OEM Tow Package Carrying Capacity?

i have a 1991 4x4 jeep cherokee laredo. it has the oem factory tow package. i measured it and it has a 2in receiver. anyone know the maximum weight it can handle? i want to put a 4 bicycle hitch mount rack but i have no idea what the maximum weight it can handle. any help would be great, thanks!

idisc0 said:

i have a 1991 4x4 jeep cherokee laredo. it has the oem factory tow package. i measured it and it has a 2in receiver. anyone know the maximum weight it can handle? i want to put a 4 bicycle hitch mount rack but i have no idea what the maximum weight it can handle. any help would be great, thanks!

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ask your self this: Do 4 bikes and a bike rack weigh more then a camping trailer? if your bikes do weigh more then no your receiver will not work. other wise your hitch is perfectly fine for what you want to do. i personally dont know what the weight it can handle is but i have used mine to tow my pop-up camping trailer and it has handled it wonderfully.

well techincally you're towing/pulling your trailer right? so that's a different capcity i think. the bike rack will be putting strain on it by carrying/supporting and not towing/pulling. i could be completely wrong here as i'm just a n00b in regards to hitches/towing/carrying and what not. =D

5000 pounds, If you have the factory towing package you will have a hitch, 7 way plug, full size spare, and a trans cooler. I have towed that much with m 91 limited its has the power the down fall is braking.

Boxil said:

ask your self this: Do 4 bikes and a bike rack weigh more then a camping trailer? if your bikes do weigh more then no your receiver will not work. other wise your hitch is perfectly fine for what you want to do. i personally dont know what the weight it can handle is but i have used mine to tow my pop-up camping trailer and it has handled it wonderfully.

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There's a big difference between "tongue weight" (unsupported load hanging off the hitch) and "towing capacity" (the weight of a towed load). Usually about a factor of ten....

Class IIIs are usually rated at 5000# towing / 500# tongue or so.

Officially with the class III setup you should have 5000 pounds towing capacity and tongue weight max 15 percent of that, in other words 750 pounds, with sway control and equalizing hitch required above 350. The class one is 2000 pounds which still puts your tongue weight at a theoretical 300.

Since the hitch rack sticks out, it could increase the apparent load, but I think you'd still be all right even with hefty old Huffies, though you might have to get used to the handling, and you might have to check your headlight aim.