Will it tow it?

[haugy]

Okay, because of musical vehicles I'm without a truck this weekend. I've got the house all to myself, and the weather looks great. Perfect for boating, but hmmmm, no truck.

It's 2 miles to the boat ramp, with very small hills, and an average, but not steep ramp.
So, my choices to tow 4,000+lbs of mass are:

A Ford Flex: Manufacturer suggest 4k is the max
A 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6cylinder, 4wd.
A rockcrawler that sits higher than hell compared to the boat, and is short as hell compared to the boat.

So, with these choices, which would you try to tow with? My first thought is the Flex, it's size and weight are close to the boat's. But it also sits very very low. It does have a Class III hitch though.

The Grand Cherokee I think would snap in half or crap out it's transmission.

The CJ, well, honestly I think it would be the tail wagging the dog in that thing. But I could put it in low and just mule it to the ramp. I've towed 4,000lb rigs up hills and trails with this thing.

What would you choose? What's your insane towing story?

[Salty87]

bought my boat before i had a truck. had to call buddies to do the towing but usually had a crew to board anyway. it was less than 1/4 mi.

sounds like the flex is the winner if there's no one with a truck you can call to go out.

[haugy]

Yeah a buddy may run by, but then I'm on his schedule, not mine.

Someone asked me about the Grand Cherokee. Keep in mind, these are all in good working order. I daily drive the GC to work. It's just very light and has 200k miles on it. The Flex is my wife's. I got that for the family truckster and that's our nicest vehicle. I don't want to hurt it. :D
And the CJ, well let's just face it, it's a big rock-crawler. But it would be fun to tow a supra with a supra. HA!

I could tow the Mariah with an Explorer/Grand Cherokee, but this Saltare is soooo much more boat. And it wouldn't surprise me if there was wet foam in it.

[wax]

Flex for sure...I thought it had a 5k towing capacity? I remember we looked at them for my wife specifically because they could pull our Launch...

CJ would have no prob, but I wouldn't want to pull it far lol.

[DAFF]

I would say the CJ. Its built for abuse so towing a boat should be no big deal. With my old CJ7 I had fun racing a few YJ's off the line. It was so much fun to see there faces when you got to the next light jaw on the ground... Nothing more fun than racing while pulling a Supra. ;)

Use the Flex and break it, Momma going to be pissed. While the GC will have no issue either pulling the boat. Using 4low around the ramp is a nice option too.

[haugy]

Flex for sure...I thought it had a 5k towing capacity? I remember we looked at them for my wife specifically because they could pull our Launch...
CJ would have no prob, but I wouldn't want to pull it far lol.

Yeah, I checked on the Flex's capacity last night. I don't have the EcoBoost, I bet that would raise the capacity.


I would say the CJ. Its built for abuse so towing a boat should be no big deal. With my old CJ7 I had fun racing a few YJ's off the line. It was so much fun to see there faces when you got to the next light jaw on the ground... Nothing more fun than racing while pulling a Supra. ;)

Use the Flex and break it, Momma going to be pissed. While the GC will have no issue either pulling the boat. Using 4low around the ramp is a nice option too.

That's actually a very good point. I can break the CJ and not really worry, I'd swap out the tranny in a weekend. Plus it's on 1-ton axles and 4-wheel disc brakes. Sounds like I need a drop hitch. :D :D Yeah, mom would be very mad at me if I break her ride.

[Jetlink]

I say you go grab your unicorn from the barn and use that.

[wotan2525]

I wouldn't ever try to tow my Saltare with a Flex. That thing is built on a Ford 500/Taurus chasis. Bad idea.

I'd use the grand cherokee.

The CJ would probably sag so much in the rear end that it would be un-steerable.

[haugy]

I say you go grab your unicorn from the barn and use that.

I literally just guffawed out loud here in my office. Thank god I wasn't drinking anything.

I will definitely be taking pictures of this redneck trainwreck.


I wouldn't ever try to tow my Saltare with a Flex. That thing is built on a Ford 500/Taurus chasis. Bad idea.

I'd use the grand cherokee.

The CJ would probably sag so much in the rear end that it would be un-steerable.

Yeah, there will be a weight trial that I think will determine which one I go with. The CJ does weigh about 3800lbs though. It's no slim kitty.

[trayson]

Easy. Grand Cherokee has a 5000 pound tow rating, 4wd, and a low range transfer case. It's a 3/4 ton drivetrain. Dual piston Brake calipers.

It would tow it just as well as the Honda ridgeline we tow with. Probably better.

And what was already said about breaking her flex.

Actually, I was going to test towing with my built crawler TJ (similar to what you would experience with yours), but with the angle the boat trailer was parked at (nose low) and the angle the Jeep was approaching from (more level), it made it so the ball was at too much of an angle to the coupler that I couldn't get hitched. Pretty frustrating actually, because I really wanted an "if all else fails " option if the wife is away with her truck and didn't want to swap for the Audi.

[crystal waters]

go with the CJ---we are talking only 2 miles---an easy lazy cruise down the road --no speed records needed!
Its built tough, can haul it up the ramp and come out smiling!
Saves the other two vehicles for easier chores!

[ibdealing07]

I work for a Ford dealer. Flex is rated for 4500 with the class 3 hitch but im still thinking GC considering the Flex is the newer/nicer vehicle (not to mention it being the wifes car. lol). I pulled a cuddy cabin bayliner with a v6 GC once. Just make looong stops. We had a Xterra when we bought the Saltare and i'm pretty sure it would have broke down and cried if I would have hooked to it. F150 now

[Blackntan90]

I am in total SHOCK that a Ford Flex can pull that much!!! I thought they just looked nice...And I am a Chevy guy. I face the came issue all the time as I drive a little grandpa car('05 Malibu), and wife drives the 3/4 ton Suburban. I always have to get her to trade with me so I can pull the boat to the river. So this Flex with the class 3 hitch, is it mounted well? I have seen some crazy hitch mounting jobs in my days as a mechanic!

[TitanTn]

The GC can easily handle that weight for two miles and the 4wd will be handy when pulling out. I've towed more than a Salt with a GC before. Not ideal, but it will get the job done.

[villain]

ok, so its monday morning. which vehicle did you use to tow the salt with?

[Okie Boarder]

I think the rockcrawler would be the best bet, and it has the cool factor. What did you end up doing?