I'm interested in purchasing a Wrangler unlimited and I want to pull a boat that weighs around 5k . Can it be modified to handle this load ? Brakes are a given . Can the Wrangler axils handle the weight ? And rear suspension? I'm only going to be towing a few miles .

 

Legally? No. The wrangler platform is capped at 3,500lbs. If you move into the JL wrangler with the max tow then you may meet legal requirements for the 5,000lbs, but I don't know that model well enough to say for certain.

 

I'm one of the few members on here that regularly towed a 4000-5000 pound camping trailer. I had a 2012 Jku manual trans with 3.73 gearing and stock transmission. Even with the 3.73 gear, 6th gear became useless. 3.21 gearing would have been worse. MPGs were about 10-11 at 63mph. I could not really tow any faster than that. I would not tow that weight without trailer brakes, brake controller, weight distribution hitch, friction sway control, and the Smittybiilt XRC rear bumper. That bumper was rated for 5000 pounds and made a huge improvement when combined with the weight dist hitch. I now tow with a 5.7L Toyota Tundra and what an amazingly better tow vehicle that is. Can the Jeep do it physically? Yes, if it's equipped as I mentioned above. My advice, even without towing, is try to find a Jeep with 3.73 gearing. It's just better for everything except gets a tiny bit worse mpg compared to 3.21. The gain in power and capability is worth the slight drop in mpg.

 

Karls is the right answer. You are exceeding what the manufacturer nameplates the tow rating at. Doesn't matter how many aftermarket mods you did. So the danger here is stopping not going, going around corners and the suspension. Think of this scenario - you cause an accident while towing an overweight load, someone is killed or injured, they or their family want to sue you, your insurance company could run away from you to avoid paying because you were illegal. Guess who is paying?? They are doing this in Canada now as people with half ton pickups (biggest abusers) are pulling overweight loads and heading into the weeds because they usually go too fast and truck cannot handle it.

 

While I can't argue against your point, I started a thread a few years ago on this exact topic. I asked for people to give real world factual examples of anyone getting insurance claims denied due to towing above the limit. The answer is that nobody had any real factual examples. Think of this, how many accidents happen when people are driving 10mph above the speed limit? They were breaking the law, yet no insurance claims are denied.
Tow rating for jkus are artificially low. When I did my research, I went to official Chrysler websites for other countries and learned that some rated the Jku (gas powered) at 4400 pounds. I think that was in Australia and Germany, to name a couple. Of course it is essential that the trailer has brakes controlled by a break controller in the Jeep. In my years of towing a heavy toy hauler with my Jku all over NJ, VA, PA, and NC, I never once felt unsafe or out of control. Even in stop & go traffic, or Shenandoah mountains.

 

Only in Europe. :-)

 

Not to be a completely downer but there is one guy who has a youtube video about a person whose makes a living as an accident investigator testifies in criminal/civil court for the prosecution against people who injured/killed someone in an accident and their vehicles were over the legal limit, or bald tires, bad brakes, etc.

 

As long as you have an extra $70,000 dollars lying around to give an attorney so you only get 6 years in prison for reckless endangerment vs. 20 years to life for involuntary homicide, then no worries.

Seriously, Its like driving drunk. You can do it, but god help you and the the person if something goes wrong. (blow out, ice, gravel, sudden stop of the car in front of you, etc.)

 

Just purchased a 4 door wrangler sport unlimited trail rated with the dana 44 with the 3.21 gear ratio I believe (sorry I'm brand new) what's the towing cap ? Can I haul 2800lbs safely??

1 trailer 1 utility quad and a race quad , there total weight is 2200

 

You should be fine in general. The book would tell you 3500lbs, but that 3.21 gearing is not going to do you many favors. If you're talking towing the toys a couple hours to go play I wouldn't worry too much about it. Certainly wouldn't want to tow anything cross country with one of these things IMO. I've towed my little camping trailer, which is maybe 2400-2500 lbs loaded, on long trips that were 15 hrs away.....it's sure a chore that adds some travel time.