• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

92 XJ as a trailer hauler

riverside

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Riverside CA
I have a 4.0 4X4 92 with towing bar/hitch that I would like to know of it's hauling capability.
I wish to haul a Prowler travel trailer (say 2500 3000 lbs) from Riverside CA to Elko NV, about 650 miles.
What do you think?
 
Does the trailer have trailer brakes? Have you done anything on your rig to get better braking? I would look to find out more info on the trailer(length/brakes/actual weight/model number). Flat towing is easy. it's the grade that works towing/braking.
 
It's not looking good, everything shows Prowler lightest trailer is #4000 w/o brakes and a #380 lb tongue weight. So the minimum you need is a class 3 receiver, a excellent cooling system, and a aux trans cooler and even then it's pushing it really hard!
 
I pulled almost 3000 lbs on the Cajon Pass and it did good, I just took it easy and kept the speed limit. I use my rig for towing or off-roading, I run 25% antifreeze, the "bigger" fan clutch, 180 thermostat, the biggest transmission cooler tru-cool made, and I have amazon helper bolt on leafs on the stock sagging leaf pack but I am thinking of switching the the monroe coilovers. I also adjust the rear drums so they have more drag when you spin it, this makes the shoes contact the drums sooner.

Grease the moving parts on the brakes and flush the brake lines and put new fluids in the engine. I have pulled a 2000lb tandem trailer without brakes and it felt okay, it stopped fine but I wouldn't do this driving freeway speeds with hills.
 
From the factory, tow package XJs (Class 3 hitch, automatic trans, trans cooler) were rated for 5000lbs with a weight distributing hitch. I think the numbers on your trailer weight are too light. Even tiny little 16 foot trailers weigh almost 3k lbs in many instances, that's before adding all of the "stuff" to the inside.

California requires trailer brakes on any trailer 1500lbs or more so make sure those work.

If I was going to tow that trailer to where you are going and back I'd make sure you had a good trans cooler, all the servicing was up to date, trailer brakes worked properly and invest in a weight distributing hitch.

All non tow package XJs were rated for 2000 lb tow by the way. I limit my self to that in normal use and if I'm going to be making a short or one time trip may make exceptions.
 
You have a number of passes to climb and descend in order to get from Riverside to Elko. Passes over real mountains. Both up and down are going to be challenging for a towing XJ. I won't say it can't be done, but you need to do everything you can to stack the cards in your favor. Both for your own sake and for the sake of the rest of the folks on the road too.
 
Back
Top