Towing (1 Viewer)

[Hilldweller]

I have a JK Wrangler and it is a terrible tow vehicle. It's rated for only 2,000 pounds --- my little trailer weighs about 1,700 wet and the Jeep can barely make it up hills.

How is the FJC for towing? I see that it's rated much higher... ...but can it actually do the job?
Anybody tow offroad?

 

[D'Animal]

Very nice off road camping trailer you have there.

 

[adso]

Have not pulled an offroad trailer, but I have pulled a trailered tractor/bushhog. You could tell there was something back there, but the FJC seemed to have enough grunt to get around town, up and down hills. I've seen a few people pulling their trail rigs (usually FJ40s) to events with their FJCs and their only complaint seems to be the hit on gas mileage. That'll be $0.02, please.

 

[Josh83]

I towed right at 5K lbs three weeks ago. It towed great other than the guy that loaded the timbers on my trailer loaded them too far forward. But it towed great even with WAAAAAAAY too much tongue weight.

 

[Cancruiser]

There's a roofing company next to my work and they have an FJ Cruiser with a work trailer full of tools and stuff (Probably 1.5 times the size of yours in the picture) . They go around with it all day without any problems. Bear in mind though they drive in the city only.

 

[76FJ40]

I've towed my 40 on a trailer (~6,000#) several times and I'm happy with the FJC's ability. I wouldn't do it, however, if the trailer didn't have brakes on both axles.

 

[Hilldweller]

The trailer doesn't have brakes; that hasn't been much of a problem with the Jeep. I learned on the first excursion with it to descend rocky hills slowly, very slowly...

How about maintaining speed on inclines and fuel economy? I really like the FJC and would like to get one but I guess I'd go to a pick-up if I had to.
I don't understand why they gave the Jeep such a wimpy engine. It only puts about 140 ponies on the pavement and the torque curve is useless at highway speed. It's really only good for around town and the trails.

Buyer's remorse time.

 

[MOfj40]

.

Buyer's remorse time.

Really, so soon? But you haven't even snapped an axle yet!

J/K btw.


An fjc will have zero issues pulling your offroad trailer. Last weekend I was cruising down the highway and passed a fjc pulling an Airstream camper. It was about an 18' trailer and he was running a steady 65 up and down small hills. There was a light crosswind and he wasn't swaying at all.

Within it's weight limits, my fjc tows a brake-less trailer better than my tundra. The tundra has a little more grunt, but the fjc has much better brakes.

 

[brew8]

I tow one of these with electric brakes. About 3400 pounds.

 

[knoll0351]

Larry,
How do those things do really wheelin'? I've been draggin' my trailer all over heck and back but it's just a means to get gear where I want it. We have given some thought to getting that exact pop up, but I'm not convinced it will go where I want it to.

 

[brew8]

I think it does great, I have drug the front pads in the dirt when there up but a 3 inch lift on the cruiser would get them up a little higher. I have run across motor bike guys that could not believe I have it where I do. The shocks and larger tires work well, it's a little wide for some trails, but I can usually get it in where others dare not go.

 

[brew8]

Here are a coupla of places I have taken it. I have pulled it there with my FJ Crusier.

 

[Cruiser Jimmy]

Hilldweller,
We turned in three FJ's on the tour that had 90K+ miles on them. All three towed the TT Trailers that weighted 'bout 3000 pds. No problems.

We've never had problems with towing off road either.

Speeds on inclines were not bad.

We got crappy gas mileage but that was because the trailer was taller than the FJ which broke more wind. At about 70mph we got about 10 with towing the trailer. I'm sure you can get better mpg if you throttle back.

 

[aztim1010]

Larry,
I am thinking of getting one of those tent trailers with an small ATV deck on the front but my quad is larger size like 800 lbs. Trailer is around 3500lbs plus the quad. Do you think I can tow it with my 4x4 FJ? I will be going on some fairly rough dirt roads.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[brew8]

I think the FJ cruiser did a great job of towing that trailer, I thought I was in another forum, that is what I get for using my I phone, Best, Larry

 

[SWITAWI]

A stock FJC is a decent enough Class III tow vehicle, but it's definitely not a half-ton pickup. I think the limits to comfortable towing with stock FJCs comes down to the combination of the short wheelbase and soft OE rear springs. These trucks don't like a lot of tongue weight making the rear squat when towing. Air bag helper springs from AirLift or Firestone installed the rear coils would help immensely.

That being said, I have had zero problems pulling my buddy's M101A3 surplus trailer, though taking down the canvas top made it much, much easier with the reduced drag. You could feel the weight back there, but it wasn't bad. We drove the speed limit (65-70mph) and got maybe 12-13mpg that day when I would normally see 18-19mpg on the highway unloaded. With an ATV and camping gear in the trailer (maybe 2500lbs total weight in trailer and gear) my stock truck sat pretty level, and so did the trailer... with a 12" pintle riser adapter, of course!

I run a hitch carrier almost all the time and when it's heavily loaded (+250lbs) you really do feel that weight that's offset too far behind the rear axle with the soft stock springs.

Put the same amount of weight inside the truck (right over the rear axle) and it doesn't feel bad at all...