Solar Dude
New member
So I was looking for a new ride that could haul my family of 4, pull our 17' travel trailer and be a good trail vehicle. I was looking at 4runners, exterra's, and JKU's. They all have similar HP, wheelbase etc. the JK's while being the most capable off-road had significantly lower tow capacities, except the Rubicon because of the 4.10 gears. I also discovered that the JKU had a 5000lbs. tow capacity in Europe so I knew it wasn't a mechanical limitation but actually an issue with DOT and the soft/removable top. While I'm not saying to exceed the factory stated tow capacity I was much more comfortable being close to the maximum tow capacity. I knew I needed a 2012 or newer model with the 3.6 because the 205 HP of the 3.8 was not going to cut it pulling a 2800lbs. trailer. I recently stumbled upon a 2012 JKUR for sale and jumped on it. I also know set-up was key, I wanted to lift it but knew I couldn't go crazy with height or tire size for towing. I settled with a 2.5" AEV because of the multi rate springs and bilstien shocks, I also invested in a real good load distribution hitch. I can tell you this set up kicks ass and am extremely satisfied with its performance. No air bags, no sag.
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