Its 2000lbs for a 6 cylinder, less for a 4. Its a combination of the short wheelbase, and a few other things I can't think of at the moment that causes it to be so low. Never buy a hitch that bolts to the factory bumper, get one that goes to the frame, or is part of an aftermarket bumper.

 

Depending on which one you get, Hitch receivers are bolted directly to the frame. Yes the TJ is too light and has too short of a wheelbase. It can be done and some people will say its fine to haul more....but keep in mind that you have to stop whatever you get moving. That is where the problem comes in. In my opinion anyway. I have hauled stuff with it and it does fine pulling it. Just be gentle on the brakes and give yourself more time to stop than you think you need

 

Thanks fellows. Hey, want to hear a really funny ( not to me ) story ?
Some years ago, a friend of mine, asked me to go with him to buy some sand for a concrete job for his house, and we took his 78-CJ5 Renegade and a tow trailer which probably makes a couple of square meters, so we took the thing to the sand-mine, bought the sand ( wet :nonono: ) and took off....................................you guessed right !!!...............on the first good trafic light-stop, the trailer lifted the "butt" of the CJ5 up in the air, and all I saw was the asfalt in front of my face !!!!! The jeep rode probably about 20-25 feet looking straight down to Mother Earth and it was one of the scariest rides of my freaking life !!!!!!!! :facepalm:

With that said, the hitch will be installed to the bumper, but I will be very carefull with the actual weight carried behind. THANKS GUYS.

 

With that said, the hitch will be installed to the bumper, but I will be very carefull with the actual weight carried behind. THANKS GUYS.

:nonono::nonono::nonono::nonono::nonono:

 

Avoid the class I hitch that has the smaller receiver opening (1.25", I think.) Most accessories like carriers, bike racks, small trailers uses the standard 2" receiver. Go with a class II or III. Unfortunately, I don't think our SWB Jeeps can SAFELY handle any weight remotely close to the hitch capacity.

 

Hey Peepers, I meant "to the Chassis", just a typo. Thanks for the info Watta !!!

 

The 2,000 lb. weight limit is entirely due to the TJ's short wheelbase. Its engine and braking are up to towing more but its wheelbase is just not long enough to tow more weight. The longer wheelbase Unlimited for example has the same engine, gearing, and brakes as a TJ but its tow limit is 3500 lbs. The Cherokee with a longer wheelbase has an even higher tow limit with the same engine and brakes.

That 2000 lb. limit is very real, I sure wouldn't exceed it with a Wrangler. If you got into an emergency maneuver and had to brake hard with much more than that, the Jeep could flip, go out of control, or at the least you'd feel like the tail was wagging the dog.

 

Most aftermarket bumpers with the hitch built inare not tow rated.

 

Most for no better reason than their lawyers will no longer let them. For example, my former Olympic Rock bumper was rated to tow the TJ's max allowable weight when I bought it. Then about the same time the tow ratings started disappearing from our aftermarket bumpers, Olympic removed my former bumper's tow rating... without any change to the bumper itself. It's not that most bumpers with receiver hitches can't safely tow, it's just that they are too afraid of being sued in today's litigious (lawsuit prone) society.