Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
There is lots of info in this forum about towing with a Cherokee, really starting with RockyMtnRay's stories in 2002 of towing with his Cherokee in the Rockies. After some discouraging attempts, he finally traded it in for a Tundra.
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This is basically what we did. We have a Jeep Cherokee that had ~140,000 miles on it at the time we bought the TM, and we were preparing to make the cross-country drive with it to pick the TM up on the east coast and bring it back. Then I had visions of getting stuck in BFE Kansas with a trashed transmission, waiting a week to get a new/rebuilt one ordered and installed. Plus, I felt the tranny would fail at some point during the time we owned the Jeep if we towed the TM, but had confidence it would last if we didn't tow the TM. So that was a tangible $2,000 incentive. Combined with the borderline capability of the Cherokee to begin with, I decided it wasn't worth taking the chance and got a Toyota Sequoia.
The Sequoia has had zero problems towing where we go, and we go in the boonies like others here. However, when we have travelled with 4 adults and related gear in the car, there was a noticeable difference in handling, although I still felt completely comfortable and safe. But I wouldn't push it much beyond that with the Sequoia....probably no more than 6 adults (or the equivalent of other stuff). I do not have to do any weight calculations or be cautious about what we pack because of the TV's limited tow/cargo capability.
I can tell you that the Cherokee will not do well going up the Grapevine, or coming down for that matter. And the Sierras will be a bit challenging - you can go from 2,000 to 8,000 feet in just a few miles of curvy road, and with every foot in elevation gain, you loose HP in your engine.
I also personally like the additional weight and braking power of a full-size SUV to help stop on a dime in the nut-zo traffic we have on the freeways here in LA. People pull right in front of you and hit the brakes, apparently totally ignorant of the fact that you cannot stop nearly as fast as they can.
Notwithstanding all of the above, if I were always towing in the country flatlands of the midwest, I think a Cherokee would be absolutely fine.
To me, camping is about relaxing. If you can't relax while driving because of constant concerns about your TV, or anything else brought upon you by taking the trip, that really deflates the positive impact of the weekend.
Dave