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Curb Weight

956 views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  ronnieh 
#1 ·
My owners manual states the Curb Weight for my stock 1999 XJ 4 door 4x4 is 3028#. I had it weighed at the Truck Scales and it weighed in at 3660#. Which is right?
 
#3 ·
Mine weighed about 3,400 lbs on the DOT scales when stock.
 
#4 ·
IIRC correctly the "curb weight" assumes no gas in the tank. Figure 7lbs/gallon so 15 gallons is ~100 lbs. The range noted above covers the factory options. Add the fuel weight and you can get to 3500 lbs pretty easily. Not sure what else you have to get you to 3660. Any tools in the car? Were you still in the car or on the scale?
 
#5 ·
IIRC correctly the "curb weight" assumes no gas in the tank.
Curb weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables such as motor oil, transmission oil, coolant, air conditioning refrigerant, and a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo.
 
#6 ·
3/4 tank of gas and I was out of the vehicle with no load. I'm thinking the scale was off but they are a certified DOT weigh station even gave me a certificate. It puzzles me because the reason I weighed it was because my Jamboree class C motorhome has a maximum tow restriction to 3500#. I'm 160 over that without a load and only 3/4 tank of gas. I guess I can't tow it after buying a brake buddy and tow bar. Disappointing.
 
#7 ·
If you really want to do this, see if there is another weigh station. Don't
know why your Jeep would be heavier than others, so maybe the scale is
off a bit.

You could save ~ 80 lbs by draining the gas tank. Throw the spare
tire, jack, the front driveshaft, and eventually the battery in the motorhome
and that would be another 40-50 lbs or so. And whatever you have
under the rear seat.
 
#9 ·
For your purposes, I would assume the jeep literature was right and I would tow it. Even if the scale was perfect, you would be within 5% of the stated tow rating. Normally, I'm a real stickler for following tow ratings, but when you've got everything set up like you do, and you're within 5%, you made it. Most people never weigh what they tow; they look at the brochure and they wing it.

There's good reason to be less concerned with flat towing or a tow dolly, and that is virtually non-existent tongue weight combined with much better brakes than a trailer would have.

The 3500 is probably the tow hitch rating, not the chassis itself. Those are intentionally light, and I had mine replaced with a 5K. My motorhome chassis has more remaining capacity than the available hitches due to the frame extension on the rear. The hitch manufacturers are concerned the welded on frame extensions will fail under a high tongue weight when you hit a bump. You don't need to worry about that, but it's baked into the rating of the hitch.

That's why I would confidently assume the lower number, and accept that even if you are close to the limit, you're towing with no tongue weight and great brakes (most trailer brakes are a set of weak drums; your jeep has much better). That brake buddy should be strong enough to outbrake the RV, and if I recall correctly, it has a breakaway feature that will stop the toad if it comes loose.

As others have pointed out, you can put your spare, the jack, and whatever else you can scrounge into the RV. I wouldn't bother, but you can.
 
#10 ·
Thanks. That was my conclusion after talking to the local Jeep shop. They said tow it no problem. There are many 4x4 Cherokees being towed everyday by Class C motorhomes and never have problems as long as you do it right. They said it is braking they worry about and heavy tongue weight. I have a Brake Buddy with break away system so I'm good to go. Thanks for the help.
 
#11 ·
Make sure you rig the breakaway device to something other than your hitch. I just saw (today, in fact) a picture of a totaled jeep with the tow bar still attached to the chunk of hitch that broke off. I was told the weld broke on the hitch, and since the safety chains (and I assume the breakaway cable) were all attached to the piece that broke off, it went flying as a group.

I've been thinking about bolting 3/8" chain to the frame in front of the extensions, then run it back to the hitch so I would have safety chains even if the whole frame extension broke off. Overkill, I'm sure, but not hard to do. I've never liked the idea that if the bolts came loose on the hitch, you lose your safety chains at the same time.
 
#13 ·
Yea, I wouldnt worry about pulling your jeep, I think the manufacturers underate the capacities to be on the really safe side. I think my F350 powerstroke is rated to tow 11,000# or so, but I've been towing in excess of 22,000# for about 12 years with it and no problems at all.
 
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