Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2003 Jeep Liberty

Question:

I am interested in towing my 2003 Jeep Liberty with my 2014 Jeep Gran Cherokee 6 cyl. The Liberty weighs less than 5000 lbs. and the Cherokee has a towing capacity of 6000 lbs. I would need to disconnect the tow bar and Liberty from the Cherokee. And then either fold it up in front of the Liberty or remove it. Which tow bar would allow me to do this towing safely and most economically. Thanks

asked by: Pete

Expert Reply:

Towing a vehicle with another vehicle, legally and safely, requires a number of components in addition to a tow bar. All are outlined in the linked overview article on flat towing. These include safety cables, a wiring/lighting kit of some kind and base plates and a braking system for the vehicle being towed.

If you will be transporting the vehicle only once, to get it to a single destination, you may prefer to use a tow dolly like # RM-2050-1. Although such an item is not inexpensive it can often be lower in total cost than a complete flat towing set-up. Some vehicles can be dolly-towed, but not all. The same applies to flat towing with all 4 wheels down on the ground. Certain vehicles (and certain versions of those) can do this but not all cars can so it is best to check the manuals for both vehicles. Tow dollies can also be rented, although we do not provide this option.

I was not able to access an online manual for the 2003 Liberty but the 2004 model year's manual indicates on page 267 the 2WD version should be towed with a dolly under the rear wheels. Wheels down flat towing is not recommended.

expert reply by: Adam R