XJ as a tow vehicle ?

[Browneee]

I couldn't really think how to correctly title this thread ? So, hopefully some of you read this and offer suggestions.

I've had three Jeeps in my life and many other 4wd's, too many actually.... Ranging from my first FJ40 which I made a soft top , to a 1942 flatty which I turned into 35inch mud slinging rock crawling wild willy Jeep, through to my daily driver a 96 XJ classic.

The only thing I have done to my XJ is have the springs reset and add a leaf and spacers up front to level the car out slightly higher than stock. Reason for this ?, to tow make Malibu wake Setter all 2200kgs of her (dry weight).

For long distance towing we use the wife's Pathfinder (we have 4 kids). But for short distance or when wife's got her car I use JeeP........ During winter it's ok, but summer is another question. The JeePs in great nick, new radiator & pump, regularly serviced (5k), heavy duty oils for towing in diff's etc etc etc. but she still heats up ( not over heats ).

I want to bypass original tranny cooler and add a heavy duty one & thinking of ditching the fans and replacing with two brand new ones. Was even thinking of relocating the tranny cooler and adding a fan to that .

Now, any thoughts......

I'm thinking a 14 & 10 inch Davis Craig fans for radiator + heavy duty tranny cooler and 10 inch fan.

Now dealing with the lack of realestate In front engine, fans should fit as their the ones Davis craig recommend (but would you guys recommend them?) . This brings me to the tranny cooler and/or relocation ?

Regards Rob

[stig0000]

id check that your viscos fan is working proply,, iv towed a few over 2t cars on cartralor with no problem unless its a real long slow steep hill, it will creap up to 100 on the gadge,

[rainman]

Have you read the go jeep write up on taurus fans?
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoTaurusFanInstall1.htm

Can also be done with a V large tranny cooler.
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAutoCooler.htm

I have done both thease mods and am very happy with it.
you may also want to consider a trany sump temperature gauge.
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?p=940460#post940460

good luck with it.

[junglejuice]

I have done the 16" fan mod on mine and run both fans together all the time but in a dual speed arrangement, low speed normally (both fans in series) but when the ecu tells the factory fan to turn on at 105c they both switch to high speed (both in parallel) BUT I also fitted a switch that forces the fans to high speed.
When I was towing a couple of Xj's home recently on quite a warm almost hot day using my Xj I had the fans running on high speed and never did the temp go up over half way and that was towing around 2.2-2.3t....
I currently have my trans cooler in the factory arrangement but plan shortly to remove it from the radiator to remove some heat from the cooling system....

[Hamsteh]

How in the world do you pull up 2t+!? I barely pull up the XJ alone!

[Antiferret]

cheaply, you can increase the angle of attack on the visc fan, HEAPS more airflow (leading edge only, don't go nuts, you do not want to carve a fan shaped circle into the rad).

i havn't tried on xj, but i have found on other cars that slotted discs will do wonders for eliminating brake fade, and theyre cheap on ebay! just bed them good before you tow.

[junglejuice]

How in the world do you pull up 2t+!? I barely pull up the XJ alone!

Its called trailer brakes....

No real issue, just don't try and go too quick.

On my camper trailer (only 1t) I have fitted electric brakes, it will stop the whole thing on their own so it actually stops better with the camper trailer on then it does without it....

[Hamsteh]

Its called trailer brakes....

No real issue, just don't try and go too quick.

On my camper trailer (only 1t) I have fitted electric brakes, it will stop the whole thing on their own so it actually stops better with the camper trailer on then it does without it....

Yeah I figured as much, our uni Mastercraft X7 only has mechanical brakes and while they work fairly well, I wouldn't pull it behind the XJ without electric brakes!

[junglejuice]

The car trailer is over-ride mechanical disc brakes and it does ok, you know it is on there though....

[Browneee]

Yeah I figured as much, our uni Mastercraft X7 only has mechanical brakes and while they work fairly well, I wouldn't pull it behind the XJ without electric brakes!

Our WakeSetter has electric hydraulic disks on all four wheels and hooks up to a Hayman Reece tow bar. XJ's rated at 2268kgs, boats 2200kgs drive away , doesnt include fuel so let's not go there . Come to think about it not sure if the driveway weight takes into account a fully optioned WakeSetter either ?. Arh well she tows it great , just want to keep it cooler .

[Browneee]

I have done the 16" fan mod on mine and run both fans together all the time but in a dual speed arrangement, low speed normally (both fans in series) but when the ecu tells the factory fan to turn on at 105c they both switch to high speed (both in parallel) BUT I also fitted a switch that forces the fans to high speed.
When I was towing a couple of Xj's home recently on quite a warm almost hot day using my Xj I had the fans running on high speed and never did the temp go up over half way and that was towing around 2.2-2.3t....
I currently have my trans cooler in the factory arrangement but plan shortly to remove it from the radiator to remove some heat from the cooling system....

How do you wire them for duel speed ? Is that common to all fans ?

[Browneee]

Have you read the go jeep write up on taurus fans?
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoTaurusFanInstall1.htm

Can also be done with a V large tranny cooler.
http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAutoCooler.htm

I have done both thease mods and am very happy with it.
you may also want to consider a trany sump temperature gauge.
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?p=940460#post940460

good luck with it.

Read everything on "GoJeePs" site :-) . I don't want to go down track of cutting the bracket and changing belt type/size. Would like to find one that will fit in without touching anything on engine.

Re trany cooler, is the power steering cooler able to be relocated ?

[junglejuice]

How do you wire them for duel speed ? Is that common to all fans ?

No it is not common but easy to do..

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x451/junglejuice72/Mods/Electric%20Fans/FanControla.jpg

Good luck finding a fan that will give the cooling performance required and not needing to modify the bracket.
I can supply a bracket if you like so you don't need to hack up your original one....

As for the power steering cooler.... what power steering cooler???

[Toff]

XJ's don't tow too bad. But WJ's tow FAR better. If you want someting to tow more often I'd suggest looking at one.

[Billnick]

Where are you Browneee??

[Browneee]

No it is not common but easy to do..

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x451/junglejuice72/Mods/Electric%20Fans/FanControla.jpg

Good luck finding a fan that will give the cooling performance required and not needing to modify the bracket.
I can supply a bracket if you like so you don't need to hack up your original one....

As for the power steering cooler.... what power steering cooler???

Ok jungle, you got me questioning what I thought I knew ;-).... In front of the radiator & condenser .... The little cooler ? Isn't that a power steering cooler as the tranny cooler is apart of the radiator isn't it ?

[Browneee]

Where are you Browneee??

Perth mate.

[Browneee]

XJ's don't tow too bad. But WJ's tow FAR better. If you want someting to tow more often I'd suggest looking at one.

My XJ tows great, just chasing a little extra protection. For real towing I use the wife's Pathfinder, can't beat a turbo diesel :-)

[Hamsteh]

Ok jungle, you got me questioning what I thought I knew ;-).... In front of the radiator & condenser .... The little cooler ? Isn't that a power steering cooler as the tranny cooler is apart of the radiator isn't it ?

Nah thats the transmission cooler, which is inline with a "heat exchanger" which is basically a tube sitting in the radiator. In the states they only get the heat exchanger in their base models I believe, and that external cooler is a tow-package extra that we get stock here in Aus.

[carvesdodo]

Nah thats the transmission cooler, which is inline with a "heat exchanger" which is basically a tube sitting in the radiator. In the states they only get the heat exchanger in their base models I believe, and that external cooler is a tow-package extra that we get stock here in Aus.


In reality ..... Its not a "tow package" extra on RHD models ...

Its there to compensate for the fact that the "heat exchanger" in RHD radiators is dangling in the 100* and higher temps, end of the radiator ...

LHD models have the "heat exchanger" dangling in the +/- 80* end of the radiator.

[Browneee]

Ok well that's made my mind up on that topic . I'm going to by pass the radiator and take out the small cooler , replace with a bigger one, which will fit if I remove the small one :-).

See how that goes before I make my mind up on the fans.

Thanks guys much appreciated.

Regs Rob

[bjm]

Hi Guys,just aword of caution re fitting after market 16inch electric fans.I have fitted 2 repco units to my 97 update xj as per gojeeps info.1st lasted 8 months before shed blades after hitting shroud,no rad damage ,repco replaced fan.second one shed blades and damaged 3 day old radiator going up hill to glen innes 4 weeks ago.These cheap fans cannot stand to much heat being sucked through ,blades flex eve n more untill they hit something then bang.badly damaged rad ,came home early rang up davis craig got their 16 inch fan much stiffer higher quality plastic.need to make an insert to extend shroud about an inch a tight fit but after 3 weeks around west nsw in 35 degres high winds etc no overheating towing a cub kamporoo off road.Simply put there is no substitute for quality!!Repco have been advised!:confused: