The Jeep Wrangler is known for its durability and off-road capabilities. But, there are also other features that make this vehicle a complete package, especially when it comes to you spending with your family outdoors. For example, if you use your Jeep Wrangler to explore new places and destinations along with your family, the vehicle’s space may not be enough to accommodate everyone, including the baggage. But you can always bring a camper with you on the trip.
But can a Jeep Wrangler pull a camper? Unknown to many, apart from being an excellent off-road vehicle, the Jeep also comes with an underrated power to handle different types of tows. Of course, it may not be as strong as the other towing machines, but a Jeep Wrangler is powerful enough to tow a camper. In this article, we will show you every bit of information related to the towing capacity of the Jeep Wrangler models to a camper.
Table of Contents
The Pulling Capacity of a Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is not the strongest when it comes to pulling a camper or other types of trailers. In fact, its towing capacity will be dependent on what type of Jeep model you own. For example, if you have a 2-door Jeep model, the towing capacity of this model should be around 2000 pounds. This weight capacity is in fact the average towing capacity of all Jeep Wrangler models and should pull small and medium-size campers.
Meanwhile, if you own a 4-door Jeep Wrangler model, the towing capacity should increase up to 3500 pounds. Of course, these suggestions are coming from the manufacturers, and it is normal for people to go over the recommended limit. However, this recommended towing capacity is your guide, and going over a few pounds should come with no problem but exceeding too much can seriously affect the performance of your vehicle.
For example, can a Jeep Wrangler pull a horse trailer? If you follow the towing capacity of a Jeep Wrangler strictly, you cannot tow a horse trailer using your vehicle. The reason behind it is that a horse weighs around 1000 pounds and if you add the weight of the horse trailer, it will likely exceed the towing capacity limit of the Jeep Wrangler. My estimate is that a single horse trailer with a horse should weigh around 4100 pounds which is way bigger than the towing capacity of a 4-door Jeep Wrangler.
Factors Affecting Towing Capacity of your Jeep
The pulling capacity of your Jeep Wrangler will all depend on many factors that may affect your vehicle’s capability to pull the camper. Please check on the three factors below:
The Towing Components
The towing components can affect the pulling capacity of your Jeep Wrangler. Whether it’s the main towing hitch or the ball setup, all of these towing parts can affect how your Jeep Wrangler will pull the camper. The towing hitch is the device that is attached to the chassis of the vehicle for towing purposes. Meanwhile, the hitch ball allows the camper to pivot, which provides a smooth turning while the Jeep is towing. All of these components can affect the pulling capacity of your Jeep Wrangler.
The Wind Resistance
Many Jeep owners are not aware of the wind as a factor that can affect the towing capacity not only with the Jeep but other vehicles as well. When it comes to pulling the camper, the wind resistance can increase the overall weight of the camper, which can affect the pulling capacity of the Jeep.
Camper Weight
The camper’s weight is the most essential factor that will affect the pulling capacity of the Jeep Wrangler. For the weight of the camper, you must learn to distinguish between a dry and loaded weight. Dry weight is the actual size of the camper, and the loaded weight is the camper’s weight after putting all the things inside.
Always remember that it is essential to know the dry and loaded weight of the camper. I recommend measuring all the things you bring and add them to the dry weight of the camper. Doing this action will let you know the camper’s total weight, which should be equal to or less than the towing capacity of your vehicle as stated above.
Types of Camper that a Jeep Wrangler Can Pull
As stated above, the Jeep Wrangler has a limited towing capacity, depending on the model you own. But if you really want to pull a camper with your Jeep Wrangler, the list below is my recommendable type of campers.
Teardrop Campers
The best thing about a teardrop camper is its size which is actually the right fit for a Jeep Wrangler. The size is very small, and the weight is very light, weighing as low as 800 pounds of dry weight. This weight should be enough for the towing capacity limit of the regular 2-door Jeep Wrangler.
The teardrop campers may not provide a huge space but should be enough to fit the towing capacity of the Jeep Wrangler. In fact, this camper can accommodate between two to four people. Another upside of the teardrop camper is its retro style which looks great once installed at the back of the Jeep Wrangler.
Mini-Trailers
Mini trailers are another type of camper that can be easily pulled by a Jeep Wrangler model. The upside of a mini-trailer starts at 1500 pounds while the length is at 11 feet. This size is just enough for a Jeep Wrangler model to pull. Mini trailers may not be enough not to be big but should come with all the amenities that a larger model has.
Mini-trailers can actually accommodate from two to tour persons, which is actually great. In addition, the size is actually expandable with some bump-outs that can be used to give additional space for more individuals to use.
Pop-up Trailers
A Jeep Wrangler model can also pull a pop-up trailer. All types of this trailer, whether it’s tent-style, hard-side, and extreme-sport, can be pulled by a 2-door Jeep Wrangler. The size of pop-up trailers and their weight is enough to be towed by a Jeep Wrangler. Most of the pop-up trailers weigh from 1100 pounds to 2700 pounds which is just inside the towing limit capacity of the Jeep Wrangler. But as I have said before, you need to check on the trailer’s loaded weight before towing it with your vehicle to see if it is within the towing capacity limit.
Conclusion
Can a Jeep Wrangler pull a camper? The answer to the question is yes, you can pull a camper using your Jeep wrangler. But you need to make sure that the loaded weight of the camper is within the towing capacity of the Jeep model. We have stated the different towing capacity limits of 2-door and 4-door Jeep models, and following it is essential to maintain maximum safety when towing a camper.