A testament to Jeep
Longtime lurker, infrequent poster here. I bought my Liberty CRD Sport new in July 2006: I have slowly built it into what it is today: What you can see is a 2.5" lift, Firestone ...
Forum Discussion
To answer some questions, I took the Jeep because I figured it would do nearly double the mileage when I was working up the tune. My suspicions were correct; the Tahoe usually averages about 8-10 while towing. I spent about $120 on gas for the Jeep for the entire trip -- exactly 3 tanks in total. Unladen, the CRD gets near 30 mpg with the tune.
The Jeep, despite its apparent size, is on par with a ZJ Grand Cherokee in terms of dimensions, and it has stronger axles, better brakes, and a better transmission.
I had no qualms about towing heavy with the vehicle. I have towed at the factory limit many times, but always with brakes on the trailers, and always at reasonable speeds. The Jeep has never felt over worked with anything I have used it for.
The Jeep handles very well, and the wheels I have on it have increased the track width by about 4-5 inches. The tires are also much wider than the factory offerings, with stiff sidewalls and a high load rating. Sure, aired up they don't ride as nice as the butter-ply factory Wrangler SR-A's, but the increased footprint added a great deal of stability. I never once felt the tail was wagging the dog, but I packed smart and secured anything that could shift. I never felt the pushing sensation from big trucks, even when going in the opposite direction.
I had power to pass when I needed it, and decent fuel mileage when I didn't.
The ABS has roll mitigation built in to it and also functions as traction control.
The main reason though? Because I could. Really, that is about as simple as I can explain it. I certainly wouldn't use the Jeep for a standard-height trailer, nor would I feel comfortable with a heavier unit. But for the trailer I have, I wouldn't hesitate to leave tomorrow with the same combination bound for anywhere this side of the Rocky Mountains.
The Jeep, despite its apparent size, is on par with a ZJ Grand Cherokee in terms of dimensions, and it has stronger axles, better brakes, and a better transmission.
I had no qualms about towing heavy with the vehicle. I have towed at the factory limit many times, but always with brakes on the trailers, and always at reasonable speeds. The Jeep has never felt over worked with anything I have used it for.
The Jeep handles very well, and the wheels I have on it have increased the track width by about 4-5 inches. The tires are also much wider than the factory offerings, with stiff sidewalls and a high load rating. Sure, aired up they don't ride as nice as the butter-ply factory Wrangler SR-A's, but the increased footprint added a great deal of stability. I never once felt the tail was wagging the dog, but I packed smart and secured anything that could shift. I never felt the pushing sensation from big trucks, even when going in the opposite direction.
I had power to pass when I needed it, and decent fuel mileage when I didn't.
The ABS has roll mitigation built in to it and also functions as traction control.
The main reason though? Because I could. Really, that is about as simple as I can explain it. I certainly wouldn't use the Jeep for a standard-height trailer, nor would I feel comfortable with a heavier unit. But for the trailer I have, I wouldn't hesitate to leave tomorrow with the same combination bound for anywhere this side of the Rocky Mountains.
