Bumper/hitch options:

[Sir Sam]

Well my rear bumper is fubared, and my MJ didn't come with a hitch, so short of finding both of those at the junkyard off of a good MJ what are my options for either?

 

I noticed JCW has a class 3, and a buddy of mine works there so I could get 25% off........honestly though I would rather have something rated higher than a class 3.

 

Any cheap generic bumpers out there?

 

Because of the scope of my project I would rather not spend the all the time to custom build both of those, I would rather just get something to slap on and get one more thing accomplished.

[mvusse]

Why do you want a hitch stronger than class III, when the max tow rating for the truck with trailer brakes and weight distributing hitch is only 5,000 pounds?

 

Supposedly U-haul also makes a class III to fit Comanches.

[Sir Sam]

Why do you want a hitch stronger than class III, when the max tow rating for the truck with trailer brakes and weight distributing hitch is only 5,000 pounds?

 

Supposedly U-haul also makes a class III to fit Comanches.

 

Margin of error type of thing - flatbed with my Z on it will be over 5000 lbs.

Uhauls was more expensive than JCW.

[johnj92131]

Sir Sam,

 

Think the class 3 hitch refers to the 2 inch square receiver bolted to the vehicle frame. Not to the total weigh carrying capacity of the vehicle.

 

My Rodeo has a towing capacity of 4500 lbs with the factory class 3 hitch per the owners manual.

 

My Comanche with a class 3 hitch has a towing capacity from the factory of 5000 lbs with the metric ton package and a Dana 44 rear end (part of the metric ton/Big ton package).

 

3/4 ton pickups with a class 3 hitch can tow upwards of 10,000 lbs.

 

Towing capacity depends on many other things on the truck than just the class 3 hitch. Most important thing is do you have GOOD electric brakes on your trailer and a great set of brakes on your truck.

 

I can tell you that it is no fun being pushed down a hill, the sliding to a stop by a trailer that is 700 lbs over the towing capacity of your truck on a sand filled road. Your ABS brakes are only so much help.

[Eagle]

I made ONE trip pulling a borrowed aluminum car trailer with an already-stripped XJ body/chassis on it with my MJ.

 

You do NOT want to be pulling a trailer weighing more than 5000 pounds behind an MJ. Seriously, Mate -- start looking for Plan B right now.

[Sir Sam]

Sir Sam,

 

Think the class 3 hitch refers to the 2 inch square receiver bolted to the vehicle frame. Not to the total weigh carrying capacity of the vehicle.

 

My Rodeo has a towing capacity of 4500 lbs with the factory class 3 hitch per the owners manual.

 

My Comanche with a class 3 hitch has a towing capacity from the factory of 5000 lbs with the metric ton package and a Dana 44 rear end (part of the metric ton/Big ton package).

 

3/4 ton pickups with a class 3 hitch can tow upwards of 10,000 lbs.

 

Towing capacity depends on many other things on the truck than just the class 3 hitch. Most important thing is do you have GOOD electric brakes on your trailer and a great set of brakes on your truck.

 

I can tell you that it is no fun being pushed down a hill, the sliding to a stop by a trailer that is 700 lbs over the towing capacity of your truck on a sand filled road. Your ABS brakes are only so much help.

 

You are correct that the hitch class refers to the hitch rating, and not the overall vehicle rating. Now rather than exceeding the hitch capacity and the rating towing capacity I will only be doing one of those.

 

I tend to feel that rated tow capacities are usually understated, EG the KJ in the us is rated at 5000lbs, the same vehicle in europe is rated at 7000lbs.

[Sir Sam]

I made ONE trip pulling a borrowed aluminum car trailer with an already-stripped XJ body/chassis on it with my MJ.

 

You do NOT want to be pulling a trailer weighing more than 5000 pounds behind an MJ. Seriously, Mate -- start looking for Plan B right now.

 

Any idea how much you were towing?

 

3800 pounds felt pretty stable behind the XJ, can't imagine the lighter rear end of the MJ would make it that much worst.

[MrSimon]

Don't forget that if you are towing something over the factory rated amount, your insurance will most likely not cover anything if something goes wrong.

 

You are right that most vehicles can tow more than they are rated for, but that doesn't mean its safe, or legal.

[Eagle]

I made ONE trip pulling a borrowed aluminum car trailer with an already-stripped XJ body/chassis on it with my MJ.

 

You do NOT want to be pulling a trailer weighing more than 5000 pounds behind an MJ. Seriously, Mate -- start looking for Plan B right now.

 

Any idea how much you were towing?

Yeah, actually. The trailer weighs just about 1,000 pounds. The listed curb weight for an '86 Cherokee 4WD was 3,024 pounds, but the one I picked up had been stripped of a lot of the interior. I'd guess the XJ weighed not more than 2,200 to 2,500 pounds, so I was pulling not more than 3,500 pounds and that trailer was pushing the MJ all over the road. And I wasn't driving even at the speed limit.