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the jeep has an easy... well not so easy life ahead

L

lankchevy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
sw mo
monday, my mom, dad and I went out shoping for me a new vehicle. went to look at new 05 tacomas at the dealership but they were idiots and would barely even talk to us. so we left there and went and looked at the used lots in town. wasnt sure exactly what i wanted, but needed decent fuel economy to drive to college with next year, low miles, and wanted something i could trailer my jeep around with. i was looking for mainly a tacoma, but came across a 2000 extended cab s-10 with the ZR2 offroad package that was a one owner with 49k miles that looked and ran new inside and out for a decent price. i ended up buying it about 5 hours after i first saw it and so far i love it. its got the 4.3 vortec and an auto thats pretty peppy, i dont think it will have any problems pulling my jeep on a trailer. my uncle has a 98 thats almost identical other than color and he gets 20-22 highway mpg on his. i think its a pretty good middle ground for what i needed in a part time tow rig for the jeep, decent milage to go to school, and a nice truck that will be reliable. its pewter (kind of a silverish grey) with dark charcole/black fenderflares and bumpers and it didnt have the zr2 sticker but i made the dealer order some for me in the deal. the real point of all this is now the jeep isnt my daily driver any more, which means i can chop the top and cage it and do more stupid stuff in it that i wanted to but couldnt before. im just kinda rambling here but i love my new truck and cant wait to jump into the next build phase of the jeep.

kolby
 
Colby,

Those ZR2's are nice! Congrats on the new vehicle!

But I just can't sit by without saying...... PLEASE re-think the idea of pulling a trailer and Jeep with the ZR2. I think you'll discover that the ZR2 would end up weighing less than the Jeep/trailer combo and that's a receipe for disaster where braking and safety are concerned. A properly loaded trailer will have quite a bit of tongue-weight and I'm guessing that this tongue-weight could be close to, if not heavier than, the front of the S-10. This means, if you hit a dip in the road, it's very likely to lift your front tires off the road, or at least unload them enough that the S-10's front won't have alot of braking/steering contact with the road.

You'll also want to check the weight capacity of the receiver hitch available for your truck. I don't know for sure, but it might not be rated for that kind of weight.

Seriously, you need at least a full-size half-ton truck to safely tow a Jeep and trailer. The Jeep/trailer combo will likely weigh between 5500 - 7000 lbs. I'm thinking the ZR2 won't weigh 5500 lbs - which means you'll have some nasty "pushing" problems, especially on dirt roads - that jeep/trailer will try to push the truck outta it's way on turns...... ask me how I know (with a half ton no less...)

Troy
 
YELLAHEEP said:
Colby,

Those ZR2's are nice! Congrats on the new vehicle!


Seriously, you need at least a full-size half-ton truck to safely tow a Jeep and trailer. The Jeep/trailer combo will likely weigh between 5500 - 7000 lbs. I'm thinking the ZR2 won't weigh 5500 lbs - which means you'll have some nasty "pushing" problems, especially on dirt roads - that jeep/trailer will try to push the truck outta it's way on turns...... ask me how I know (with a half ton no less...)

Troy
Click to expand...


considering my Dakota QC 4x4 w/ 4.7L v-8 weighs 4800lbs... I would think the s-10 is closer to 4000lbs... if that....
I agree.. not a good idea w/ an s-10...
 
not to rain on your parade here kid but my jeep on a trailer pushes my 7000 lb avalanche around on curvy roads. thankfully i know how to drive with a heavy trailer in tow...but its still not 100% safe even with a 7000 lb tow rig. i think trying to pull such a thing with an S10 is asking for it. id look into maybe dollying the XJ or putting a towbar on it to tow it. that would eliminate 1500-2000 lbs of the weight from trailering it and make it much more safe.
 
Although I agree with you that a ZR2 isn't a good vehicle to tow with consider this...A 7000Lb Dodge cummins 3500 has a very much larger tow capacity then the weight of the truck. My semi tractor weighs 16,000 Lbs yet I pull 125K-129K with it on a daily basis.

Its not a matter of weight of towed vehicle Vs weight of tow vehicle. Its a matter of how well the tow vehicle is set up to tow. Stiff springs,wheel base ect. Brakes on a trailer have a lot to do with this also.

Now flat towing then the weight of vehicles starts to play a big part.

Not arguing that the ZR2 isn't the right vehicle to tow with....Just your reasoning behind it.
 
DrMoab said:
Although I agree with you that a ZR2 isn't a good vehicle to tow with consider this...A 7000Lb Dodge cummins 3500 has a very much larger tow capacity then the weight of the truck. My semi tractor weighs 16,000 Lbs yet I pull 125K-129K with it on a daily basis.

Its not a matter of weight of towed vehicle Vs weight of tow vehicle. Its a matter of how well the tow vehicle is set up to tow. Stiff springs,wheel base ect. Brakes on a trailer have a lot to do with this also.

Now flat towing then the weight of vehicles starts to play a big part.

Not arguing that the ZR2 isn't the right vehicle to tow with....Just your reasoning behind it.
Click to expand...


I would have to agree here. I just towed my jeep home with the jeep and trailer weighing about 7500 pounds with a ford 1997 half ton econoline van as the Waldoch edition with a Triton V8. It did just fine. It did fine on the highways and I just drove slower on the county roads with the bumps and corners. If you take your time and know how to properly tow things that out weigh your tow vehicle you should be fine. I would rather have a three quarter ton truck for towing just for better towing and handling.

I would not recomend using the ZR2 for towing your jeep unless it is with a dolly as already stated.

Kim.
 
If you use a trailer for Jeep-hauling with the s-10 you will need a weight distributing hitch, anti-sway, and of course trailer brakes. If you use a dolly you will need one with brakes. If you flat tow, you will need a braking system for the "toad." Anything less and you are looking at a dangerous situation.
 
I've always loved those ZR2 Blazers. They're IFS but dont do too bad offroad for what they are and I love the looks of them. :D
 
the main place ill be towing the jeep to is disney, its about 45-50 miles away and almost complelty flat to get there. its not the ideal tow rig by any means but being 18, having to pay for my own vehicles, and going to college, i cant afford 3 vehicles to be able to have everything i need. when i tow i will be taking it VERY easy. im still trying to figure out exactly what hitch im going to get for it.

kolby
 
Colby,

Don't misunderstand us, we know you're young with expenses and priorities. Heck, who among us aren't burdened with expenses and priorities.

What we're saying here is that if you had intended to purchase a truck to tow with, we feel that the ZR2 wasn't the right choice. Not at all.

For the same money you spent on the ZR2, you could have picked up a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck to properly handle the towing duties. But, we understand you needed gas mileage to be a big part of the decision. Not alot of choices for proper towing capacities and good mileage.

You may certainly have the best intentions to conduct yourself as safely as possible, but other drivers may change your plans..... ya dig? What are you gonna do when that drunk or jack-ass driver cuts you off, or pulls out in front of you at the last second? I can tell you exactly what you'll do..... you'll stack up that truck and trailer and hopefully no one gets hurt.

A savvy State Patrolman in your area would likely pull you over in a heartbeat if he saw that combination. Check your State towing laws. Your insurance won't cover you if you're towing in violation of State law.

Heck, U-haul has a policy regarding renting trailers and tow dollys based upon the tow vehicle's weight. There's been a few threads here about people wanting to rent a trailer of dolly from them with the intent to tow an XJ using anything from another XJ, to a V8 Dakota. I believe none of them were able to rent one.

Please re-think using a trailer with the ZR2 - in my 14 years of law enforcement, I've seen way too many trailer related "stupid" accidents and someone always pays the price in some form or another.

My $.02

Troy
 
Lawn Cher' said:
If you use a trailer for Jeep-hauling with the s-10 you will need a weight distributing hitch, anti-sway, and of course trailer brakes. If you use a dolly you will need one with brakes. If you flat tow, you will need a braking system for the "toad." Anything less and you are looking at a dangerous situation.
Click to expand...


I agree with all of this.. I want to tow w/ my V8 dakota.. which is rated at 5000K..(I think).. but I have all the running gear of a Ram 1500.. only difference is the front brakes and track.. I have been told it will easily trailer much more than the 5000K, well after contemplating Flat towing... I am trying to work out a dual axle w/ brakes trailer deal.. I agree not the optimal tow rig.. but I think it will be safe w/ the right combination for the amount of towing I will actually be doing..
S-10 is just small... small brakes, small axles, small wb..... thats all....
 
Ludakris said:
I agree with all of this.. I want to tow w/ my V8 dakota.. which is rated at 5000K..(I think).. but I have all the running gear of a Ram 1500.. only difference is the front brakes and track.. I have been told it will easily trailer much more than the 5000K, well after contemplating Flat towing... I am trying to work out a dual axle w/ brakes trailer deal.. I agree not the optimal tow rig.. but I think it will be safe w/ the right combination for the amount of towing I will actually be doing..
S-10 is just small... small brakes, small axles, small wb..... thats all....
Click to expand...


The 2005 Dakota with the 'trailer' package is rated at 6500 lbs.
4.7l, HD auto tranny, 3.92 gears, and a seven wire plug.
 
Ludakris said:
I agree with all of this.. I want to tow w/ my V8 dakota.. which is rated at 5000K..(I think).. but I have all the running gear of a Ram 1500.. only difference is the front brakes and track.. I have been told it will easily trailer much more than the 5000K, well after contemplating Flat towing... I am trying to work out a dual axle w/ brakes trailer deal.. I agree not the optimal tow rig.. but I think it will be safe w/ the right combination for the amount of towing I will actually be doing..
S-10 is just small... small brakes, small axles, small wb..... thats all....
Click to expand...

as far as the s-10 being "small" comment, i agree to an extent, but from what all ive read the zr2 isnt a normal 4x4 s-10 with a sticker package. im not just talking about it setting 3" taller than a normal one plus around 3 inches wider, they have completly differnt frames than a normal 4x4 s-10, ALOT beefier frames, they have a 30 spline 10 bolt with a 8.5 ring gear rear axle, and the wheelbase between my extended cab s-10 and your dakota cant be all far apart. and the part about your dakota having the same running gear as a ram 1500, you can get 1/2 ton chevy fullsizes with the exact same that my zr2 has. im still not trying to say that my s-10 is a godly vehicle in any manner, just trying to understand what your saying, since there seems to be some hypocracies in your post the way i read it, but i could have read it wrong. please feel free to set me strait on this.

kolby
 
YELLAHEEP said:
Colby,

Don't misunderstand us, we know you're young with expenses and priorities. Heck, who among us aren't burdened with expenses and priorities.

What we're saying here is that if you had intended to purchase a truck to tow with, we feel that the ZR2 wasn't the right choice. Not at all.

For the same money you spent on the ZR2, you could have picked up a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck to properly handle the towing duties. But, we understand you needed gas mileage to be a big part of the decision. Not alot of choices for proper towing capacities and good mileage.

You may certainly have the best intentions to conduct yourself as safely as possible, but other drivers may change your plans..... ya dig? What are you gonna do when that drunk or jack-ass driver cuts you off, or pulls out in front of you at the last second? I can tell you exactly what you'll do..... you'll stack up that truck and trailer and hopefully no one gets hurt.

A savvy State Patrolman in your area would likely pull you over in a heartbeat if he saw that combination. Check your State towing laws. Your insurance won't cover you if you're towing in violation of State law.

Heck, U-haul has a policy regarding renting trailers and tow dollys based upon the tow vehicle's weight. There's been a few threads here about people wanting to rent a trailer of dolly from them with the intent to tow an XJ using anything from another XJ, to a V8 Dakota. I believe none of them were able to rent one.

Please re-think using a trailer with the ZR2 - in my 14 years of law enforcement, I've seen way too many trailer related "stupid" accidents and someone always pays the price in some form or another.

My $.02

Troy
Click to expand...

i completly understand what ur saying and u have some very good points and things i need to check in on, any weekend im goin wheelin that my brother isnt going along, i will prolly steal/swap trucks with him and use his z71. so hopefully that will be a good bit less towing with the s10

kolby
 
My two cents...just flat tow it. I have two cherokees and use one to tow the other (flat towing) everytime we go wheeling out of town. YES...It will push a little, but you will get used to it. And you have to figure that whenever you are towing....you will probably have a load in the bed of the truck (camping gear, school stuff, etc.) that will help minimize the pushing. Just drive the speed limit and use a little extra caution for rain or dirt. Never try it in snow or ice.
 
lankchevy said:
as far as the s-10 being "small" comment, i agree to an extent, but from what all ive read the zr2 isnt a normal 4x4 s-10 with a sticker package. im not just talking about it setting 3" taller than a normal one plus around 3 inches wider, they have completly differnt frames than a normal 4x4 s-10, ALOT beefier frames, they have a 30 spline 10 bolt with a 8.5 ring gear rear axle, and the wheelbase between my extended cab s-10 and your dakota cant be all far apart. and the part about your dakota having the same running gear as a ram 1500, you can get 1/2 ton chevy fullsizes with the exact same that my zr2 has. im still not trying to say that my s-10 is a godly vehicle in any manner, just trying to understand what your saying, since there seems to be some hypocracies in your post the way i read it, but i could have read it wrong. please feel free to set me strait on this.

kolby
Click to expand...


S-10 wb = 122.9
Dakota wb = 131
Suburban wb = 130 (for reference)

Track S-10 (fr/r) 57/55 +3" 60/58 ??
Track Dak (fr/r) 60.8/61.5

S-10 curb weight 4083
Dak curb weight 4800

S-10 zr2 rear axle 10 bolt 8.5" ring gear
Dak chrysler 9 1/4" rear axle
S-10 front axle 7.5" ring gear
Dak front axle 8" ring gear

S-10 = V6
Dak = V8

I am not trying to have a pissing match or anything, the s-10 is a mini and the Dak is a Midsize.. I am somewhat leary of towing with the dakota, I used to own a first gen S-10 ext cab and I never thought of towing w/ it. I have also lost faith w/ chevy stuff. But thats just me... ZR2's look cool and are nice trucks, just dont trash the fender flares, those things are rediculously expensive from the dealer...
 
i wasnt trying to get into a pissing match with u either, sorry if i came off that way, i was just trying to understand what u meant in your post earlier.

kolby
 
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