Should I tow my Grand Cherokee or get something lighter?

[Aftertheloop]

I want to dingy tow a vehicle behind my 2017 Winnebago 32 foot Sunstar. It’s a gas engine built on the Ford chassis. I already own a Grand Cherokee but my concern is the Grand Cherokee more than my RV can comfortably handle? It’s nearly 5,000 pounds. I live in the foothills of SC so anytime I head West I’ll be going through some steep terrain. Should I try to find something smaller and lighter? I would appreciate thoughts from more experienced RVers.

[dubdub07]

I have a GC, 2015, and I have towed it. It is heavier than yours I think. I think it tows great back there. Better than my Wrangler. My little Cherokee tows the best....great size and weight...but not that much better than the GC. I would keep the Grand.

WW

[irishtom29]

With a 2016 Tiffin 32SA on the 24,000 pound chassis I tow a 2019 2WD Explorer that fully loaded weighs 4930 pounds (including the towing rigging--plate, connectors, tow bar and drop bar). I'm 70 pounds under my hitch rating and at 27,500 pounds total of loaded coach and loaded car 2500 pounds under GCWR. All works properly, the car tows fine, no sweat.

I was a field construction boilermaker out of Local 1 in Chicago and I did a lot of heavy rigging building powerhouses, refineries, blast furnaces and such; some lifts over 300 tons. I have no problem working equipment right up to it's rating but I won't go a pound over or a foot out too far. And you have to know what things weigh to do that.

[Bionic_Man]

Even if you went down to something WAY lighter, I really don’t think you would see appreciable difference in the towing manners of your rig. Keep the GC and use it as your towed vehicle.

[dodge_guy]

I tow a 13 Explorer with a 2012 Georgetown. Does just fine. Yes I’m at max but I have no issues! I’m sure you’ll be good with the GC provided you have the proper transfer case!

[Jayco-noslide]

For me-too heavy by about 2000 lbs. I tow a 3000 lb. Focus with our 30 ft. Class C Ford V-10 and I don't sense much reserve left for grades, not to mention the stoping. I had a difficult time sorting out the "tow rating" in the manual but seemed to suggest the MH really isn't built to add much weight. You can't go by what people pull and what you see on the road. Some would tow any thing as long as it will move when you step on the accelerator. It's all about physics; each pound you move takes X amount of energy. Add 1 lb. and it takes more though you won't notice. Add 500 and it takes a lot more.

[blownstang01]

rk911 wrote:
sooner or later you will pay a price for towing beyond the capacity of your hitch, towbar or the GCWR of your MH. premature failure of suspension, brakes, poor handling, extended braking distances , etc. IMO you’ll be increasing the risk to yourself and anyone who has the misfortune to cross your path. weight ratings are there for a reason. follow them. but i’m fairly certain you knew the answer to your own question before you asked it.

Not trying to contradict you but, where did he say he was beyond the capacity of his hitch, towbar, or GCWR ??? Only info he gave was his GC is "Nearly" 5,000 lbs. How were you able the glean this info from what he posted ?

[twodownzero]

My car is only two doors and weighs 3900 pounds. How much weight would you be saving here?

[rk911]

sooner or later you will pay a price for towing beyond the capacity of your hitch, towbar or the GCWR of your MH. premature failure of suspension, brakes, poor handling, extended braking distances , etc. IMO you’ll be increasing the risk to yourself and anyone who has the misfortune to cross your path. weight ratings are there for a reason. follow them. but i’m fairly certain you knew the answer to your own question before you asked it.

[navigator2346]

If your GC is towable 4 down, tow it provided your hitch rating is high enough.

[blownstang01]

We tow a 2014 Ford Explorer @ 5200 lbs behind basically the same coach (31' Winnebago). It tows fine, yes I'm at the limit with my tow capacity and hitch but over 8K miles so far with zero issues. Slow up hills, but honestly only a few MPH than when not towing. I lose about .5 MPG when towing, unless a lot of hills, then closer to 1- 1.2 MPG. Good Luck!

EDIT:
I personally don't "think" going lighter will make much of a difference. These MH's cut such a big hole in the air...that's your drag, towing 1,000 lbs difference won't make a huge gain. Again, that's only my opinion.