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Old 09-05-2018, 03:32 PM   #1
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Jeep Grand Cherokee as Tow Vehicle

After much research I bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and it is a great car. It can pull 6200 Lbs and comes with a full size spare. I plan to tow a 17' Escape. What recommendations for the Hitch and sway bars does anyone have when using this as a TV? What experiences do other Grand Cherokee owners have when towing?
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Old 09-05-2018, 04:39 PM   #2
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Excellent choice. I love my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee tow vehicle. It's the diesel model and pulls my 17B like it's not even there. Gets decent mileage too - 17 to 20 while towing depending on the wind. The 4WD has got me out of several bad situations too, sometimes in places without a phone signal.

I've had trouble finding side mirror attachments that fit so have the McKesh mirrors that hook onto the door and window frame. Probably don't really need them but I like to see who's behind me.

I have the standard equalizer hitch that was offered in 2015. I think it drives more stable using it than without.

That full size spare is very nice and I've had to use it. Extremely heavy - took me a while to wrestle it out of the back after moving dogs and crates out of the way. Once I had the flat off someone came along to help me finish it.
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Old 09-05-2018, 08:46 PM   #3
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Thanks so much! I was thinking of getting the rear camera on the 17B which I am told I could view if necessary. I have the gas model so I suspect that gas mileage will be less than the diesel. What about the hitch, though? Do you have a weight distribution hitch and sway bars? The Jeep supposedly has some form of weight distribution built in because they stiffened the rear suspension on the Limited model. Hills and mountains don't cause you any problems? How about at higher altitudes?
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Old 09-05-2018, 11:07 PM   #4
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I do have a weight distribution hitch. Maybe you can zoom in on this picture to see it. Hills, no problem. Haven't been at higher altitudes or in the mountains yet but lots of hilly areas.

Yeah, I've never found much information on the Jeep built-in weight distribution and tried to get info on whether or not the hitch and the Jeep were playing well together on that or at odds with each other. Drives fine, so whatever, I guess. The Jeep has that hydraulic lift thing going on where it automatically lowers the vehicle for entry and exit and raises it and tilts the front for aerodynamics while driving.
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Old 09-06-2018, 01:00 AM   #5
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The Jeep supposedly has some form of weight distribution built in because they stiffened the rear suspension on the Limited model.
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Yeah, I've never found much information on the Jeep built-in weight distribution...
The Jeep has that hydraulic lift thing going on where it automatically lowers the vehicle for entry and exit and raises it and tilts the front for aerodynamics while driving.
No, weight distribution cannot be changed by suspension. What it might have is an adjustable suspension (although in a Grand Cherokee that would be Quadra-Lift air suspension - nothing hydraulic - which starts with the Trailhawk), which can be very beneficial in helping the tow vehicle to handle weight on the hitch, but nothing the tow vehicle has will have the effect of a weight-distributing hitch system.
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:26 AM   #6
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Jeep GC

We tow a 19 with a v6 gas Grand Cherokee with no problems on flat ground or in the Rocky Mountains. The trailer tow package includes self levelling shocks (not air suspension) and anti sway logic. 80,000 plus kilometers with no mechanical issues. We do not use a weight distribution hitch or anti sway. Although I have mirror extensions and a backup camera for the back of the trailer, I do not use either.
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:33 AM   #7
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I just looked at Jeep's website and the max they show for towing is 4400#, can't find anything higher? On edit, sorry I was at Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee website which does have the higher numbers.
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:38 AM   #8
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6200 for the V6. 7200 for the V8
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:51 AM   #9
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6200 for the V6. 7200 for the V8
And 7,200 for my 3.0L Diesel.
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:53 AM   #10
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No, weight distribution cannot be changed by suspension. What it might have is an adjustable suspension (although in a Grand Cherokee that would be Quadra-Lift air suspension - nothing hydraulic - which starts with the Trailhawk), which can be very beneficial in helping the tow vehicle to handle weight on the hitch, but nothing the tow vehicle has will have the effect of a weight-distributing hitch system.
Thanks, that's it, Brian. It has the Quadra-Lift air suspension system which "provides full time load leveling capability with the benefit of being able to adjust vehicle height by the push of a button."
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Old 09-06-2018, 11:58 AM   #11
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After much research I bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and it is a great car. It can pull 6200 Lbs and comes with a full size spare. I plan to tow a 17' Escape. What recommendations for the Hitch and sway bars does anyone have when using this as a TV? What experiences do other Grand Cherokee owners have when towing?

We switched from a Honda Pilot to a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the V6 engine this year. We've towed our 19' Escape 8,000 miles since the change, including many mountain passes. I was impressed with the Jeep's towing performance in comparison to the Pilot and pleasantly surprised by the better gas mileage while towing.
I continue to use the Anderson Hitch setup that we've had since we purchased our Escape.
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Old 09-06-2018, 12:23 PM   #12
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OK thanks. I can't determine which hitch it is. My jeep doesn't adjust for height, you must have an off-road version (in addition to 4x4). Good to hear about its pulling power. The Jeep seems really powerful but I have not towed anything yet with it. Do you have a generator on the front tray area behind the propane?
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Old 09-06-2018, 01:11 PM   #13
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No generator. That’s the Escape storage box behind the propane tanks.
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Old 09-06-2018, 02:03 PM   #14
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We tow a 19 with a v6 gas Grand Cherokee with no problems on flat ground or in the Rocky Mountains. The trailer tow package includes self levelling shocks (not air suspension)...
Thanks, I didn't see that in the current Grand Cherokee features. These are apparently Nivomat self-leveling shock absorbers (or another brand of equivalent device), which have an internal pneumatic (nitrogen rather air) spring and pump themselves up with suspension motion as you go over bumps. They're not really common, but have been used by several manufacturers on many models.

For anyone using WD with a vehicle having Nivomats, after any change in the WD adjustment I suggest checking the front and rear ride heights after driving for a while: the rear should have risen back to nearly unloaded height, which may have changed the tongue height from where you wanted it, and will have changed WD system action, perhaps enough to affect the front axle load noticeably. Once set up appropriately, the Nivomats should work well with a WD, although they're an even better match for towing without WD.

As with any suspension enhancement, self-leveling shocks do not change the load distribution between axles (only a WD can do that), but they do enable the vehicle to maintain the desired rear suspension height under varying load, and improve the ability of the vehicle to handle cargo or trailer tongue weight.

More detail if anyone is interested:
Nivomat Shock Absorbers: Self-Leveling Monotube Ride Control Units
ZF Technology for Cars > Damping Systems - Nivomat®
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Old 09-06-2018, 10:54 PM   #15
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Take a Look at an Andersen weight distribution hitch. A little pricey but so easy to use and require no grease.
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Old 09-06-2018, 11:12 PM   #16
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Bought mine from Escape after having Pro Series on prior 17B and did not find it easy to use and had so many problems that Andersen refunded me. ETI would not as they stopped selling them due to problems.
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Old 09-06-2018, 11:18 PM   #17
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And then there is the issue of a top Andersen executive defacing a national monument.
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Old 09-06-2018, 11:25 PM   #18
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Thanks for the very detailed response. What is interesting with towing is that you have 3 variables: the trailer and its design, the hitch, and the tow vehicle. I am sure if you ask the TV Mfr (Jeep in this case) what their thoughts are on the hitch , they might say it all depends. If you talk to the trailer Mfr they might say it all depends. If the you talk to the hitch Mfr about the trailer and the TV, they might also say it all depends. That is probably why the experiences of actual users is the best source of info.
Now what about Sway Bars? Are these needed in addition to a WD hitch? Or would the answer be "it all depends?" Thanks everybody, for your feedback, I appreciate it.
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Old 09-07-2018, 12:43 AM   #19
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Bought mine from Escape after having Pro Series on prior 17B and did not find it easy to use and had so many problems that Andersen refunded me. ETI would not as they stopped selling them due to problems
Wow, sorry to hear you had problems. I have been using mine for two years now with no problems. So what kind of problems did you have?
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Old 09-07-2018, 02:03 AM   #20
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Now what about Sway Bars? Are these needed in addition to a WD hitch? Or would the answer be "it all depends?"
Yes, it does depend. There are very real and meaningful differences between trailers, between WD hitch systems, and between tow vehicles, so there is no useful general answer to whether or not an additional sway-control device is appropriate.

Some specific notes:
  • The Andersen No-Sway WD is designed specifically as a sway-control system; it would make no sense to combine it with another friction-type sway control device... with any trailer or any tow vehicle.
  • The Equal-i-zer, Fastway E2, and some other WD systems are designed to have substantial friction for sway control, so if they are adjusted appropriately then again it would make no sense to combine it with another friction-type sway control device in any sensible trailer and tow vehicle combination.
  • A well set up Escape 17' should be so stable that a sway control device is not needed with any tow vehicle which is suitable for towing it... but pile a bunch of cargo weight on the trailer's rear bumper and this does not apply.
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