I just read over this thread and it makes me realize that a lot of "Jeep guys" may not be very well versed in towing. Engine performance does make a difference with towing, however there are many other factors. As noted with the Tacoma above, the Taco tow package would include Class-IV towing receiver hitch,28 ATF cooler (not available on M/T), engine oil cooler, power steering cooler, 130-amp alternator, 4- and 7-pin connector with converter, and Trailer-Sway Control (TSC)29 (V6 only). Fast forward to a jeep. What makes a good off road vehicle? A short(er) wheelbase, flexible suspension, higher ground clearance, lighter vehicle. That's pretty much the opposite of a good tow vehicle. For a good, stable tow vehicle, you want a longer wheelbase, a rigid frame, stiff springs/suspension, low center of gravity, heavy planted vehicle. After that, you can compare powertrains, gearing, cooling, brakes, etc.. Unfortunately, to keep a Jeep being a Jeep, we are never going to see good tow ratings with out sacrificing the things that help make a Jeep so capable in its bread and butter category of off roading. Now the JL truck may be a different story. Sure its a Jeep, but its not a JEEP. I bet it will be more of a truck that looks like a Jeep instead of a Jeep that looks like a truck. Im betting FCA is shooting for a 7,000 lbs tow rating. Also don't forget, trucks now have to adhere to SAE J2807 standards to advertise their tow ratings. My final thoughts (if you're still reading this) on tow ratings in different countries is something that applies to all vehicles. In the good ole' US of A we tow big stuff fast. Basically, we put 10% or more trailer weight on our hitch. This allows us to pull a heavier load at faster speeds and maintain a more stable rig. In Europe/Australia/other places, they load a much lighter tongue weight on to their tow vehicles. This allows much smaller vehicles to carry heavier loads. However there is a big caveat to this, the speed is limited to 55(ish) mph. All of this has to do with trailer sway and oscillation relative to tongue load. Read this article to find out more, it even used a 2014 JKUR as one example... https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611/1609771499/+ballaban
I hope like you say it's more of a truck that looks like a Jeep instead of Jeep that looks like a truck. But how do you think they'd accomplish that since it's based on the Wrangler platform instead of Ram platform?
The 4Runner for example has a towing capacity at 5,000# but the Tacoma capacity is 6,400#. I agree, this seems to be a Wrangler with a Bed where the Tacoma and 4runner wear different sheet metal. So guess we'll see.
The JK's brakes and rear suspension are some of the known/claimed limiting factors in its relatively low payload and towing rating. The JT will have a rear suspension design that's basically identical to the Ram's (whereas the JL's rear suspension is like the JK's), and it'll come with rear brakes that are larger than the current JK's (unsure whether or not they're larger than the JL's). Both front and rear axles in the JL and JT have been beefed up a bit vs the JK's. I fully expect the JT to have a 6000lb+ tow rating*. It couldn't reasonably compete in the midsize truck market otherwise, it'd be a just-for-looks truck. FWIW, the Taco and 4Runner are completely different platforms. The Taco is designed specifically for the US market, whereas the 4Runner is based off the Land Cruiser 150 platform (same platform that underpins the FJ Cruiser and Lexus GX in the US, and the Land Cruiser Prado in other markets). * "when properly equipped"
As I was saying in the other thread, higher tow rating capacity may require upgrades to brakes, cooling system (engine + transmission), axles, wheels, and/or tires. Once the JL specs are fully released, if we see info starting to leak out that the JT has upgrades to these components, we can expect a substantially better towing capacity. Already we saw that the Dana 12-bolt axles/diff and the huge rear brakes. So that's a step in the right direction for better tow rating!
