Towing Wrangler Unlimited with View

[cpl24]

Hello everyone,

Thanks in advance for your time!

I'm considering buying a 2018 View and I would like to tow my 2018 Wrangler JK Unlimited Sahara. The brochure for the view says that it can to 5,000 pounds and the Sahara weighs 4,300 pounds according to Jeep.

I'm confused because I don't know the OCCC of the view and can't seem to find it anywhere online. I'm wondering if this set up would be viable and if I would be breaking the GVWR or any of the other requirements.

Thanks in advance

CPL

[al1florida]

Originally Posted by cpl24

Hello everyone,

Thanks in advance for your time!

I'm considering buying a 2018 View and I would like to tow my 2018 Wrangler JK Unlimited Sahara. The brochure for the view says that it can to 5,000 pounds and the Sahara weighs 4,300 pounds according to Jeep.

I'm confused because I don't know the OCCC of the view and can't seem to find it anywhere online. I'm wondering if this set up would be viable and if I would be breaking the GVWR or any of the other requirements.

Thanks in advance

CPL

There should be a sticker on the RV showing the GCWR along with the GVWR.
The GCWR is the total weight of the RV plus the weight of the towed vehicle.

This info should be in your owners manual as well.

Chances are if your RV is close to GVWR then the weight you can tow goes way down below the max towing weight.

[Dave-Oh]

I have a 2020 view and tow my 2018 Wrangler unlimited without issues. I only keep about 1/4 tank of water and always empty the gray and blank tanks before traveling. We have a full fridge, but are light on “ stuff”. Basic small tool kit, air pump, and a few other odds and ends. Storage is not near full and we don’t even use the cupboards above the bed.

My buddy has a 2013 view and tows his 2012 JK unlimited without issues as well. He has been across the country (AZ to MD) and back over 6 times. Never an issue. Be sure to have a braking system for the toad...he has a Brake Buddy, I use an RVI Brake 3 system.

Hitch weight capacity is 5000 lbs, but if you are fully loaded to capacity, you have about 4250 lbs towing capacity (combined vehicle weight) beyond that. I generally keep the jeeps gas tank at 1/2 full just to make sure I’m staying within that combined weight capacity rating.

BTW, my View’s OCCC is 1138 lbs. I have lithium batteries and a propane generator, which are the lighter options for 2020.

You can always load up your View and get it weighed to be sure.....Water weighs about 8.3 lbs/gallon and diesel fuel weighs about 8 lbs/gallon And gasoline weighs about 6 lbs per gallon.

You shouldn’t have any issues if you’re careful.

[tkogrady]

We're in the same boat. I just bought a Wrangler 4xe. The added weight of the batteries, etc. in the new unlimited pushes the curb weight to about 5,200 lbs. I can shave weight by taking the back seats out, switching to a soft top, and removing skid plates. If the toad is empty, it will put me just under the 5,000 towing capacity of the View . . . barely (and we don't carry a lot in the View). From at least an insurance and liability issue I think I'm ok. Question - has anyone else pushed the limit of the towing capacity of the View and what has been your experience?

[BobC]

Originally Posted by tkogrady

We're in the same boat. I just bought a Wrangler 4xe. The added weight of the batteries, etc. in the new unlimited pushes the curb weight to about 5,200 lbs. I can shave weight by taking the back seats out, switching to a soft top, and removing skid plates. If the toad is empty, it will put me just under the 5,000 towing capacity of the View . . . barely (and we don't carry a lot in the View). From at least an insurance and liability issue I think I'm ok. Question - has anyone else pushed the limit of the towing capacity of the View and what has been your experience?

There are two limiting factors in play, the GCWR of the View and the hitch rating. In terms of the GCWR, I'd weigh the View to see where you are. It's easier to reduce the GCWR by carrying less water, waste and stuff than by taking things off the Jeep. If you won't miss the rear seats and hard top, fine, but I'd leave the skid plates on for protection against damage.

The second factor is the 5,000# hitch rating. Personally I wouldn't worry about an extra 200# but you can always put on a 6,000# hitch as long as you don't exceed the GCWR of the View when towing.

[tkogrady]

Originally Posted by BobC

There are two limiting factors in play, the GCWR of the View and the hitch rating. In terms of the GCWR, I'd weigh the View to see where you are. It's easier to reduce the GCWR by carrying less water, waste and stuff than by taking things off the Jeep. If you won't miss the rear seats and hard top, fine, but I'd leave the skid plates on for protection against damage.

The second factor is the 5,000# hitch rating. Personally I wouldn't worry about an extra 200# but you can always put on a 6,000# hitch as long as you don't exceed the GCWR of the View when towing.

Thanks so much for the insights!

[“Roamin” Catholic]

Doesn't towing a vehicle behind your RV also add downward weight that must be added to your storage weight being careful not excide OCCC limits?

[BobC]

Since the weight of the toad is on all four wheels, the tongue weight is less than the weight of the tow bar, maybe 30 lbs or so.

[“Roamin” Catholic]

That’s good to know but still worrisome when Navion’s only have 900+ lbs total storage capacity which includes the passengers!

[DrMack]

We tow a 5000# JK with our 2017 View with a Ready Brute Elite II tow bar. Never had a problem.

I think the tow limits come from a couple of considerations:

1. Engine capacity (acceleration)
2. Braking capacity (deceleration)

Diesels generally do better in the long run when they are used under heavy load most of the time. Idling a diesel for extended periods is not a healthy habit. Higher loads cause higher cylinder temps which makes for a cleaner burn and therefore less accumulation of deposits on internal combustion components. It's also more efficient from a thermodynamics perspective.

A braking system on the toad means that the hitch loads are relatively light when decelerating. The toad is on wheels so once you are up to speed there is almost no load on the hitch. My guess is that the factory hitch load limit is based on an assumption that the trailer does not have brakes.

My understanding is that GVWR is mostly about the suspension, tires and stability. GCWR is about acceleration and braking. Once the vehicle is in a steady state where acceleration and deceleration are almost nil, it's all about stability and just enough power to overcome internal friction, road friction and aerodynamic drag.