tow JEEP COMMANDER 2009 1.G Service Manual

Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue
weight, just as if it were luggage located at a hitch ball or
some other connecting point of the vehicle. These kind of
hitches are the most popular on the market today and
they are commonly used to tow small- and medium-
sized trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing hitch system works by applying
leverage through spring (load) bars. They are typically
used for heavier loads, to distribute trailer tongue weight
to the tow vehicle’s front axle and the trailer axle(s).
When used in accordance with the manufacturer’s direc-
tions, it provides for a more level ride, offering more
consistent steering and brake control thereby enhancing
towing safety. The addition of a friction/hydraulic sway
control also dampens sway caused by traffic and cross-
winds, and contributes positively to tow vehicle andtrailer stability. Trailer sway control and a weight distrib-
uting (load equalizing) hitch are recommended for
heavier trailer tongue weights (TW) and may be required
depending on Vehicle and Trailer configuration/loading
to comply with gross axle weight rating (GAWR)
requirements.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted weight-distributing hitch
system may reduce handling, stability, and braking
performance, and could result in an accident.
Weight-distributing hitch systems may not be compatible
with Surge Brake Couplers. Consult with your hitch and
trailer manufacturer or a reputable Recreational Vehicle
dealer for additional information.
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Trailer Hitch Classification
Your vehicle may be factory equipped for safe towing of
trailers weighing over 3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) with the
optional Trailer Tow Prep Package. See your authorized
dealer for package content.
The following chart provides the industry standard for
the maximum trailer weight a given trailer hitch class can
tow and should be used to assist you in selecting the
correct trailer hitch for your intended towing condition.
Refer to the Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) chart for the Max. GTW towable for your
given drivetrain.Trailer Hitch Classification
Class Max. GTW (Gross Trailer
Wt.)
Class I - Light Duty 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
Class II - Medium
Duty3,500 lbs (1 587 kg)
Class III - Heavy Duty 5,000 lbs (2 268 kg)
Class IV - Extra
Heavy Duty10,000 lbs (4 540 kg)
Refer to the “Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum
Trailer Weight Ratings)” chart for the Maximum
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) towable for your given
drivetrain.
All trailer hitches should be professionally installed on
your vehicle.
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Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine Model GCWR
(Gross Combined
Wt. Rating)Frontal Area Max. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.)Max. Trailer
Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.7L 4x2 8,670 lbs (3 933 kg) 35 sq ft (3.25 sq m) 3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
3.7L 4x4 8,755 lbs (3 971 kg) 35 sq ft (3.25 sq m) 3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
4.7L 4x2 8,665 lbs (3 930 kg) 35 sq ft (3.25 sq m) 3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
4.7L 4x4 8,900 lbs (4 037 kg) 35 sq ft (3.25 sq m) 3,500 lbs (1 587 kg) 350 lbs (159 kg)
4.7L (w/Trailer
Tow Group IV)4x2 11,900 lbs (5 398 kg) 64 sq ft (5.95 sq m) 6,500 lbs (2 948 kg) 650 lbs (295 kg)
4.7L (w/Trailer
Tow Group IV)4x4 11,900 lbs (5 398 kg) 64 sq ft (5.95 sq m) 6,500 lbs (2 948 kg) 650 lbs (295 kg)
5.7L 4x2 12,620 lbs (5 724 kg) 64 sq ft (5.95 sq m) 7,400 lbs (3 356 kg) 740 lbs (336 kg)
5.7L 4x4 12,670 lbs (5 747 kg) 64 sq ft (5.95 sq m) 7,200 lbs (3 266 kg) 720 lbs (327 kg)
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds.
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NOTE:The trailer tongue weight must be considered as
part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo, and
should never exceed the weight referenced on the Tire
and Loading Information placard. Refer to the “Tire–
Safety Information” section in this manual.
Trailer And 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 front/rear axles of the vehicle:
•The tongue weight of the trailer.
•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 dealer-installed options,
must be considered as part of the total load on your
vehicle. Refer to the Tire and Loading Information plac-
ard 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:
CAUTION!
•Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(805 km) of vehicle operation. Doing so may dam-
age your vehicle.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•During the first 500 miles (805 km) of trailer
towing, limit your speed to 50 mph (80 km/h).
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.
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•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
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 transmission in PARK. For
four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure the transfer case
is not in 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
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer 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).
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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
“Tires–General Information” in this section.
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 “Tires–General Infor-
mation” in this section.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires–General Informa-
tion” in this section. Replacing tires with a higher load
carrying capacity will not increase the vehicle’s GVWR
and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes

Donotinterconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate braking and possible
personal injury.
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).
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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.
The Trailer Tow Package may include a 4 and 7–pin
wiring harness. Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
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Towing Tips
Before setting out on a trip, practice turning, stopping
and backing the trailer in an area away from heavy
traffic.
Towing Tips — Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing. How-
ever, if frequent shifting occurs while in this range, the
TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or a lower gear range
should be selected.
NOTE:Using the TOW/HAUL mode (if equipped) or a
lower gear range while operating the vehicle under
heavy operating conditions, will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup. This action will also provide better
engine braking.
The transmission fluid and filter should be changed if
you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than 45 minutesof continuous operation. Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” in Section 8 for the proper maintenance inter-
vals.
NOTE:Check the transmission fluid level before towing
(4.7L and 5.7L engines).Towing Tips — Electronic Speed Control (If
Equipped)

Do not 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:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the trans-
mission into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
SNOW PLOW
Snow plows, winches, and other aftermarket equipment
shouldnotbe added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in the
front end structure. The airbags could deploy unexpect-
edly or could fail to deploy during a collision.
WARNING!
Do not add a snow plow, winches, or any other
aftermarket equipment to the front of your vehicle.
This could adversely affect the functioning of the
airbag system and you could be injured.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing – 2WD Models
Recreational towing is allowed ONLY if the driveshaft
is removed.Towing with the rear wheels on the ground
while the driveshaft is connected can result in severe
transmission damage.
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