Free calculator Planning aid
Jeep Wrangler Towing Calculator
Enter your Wrangler's year, doors, engine and axle ratio, then your trailer weight, and this free calculator shows the factory tow rating for that exact Jeep, how much of it you are using, and tongue weight and payload checks. It covers 1987 to 2026. It is a planning aid, so your door sticker and owner's manual take priority over anything here.
- Model years
- 1987–2026
- Rating range
- 1,000–5,000 lb
A Wrangler’s tow rating depends on the model year, the doors, the engine and sometimes the axle ratio, and those details move the limit from 1,000 lb to 5,000 lb. This calculator looks up the rating for your exact Jeep from the figures in Jeep’s owner’s manuals and Stellantis specifications, then checks your trailer, tongue weight and payload against it.
Change any field and the result updates. Copy the link to keep it or send it to someone who is helping you tow. For the reasoning behind each generation, read our Jeep Wrangler towing capacity guide.
Rating table
Jeep Wrangler tow ratings by year
Factory maximum trailer weight for each generation, engine, door count and axle ratio. The calculator uses these same rows. The YJ figure is commonly cited rather than confirmed, and the 2018 JK is assumed to follow the 2016 and 2017 manuals.
| Years and engine | 2-door | 4-door or Unlimited | Tongue limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 to 1995 YJ, 2.5L four or 4.0L/4.2L six | Commonly cited as up to 2,000 lb; varies by engine and transmission | Not offered | Not confirmed. 10% of the rating used as a guide |
| 1997 to 2006 TJ, 2.4L or 2.5L four | 1,000 lb | Not offered | Not confirmed. 10% of the rating used as a guide |
| 1997 to 2006 TJ, 4.0L six | 2,000 lb | Not offered | Not confirmed. 10% of the rating used as a guide |
| 2004 to 2006 TJ Unlimited (LJ), 4.0L six | Short-wheelbase TJ: see the row above | 3,500 lb with a Class II hitch. The LJ has two doors on a long wheelbase | Not confirmed. 10% of the rating used as a guide |
| 2007 to 2011 JK, 3.8L V6 | 1,000 lb (3.21 axle) 2,000 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 1,000 lb (3.21 axle) 3,500 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 100, 200 or 350 lb |
| 2012 to 2013 JK, 3.6L V6 | 1,000 lb (3.21 axle) 2,000 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 1,000 lb (3.21 axle) 3,500 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 100, 200 or 350 lb |
| 2014 to 2015 JK, 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb | 2,000 lb (3.21 axle) 3,500 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 200 or 350 lb |
| 2016 to 2018 JK, 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb (3.21 axle) 3,500 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 2,000 lb (3.21 axle) 3,500 lb (3.73 or 4.10 axle) | 200 or 350 lb |
| 2018 to 2023 JL, 2.0L turbo or 3.6L V6 | 2,000 lb | 3,500 lb | 200 or 350 lb |
| 2020 to 2023 JL, 3.0L EcoDiesel | Not offered | 3,500 lb | 350 lb |
| 2021 to 2025 JL 4xe plug-in hybrid | Not offered | 3,500 lb | 350 lb |
| 2021 on JL Rubicon 392, 6.4L V8 | Not offered | 3,500 lb | 350 lb |
| 2024 on JL Rubicon and Rubicon X, 2.0L or 3.6L, automatic | 2,000 lb | 5,000 lb (4.10 axle) 3,500 lb (4.56 axle) | 350 or 500 lb |
| 2024 on JL, 2.0L or 3.6L, other trims, or a Rubicon with the manual | 2,000 lb | 3,500 lb | 200 or 350 lb |
Tongue limits are the published maximums where we could confirm them: 100 lb on a 1,000 lb rating, 200 lb on 2,000 lb, 350 lb on 3,500 lb and 500 lb on 5,000 lb. Jeep did not build a 1996 Wrangler.
Method
How the calculator works, and where the numbers come from
The calculator finds the row in the table above for your model year, doors, engine, trim, transmission and axle ratio, and compares your trailer to that rating. If Jeep did not sell that combination, it says so instead of guessing. If you choose "Not sure" for the axle, it uses the lowest rating that Jeep could have built.
A trailer counts as within the rating below 85 percent of it, close from 85 percent up to the rating, and over above it. The 85 percent line is our own margin, not a Jeep figure.
Tongue weight is checked against the limit for that rating. Left empty, we estimate 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer, the range Jeep's manuals describe, and label it as an estimate. The payload check subtracts people, cargo and tongue weight from the number on your door-jamb sticker, using the top of the estimate when the tongue weight is estimated. A result counts as close if the tongue is at 90 percent of its limit or payload has less than 100 lb left. When only the high end of an estimate would go over a limit, the calculator flags it and asks you to weigh the tongue rather than calling the whole setup over.
Trailer-brake thresholds come from Jeep's JL manuals, which recommend brakes above 1,000 lb and require them above 2,000 lb. Older manuals and state laws can set their own thresholds.
This is a planning aid. Ratings assume a stock vehicle in good condition, and the sticker on your door and the owner's manual for your exact Jeep take priority. Before a tow, weigh the loaded rig at a public truck scale. Our Jeep Wrangler towing capacity guide explains each generation in more detail.
Sources
- Jeep 2024 Wrangler (JL) owner's manual, trailer towing weights, tongue limits and trailer brakes
- Stellantis 2026 Jeep Wrangler press kit and specifications
- Stellantis: Jeep Brand Introduces New 2024 Wrangler, the 5,000 lb Rubicon
- Jeep Wrangler capability and towing
- Jeep Wrangler owner's manuals for 2005 (TJ), and 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 (JK), Trailer Towing Weights tables
- How much does an ATV weigh, for the ATV presets, from manufacturer spec pages
Last reviewed: November 2026, through the 2026 model year.
Troubleshooting
Owners also ask
Q1 How do I find out how much my Jeep Wrangler can tow?
Start with the year, the door count, the engine and, on many JK models, the axle ratio, because those decide the factory rating. Enter them in the calculator to get the figure for your Jeep. Then check the owner's manual for your year and the Tire and Loading Information placard on the driver's door opening, which take priority over any chart.
Q2 Where do I find my Wrangler's axle ratio?
Check the original window sticker, ask a dealer to decode the VIN, or read the tag on the rear differential cover bolts. If you cannot confirm it, choose Not sure in the calculator and it uses the lowest rating that combination could have. On a JK with a 3.21 axle, that can be as low as 1,000 lb.
Q3 Does a lift kit or bigger tires change the tow rating?
The published rating does not go up, and your real limit can go down. Jeep's ratings assume factory tires, and the 5,000 lb Rubicon rating specifically assumes the factory LT285/70R17 tires. Bigger, heavier tires change effective gearing and braking, so a lifted Wrangler on 35-inch tires deserves extra margin.
Q4 Will an engine swap raise my Jeep's towing capacity?
No. A V8 or diesel conversion adds power, but it does not change the GVWR and GCWR ratings Jeep assigned to the vehicle. Regearing the axles does not change them either. The brakes, frame, axles and wheelbase are still the factory parts, so the factory rating is still the number to plan around.
Q5 How much tongue weight can a Jeep Wrangler handle?
Jeep's manuals list 200 lb on a 2,000 lb rating, 350 lb on a 3,500 lb rating and 500 lb on the 5,000 lb Rubicon, and 100 lb on JK models rated 1,000 lb. Plan for 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer on the hitch. Tongue weight also counts against payload on the door sticker.
Q6 Is the 2004 to 2006 Wrangler Unlimited a 4-door?
No. The Unlimited (LJ) has two doors on a longer wheelbase. Jeep's first 4-door Wrangler was the 2007 JK Unlimited. The LJ with the 4.0L six and a Class II hitch is rated 3,500 lb, against 2,000 lb for a short-wheelbase 4.0L TJ, so the calculator lists it as its own body choice.
Q7 Can a Jeep Wrangler tow two ATVs?
Often a 4-door can. Two utility ATVs weigh about 1,400 to 1,500 lb before the trailer, so a loaded setup can approach 3,000 lb. That is over a 2,000 lb 2-door rating and within a 3,500 lb 4-door rating. Use the ATV list in the calculator, add your trailer's empty weight, and weigh the loaded rig before you rely on it.