Liberty a good tow vehicle???

alleycat · 06-20-2006, 03:32 AM

Hey guys I am hoping you can help out. I am in the market for a new vehicle and it will be used for towing and leisure driving. I have the liberty on my list of possibilities. How is it for towing with either the 3.7 or the CRD. I currently have a 97 XJ with 4.0l and wondering how the two would compare. I don't think a dealer will let me hook the boat up for a test drive. I like the idea of a diesel for the torque and fuel mileage but tow rating is same as I have now. Just wondering if Liberty is a valid tow option or if I should go full size truck. Thanks

blakem · 06-20-2006, 05:54 AM

i would go full size, but what do i know.

dcxman · 06-20-2006, 06:48 AM

There are lots of back posts of crd's pulling trailers. I pull a 6x10 loaded, maybe
2500 lbs max, with ease. It will knock several mpgs off though.
The most important question, I would think is, what length, and what weight?
There are better towers.

BVCRD · 06-20-2006, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcxman

There are lots of back posts of crd's pulling trailers. I pull a 6x10 loaded, maybe
2500 lbs max, with ease. It will knock several mpgs off though.
The most important question, I would think is, what length, and what weight?
There are better towers.

.....................but then they don't get the mpg our CRDs do. The CRD is small in looks, but it weighs a bunch. Don't be fooled, big things DO come in small packages.

Valkraider · 06-20-2006, 12:37 PM

I tow a 3500lb 20ft boat all over the mountains with my CRD, tows fine up to about 60mph then it starts to get a little iffy...

MuddyV8YJ · 06-20-2006, 12:59 PM

what are you going to be towing?

ive pulled a 12" enclosed trailer from philly to phoenix without any issue at all. probably weighed in 2500- 3000lb. 3.7l engine, 4x4.

dcxman · 06-20-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valkraider

I tow a 3500lb 20ft boat all over the mountains with my CRD, tows fine up to about 60mph then it starts to get a little iffy...

What are your mpg's while towing?

dcxman · 06-20-2006, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyV8YJ

what are you going to be towing?

ive pulled a 12" enclosed trailer from philly to phoenix without any issue at all. probably weighed in 2500- 3000lb. 3.7l engine, 4x4.

Man, that's a lot of weight for a 1 foot trailer

papercut · 06-20-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcxman

Man, that's a lot of weight for a 1 foot trailer

It's all the depleted uranium he's got in it.

alleycat · 06-20-2006, 06:38 PM

I am pulling a 20ft. Ranger bass boat with a 200 merc out back. That would be the heaviest load I am pulling. I think the hull itself is around 1600 lbs plus the motor gear and 52 gallons of fuel on board. It adds up quickly.

Bmach · 06-20-2006, 09:52 PM

I have pulled a 2500# camper plus all our gear and 2 sea yaks on the roof of the jeep. It towed fine, kept it around 65 and the mpg was 16 give or take a couple of tenths.

Valkraider · 06-21-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcxman

What are your mpg's while towing?

It varies based on the application... But on moderate roads and 50 to 60 mph I have gotten 26mpg towing. On steeper roads or more twisty I usually will get around 22.

Also, when I tow I also tend to idle a bit more, which kills mileage too. You want to make sure to cool down the turbo before you shut down, and putting the boat in and out of the water, and hitching up and all that - means more slow speeds and idleing.

One trip I did a lot of climbing on dirt roads and such and got about 20mpg.

Worth noting I am burning 100% biodiesel, so I am probably about 1 or 2 mpg lower than best possible.

dcxman · 06-21-2006, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valkraider

It varies based on the application... But on moderate roads and 50 to 60 mph I have gotten 26mpg towing. On steeper roads or more twisty I usually will get around 22.

Also, when I tow I also tend to idle a bit more, which kills mileage too. You want to make sure to cool down the turbo before you shut down, and putting the boat in and out of the water, and hitching up and all that - means more slow speeds and idleing.

One trip I did a lot of climbing on dirt roads and such and got about 20mpg.

Worth noting I am burning 100% biodiesel, so I am probably about 1 or 2 mpg lower than best possible.

Quite remarkable!

I have only achieved 26 once, and that was not towing.

jeepjeepster · 06-21-2006, 05:20 PM

The crd libby would tow MUCH better than the xj. The libby weighs more over-all than the xj which makes handling better at hw speeds. The 3.7 will tow about the same but you must get the rpms higher b/c thats where it gets it torque at. You may feel as if they libby is having trouble pulling the boat b/c of this, but it should be fine. Thats also one heck of a boat!!

Frozentoze · 06-21-2006, 09:07 PM

Yea these guys have the same experience as I do. Any power needs are met by gearing down (manual). Above 3500 rpm that thing feels like it would pull anything, and easily gets over the hills. Not sure if the auto has a tow button to change the shift points or not though. Never had a problem towing, though my boat bows down to your ranger. Although my 3.7L gas gets 19 mpg standard, 16 tow, and knock 3 mpgs off both those numbers for when the temp is below freezing.

06-20-2006, 12:37 PM	#5
Valkraider Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 362 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	I tow a 3500lb 20ft boat all over the mountains with my CRD, tows fine up to about 60mph then it starts to get a little iffy... __________________ [URL=http://www.biodiesel.org]Biodiesel[/URL]: No war required.

06-20-2006, 12:59 PM	#6
MuddyV8YJ Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 555 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	what are you going to be towing? ive pulled a 12" enclosed trailer from philly to phoenix without any issue at all. probably weighed in 2500- 3000lb. 3.7l engine, 4x4. __________________ '91 YJ. Slightly Modified '04 WJ. Columbia Edit. 4.7 HO. 2" BB, 2" OME. 265/70/17 Destination ATs.

06-20-2006, 06:38 PM	#10
alleycat Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sudbury,ON Posts: 18 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	I am pulling a 20ft. Ranger bass boat with a 200 merc out back. That would be the heaviest load I am pulling. I think the hull itself is around 1600 lbs plus the motor gear and 52 gallons of fuel on board. It adds up quickly. __________________ Pro Staff for Okuma fishing, Mustad, Dickies Camo, Hobie Optics

06-20-2006, 09:52 PM	#11
Bmach Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 221 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	I have pulled a 2500# camper plus all our gear and 2 sea yaks on the roof of the jeep. It towed fine, kept it around 65 and the mpg was 16 give or take a couple of tenths. Last edited by Bmach : 06-21-2006 at 06:49 PM.

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06-20-2006, 05:54 AM	#2
blakem Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ames IA Posts: 162 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	i would go full size, but what do i know.

06-21-2006, 05:20 PM	#14
jeepjeepster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,511 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	The crd libby would tow MUCH better than the xj. The libby weighs more over-all than the xj which makes handling better at hw speeds. The 3.7 will tow about the same but you must get the rpms higher b/c thats where it gets it torque at. You may feel as if they libby is having trouble pulling the boat b/c of this, but it should be fine. Thats also one heck of a boat!!

06-21-2006, 09:07 PM	#15
Frozentoze Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 25 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Yea these guys have the same experience as I do. Any power needs are met by gearing down (manual). Above 3500 rpm that thing feels like it would pull anything, and easily gets over the hills. Not sure if the auto has a tow button to change the shift points or not though. Never had a problem towing, though my boat bows down to your ranger. Although my 3.7L gas gets 19 mpg standard, 16 tow, and knock 3 mpgs off both those numbers for when the temp is below freezing.