Jeep Wrangler Towing Capacity by Year: 1,000 to 5,000 lb
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
A Jeep Wrangler can tow anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 pounds, depending on the year, the number of doors and the axle ratio. Most JK and JL two-doors are rated at 2,000 lb and most four-doors at 3,500 lb. Since 2024, a four-door Rubicon with the automatic and factory 33-inch tires is rated at 5,000 lb.
The catch is in the details the brochures skip. A 2010–2012 JK with the base 3.21 axle and a manual transmission is rated at just 1,000 lb, and a 2017 two-door with 3.73 gears is rated at 3,500 lb. The table and tow checker below come straight from Jeep's own towing charts.
Jeep Wrangler towing capacity by year
We pulled the "Trailer Towing Weights" chart from nine factory Jeep documents, one per model year we could open. Numbers in parentheses are the maximum tongue weight Jeep lists for that rating.
| Model year | Engines | 2-door max trailer (tongue) | 4-door max trailer (tongue) | With base 3.21 axle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 JK | 3.8L V6 | 2,000 lb (200) | 3,500 lb (350) | 1,000 lb (100), manual only |
| 2011 JK | 3.8L V6 | 2,000 lb (200) | 3,500 lb (350) | 1,000 lb (100), manual only |
| 2012 JK | 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (200) | 3,500 lb (350) | 1,000 lb (100), manual only |
| 2013 JK | 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (200), all axles | 3,500 lb (350) | 4-door: 2,000 lb (200) |
| 2015 JK | 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (200), all axles | 3,500 lb (350) | 4-door: 2,000 lb (200) |
| 2017 JK | 3.6L V6 | 3,500 lb (350) | 3,500 lb (350) | Both: 2,000 lb (200) |
| 2018 JL | 2.0L turbo, 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (200) | 3,500 lb (350) | Same for all axles |
| 2021–2023 JL | 2.0L turbo, 3.6L V6, 3.0L diesel (4-door) | 2,000 lb (200) | 3,500 lb (350) | Same for all axles |
| 2024–2026 JL | 2.0L turbo, 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (2026 per jeep.com) | 3,500 lb (2026 per jeep.com); 5,000 lb on 2024+ Rubicon auto with 33-in tires | Not applicable |
We couldn't open a factory towing chart for 2007–2009, 2014, 2016 or the 2018 JK, so those years aren't in the table. The 2013 and 2015 charts match, as do the 2018 and 2021 JL charts. Still, read the chart in your own manual before you trust a neighboring year, because Jeep changed the JK ratings at least twice.
The 4xe plug-in hybrid and the Rubicon 392 aren't in the gas and diesel charts above. Look for their ratings in the 4xe or 392 owner's manual, or on the window sticker.
Wrangler tow checker: will your trailer fit the rating?
Pick your year range, doors and axle, then enter the loaded trailer weight. The checker returns Jeep's rating for that setup and compares your trailer, tongue weight and hitch against it.
How it works: ratings come from the factory charts in the table above. If you leave tongue weight blank, the tool estimates it at 10% of the trailer weight, the same ratio Jeep's charts use (350 lb on a 3,500 lb rating).
Treat the result as a first check, not a substitute for your manual and the door-jamb label. More free tools: see all our off-road calculators.
Why two Wranglers from the same year can tow so differently
On the JK, the axle ratio mattered more than the trim. Jeep's charts give a 3.21-geared JK much less than one with 3.73 or 4.10 gears. You can see it in the gross combined weight rating (GCWR): a 2017 four-door Sport is 7,400 lb with 3.21 gears and 8,900 lb with 3.73.
Body style is the other split. Through 2015, and again on the JL, two-doors stop at 2,000 lb. The 2017 JK is the exception: its chart rates two-doors with 3.73 or 4.10 gears at 3,500 lb, which is why forum arguments over "2,000 vs 3,500" never end.
The JL simplified things. Its 2018–2023 charts list the same rating for every axle: 2,000 lb for two-doors and 3,500 lb for four-doors, including the 3.0L EcoDiesel. The GCWR is 8,016 lb for the two-door and 8,117 lb for the four-door gas models.
Not sure which axle ratio you have? It's printed on the original window sticker, and a Jeep dealer can pull the build sheet from your VIN. If you've regeared since, use the ratio Jeep built it with for the rating, then run our regear calculator to see how your current gears and tires change engine RPM under load.
Which Wranglers can tow 5,000 pounds?
Only the newest four-door Rubicons. Starting with the 2024 model year, Jeep gave the Rubicon a Dana 44 HD full-float rear axle. Stellantis says that axle "enables a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds on 4-door Rubicon 2.0-liter and 3.6-liter automatic models with 33-inch tires."
Read that sentence closely, because every condition counts: four-door, Rubicon, automatic, 2.0L or 3.6L, 33-inch tires. Jeep's 2026 FAQ still lists other four-doors at 3,500 lb and two-doors at 2,000 lb. If you've moved up to 35s, you're no longer in the configuration Jeep rated at 5,000 lb.
Bigger tires also change your effective gearing, which matters more with a trailer on. Plug your new size into our tire size calculator to see the diameter and speedometer change before you hook up.
The five limits that decide what you can actually tow
The trailer rating is only the first limit. Jeep's manuals say four ratings can't be exceeded: GVWR, gross trailer weight, gross axle weight ratings and the tongue weight rating of the hitch you're using. GCWR is on top of those.
- Max trailer weight (GTW). Use the loaded weight of the trailer with water, gear and fuel aboard, not the empty weight on its sticker.
- Tongue weight. Jeep's charts allow 100, 200 or 350 lb depending on the rating. That weight presses on the Jeep and counts as cargo against the GVWR on the door-jamb Tire and Loading placard.
- GCWR. The Jeep, everyone in it, everything bolted to it and the trailer combined. A heavy bumper, winch, rooftop tent and a full cooler all come out of this number.
- Hitch class. Jeep's manual lists the industry classes: Class I 2,000 lb, Class II 3,500 lb, Class III 6,000 lb. A Class III receiver on a 3,500 lb Wrangler is still a 3,500 lb Wrangler.
- Trailer brakes. The JL manuals recommend trailer brakes over 1,000 lb and require them over 2,000 lb. A trailer with electric brakes needs an electronic brake controller in the Jeep.
One more rule from the same manuals: replacing tires with higher load-capacity tires doesn't increase the GVWR or axle ratings. If you're shopping tires for towing anyway, our tire load index chart shows what each sidewall number can carry.
How to check tongue weight and brakes before you leave
Tongue weight is the number people guess most often, and it's the one that overloads a Wrangler's rear axle first. A small trailer that's loaded nose-heavy can blow past a 200 lb limit while staying well under the trailer rating.
- Load the trailer the way you'll travel, including water tanks and gear.
- Weigh the tongue with a tongue weight scale, such as the Sherline 5780 tongue weight scale (check the current price on Amazon), or at a public scale.
- If tongue weight is over your limit, move cargo toward the trailer axle, then weigh it again.
- For a braked trailer, set the gain on your brake controller, such as the Tekonsha P3 electric brake controller, following its instructions.
- Cross the safety chains under the tongue, hook them to the hitch, and check that the trailer's stop and turn lights work. Jeep requires working trailer lights at any trailer size.
On a brand-new Wrangler, Jeep says not to tow at all for the first 500 miles. For the first 500 miles with a trailer after that, stay under 50 mph and avoid full-throttle starts.
What a Wrangler can realistically pull
At 2,000 lb, think small utility trailers, a pair of dirt bikes or a light teardrop camper. A 3,500 lb four-door opens up small off-road campers and many single-axle utility trailers, as long as tongue weight and payload stay in check.
Use the trailer's loaded weight, not its brochure dry weight. Campers gain hundreds of pounds once you add water, propane, batteries and gear. And remember the short wheelbase: Jeep's charts give two-doors a smaller frontal area (20 sq ft on the JL) because a tall trailer behind a short Jeep catches a lot of wind.
If you regularly need more than 3,500 lb, a Wrangler is the wrong tool. Jeep lists the Gladiator at up to 7,700 lb (gas Sport models), and our Gladiator Rubicon vs Mojave comparison covers how those trims differ on the trail.
FAQ
Can a 2-door Wrangler tow a camper?
Only a light one. Most two-door JK and JL Wranglers are rated at 2,000 lb with a 200 lb tongue limit. The 2017 JK two-door with 3.73 or 4.10 gears is the exception at 3,500 lb.
Does a tow package or bigger hitch raise the towing capacity?
No. The factory chart sets the rating. A tow package adds the hitch and wiring you need to use that rating. Your limit is whichever is lowest: the Jeep's rating, the hitch class or the ball and coupler ratings.
Can a Wrangler 4xe or Rubicon 392 tow 5,000 lb?
Jeep's 2024 announcement ties the 5,000 lb rating to four-door Rubicon 2.0L and 3.6L automatics on 33-inch tires. The 4xe and 392 aren't in that sentence or in the gas and diesel charts we used, so check their own owner's manuals.
Do I need trailer brakes to tow with a Wrangler?
Jeep's JL manuals recommend trailer brakes over 1,000 lb and require them over 2,000 lb. Many states also have their own trailer brake laws, so check yours before a trip.
Where do I find my Wrangler's exact towing rating?
In the "Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)" chart in your owner's manual or user guide. Mopar's owner site has free PDF manuals by year, and the GVWR and axle ratings are on the label in the driver's door jamb.
I'm Suryashankar Dasgupta, the founder of Off-Road Handbook. I've been off-roading for years in the USA, including California and Texas, and have ridden mountain and desert terrain abroad. I've also driven a Jeep Compass for more than seven years, so I know the day-to-day side of Jeep ownership first-hand, from the Uconnect screen to the warning lights. Every guide here is researched from manufacturer owner's manuals, NHTSA recall and service-bulletin records and other trusted sources, checked against them before it is published, and corrected when we find a mistake. You can read how we work in our editorial policy: https://offroadhandbook.com/editorial-policy/
Like our off-road guides? Add Off-Road Handbook as a Google Preferred Source so our latest Jeep, ATV, UTV, trail, recovery, and off-road troubleshooting articles can appear more often in your Google Search experience.
Add us as a Preferred Source
