What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

[samo_ott]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

I do not have the tow package so it's stock and thus the d35 I reckon. And no off road... just I95 for about 1500 miles

 

[samo_ott]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

OK, on everyones advice I ordered a WD hitch and am picking it up tomorrow. Hope that'll help things out.

Best thing about a WD hitch is that it's transferable to any trailer. That's a good thing.

 

[c130herc]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

It will not have a Dana 44 unless one was swapped in. It was only available from 87-89, After that is is either a D35c or a Chysler 8.25. The 8.25 also had a rubber plug. Some D35 have rubber and some metal.
I do Jeep rockcrawling and I own 3 XJs (Cherokee) and one MJ (Comanche truck) If you have the D35, it is really weak. Easy to swap in a D44 out of a boneyard XJ. Costs about $250 for one and can be done in an hour.

Rear Axles


Dana 35 non c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 84-89

Dana 35 c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 90-01

Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 91-96

Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 97-01

Dana 44 non c-clip - 30 spline, 1.31" diameter shafts, 8.5" ring gear, 2.75" axle tube - used 87-89 on some (not all) XJs equipped with towing package.


Note: Dana 35 axles sometimes referred to as Dana 35C - The "C" does not stand for c-clip. It stands for "custom" meaning it came from Dana unfinished.


Note: 8.25 axles - none of these axles were used on XJ's with ABS brakes. If you have ABS, you have the Dana 35. Without ABS you could have either axle. 8.25 axles are c-clip.

 

[4.0l sahara]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

It will not have a Dana 44 unless one was swapped in. It was only available from 87-89, After that is is either a D35c or a Chysler 8.25. The 8.25 also had a rubber plug. Some D35 have rubber and some metal.
I do Jeep rockcrawling and I own 3 XJs (Cherokee) and one MJ (Comanche truck) If you have the D35, it is really weak. Easy to swap in a D44 out of a boneyard XJ. Costs about $250 for one and can be done in an hour.

Rear Axles


Dana 35 non c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 84-89

Dana 35 c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 90-01

Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 91-96

Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 97-01

Dana 44 non c-clip - 30 spline, 1.31" diameter shafts, 8.5" ring gear, 2.75" axle tube - used 87-89 on some (not all) XJs equipped with towing package.


Note: Dana 35 axles sometimes referred to as Dana 35C - The "C" does not stand for c-clip. It stands for "custom" meaning it came from Dana unfinished.


Note: 8.25 axles - none of these axles were used on XJ's with ABS brakes. If you have ABS, you have the Dana 35. Without ABS you could have either axle. 8.25 axles are c-clip.

ya thats right. I thought the tow package came with one but I'm not sure I'm into tj's. Also the d35c can be made stronger with 30 spline chromo shafts and a locker. also can be trussed. Thats a hole nother story and I'm shure you don't care. Also in the front you have a d30 with 27 spline shafts. It may be a high pinion d30 but forget what years had that.

happy jeepin

 

[4.0l sahara]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

also the ford 8.8 is commonly put under a jeeps rear. It's a little stronger than a d44.

 

[c130herc]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

All Xjs D30s are high pinion up to the 2000 and 2001 when they put the TJ 30 in it.
Yes you can get all the stuff for the 35 but it costs allot more than a D44 or 8.8 axle swap and is just polishing a turd.
If he could find a D44 out of another XJ it is a direct bolt in. The 8.8 would take some fabbing. The 8.8 is just barley stronger than the D44 but it is also a C-clip as the D44 is not.
Sorry for getting off topic and learning more than you ever wanted to know from me and 4.0l sahara , but your asking for trouble towing with a 35. I?ve seen one XJ at a boat ramp bust its 35 trying to pull a good size boat up the ramp and to many others on the trail. If it is the 8.25 you will be fine, it?s not too bad.
4.0l, if you?re ever heading to Texas, give me shout. I will take you out wheeling. (rock-crawling) Its good seeing other Jeep guys on here.
My first posts on this boat forum and there about Jeeps.

 

[4.0l sahara]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

Ya I would love to head south some day and wheel with some other jeep people. Not much in ct but some good stuff down in pa. Hoping to go down to pa over the summer. The weird thing is i'm only 15 almost 16 and I always loved jeeps so I saved up for awhile and bought this 99 tj. Since I go to a technical school and love cars I'm always working on it or something else with a motor. Mine is still pretty stock but i'm saving up and over the summer will get a re 3.5 or 4.5" lift and 33 or 35. Then sye/cv. Then arbs and 4.56 gears. maybe 4.88. then body armor. Also lots of other stuff. All needs alot of $$$$$$$$$$$.

 

[atticus3600s]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

I had a 1989 XJ with the 4.0 Automatic for two years and did some towing with it. The tow ratings are 5000lbs with the tow package and 3500lbs without. But personally I wouldnt tow more than 2500-3000 with it no matter what. The older Xj's had a serious overheating problem and I would always have to run the heater on full blast even on small hills, significant grades...forget about it. I would have to stop multiple times to make it up without overheating. My boat only weights about 2500lbs fully loaded up so the load is pretty light. I replaced alot of the cooling system to no avail. I looked into a cooling system upgrade from the closed system to the regular open system with a radiator and a cap. Check out this link if interested:
http://www.dirtdevils.org/XJRadiatorUpgrade.htm
I never got around to the cooling system upgrade and sold it because I couldnt stand the constant overheating and the weak brakes.

They are good reliable vehicles but the older ones just arent up to towing heavy loads. Thats my .02.....

 

[samo_ott]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

Thanks for that input, It appears you are correct, as I picked up the empty trailer and drove it about 500 miles (in hot Fla weather) and I noticed the engine running hotter already and the boat is not even on it!

I do have an extra cooling fan on it though as I installed it when I took the rad (with a/c) off my old jeep. So I ill hook it up to a switch and get the extra cooling... not sure if that will help. I'm still in Florida picking up the boat and leaving in the next couple of days... Once I get up in the northern states it won't run hot!

And I hooked up the WD hitch today and it appears to work great.. The load stayed pretty level. Will get the tub home soon.

And as an off note. I was at a ramp 2 days ago here in the Keys and saw a new Toyota SUV and trailer slowly slip under the water as the guy forget to put it in park! When I got there I saw the last 6" of the roof go under!!! I offered to pull it out with my XJ with a rope if they could tie it on but the guy tried but it had rolled off the end of the ramp and dropped a foot. No way it was coming out easily or without a crane! A gas and oil slick were forming when I left... That would suck... Always use your emergency brake! There's a moral in there. Will post the pic when I return.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

So I just got home after close to 2,000 miles of pulling the boat from the Florida Keys to Ottawa, Canada with my XJ. Photo attached. A few things to note of the trip.

- A Cherokee (XJ) while rated at 5000#, I would never do it. My rig was maybe around 3500# and it was the max I would ever tow it at highway speed. I had brakes but not sure if they worked. I never had to brake hard. And a WD hitch limits their effectiveness anyway.
- Weight Distribution hitches are great. I had a low rear end to start with (common on XJ's) and it kept it up and had good control. Highly recommended.
- The best speed I could manage with the 4.0L 6 cyl was 110 kmh (x0.6 for miles) on the flat in 5th gear. I needed 4th for any incline and 3rd for any hill, like in Pennsylvania. I would not do this tow again with out a V8.
- Overheating was not an issue, but I left Fla at night to get to the cooler weather by day time.
- After close to 2,000 mils, I got stuck in my own driveway in the snow... sigh... (photo)

 

[beerfilter]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

The 8.8 is a strong unit , but , IMO , is overkill for towing .
The 97+ 8.25's are more than adequate , and , are a straight bolt in upgrade for them turdy-5's .
They are also a whole lot more common and cheaper than the 44 .

FYI , there are disc brake upgrades for both the 44 and the 8.25 .
The kits for the 44 are pricy , but , you can search and find everything you need in your local boneyard .
The 8.25 has no kits , that I am aware , BUT , you can use the disc brake set up from 93+ Grand Cherokees that had the 35 rear axles .

This would be the cheapest route , versus a custom fabrication job to fit the 8.8 .

IMO , the rear disk upgrade would be money well spent .
Try searching on Naxja , or , JU .
They have tons of great info .

You can also find plenty of tips to get that 4.0 putting out some more ponies .

 

[oops!]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

man..... i just saw this thread....wish i would have seen it earlier....

i used to tow my 69 sea ray 19 foot, about 2800 lbs. to the lake all the time with a simmelar rig....same motor...5 speed man......
tough little trucks......

forget 5th gear. i only towed it 100 kms at a time....it did great...but it was as heavy as i would wanted to tow with that jeep...down hill on the brakes i could feel the boat pushing me....but 4wd on a natural boat launch....gravel....that jeep yanked that boat right out....

fla to ont...???... good run...and stuck in the sno..... welcome back to canada !

how was customs?.... i just did a run to get a boat from kelowna..(by vancouver) to vegas...

nice sloop
welcome home

 

[samo_ott]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

Customs was easy!

The boat they don't care about, just give em the receipt and they charge GST and you're done.

The trailer is a different story as it's on the road. If it's less than 15 years old then you MUST have the title and they charge $210 flat rate and then PST and GST on it.

If it's 15 years or older, then they don't really care. You don't need title and they just charge PST and GST.

What I did before I left ONT is go to my local license bureau and told em I homemade a trailer a got the plate and registration. Then I stuck it on the trailer in FLA and drove it home. AT the border I told em that the ONT license bureau told me to do it that way (small white lie) and they said "really? they're not supposed to do that! oh well... less paper work for us then!" and that was it!

In fact the trailer was ~20 years old with no identifying #'s on it to register anyway. So it was the best way to go.

I'm going down again tomorrow and am going to try the same thing with a pontoon boat this time! Will see how it goes Boats are CHEAP in Florida!

 

[starsnstripers]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

2000 Jeep cherokee loredo 4X4 L-6 4sp. auto tranny it doesn't have a tow pakage on it. Thoughts on towing a 2700-3000lb 19.5' boat? I'll put a reese hitch on it. thanks

 

[45Auto]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

Make sure you have working trailer brakes - if not, be prepared to hit stuff in an emergency stop or if you have to stop quick in the rain. Other than that, it should be fine.

 

[orion25]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

2000 Jeep cherokee loredo 4X4 L-6 4sp. auto tranny it doesn't have a tow pakage on it. Thoughts on towing a 2700-3000lb 19.5' boat? I'll put a reese hitch on it. thanks

Cherokee or Grand Cherokee?

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

OK--it looks like we have a bunch of Jeep guys---to clarify---a Jeep Cher Sport is also refered to as a XJ---the difference in the tow #'s is because of the transmission---a auto is rated by Jeep able to tow 5000#---they don't trust the general public to be able to drive a 5 sp---(up your a-- with 2 hands and a road map---opp's sorry), so they rate the manual lower to cover their butt's---on a long trip with any knowledge of how to use a manual---you will be just fine-you will just have to feel it out up and down grades to use 4th or 5th gear---on steep grade maybe even 3rd---just don't break your equipment---good luck Steve

 

[rebuilt]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

I too have a '91 XJ 4.0 5 spd manual I6. I've got a fresh motor, (20k), with some serious airflow mods. (Not gonna bore ya with the specs.) But it does have plenty of grunt. I put a bolt on helper leaf spring on it, then the Reese Tow Power 5,000lb hitch. It pulls 3,000 easy. It does not stop 3,000 easy in a bad situation. The skinny back brakes are not designed for stopping a modestly loaded trailer. I doubt the front discs are either.I pull a boat, yard equipment (light) and landscaping dirt and rock (heavy) in my utility trailer. The heavy work trailer I'm building will have it's own brakes. Clutch problems?? None. Drive it like ya got some sense, and I know ya do, and everything will be fine. If in doubt, put some trailer brakes on your rig. Oh, when I built the motor, I junked the puny single core radiator because of it's bad reputation, and put in a dual core for under $125. The little I-6 pulls whatever I drag behind it. I'm an XJ fan anyway, so this is for sure biased. Good luck, KR

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

FWIW, I tow a 17' boat all over South Florida with a 94 Cherokee XJ 4.0 auto. Nearly every weekend for the last couple of years. I don't think it'd really want to tow anything larger, heading into a 10 mph wind I sometimes feel like I'll never make it up the turnpike bridges, and stopping suddenly has sucked a couple of pairs of drawers into the nether regions.

XJ owners must ABSOLUTELY switch the radiator out for a dual or triple core, regardless of towing. And replace the AC drain hose on the firewall so water doesn't leak into the passenger seat core. And know which pins to jumper on the neutral safety switch, so its inevitable failure doesn't leave you stranded.

-E

 

[Lou C]

Re: What towing capacity does a 1991 Jeep Cherokee have?

The Dana 35 gets a bad rap but for towing, as long as you are going to use 75W-140 synthetic gear oil, it will hold up. I towed my 88 Four Winns up wicked steep hills around here and have had no problems with the Dana 35. They got their bad rap from failing (snapping axle shafts) doing more hard core off roading than they were designed for. If the Cherokee has the Selectrac transfer case (NV 242) you can run it in full time and then you spread the load out over the front and rear axles.
These Jeeps are not the greatest tow vehicles, they were designed as light duty off road vehicles. To tow they need better brakes, rear suspension help, maybe a WD hitch and trailer brakes that really work. The stock brakes are marginal. I have Wagner full cast iron rotors on my Grand (ZJ) they have lasted over 70000 miles whereas the stock crap used to warp every 12000 miles or so. I also have Air Lift air bags in the rear coils and they really help with sag and bouncing from the tongue weight. The trailer has a pair of 10" drums that are adjusted properly and it stops fine.