What Do I Need to Tow a 4,000 Lb Trailer with a 2002 Jeep Liberty

Question:

We have a 2002 Leep Liberty Limited 3.7L with only 50k miles, and we want to purchase and travel with a 17foot to 19foot trailer of not over 4,000lbs gross weight. The only towing gear we currently have on the Jeep is an aftermarket Class 3 trailer hitch. What else do you specifically recommend, model-wise, that is available in your store that I can install on the Liberty to make towing safer and easier? Brake controller and installation kit, sway and weight distribution bars, transmission cooler kit, HD radiator or secondary radiator?, rear spring stiffeners, wiring harness kit, back-up camera, etc?. Many thanks,

asked by: Cotter

Helpful Expert Reply:

We have a number accessories you can add to your 2002 Jeep Liberty in order to help tow your trailer. However, they can be a bit excessive so unless you want the absolutely best towing experience possible then items such as towing mirrors and backup cameras won't really be needed. If you tow the trailer a few times and find that you would want these items then by all means go for it and I will attach some recommendations for you but in regards to what I think you really need to start; a wiring harness, brake controller, transmission cooler, and weight distribution system would be perfect.

For a trailer wiring harness, you will need both a 4-way and 4 to 7-way adapter. I recommend using the Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness part # C55382 with the Curt Universal Installation Kit part # C57186. The 4-way will be plug and play but the 4 to 7-way will require hardwiring. For a brake controller, we have the Tekonsha Primus IQ Trailer Brake Controller part # TK90160 which is a very popular option with great features such as integrated safeguards.

For a weight distribution system there are several options but one of my favorites is the Fastway e2 Weight Distribution System part # FA92-00-0800. This system is cost effective and has built-in sway control which is a huge added bonus. The only other thing you need for this is a hitch ball, part # EQ91-00-6080 for 2" or part # EQ91-00-6100 for 2-5/16". Then for a transmission cooler which will help keep your Liberty running smooth we have the Derale Series 8000 Plate-Fin Transmission Cooler Kit part # D13503 which has everything you need for install expect tools.

The above five items will be a great start for your towing setup but if you come back to find that you would like towing mirrors and a rearview camera system we have the K-Source Universal Towing Mirrors part # KS3891-2 and the Hopkins Smart Hitch Backup Camera and Hitch Aligner System part # HM50002 which are both great choices.