2008 JEEP WRANGLER Owners Manual

Trailer and Trailer Tongue Weight
Always load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in
the front of the trailer. This places 10% to 15% of the
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow hitch of your
vehicle. Loads balanced over the wheels or heavier in the
rear can cause the trailer to swayseverelyside-to-side
which will cause loss of control of vehicle and trailer.
Failure to load trailers heavier in front is the cause of
many trailer accidents.
Consider the following items when computing the
weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:
•The trailer tongue weight.
•The weight of any other type of cargo or equipment
put in or on your vehicle.
•The weight of the driver and all passengers.
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NOTE:Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also, additional
factory-installed options, or authorized dealer-installed
options, must be considered as part of the total load on
your vehicle. Refer to the Tire and Loading Information
placard in the “Tire Safety Information” section of this
manual for the maximum combined weight of occupants
and cargo for your vehicle.
Towing Requirements
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle driv-
etrain components, the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
NOTE: Trailer towing requires special rear axle lubri-
cant. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
Section 7 for more information.
CAUTION!
•Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 mi (805 km)
of vehicle operation. Doing so may damage your
vehicle.
Perform the maintenance listed in the “Maintenance
Schedule.” Refer to Section 8 of this manual. When
towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR, or GCWR,
ratings.
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WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transmission in
PARK. With a manual transmission, shift the transmis-
sion into 1st gear. And with four-wheel-drive vehicles,
make sure the transfer case is not in N (Neutral).
Always, block orchockthe trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
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2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized
(This requirement may limit the ability to always
achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue weight as a
percentage of total trailer weight).
Towing Requirements — Tires

Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to the
“Tires–General Information” section of this manual for
proper tire inflation procedures.
Also, check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to the “Tires–General
Information” section of this manual for the proper
inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to the “Tires–General Infor-
mation” section for proper tire replacement proce-
dures. Replacing tires with a higher load carrying
capacity will not increase the vehicle’s GVWR and
GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes

Donot interconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate braking and possible
personal injury.
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An electronically-actuated trailer brake controller is
required when towing a trailer with electronically
actuated brakes. When towing a trailer equipped with
a hydraulic surge-actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over 1,000
lbs (454 kg) and required for trailers in excess of 2,000
lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s hy-
draulic brake lines. It can overload your brake sys-
tem and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping dis-
tance. When towing you should allow for additional
space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Lights & Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stop lights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
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The Trailer Tow Package will include a 4–pin wiring
harness. Use a factory-approved trailer harness and
connector.
NOTE:Do not cut or splice wiring into the vehicles
wiring harness.
The electrical connections are all complete to the vehicle
but you must mate the harness to a trailer connector.
Refer to the following illustration.
Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
4 - Pin Connector
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If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer towing,
all starts must be in 1st gear to avoid excessive clutch
slippage.
Towing Tips — Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
OVERDRIVE range should be selected.
NOTE:Using “O/D OFF” while operating the vehicle
under heavy operating conditions will improve perfor-
mance and extend transmission life by reducing exces-
sive shifting and heat build up. This action will also
provide better engine braking.
The automatic transmission fluid and filter should be
changed if you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than
45 minutes of continuous operation. Refer to the “Main-
tenance Schedule” in Section 8 of this manual for trans-
mission fluid change intervals. NOTE:
Check the automatic transmission fluid level
before towing.
Towing Tips — O/D Off
To reduce potential for automatic transmission overheat-
ing, select the “O/D OFF” feature when driving in hilly
areas or shift the transmission to DRIVE position 2 on
more severe grades. Refer to “Transmission Shifting” in
this section.
Towing Tips — Electronic Speed Control (If
Equipped)

Don’t use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
When using the speed control, if you experience speed
drops greater than 10 mph (16 km/h), disengage until
you can get back to cruising speed.
Use speed control in flat terrain and with light loads to
maximize fuel efficiency.
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Towing Tips — Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
refer to Cooling System Operating information in the
Maintenance section of this manual for more informa-
tion.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
CAUTION!
Front or rear wheel lifts should not be used. Internal
damage to the transmission or transfer case will occur
if a front or rear wheel lift is used when recreational
towing.
Towing – 2WD Models
Recreational towing is allowed ONLY if the rear drive-
shaft is removed. See your authorized dealer or refer to
the Service Manual. Towing with the rear wheels on the
ground while the driveshaft is connected can result in
severe transmission damage.
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