Anyone tow a TM 3023 with a 3500 LB TV

Thanks to Everyone (especially Mr. Adventure) for your input.This situation seems to be a touchy one and a matter of personal preference.

Guess I better call those potential buyers back and tell them differently (Just Kidding).

It's never a good idea to tow something that weighs close to the same as your TV. It will bite you eventually.....yes, that's experience speaking.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by Redhawk

It's never a good idea to tow something that weighs close to the same as your TV. It will bite you eventually.....yes, that's experience speaking.

In Colorado Springs, you have a more difficult towing environment because of altitude, challenging slopes, and probably associated durability issues, too. I don't recall anybody ever saying otherwise, including the people at TrailManor.

This subject has been "done to death" so I won't go into details, but would like to mention a few key things to those who may be new to the board and/or TMs.

First, the weights in the TM brochure are basic. It's been found that "real world" weight are as much as 1000 lbs more on average than the TM brochure states.

Second, just because someone else on the board is towing with a specific 3500 lb TV, doesn't mean it's ok. If someone here is towing a 4500 lb trailer behind a 3500 lb TV, it doesn't make it safe "just because".

Do your own homework by weighing your TM, knowing the true TC of your TV, and understanding how important is it for you, your family, and every vehicle on the road that you tow within the realm of your specific TV.

[Mr. Adventure]

Tow ratings are guidelines, and they may be figured differently with different manufacturers making different assumptions. The way most manufacturers do it, you must first subtract the tow vehicle payload from their published tow ratings before you know what your real tow rating is. So one manufacturer's 5000# can actually be less than another manufacturer's 3500#. And, Some 3500# tow ratings are much better than others.

The best advice comes from someone who tows a TrailManor with a given tow vehicle, as opposed to the advice of someone who doesn't.

A truck is a great way to tow a TrailManor. But the reason I post is that I believe a TM offers a great RV experience for people who don't want to drive a truck to work every day. Many forum members with lighter tow vehicles post here. Generally, they are not telling you that they have towing problems (though there are a number of forum members who have moved to bigger TVs after trying the smaller ones in the "severe service" geographies).

Amen to Brother Adventure...could not agree more.

[w120013]

I know this thread has been around awhile, but I just got a 2720Sl and towed it from Andover Kansas to Omaha NE with a Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited - it towed so much better than I thought it would. I had no problems getting up to 60 MPH, 70 MPH has very tiny issue (just with large hills), got up to 75 MPH.... no way I am every going that fast with it again...felt like I was going to jump to the other side of the interstate.....lol

[Redtail Cruiser]

Your Wrangler only has a 2000 lb tow rating. Your TM weighs twice that much when loaded up for camping.

I hope, for their sake, that nobody is traveling with you.

[Padgett]

Just a point but for '14 with the towing package the Wrangler Unlimited (4 door) can tow 3500 lbs, the smaller FWD Cherokee with 3.2 V6 4,500 and the Grand Cherokee with 3.6 V6 6,500 (my '12 GC is limited to 5,000 lbs but has no problem towing the 2720SL.)

Have been running mainly at 65 but feels the same (very stable) at 70 and can hold there on cruise. After 100 miles on Interstate at 88-90F trans temp had peaked at 167F indicated and oil temp was under 200F. I tend to drive on temp gauges.

So before you say a Jeep can't tow a TM you have to ask which Jeep ? Just about any current one with a Pentastar or larger engine & towing package can.

ps my towing dates back to the early '70s (mostly race cars then) first with a '69 Econoline, then a '72 Pontiac station wagon with 400 cid, then with a 3800 V6 in a Pontiac TranSport, and now with a 3.6 Grand Cherokee. The GC is without question the best.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by w120013

I just got a 2720Sl and towed it from Andover Kansas to Omaha NE with a Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited - it towed so much better than I thought it would. I had no problems getting up to 60 MPH, 70 MPH has very tiny issue (just with large hills), got up to 75 MPH.

Yup. Given enough time, and a flat highway, you can get up to speed. Now, how fast can you come to an emergency stop on that same straight flat road? On a downhill road? If a deer - or a construction worker, or another car - jumps out in front of you and you need a violent evasive maneuver NOW, can you maintain control?

Just thinkin'

Bill