heavier trailer.
canoe on top wrote: Just out of curiosity looked at the Jeep website. The Liberty, with the 3.7 V6 has a tow rating of 3500lbs.
Look again. The Liberty is rated for 5000lb towing with the TOW PACKAGE and the auto tranny (at least, my 03 was).
Paul (Mouse)
2007 Flagstaff Shamrock 17 Hybrid (heavily modified for boondocking and winter camping).
2007 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab, 4.7L HO engine, Factory tow package, Equil-i-zer WD Hitch, Prodigy brake controller.
Yamaha EF2400 Generator.
Bmach wrote: I love how people who don't tow with a liberty speak for it. I tow a 19' 4000# gvw HTT with mine and it tows fine for the most part. I do wish it had a little more power for the long steep uphills but I just let the engine wind out and it works. I even think it stops better with the trailer than without it. I have not had any sway issues with mine, I am using the Equal-i-lizer hitch. I really don't think people know how strong of a suv it really.
I HAVE towed with a Liberty. Yes, it will BARELY tow a 18ft - 19ft trailer but it is FAR from ideal. The OP is talking about a much heavier trailer.
yep, OP said, "a 23 foot Jayco Jay Feather and am towing with 2008 Jeep Liberty. It weighs 3890 dry weight " and that was a 19' 4000# gvw HTT. no comparison IMHO.
bumpy
I tow a 24 foot jayco hawk lite with a 2003 liberty and have plenty of power to spare I have a valley hitch with weight dist and trailer brakes the only thing I do not have is sway control which will be bought soon I have only towed the trailer 4 times and only had sway issues once du to high winds, i believe if you take it easy and tow smart the liberty will do fine my jayco hawk weighs in at 3600 dry and 4700 fully loaded which i try to avoid while towing and the liberty is rated at 3500 pounds or 5000 with weight dist, in fact when I had everything installed the mechanic said the plate on the liberty said GVTW of 5600.
Jason Duhamell
Wife Rachel, 2 boys Nate and Seth
Smokey J's BBQ
Competition Barbeque Team and Catering
Cubmaster Pack 33 Mattoon, Illinois
2003 Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4
1998 Jayco Hawk Lite 24BH
Tow rating is determined by the GCWR - the truck (loaded) = max tow rating.
In order to figure the tow rating, ALL manufacturers use the base mode and only a 154# driver as the base weight. When you add load to the Liberty in any form, additional passengers, cargo, hitch, all of these add to the Liberty's weight. Thus your real world tow rating is lower by what you added to the base weight of the Liberty.
I have never towed with a Liberty, but have towed with a Ford Explorer and it will tow a trailer...but not very well. The truck is too small and you need more beef on the road to control the trailer and have a comfortable trip. I have 25 plus years of towing and using every type of RV on the road.
If you start out with a small tow vehicle, you can get use to it and never know how a larger truck will do until you actually get to tow on the road.
While you may actually be within the tow rating, there is more to towing than horsepower and weight ratings. When you hook up a big box to the tow truck, the dynamics change, wind drag and projected profile become a big factor. Out of courisity, what is the frontal area allowed per Jeep for the Liberty....35 sq. feet or so? A trailer that is 8' wide by 7' tall is 56 square feet.
Ken
KE5DFR
Vintage 1979 Silver Streak Supreme Rocket toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with two miniature Schnauzers and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
Yes it is a smaller TV for a a 23ft. TT. but if setup properly, which it sounds like the hitch isn`t! it should tow just fine. I would upgrade to a Dual Cam sway control. and make sure it is setup properly! it also sounds as if you have to little tongue weight. I would also recomend 600/6000lb bars. 750lb bars are to much for that loaded TT! probably contibuting to transfering to much weightoff the rear axle and onto the front axle. the friction sway control is also nowhere near enough for your combo! dealers don`t care about hitches other than getting you out the door, let alone making sure it is setup properly!
Wife kim
Son brandon 6yrs
Daughter marissa 5yrs
Dog shadow
07 Cherokee 32B
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear
Reese HP dualcam,Prodigy brake controller,
Air lift air bags.
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