Jeep GC and TT Towing Assistance
Hi all I'm new to this forum and the travel trailer thing. We just bought a Winnebago Micro Minnie with a weight of 3010 and I have a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6-Pentastar 290hp 3.6L engine. I bought ...
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HappyHicks, I towed 2 trailers with my 2014 Grand Cherokee diesel, 7,200 lb tow rating. More torque, and about the same HP as your GC. They were TrailManors, so low-profile, about 3,500 lbs. Towed in strong winds with no problems, up to the Eisenhower tunnel, either direction, no problem.
I then got a normal trailer, 23', which weighs 5,700 lbs. Still way below tow rating. Problem was, I only had 1,030 lbs of cargo capacity in the GC. 660 lb tongue wt, 75 lb WDH, left 295 lbs for wife, myself, and our cat. No cargo. Plus, it dogged to 30 mph coming up the west side of the Eisenhower Tunnel approach.
Started towing, and any wind pushed us around a lot. Adjusted WDH multiple times, had axles aligned (were not out of alignment, but one wheel was loose), and not much improvement in towing. Towed in a strong (40 mph+) crosswind, and would only go 50 mph. Faster was really unstable.
Consensus with all I consulted was that the GC has too short of a wheelbase for the trailer. Traded GC for an F150, and my towing experience improved drastically.
All this to say, be very careful in strong winds. Don't plan to put much weight in the Jeep, as you don't have cargo capacity to spare.
Good luck! I hope your experience with your combination is better than my experience was.
Oh, and don't even think about going through Aspen to get to Moab. 1) you still will go through Grand Junction, so doing the dip to the south makes no sense. And 2), you can't take a trailer over Independence Pass. Wouldn't want to, even if they allowed it. Go I-70 the entire way, to the Moab turnoff.
I then got a normal trailer, 23', which weighs 5,700 lbs. Still way below tow rating. Problem was, I only had 1,030 lbs of cargo capacity in the GC. 660 lb tongue wt, 75 lb WDH, left 295 lbs for wife, myself, and our cat. No cargo. Plus, it dogged to 30 mph coming up the west side of the Eisenhower Tunnel approach.
Started towing, and any wind pushed us around a lot. Adjusted WDH multiple times, had axles aligned (were not out of alignment, but one wheel was loose), and not much improvement in towing. Towed in a strong (40 mph+) crosswind, and would only go 50 mph. Faster was really unstable.
Consensus with all I consulted was that the GC has too short of a wheelbase for the trailer. Traded GC for an F150, and my towing experience improved drastically.
All this to say, be very careful in strong winds. Don't plan to put much weight in the Jeep, as you don't have cargo capacity to spare.
Good luck! I hope your experience with your combination is better than my experience was.
Oh, and don't even think about going through Aspen to get to Moab. 1) you still will go through Grand Junction, so doing the dip to the south makes no sense. And 2), you can't take a trailer over Independence Pass. Wouldn't want to, even if they allowed it. Go I-70 the entire way, to the Moab turnoff.
