Let me say hi everyone I hope to have and read many usefull posts on this forum. I have about 5 months before I return from outside the US and will need a new vehicle. I need something that will tow atleast a couple dirtbikes, and possibly my track car once in a while. It must be fast with a good top speed because I like my highways from 50- 130+, and dont care much for street light racing, thats just a little too ricer for me. It must also look and handle great, and have room for four plus have room for about 20 sq ft of work equipment, and do well when I go a few hundred miles to go to the hills for a little snow.
I should be returning in july +/- a month, and am wondering what the best deal I would be able to get before or around then. I know march, july 4th and september are the sales times coming up that I should consider. I currently have an ability to get a brand new one, specially ordered for 1500 under msrp with 0% financing, but must secure it within the next 45 days. Ive never bought a new vehicle before, or let alone one that didnt even turn into an unwanted project car. I want it to be black and fully loaded with everything. Does anyone have any thoughts on if thats the best deal I would be able to get, or when would be, or who would be the best to get it. I will be working in VA, but am hoping to pick it up in TX when I return.

Tow cap on the SRT8 is 3500#, so your track car/trailer rig needs to be light...

Alex

Tow cap on the SRT8 is 3500#, so your track car/trailer rig needs to be light...

Alex

I guess I dont really know what an average trailer weighs, but the car is weighed in at 2922 lbs.

I guess I dont really know what an average trailer weighs, but the car is weighed in at 2922 lbs.

If you add the track car's weight, trailer, extra wheels/tires, etc., you're way over the towing cap of the SRT8.

That's before you even get to figuring out how to mount a Class III hitch on an SRT8.

Alex

I just put a standard 2 inch receiver on my srt8 and moved my boat around the marina and to the ramp. With a 4500lb (24 ft Maxum) weight the rear was at a perfect level and the truck didnt even flinch. There is a lot of debate on why the reg grand cherokee has a higher tow cap, whether its the transmission, awd, or converter that thas the issue. The wheel base is the same and the weight is the same so I would not expect a problem. The reciever bolts to the integrated support so from a receiver perspective thats 7k in weight cap.
Here is the pic

http://www.cherokeesrt8.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2234&highlight=hitch

I since have left the rubber cover off and put a small square block in the rec. Looks decent, but really it gets the job done.

Alex where is your boat, I am at marlyland marina and go to Hart miller and Fairlegh Creek most of the summer...

I just put a standard 2 inch recievedr on and moved my boat around the marina and to the ramp. With a 4500lb weight the rear was at a perfect level and the truck didnt even flinch. There is a lot of debate on why the reg grand cherokee has a higher tow cap, whether its the transmission, awd, or converter that thas the issue. The wheel base is the same and the weight is the same so I would not expect a problem.

The rear level is more a function of tongue weight then trailerable weight. I could connect a 10,000 pound trailer to a RAV4 and keep it level if I had the load balanced so that there was the proper tongue weight.

Anyway, like you've proven, the SRT8 can tow short distances well above it's tow cap. Whether it can do it over any sort of distances without damaging some drivetrain component is the big question. And if it does, I imagine you have a warranty battle ahead of you.

Alex

I think a bigger SUV might be better suited for you. Maybe the Range Sport? Not as fast as the Jeep, but still fast for an SUV. Better towing capacity, as well as better offroadability.

I guess to add to the debate what would the weakness be? With all wheelbases and sizes being the same it would have to be the motor, drivetrain or suspension being a limiter, but what part. If you take the trans because its is the same case model # (not sure if inside or programming is different) as the v6. We get the below numbers from (http://www.wjjeeps.com/trailer.htm#DATA)

WJ Towing Data
Engine Transmission Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight
4.0L Power Tech I-6 4-speed automatic 5,000 lb
4.7L Power Tech V8 5-speed automatic 6,500 lb
High-Output 4.7L Power Tech V8 5-speed automatic 6,500 lb

So if its not the trans or the converter what is the limiter? Initial thoughts then would be then the suspension for load leveling, that is where my level comments came in, figuring the bilsteins and the springs would not be set for a trailer. Others have said the engineers havent tested any higher weight. Not sure of the validity of that comment but I really have a hard time thinking that weight caps around the weakest level (the 6cyl) would cause any harm. Maybe because of the exhaust they didnt think they would put an integrated mount hitch on and decided anything outboard of the main mount plate would be weaker and thus a lower weight cap.

Regardless of why the eng decided the cap, there probably will be dealer issues if they (the dealer) does not want to pay for work on the vehicle if they see a hitch. Most dealers make very limited money on warranty work. Some service managers even get bonus decsions based on the amount of work that is not warrantied or converted to apying work, (at least at Fox Chevrolet this is the case). So any excuse would be viable from a dealer perspective.

With all of that I towed a medium boat with a wrangler for years and never had a problem, both around the marina and to and from the house, 25 miles away. I used the reverse formula, since the motor and drivetrain for the wrangler was the same as the cherokee it should handle it, the problem becomes wheelbase and tongue weight. With the proper trailer set up I mitigated the weight and braking issues and was at the very edge of the wheelbase calcs.

I used to tow my 23' Scarab with a wrangler no problem. Would I haul it hundreds of miles down the highway? NO. But it pulled the boat out of the water and around town without problem. For this reason, I have no fear pulling that same boat with the SRT8.

It has been said previously, that the SRT engineers aren't saying it cant tow more than 3,500, but only that they didn't test it for more.

I wouldn't buy this truck as a full time tow truck, but occasional or short distance towing does not worry me.
________
Ferrari 250 specifications (http://www.ferrari-wiki.com/wiki/Ferrari_250)

Well, that is the weight of the car currently, and was my DD before I left. I do plan to tow it several hundred miles (about 300 at the most) to get to semi-local track weekends. I do plan to do many mods to the vehicle, before I tow it I will do the trans oil cooler, and stall converter before I even start around town to see how it feels. Also since this would now be a strictly track vehicle, theres about 150 lbs I could further take off. An extra set of wheels, with fluids and tools will put me right back up to weight and then some. Can anyone tell me what your average car trailer weighs in at?
Off roading in a truck or suv is not my style, Ill be getting another dirtbike when I return also for that. From what I see on the jeep website, this has the same tow weight as the regular cherokees, but they just offer a chass IV hitch. Is it something that could be that simple. I did try to search, but didn't really find a good answer to this.

I need something that will tow atleast a couple dirtbikes, and possibly my track car once in a while.

You might be better off with a Trailblazer SS, it can tow over 7000 lbs.

You might be better off with a Trailblazer SS, it can tow over 7000 lbs.

Ok, thanks for that. Thats a great idea.. :rolleyes:

Im not trying to be rude here, (except to this guy ^^^, and only a little. :cool: ) but no I havent driven this suv yet, and if it comes down to this thing being as great as you all say it is, I would just end up selling my cheap track car and using that towards further mods. Then the only thing I will tow is my dirtbikes. I really dont see it becoming that difficult to make this tow more than 3500 lbs though. From what I see jeep doesnt offer a class IV hitch becuase of what looks as simple as the pipes being in the way. I may be way off, but It just doesnt seem to be as difficult as some are making it out to be. A few upgrades, which could be useful if going high hp anyways. FI is in my plans and budget.

I would just end up selling my cheap track car and using that towards further mods.

Easy for someone to say who isn't into it. :p

Alex

The pics on mine is a class IV hitch, bolts right on. You just have to notch the bumper fascia. There are quite a few srt8s with class 4 hitches, search here and the other site.

Ok, thanks for that. Thats a great idea.. :rolleyes:

Im not trying to be rude here, (except to this guy ^^^, and only a little. :cool: ) but no I havent driven this suv yet, and if it comes down to this thing being as great as you all say it is, I would just end up selling my cheap track car and using that towards further mods. Then the only thing I will tow is my dirtbikes. I really dont see it becoming that difficult to make this tow more than 3500 lbs though. From what I see jeep doesnt offer a class IV hitch becuase of what looks as simple as the pipes being in the way. I may be way off, but It just doesnt seem to be as difficult as some are making it out to be. A few upgrades, which could be useful if going high hp anyways. FI is in my plans and budget.

Yea you'd be fine so long as you put a class IV hitch on. The transmission was rated to tow 5000lbs i believe in the ML55, the brakes are going to be better than good enough, and the unibody itself is the same one thats stout enough for 6500lbs in a regular grand cherokee.

Some have wondered if the cooling system isn't up to task but I don't think these concerns are valid as the system is very very stout as is. I think the only reason it isnt certified to tow more than 3500lbs is because Jeep really wanted the exhaust the way it is.

Seems easy enough then. I am just learning about this truck and not trying to come in here and be a jerk saying Im right and someone whos done their reading isnt, but comparatively it just seems to easy to do it. I have read that most dont like for other site names to be listed here. If anyone ever wants to PM me some of these other sites I would appreciate it, saving me some time if you already know em.
Now if weve succesfully dealt with the towing issue, would anyone like to comment on getting the best deal when I get one in the near future?