Cherokee too heavy for View?

[BadMed]

We recently purchased a 2020 Winnebago View 24D. On our maiden voyage we were towing our 2016 Jeep Cherokee and we went through a mountainous area. The MB Diesel engine struggled going up some of the steeper grades. On one 10% grade, we maxed out at 25 MPH. This was not a typical driving condition for us. Normally we travel on freeways and main highways, but still, we are concerned that maybe the Jeep is just too heavy to be towed behind this motorhome.

At my earliest opportunity I got the View and Jeep weighed. Here are the results:

• View Front Axle 3660 (GAWR: 4410)
• View Rear Axle: 7260 (GAWR: 7720)
• View Total: 10920 (GVWR: 11030)
• Jeep Total: 4540 (Max allowed: 5000)
• Combined Total: 15460 (GCWR: 15250)

All the weights are under the ratings except the combined total weight (GCWR), which is 210 pounds over.

As I see it, we have 4 options:
1. Continue to use the Cherokee as our Toad.
2. Go without a Toad.
3. Replace the Cherokee with a lighter SUV.
4. Keeping the Cherokee and get a lighter, smaller vehicle for a Toad.

OPTION 1 – I would think that if we continue to use the Cherokee as our Toad, we should avoid steep grades. That would require that I check for steep grades on our proposed route, and if there are any, take a different route or plan on disconnecting the Cherokee and drive it over the steep grades. A bit of an inconvenience but doable. Would we be OK to continue to tow the Cherokee, especially if we avoid steep grades?
OPTION 2 - Going without a Toad I think would be very inconvenient. We enjoy hiking and paddle boarding. It would be a real pain to stow everything in the motorhome and disconnect the utilities every time we want to head out for a day trip. I know other RVers do it. Can anyone weigh in on how they deal with not having a Toad?
OPTION 3 - We really like our Jeep Cherokee. But, if there is a vehicle, preferably a midsize SUV that can be flat towed and that is lighter than the Cherokee, we would consider looking at it. Any suggestions for a lightweight SUV?
Option 4 - We are a one car family. It is just the wife and me and we are kind of joined at the hip. Our garage is a typical 2 car garage that can fit one car and a bunch of other stuff. We probably could fit another car in the garage, but it would be tight. A second car would, for the most part, just be used while we are RVing. Any suggestions for a vehicle that is small, light and inexpensive that could be used just as a Toad.

Which option do you think is best? Are there other options that I have not thought of?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[DavidM]

Well, first i suspect your Jeep really weighs more than 4,540 lbs. But ignoring that, you are putting quite a load on your poor Mercedes engine. What fuel mileage do you get? I suspect about 12-13. That is too much day after day for that engine. It wasn't designed to put out that continuous hp.

There are smaller SUVs that would help, but maybe only drop 1,000 lbs. Can any of them be flat towed? Don't think so.

So maybe get a dedicated toad like the Chevy Spark whose curb weight is in the low 2,000s.

And do you really need a toad? When I finally buy a Winnie View or similar next year when this market spike settles down, I don't plan to use a toad. Yes I will probably have to carry my groceries another hundred yards but I can live with that.

David

[BadMed]

Thanks for the reply DavidM.

The curb weight for our 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is 4028, so I think the scales are correct at 4540. On a 750 mile trip, which included the mountainous area, the average mpg was 14. On the day we drove over the mountains it was only 11.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to get a dedicated Toad, but that may be the best solution. Do you know if the Chevy Spark can be flat towed? I'll take a look at it. I saw a View flat towing a Smart Car, so that might be an option too. I have also read in a thread about towing a Mini Cooper. Any thoughts on the Smart Car or Mini Cooper?

If we just hung around camp and went to the store once a week, then going Toadless would be OK, but if we go hiking or sight seeing nearly everyday it would be a real pain.

[Truckman]

If it were me I would keep the set up you have, and if you find a particularly steep grade you can unhook and have your wife drive it until the conditions are better. Why compromise on a comfortable ride for the few occasions where you feel the rig is under powered. After you downsize you could still have speed issues on extreme hills. Diesel engines are made to run at rated capacity and as hard as the governor permits. I once was told by a Diesel factory rep that we could run against the governor (wide open throttle) all day and not be a problem.

[jimservice]

We ordered our '21 View last December and picked it up in May. I had a Subaru but couldn't dingy tow it. I had really wanted a Jeep Wrangler but in the end, was concerned I'd be pushing it too close on the weight. Curb weight was 4300-4500. The 5k towing capacity is for the hitch. I wound up with a Chevy Equinox. It is a full 1000# lighter and so far, haven't had any issues. We leave Monday for a trip through the Appalachians and will know more after. The Equinox manual says to limit the speed to 65mph (I do anyways) and to start the engine for 10 minutes at each fuel stop to circulate fluids. Good luck.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by DavidM

There are smaller SUVs that would help, but maybe only drop 1,000 lbs. Can any of them be flat towed? Don't think so.

So maybe get a dedicated toad like the Chevy Spark whose curb weight is in the low 2,000s.

I would agree with this. SUVs tend to be heavy. You need to avoid heavy. Get something other than an SUV.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by BadMed

Any suggestions for a vehicle that is small, light and inexpensive that could be used just as a Toad.

When we first started towing we bought a couple year old Fiat 500 POP for really cheap. It weighed around 2200lbs. When we got a bigger motorhome with greater capacity we sold the Fiat to another RVer (on Craigslist) for just about the price we paid for it initially.

Keep in mind - you need a manual transmission to tow a Fiat.

Same would go for a Mini Cooper - but they are nowhere near as cheap to buy and maintain as a Fiat 500.

[BadMed]

Thanks to everyone that has responded, all good info.

I am leaning towards getting a used car as a Toad, maybe a Chevy Spark or Fiat 500 preferably already setup to be towed.

I would sell my 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, fully loaded with options. It has 37k miles and is setup with Blue Ox Base Plate (BX1136), battery charger, Mopar Flat Tow Wiring Kit (Part 68321424AB) needed to dampen steering wobble, Demco Stay-In-Play Braking System.

Where would find websites to buy and sell a Toad?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by BadMed

Thanks to everyone that has responded, all good info.

I am leaning towards getting a used car as a Toad, maybe a Chevy Spark or Fiat 500 preferably already setup to be towed.

Good choice. As an aside, in the travel trailer world there are some who tow without any water to reduce weight, even if their vehicle is rated to tow twice the weight of their loaded trailer. I don't go to that extreme for fear water won't be available where I'm heading to (as was the case this week), but I do try to only carry only about 20 gallons (plus the 6 in the hot water tank). We're talking about a difference in weight of maybe 150-400 pounds.

I suspect you'll save far more weight than that, and that will improve fuel economy, braking distance, speed up hills, etc.

[AZAspect]

We have purchased a good used Fiat Pop that we tow behind our Aspect. As Creativepart described, it is light at around 2200 pounds. We can't even tell it's back there. The Fiat is a 2014 and we paid just over $6,000 out the door and it has less than 60,000 miles on it. It was not setup for towing so we had to do that. I did as much of the work myself that I could which saved us a couple of thousand dollars. As mentioned, you need to get a manual transmission. A bonus to the Fiat is that since you don't have to turn on the key, your odometer doesn't register the towed miles! They are surprisingly roomy upfront but don't expect to be able to have anyone ride along in the backseat! We put our cases of bottled water and tools in it when we're towing. I can definitely recommend a Fiat Pop but you will give up some of the comforts you're accustomed to with the Jeep.

Al

[RonBonoSr]

I believe that max. load for the Mercedes diesel is 3,500 lbs. Jeep Cherokee weighs 4,250 lbs. Too heavy for a whimpy Mercedes diesel. My Ford V 10 tows my 2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with no issues, even up hills. Buy a Ford V10 equipped RV to tow your Cherokee!

[DrMack]

We tow a 2016 Wrangler with our 2017 View 24J with no problems. Diesels do better under sustained load (helps to keep operating temperature in the optimum range).

[notbusdrvr]

We tow a cherokee trailhawk with our 17 view with no problems. Tow rating for the mercedes is 5000. Keep the rpms up when running uphill.


We"ve done several western trips and run through the mountains. It does fine.

[71_340]

Keep your Jeep and on the few occasions where you encounter extended steep hills unhook and have your wife drive the Jeep. By the way, you little diesel engine is happiest when it gets a good workout every once in a while.....they are designed for that.

[Journey39n]

An interesting observation on towing jeeps.

7 years towing a 2010 Wrangler 2dr sport, in loaded and fueled travelling mode, it tipped the scale at around 4000 pounds. Other than a slight drop in mileage for the RV, we barely knew it was being towed.

3 years ago, we switched to a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk. It tips the scale at 4600 pounds in travel mode.

What we noticed over three years of towing the Trail Hawk, going up hills we notice it a little more. but driving on flat land, we notice it less, and get better mileage No scientific facts, but perhaps it is because the Cherokee is much more streamlined than the Wrangler (which is a wonderful little suv, but a brick going through the air).

[thataway4]

I am of the ones who say keep the Jeep and continue to tow. We tow a Lincoln MKX maybe slightly lighter than your Jeep, but over 4000#. We keep the water and holding tanks almost empty when running. We tow across country often 2 x a year. No problems with running gear. We have never done 10% grades, but do 6% keeping up with the 18 wheelers going 55 for the most part. I have gauges on the transmission temp, Exhaust gas temp, water temp. All are staying within normal ranges.

The Sprinter 3500 can tow up to 7,500 pounds when properly equipped. Extended-length vans have a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.a

.

Granted that the combined weight is at the 15250 for your vehicle.

Another cheaper car is the Kia Soul manual transmission. We have several friends who tow those. They are about 3000# and are close to an SUV....4 passenger, plus some back stowage.

I hear those who say don't use a toad. Problem is my wife wants her car when we travel...Mine is a Ford 250 Diesel 4 x 4...towable...but way over the weight!

[Dave-Oh]

We tow a 2018 Wrangler Unlimited (about 4100lb curb weight) behind our 2020 View 24D. I generally tow it with 1/2 tank of gas to keep the weight down a bit. It seems to climb better than our former gas Tiffin 32SA which had 6000 lbs of towing capacity with a 5,000lb hitch (GVWR - CVWR) so it was never near capacity, and our View pulls on the hills better.

The View's CVWR allows for about 4150 lbs if loaded to capacity. We are generally not loaded to the gills, have several empty cupboards and room below. We keep the black and gray tanks empty, and only have about 1/4 tank of water when on the move, so I'm quite comfortable we're below the GVWR and below the CVWR when towing the Jeep.

I love the shift paddles on the hills, allows for downshifting when I see the RPMs start to drop on the uphill side to keep the momentum up. A 10% grade would be challenging in any case. I really feel that the little Diesel is a real workhorse.

My buddy has a 2016 View that he's driven across country 8 times, towing his heavier Wrangler JK and has had no issues (he previously had a WBGO Journey and compares the hill climbing abilities as similar).

towing a smaller vehicle is certainly an option, but we need the Jeep so we can transport our 95lb hound when we're hiking and such. Smaller won't work for us but we're happy with it and it works great as is.

Best,

Dave-Oh

[Foggyfred2]

I have a 2017 View on a 2016 Sprinter 3500 chassis and tow a 2014 Honda CR-V, the last model year towable, and have to keep the rear camera on to know it’s there. Light and roomy and reliable.

[dnta]

Originally Posted by creativepart

When we first started towing we bought a couple year old Fiat 500 POP for really cheap. It weighed around 2200lbs. When we got a bigger motorhome with greater capacity we sold the Fiat to another RVer (on Craigslist) for just about the price we paid for it initially.

Keep in mind - you need a manual transmission to tow a Fiat.

Same would go for a Mini Cooper - but they are nowhere near as cheap to buy and maintain as a Fiat 500.

——————
I, too, flat towed a Fiat POP, a 2013, and loved it. Unfortunately I had a small accident when just driving the Fiat & it was totaled due to it’s value. I now have a Cherokee Trailhawk (FlatTow- it has the Active 2 Drive). No hills yet, has been pulling ng great but I have a larger WB & Ford 450 gas engine.

[Hatrock]

We have logged about 3500 miles towing a 2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with our 2016 View with Mercedes 3500 chassis. We have climbed some extended 6 and 7 percent grades. The rig has never dropped below 45MPH and the transmission and exhaust temps don't increase dramatically. I will continue to be a little concerned about our setup and whether or not that engine will continue that load, but so far/so good.