I was towing a 21 Foot Jayco trailer with my Jeep GC and the trailer weighed under 5K lbs. fully loaded. We Needed more room so we got the 2014 North Trail 22 foot Travel trailer with a slide out. My weight went up to 5600 lbs., and with normal stuff the weight topped at 6K+ lbs or just 500-800 lbs. under the Cherokees max towing capacity. Anyway it didn't do too bad until we went up a steep freeway grade on I-5 north of Los Angeles called the Grape Vine. Half way up the 10 mile climb the oil temp bell went off and the coolant gauge was almost in the red. We decided that if we wanted to keep the trailer we needed more power. But I came across a web site that I cannot find again that showed what a trailer weighs as the grade increases. My 6K+ lb trailer became 8800 lb tow on the 6% grade. I wish I could find that web site again as it would be good to keep.
We shopped the next week and by the end of the week the Grand Cherokee was traded in and we bought a new 6.7 diesel RAM 3500 Laramie with 4X4. In all honesty, I though I was getting a 2500 but miss read the numbers. But our local dealer got us into the RAM for the same price as a 2500 at a big box dealer near by.
The Main thing to remember is that the trailer's tow weight changes drastically when your towing up hill. You may be OK on the flat, but far beyond your vehicles towing capacity when you start climbing a hill. We have a trip planned to Canada this July and my Rand McNally RV GPS Shows many 6%+ grades on the road we're going to take. Now I don't have to worry.
We shopped the next week and by the end of the week the Grand Cherokee was traded in and we bought a new 6.7 diesel RAM 3500 Laramie with 4X4. In all honesty, I though I was getting a 2500 but miss read the numbers. But our local dealer got us into the RAM for the same price as a 2500 at a big box dealer near by.
The Main thing to remember is that the trailer's tow weight changes drastically when your towing up hill. You may be OK on the flat, but far beyond your vehicles towing capacity when you start climbing a hill. We have a trip planned to Canada this July and my Rand McNally RV GPS Shows many 6%+ grades on the road we're going to take. Now I don't have to worry.
