kkuntz01

I've got a '08 4dr Rubicon with the factory tow package and I'm wondering if it would be capable of towing my wife's '09 2dr Rubicon.

I think the 2dr weights in about 4100/4200lbs and I'd most likely be towing with a tow dolly, with a slight chance of a trailer.

Checking the Jeep it shows it can tow up to 3500lbs with a tounge weight of 350lbs (std class II hitch.?)

If I were to base my answer on that, it would appear the initial answer would be no, but I may be missing something where it pertains to trailering weight and such. Would there be any difference if upgrading from the factory hitch to a Class III hitch?

Appreciate any good information the community can share. I just entered the Jeep community about a month ago so still learning the capabilities of these rig's.

ronjenx

You know what the weight limit is. A better hitch won't change that.
Using a dolly is real bad for the JK. That, too, is in the manual.

notenuftoys

The 2dr might weight 4100/4200 stock, but with a full tank of gas, lift, wheels, tires, bumpers, hi-lift, etc, you'll be pushing 4500 easily. I wouldn't do it. Get a proper tow vehicle and trailer it.

meljr

Or flat tow it with a tow bar. But, you will still be overweight and the installed cost of a decent tow bar set up with lighting and auxiliary braking will end up being as much as a trailer. I'd do it, but its probably not advisable.

-meljr

kkuntz01

Thanks for the input all. Pretty much confirmed what I had been thinking from the beginning. Ahh well, I guess I break the bad news that wife's Rubi stays home when we go to Moab in Aug.

gs2offroad

As a test, I flat towed my buddy's TJ with my 4 dr JK Rubicon - it was downright scary! There was plenty of power to get it moving, but braking was a huge pucker factor. Also, going around corners the TJ would tend to yank the rear end of the JK around and kick in the ESP.

We wisely decided to drive separately to Moab and had a great time

TxCop07

glad to hear you made the right choice and had fun

Bobicon

One of the questions I had when I bought my Unlimited Rubi was the towing as well as I have a 3600 pound boat. The salesman I bought my Jeep from was a Swiss gentleman here in Sacramento who used to set up trail rides on the Rubicon for people coming from Europe. He was also very involved with Jeep and had helped stage commercials for the vehicles. Being from Europe he had a European sales brochure from Jeep. Interestingly, the European tow specs are rated much higher. Initially I thought that the reason would be the diesel, but both the gas (same engine as ours) and the diesel had identical towing capacities listed. The listed weights were in kilograms and when converted the towing capacity came out to be around 7000 pounds. What make the towing capacity between european and American Jeeps so much different. I read somewhere that the towing capcity is probably limited by cooling. I think you could tow over the US listed capacity, I just think that if you tow much more you definitely want to have trailer brakes.