# Towing With Jeep Liberty



## tomasulo

Hello all, I am new to the travel trailer scene. My Wife and I are looking to buy a decent sized unit with bunks for the kids. I have a 2002 Jeep Liberty 4x4 right now as the tow vehicle. We need to go with an ultra light camper to fit within the 5000lbs max tow weight of the Jeep. I need help!! We narrowed choices down to Slingshot by Crossroads and Shadow Cruiser. We really like the 2011 Shadow Cruiser 260-BHS, but, it is 28' long and has a dry weight of 4000lbs. Some say the Jeep will haul it short distances, etc.....others say not a chance. The dealer says they will put on a weight distribution hitch and anti sway bars. The Jeep manual says max length of a trailer is 25'. My question is, can this be hauled short distances with the Jeep? I know short wheelbase is also an issue. I live in PEI, Canada, and don't plan any long trips over the next few years, all flat ground, rural highways, shorter trips no further than 50-100kms. I would likely look at upgrading to a larger tow vehicle down the road. Some folks on the Jeep forums say it will haul the weight if I add an HD fan cooler, and I already have a power steering and transmission cooler installed. The weight was one issue that seems like a possible way to overcome, but the trailer length and "tail wagging the dog" issue come into play. For all you "trailer pros" out there, I hold my trust in you to know more how they handle. Based on my planned usage and no real long trips, please be honest and tell me what, if any possibilities there are? This size of the Shadow Cruiser really fits what we are looking for. Thanks so much for any help you can offer!!


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## Bear25314

Some advice....

We have been rv'ing now for about 6years and love every minute of it. We first started out with a Jeep Liberty. It was a 2003 I believe. We started out tent camping with friends who had and rv. We soon relized that we needed to get out own. So... We ended up buying a 26ft travel trailer. It weighed 4500lbs. Out Jeep, like yours, could pull 5000lbs. I never pulled a trailer before. The salesman reassured me that we could pull it with our Jeep. But, he did, thank God, advise us to change out the stock tires we had on it for D class tires. He said they were much better, thicker walled, for towing. He was right. I will never forget the day we picked up the trailer, (first time I ever towed anything that size) and brought her home. Let me start out by adding saying I think I lost a couple of years off my lifespan that day. First, the dealer gave us a weight distribution hitch with sway control consisting of a "friction sway bar". Don't fall for this!!! It is by far the cheapest form of sway control!!! (Google "Sway Control while towing" if I lost you here). This is very important. Especially if your going to use a Jeep Liberty to tow a trailer as long as 26ft. The thing to remember is, a Jeep Liberty may be able to tow 5000 lbs but, it also has a very short wheel base and this will effect towing when it comes to the trailer swaying. I suggest you get a Reese Cam with sway control system or better!!! It is possible to tow with your Jeep, i just wanted to warn you of that since we went through that same ordeal. We did tow our trailer for 2 summers using our Jeep and had some great times once we got to our destination and set up. However, my arms were worn out by the time I got to where we were going and I couldn't get a beer in me quick enough because my nerves were shot from the drive in. LOL. But, dont' let it stop you from getting a trailer with that being your tow veichle. It's so worth it and I bet once you get your trailer that matches the Jeeps specs, down the line you will move up to a bigger trailer and larger tow vehicle. Good luck to ya and enjoy.... Hope that makes sense...


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## tomasulo

Bear25314 said:


> Some advice....
> 
> We have been rv'ing now for about 6years and love every minute of it. We first started out with a Jeep Liberty. It was a 2003 I believe. We started out tent camping with friends who had and rv. We soon relized that we needed to get out own. So... We ended up buying a 26ft travel trailer. It weighed 4500lbs. Out Jeep, like yours, could pull 5000lbs. I never pulled a trailer before. The salesman reassured me that we could pull it with our Jeep. But, he did, thank God, advise us to change out the stock tires we had on it for D class tires. He said they were much better, thicker walled, for towing. He was right. I will never forget the day we picked up the trailer, (first time I ever towed anything that size) and brought her home. Let me start out by adding saying I think I lost a couple of years off my lifespan that day. First, the dealer gave us a weight distribution hitch with sway control consisting of a "friction sway bar". Don't fall for this!!! It is by far the cheapest form of sway control!!! (Google "Sway Control while towing" if I lost you here). This is very important. Especially if your going to use a Jeep Liberty to tow a trailer as long as 26ft. The thing to remember is, a Jeep Liberty may be able to tow 5000 lbs but, it also has a very short wheel base and this will effect towing when it comes to the trailer swaying. I suggest you get a Reese Cam with sway control system or better!!! It is possible to tow with your Jeep, i just wanted to warn you of that since we went through that same ordeal. We did tow our trailer for 2 summers using our Jeep and had some great times once we got to our destination and set up. However, my arms were worn out by the time I got to where we were going and I couldn't get a beer in me quick enough because my nerves were shot from the drive in. LOL. But, dont' let it stop you from getting a trailer with that being your tow veichle. It's so worth it and I bet once you get your trailer that matches the Jeeps specs, down the line you will move up to a bigger trailer and larger tow vehicle. Good luck to ya and enjoy.... Hope that makes sense...


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## tomasulo

tomasulo said:


> Some advice....
> 
> We have been rv'ing now for about 6years and love every minute of it. We first started out with a Jeep Liberty. It was a 2003 I believe. We started out tent camping with friends who had and rv. We soon relized that we needed to get out own. So... We ended up buying a 26ft travel trailer. It weighed 4500lbs. Out Jeep, like yours, could pull 5000lbs. I never pulled a trailer before. The salesman reassured me that we could pull it with our Jeep. But, he did, thank God, advise us to change out the stock tires we had on it for D class tires. He said they were much better, thicker walled, for towing. He was right. I will never forget the day we picked up the trailer, (first time I ever towed anything that size) and brought her home. Let me start out by adding saying I think I lost a couple of years off my lifespan that day. First, the dealer gave us a weight distribution hitch with sway control consisting of a "friction sway bar". Don't fall for this!!! It is by far the cheapest form of sway control!!! (Google "Sway Control while towing" if I lost you here). This is very important. Especially if your going to use a Jeep Liberty to tow a trailer as long as 26ft. The thing to remember is, a Jeep Liberty may be able to tow 5000 lbs but, it also has a very short wheel base and this will effect towing when it comes to the trailer swaying. I suggest you get a Reese Cam with sway control system or better!!! It is possible to tow with your Jeep, i just wanted to warn you of that since we went through that same ordeal. We did tow our trailer for 2 summers using our Jeep and had some great times once we got to our destination and set up. However, my arms were worn out by the time I got to where we were going and I couldn't get a beer in me quick enough because my nerves were shot from the drive in. LOL. But, dont' let it stop you from getting a trailer with that being your tow veichle. It's so worth it and I bet once you get your trailer that matches the Jeeps specs, down the line you will move up to a bigger trailer and larger tow vehicle. Good luck to ya and enjoy.... Hope that makes sense...


[/quote]

Thanks for the info!! So, even after you added good sway control, etc, you still had troubles?? The trailer I am looking at is 28' superlight (4000lbs dry). With better tires and a good anti sway, will I still be looking at white knuckles on shorter trips?? Any other insight from you folks would be great. Thanks again for this reply.....I really want this trailer, but the towing and short wheelbase are worrying me.


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## huntr70

Not even close....

Need more wheelbase and engine/brakes.

Liberty's can barely pull pop-ups very well, much less a 28 foot trailer. I'm sure someone has tried it, somewhere, but your taking your life, and your family's in your hands.

Find a short hybrid and deal with it, or buy a new tow vehicle.


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## go6car

While I don't have a Jeep, we do tow at the upper ends of the weight limits (but still within them) with our current and former trailer. And, like you, tow primarily on flat land, staying relatively close to home, with a few longer trips a year.

I'm truly not sure you want to try something like that with the Liberty. Even though you'll be primarily flat, there are other factors to consider. The weight of your gear is one of them and you'll be surprised at how fast that adds up. Also, the trailer length is definitely a concern, which will come even more into play when it's windy (or other bad weather), and when big trucks pass you on the highway. That trailer will act like a big huge sail connected to your Jeep and you will definitely feel it -- even with the proper hitch setup.

You might be better with something like these (there are others out there too):

My link

or this:

My link

I think you can definitely find an enclosed trailer to work with the Jeep, but the last thing you want is to be unsafe and get pushed all over the highway. Best of luck to you as you continue to search!


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## luverofpeanuts

I think you are going to find a range of responses from "You can try it..and maybe barely get by.." to "It's crazy talk to try something like this".

IMHO, i think the combo you are describing is really really pushing it.. .and in the very best case, it is going white knuckle driving.

What is the GVWR of the camper? You can easily add 1000 pounds to the dry weight of the camper with any options that were added and gear you take.

In addition, on the Jeep side... here are some questions...

What is the hitch rating of the Jeep? Not the tow rating... probably a class II or III. How much tongue weight can the hitch handle. A 4000 pound dry weight camper will probably have 500-700 pounds of tongue weight if properly balanced.
What is the GVWR of the Jeep? The people you carry in the Jeep, along with the gear, *and* the tongue weight of the camper should not exceed this.
What is the rear GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) ? of the Jeep? The tongue weight ot the camper will add nearly all of it's weight to the rear axle.
What is the current state of the Jeep? new? good maintenance record? Being that overmatched with the trailer will likely wear heavily on the transmission, brakes, and suspension.

If I were in your position, I think the wise thing to do would be to consider upgrading the Jeep at the same time. That may mean that you even have to go with an older, used, bigger tow vehicle. Some people even buy a much older tow vehicle... and use it just as the tow vehicle. Not a good idea for some people...but it works for others.

Check around with friends that have a similar sized trailer and ask if they would allow a test tow with their setup, so you can feel what it's like...then consider how that would feel with the Liberty.

Good Luck...


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## rsm7

I would not want to tow any camper with a Jeep Liberty. I dont care what anyone tells you, even current Jeep owners, the wheelbase is too short and it will be a very dangerous and scary situation. People try unsafe combinations all the time because they really want that trailer. Then they justify it by saying its not easy but you can do it if you're careful. You definately do not want to go 28 feet. You will be sorry. The second problem with getting the trailer first and upgrading the truck later is that once you buy the bigger truck you wish you would've bought a bigger trailer. All that being said friends of mine were recently in the same boat as you, wanting a trailer but not quite having the truck for it. They have a Trailblazer EXT. I helped them find a lightweight trailer and after doing a little research on the extended length Trailblazer I found out it is a very capable tow vehicle for its size. Surprisingly it has a wheelbase that is only 2 inches shorter than a Suburban. They ended up with a Gulfstream Visa 23RBK. It weighs 3502 and is 25'11" long. They towed it three times relatively uneventfully but decided a new F150 is in their future. Then a couple weeks ago on their 4th trip, just after leaving the house, the wind was so bad they got pushed across the highway but did not wreck. It scared them so badly they took it home and went to a motel for the weekend instead. The Trailblazer's WB is 129" and the Liberty is only 104". If the Trailblazer wasn't up to the task a Liberty would have been wrecked for sure.


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## Snow

I can tell you from owning 2 Jeeps (a Cherokee and Grand Cherokee) I myself would not want to tow anything longer then 14-18 feet.. I know lots of people who will tow a 4000lb 30 foot trailer with a short wheelbase Jeep, but they are not doing it safely in my opinion.. I would look at getting a tent trailer or hybrid if you plan on towing with the Libby.. BTW .. that 4000lb trailer your looking at is probably closer to 5000lbs, by the time you get it loaded and ready to roll.. If I am correct, the 5000lb rating of the Libby only includes the driver.


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## tomasulo

Snow said:


> I can tell you from owning 2 Jeeps (a Cherokee and Grand Cherokee) I myself would not want to tow anything longer then 14-18 feet.. I know lots of people who will tow a 4000lb 30 foot trailer with a short wheelbase Jeep, but they are not doing it safely in my opinion.. I would look at getting a tent trailer or hybrid if you plan on towing with the Libby.. BTW .. that 4000lb trailer your looking at is probably closer to 5000lbs, by the time you get it loaded and ready to roll.. If I am correct, the 5000lb rating of the Libby only includes the driver.


Thank you for the replies folks! Another scenario, is that I checked out a Slingshot 25' that weights 3700lbs. The dealer even says that the placement between axles and low to the ground stance that these can be hauled by small SUV's, even the 29'. Would the design of these new lightweights help minimize sway? That's what they are saying anyway...??


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## tomasulo

tomasulo said:


> I can tell you from owning 2 Jeeps (a Cherokee and Grand Cherokee) I myself would not want to tow anything longer then 14-18 feet.. I know lots of people who will tow a 4000lb 30 foot trailer with a short wheelbase Jeep, but they are not doing it safely in my opinion.. I would look at getting a tent trailer or hybrid if you plan on towing with the Libby.. BTW .. that 4000lb trailer your looking at is probably closer to 5000lbs, by the time you get it loaded and ready to roll.. If I am correct, the 5000lb rating of the Libby only includes the driver.


Thank you for the replies folks! Another scenario, is that I checked out a Slingshot 25' that weights 3700lbs. The dealer even says that the placement between axles and low to the ground stance that these can be hauled by small SUV's, even the 29'. Would the design of these new lightweights help minimize sway? That's what they are saying anyway...??
[/quote]

We also have a 2009 Ford Flex. Do we have any options with this?


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## clarkely

tomasulo said:


> I can tell you from owning 2 Jeeps (a Cherokee and Grand Cherokee) I myself would not want to tow anything longer then 14-18 feet.. I know lots of people who will tow a 4000lb 30 foot trailer with a short wheelbase Jeep, but they are not doing it safely in my opinion.. I would look at getting a tent trailer or hybrid if you plan on towing with the Libby.. BTW .. that 4000lb trailer your looking at is probably closer to 5000lbs, by the time you get it loaded and ready to roll.. If I am correct, the 5000lb rating of the Libby only includes the driver.


Thank you for the replies folks! Another scenario, is that I checked out a Slingshot 25' that weights 3700lbs. The dealer even says that the placement between axles and low to the ground stance that these can be hauled by small SUV's, even the 29'. Would the design of these new lightweights help minimize sway? That's what they are saying anyway...??
[/quote]

Unfortunately no........ you need a larger vehicle or a smaller trailer......... i had a grand cherokee with the 8 cylinder ......... and lots of power great vehicle in the snow with the mud and off road - but not a Tow Vehicle for much more than a popup - or very small hybrid.........

We have friends who have a 20 foot hybrid that they pull with the honda suv and they take it slow and dont go on long distant trips - they have a 5000 lb tow capacity and have a 3500 lb dry vehicle - i wouldnt want tow anything larger.......


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## Sandlapper

Only thing worse than a car salesman is a camper salesman. They will tell you anything to sell their product. IMHO, the most critical thing in towing is the wheelbase. Its one thing to be underpowered, but if the wheelbase is short, it makes for a miserable, and very dangerous, tow..


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## tomasulo

Sandlapper said:


> Only thing worse than a car salesman is a camper salesman. They will tell you anything to sell their product. IMHO, the most critical thing in towing is the wheelbase. Its one thing to be underpowered, but if the wheelbase is short, it makes for a miserable, and very dangerous, tow..


So, even short trips like 25-50kms is too much to handle on rural roads, 80kms or less? I was thinking strongly on buying and upgrading the Tow Vehicle after a year or two, so we can travel on longer trips. We also have a Ford Flex, but I think the max tow is 4500lbs. although it would be a bit longer wheelbase.


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## hautevue

I can tell from your responses that you really want a TT with the Liberty. Fine, but think it through. It's a safety issue for you and your family. Even though you may only be going 50 - 80 km to your campsite, you still will be faced with those 18 wheelers roaring past. The sway that will be introduced is significant, and the Liberty simply does not have the wheelbase to handle it safely.

Even with a Reese hitch system (and they are good!), the big "sail" you are towing will be affected by the wind push of that truck (or bus, or another TT!) and a short wheelbase TV like the Liberty simply will be dangerous.

Add up the weights of the TT, the people, propane in the tank(s), some fresh water, and all your "stuff" in the TT like clothes, food, sodas, beers, etc.

Then combine that with a short wheelbase TV, and hitch weight at or near the limit for the TV. IMHO, you are really pushing the envelope.

My opinion--it's fundamentally unsafe for you and your family.


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## duggy

I totally agree with the bulk of responses that state you don't want to tow a 28' trailer with a Jeep Liberty. That length of trailer will send the Jeep wherever it wants to, if a strong sidewind or transport gust moves the trailer.

If wheelbase wasn't a concern, I think you'd get by with the tow rating of your Liberty, but you would find it frustrating, underpowered, and only a matter of time until parts (transmission) started breaking. If that was the situation, I'd recommend giving it a try, and see how you feel. Adding the short wheelbase into the equation, changes the question from will it work, to will I kill my family, or an innocent bystander in another vehicle.

I was towing my 27' 6" trailer with my full size Chev Van (135" wheelbase, 5,300 lb curb weight) in the rain on a two lane road, doing about 55 mph. All of a sudden, with no warning, a gust of wind hit us sideways, and moved the truck and trailer about half a foot to the right. I immediately said "What the #@$%" while wondering if what I thought happened, actually did. Then it happened again. I slowed down to about 45 mph, and there weren't any more random gusts, so that ended the excitement for that trip. I can't help but think that in a situation like that, a short wheelbase TV would have quite likely ended up off the road.


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## RDS

No.


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## john7349

Bad idea for you, for the other people and bad for the Jeep.


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## john7349

Bad idea for you, for the other people and bad for the Jeep.


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## rsm7

tomasulo said:


> Only thing worse than a car salesman is a camper salesman. They will tell you anything to sell their product. IMHO, the most critical thing in towing is the wheelbase. Its one thing to be underpowered, but if the wheelbase is short, it makes for a miserable, and very dangerous, tow..


So, even short trips like 25-50kms is too much to handle on rural roads, 80kms or less? I was thinking strongly on buying and upgrading the Tow Vehicle after a year or two, so we can travel on longer trips. We also have a Ford Flex, but I think the max tow is 4500lbs. although it would be a bit longer wheelbase.
[/quote]

Your Liberty is just to light and too short to handle much more than a small hybrid. It would get shoved around too much. But actually depending on how its spec'd out your Flex probably is a better tow vehicle. The wheelbase is 117.9" Look up a a member here named "Nathan". He towed a Rockwood 2306 with a Flex. You still need to keep the camper length down.

Here's a link to his towing thread.

http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30853&view=&hl=flex&fromsearch=1


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## rsm7

BTW if you are dead set on the 28 footer you could look into a permanent campsite until you get a bigger vehicle.


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## tomasulo

rsm7 said:


> BTW if you are dead set on the 28 footer you could look into a permanent campsite until you get a bigger vehicle.


folks, thanks for your help! I am going to look at that trailer again tomorrow. If I decide to buy it, and get it home with the Jeep (30mins drive), I will do so, and have the winter and spring to either plan on finding another TV and if not, I will not be going to any campgrounds too far away. The closest to my house is 20 minutes drive on quiet roads, so that may be an option to get it there and leave it for a bit at the campground until I can sell or trade the Jeep for a 1/2 ton or full size SUV. Now, I would assume that a 1/2 ton truck is what I should be looking for, or is there any older full size SUVs that are good tow vehicles for a 28' such as the Shadow Cruiser?


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## tomasulo

tomasulo said:


> BTW if you are dead set on the 28 footer you could look into a permanent campsite until you get a bigger vehicle.


folks, thanks for your help! I am going to look at that trailer again tomorrow. If I decide to buy it, and get it home with the Jeep (30mins drive), I will do so, and have the winter and spring to either plan on finding another TV and if not, I will not be going to any campgrounds too far away. The closest to my house is 20 minutes drive on quiet roads, so that may be an option to get it there and leave it for a bit at the campground until I can sell or trade the Jeep for a 1/2 ton or full size SUV. Now, I would assume that a 1/2 ton truck is what I should be looking for, or is there any older full size SUVs that are good tow vehicles for a 28' such as the Shadow Cruiser?
[/quote]

Thanks for all the help and information folks! I took the Liberty to the dealer today for a test drive with the trailer. We are going to buy it, with plans of looking for a larger TV next summer. The Jeep actually handled much better than I thought. They put on the Reese dual cam sway and weight dist setup on the Jeep. It didn't even drop an inch when we hooked the trailer onto the Liberty. Took it to a highway up to 80kms/hr and handled better than I anticipated, And it was very windy today, started to hail and even met a few tractor trailers. Only at one point did I feel it wanting to start to wander. Again, I trust all of your help and will be looking for a bigger TV. At least I know the Jeep will pull it with no trouble and with the anti sway helps too, so that I can at least get to the campgrounds just outside my town, which I will tow on my own and have my family drive the Flex to meet me there. I still want to explore options on the Flex, but I think it's issue is the opposite of the Jeep, I think the trailer is over the max weight for the Ford.....I guess a 1/2 ton is in the near future. Besides a truck is there any full size SUVs that will haul a 28' and 5000+ lbs?


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## luverofpeanuts

tomasulo said:


> Again, I trust all of your help and will be looking for a bigger TV. At least I know the Jeep will pull it with no trouble and with the anti sway helps too, so that I can at least get to the campgrounds just outside my town, which I will tow on my own and have my family drive the Flex to meet me there. I still want to explore options on the Flex, but I think it's issue is the opposite of the Jeep, I think the trailer is over the max weight for the Ford.....I guess a 1/2 ton is in the near future. Besides a truck is there any full size SUVs that will haul a 28' and 5000+ lbs?


The Excursion isn't made anymore, but it was the best towing SUV made during it's time, IMHO.

In todays' world, the best is probably the Suburban 2500 (Yukon XL) 2500. After that, Suburban/Yukon XL 1500's, Expedition EL's... then Tahoe, Expedition, Nissan Armada, Sequoia, Durango, etc. There's a range of 5000-9000 in there depending on how those vehicles are outfitted.


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## Bear25314

Well. Just take it easy and keep it at 55mph. No faster. Remember too, it might tow ok with the Liberty but always give yourself extra room for a quick stop if you need to and don't become complacent. Remember too to keep it slow because a blow out will send you swaying like a tree even with the sway control system you have. Enjoy the new camper and congratulations Bud. Have fun!!!


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## hautevue

X2 w/Bear25314; remember that the Liberty has to stop all that mass and if you're going over 50 or 55, you will demand a lot of the Liberty brakes to stop that mass in a decent distance. The brakes on the Liberty are not as big as those on the bigger TVs; take that into account when towing; keep it under 55 and be safe.


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## rsm7

luverofpeanuts said:


> The Excursion isn't made anymore, but it was the best towing SUV made during it's time, IMHO.
> 
> In todays' world, the best is probably the Suburban 2500 (Yukon XL) 2500. After that, Suburban/Yukon XL 1500's, Expedition EL's... then Tahoe, Expedition, Nissan Armada, Sequoia, Durango, etc. There's a range of 5000-9000 in there depending on how those vehicles are outfitted.


Any of those will do the job. For long distance or mounteneous trips the 3/4 ton GM's or Excursion would make the trip more enjoyable. In the 1/2 tons the Dodge and the imports probably have more power then Ford's 5.4L and GM's 5.3L but any of them are adequate for that trailer. The Suburban/Yukon and Expedition EL are going to have the longest WB.

Congratulations on your new trailer. as for your liberty I dont think you're going to get a rousing endorsement from us on that. As others have stated keep your speed down. You only towed it once and it was bone dry and empty. Dont forget what happened to my friend with the Trailblazer. His truck is bigger and longer then yours and his trailer is lighter and shorter then yours. As you continue to tow with that Jeep and experience new situations and loading differences I think you're going to decide on your own that it just cannot handle it.


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## mountainlady56

I'm sorry you didn't chose to listen to our well-intentioned, well-informed members. Please use your camper in your driveway, until you can afford a proper tow-vehicle, or have your wife drive a separate vehicle with your family in it, for their safety.
Thank you.
Darlene


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## Y-Guy

I own a Liberty, and we owned an Outback 28RSS and no way in the world would I tow it with the Liberty. Liberty is a grocery getter and if equipped right it can crawl over curbs, but towing anything that long at highway speeds is begging for trouble. Yes it has a very stout engine, but it does not have the wheel base necessary to be safe. I've towed our 19' boat with it in town, never more then 35mph and I didn't feel comfortable even though its a double axle trailer. If you insist on doing it, please have your wife and kids in another vehicle.


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## deanintemp

I pull a 25' trailer with my 1500 Suburban and would not pull anything larger. Anything bigger and I would go with a 2500 Suburban, minimum. I used to pull a 25' with a V8 Grand Cherokee - that lasted only one season. Dealers are looking to make the sale, they will assure you of almost anything! Also, "dry weight" is "fictitious weight" and does not exist. This weight does not include appliances, air conditioner, awning, camping gear, etc. Ask the dealer for a certified "as shipped" weight, or take the trailer to a local scale for confirmation. My unit has a "dry weight" of 4800lbs, my local scale says nearly 7000lbs (with camping gear)!

Don't let this dissuade your decision to enter RV camping - best thing in the world - hands down.


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## MattFromPA

Ditto to everything already said.

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 21RS, which I purchased this year before fully researching the true limitations of the Jeep. Bottom line is I don't have the wheelbase for even a 21' trailer, and the Grand is longer than a Liberty. With my 106" wheelbase I should be towing about 18' max. As you've only towed it once, I would strongly advise you to not drive with your family when under tow. My tow home was great, but on back roads almost the whole way. Second trip was our first camping trip and it was a white knuckler. On the highway the turbulence from passing big rigs and large SUVs moved the 21RS on me, and until I learned to anticipate it I was terrified. I have a WD hitch and friction anti-sway. I would never consider going longer with my Grand Cherokee (BTW the owner's manual says 30' max). As it stands now we park the 21RS about 10 miles from our favorite camping spots which really limits the amount of towing. I can guarantee you're going to have heart-stopping moments with your current configuration. At least you're looking to upgrade your TV, which I am also going to do.


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## Scoutr2

tomasulo said:


> I can tell you from owning 2 Jeeps (a Cherokee and Grand Cherokee) I myself would not want to tow anything longer then 14-18 feet.. I know lots of people who will tow a 4000lb 30 foot trailer with a short wheelbase Jeep, but they are not doing it safely in my opinion.. I would look at getting a tent trailer or hybrid if you plan on towing with the Libby.. BTW .. that 4000lb trailer your looking at is probably closer to 5000lbs, by the time you get it loaded and ready to roll.. If I am correct, the 5000lb rating of the Libby only includes the driver.


Thank you for the replies folks! Another scenario, is that I checked out a Slingshot 25' that weights 3700lbs. The dealer even says that the placement between axles and low to the ground stance that these can be hauled by small SUV's, even the 29'. Would the design of these new lightweights help minimize sway? That's what they are saying anyway...??
[/quote]

Ignore the advice of the salesman. He is being a salesman and only wants to sell you a trailer. Once you are off his lot, the problems are now yours. As has been said before, your wheelbase is WAY too short for pulling anything but a small pop-up trailer. The suspension on the Jeep Liberty in no way can handle that much trailer in an emergency - and there are plenty of idiots out there who think you can stop on a dime. Braking will also be severly inadequate.

But the biggest factor, in my mind, is that you will be hooking up a 28' long by 10' high sail behind that little-bitty TV. No ant-sway system in the world can help that situation. Not only will you be putting the lives of you and your loved ones at risk, but others on the road, as well. Two years ago, while driving I-90 W across South Dakota, we came upon a trailer, similar to the one you are looking at, and it was scattered all throughout the median, and the contents strewn for several hundred feet. The trailer was completely obliterated, as was the Chevy Suburban that was towing it. (The Suburban was lying on it's crushed top!) The cause of this disaster was crosswinds at highway speeds - and the 1/2-ton Suburban did not have the suspension to control the sudden violent swaying from those crosswinds. (I must point out that the Suburban's wheelbase is about twice that of the Liberty.)

If this story scares you - good! PLEASE heed the experienced advice you get here. We'd like nothing better than to say you will be OK, but our collective conciences won't allow it. You've come to the right place for advice. Please heed it!!!

Just my opinion.

Mike


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## Scoutr2

tomasulo said:


> Only thing worse than a car salesman is a camper salesman. They will tell you anything to sell their product. IMHO, the most critical thing in towing is the wheelbase. Its one thing to be underpowered, but if the wheelbase is short, it makes for a miserable, and very dangerous, tow..


So, even short trips like 25-50kms is too much to handle on rural roads, 80kms or less? I was thinking strongly on buying and upgrading the Tow Vehicle after a year or two, so we can travel on longer trips. We also have a Ford Flex, but I think the max tow is 4500lbs. although it would be a bit longer wheelbase.
[/quote]

The USDOT reminds us that most accidents happen within five miles of home. It doesn't matter how far you are towing the trailer. This combination will be unsafe as soon as you pull out of your driveway and start encountering other traffic.

Mike


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## Carey

If the tongue weight isnt an issue a hensley/pro pride hitch would solve all problems. I actually done testing with a jeep liberty when I designed my hitch. I towed a 25 foot trailer at speeds in the 80mph range using 1 finger on the wheel. It was as comfortable towing as your 3/4 ton chev towing your rig scout.

But as Ive always said people will never understand what I done, or still dont understand what a pro pride or hensley can do either.

If a proper hitch is used a Liberty could tow safely. Do I recommend it, nope.. Its just over peoples mindsets.

Carey


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## GlenninTexas

Can anyone imagine the responses to this post if it had been posted over on the "dark side".

You guys did good keeping your opinions civil and informative.

Regards, Glenn


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## Bear25314

GlenninTexas said:


> Can anyone imagine the responses to this post if it had been posted over on the "dark side".
> 
> You guys did good keeping your opinions civil and informative.
> 
> Regards, Glenn


Just everyone looking out for everyone else. See, people can have an informative respectful conversation. It's all good...


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## Collinsfam_WY

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> If the tongue weight isnt an issue a hensley/pro pride hitch would solve all problems. I actually done testing with a jeep liberty when I designed my hitch. I towed a 25 foot trailer at speeds in the 80mph range using 1 finger on the wheel. It was as comfortable towing as your 3/4 ton chev towing your rig scout.
> 
> But as Ive always said people will never understand what I done, or still dont understand what a pro pride or hensley can do either.
> 
> If a proper hitch is used a Liberty could tow safely. Do I recommend it, nope.. Its just over peoples mindsets.
> 
> Carey


I was going to tell this fella "no way" but then again - I have had the good fortune to have been in a position to directly experience and understand what Carey is talking about. With a HitchHog, he could tow it and be fine. Truth.

-CC


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