Towing Capacity

[AlbertF]

Hi
I am new to this forum, so please be patient with me.

I have just purchased a DesignRV CRX Extreme dual axle caravan and would like to know what is the maximum towing capacity of my WK2 Diesel 2012 Jeep Grand Limited Cherokee. My tow bar is a Mopar Dealer fitted option and it states that this car has a towing capacity of 3500kg. I have read in other sites that the towing capacity is a lot less.

Is the Mopar label correct?

Albert

[Mace1]

The towing capacity of the vehicle is 3500kg. How that stacks up with the van you have purchased depends on its weight unladen and laden (as was discussed in the other recent thread). In most instances if you want to tow a van that actually weights 3500kg you wont be able to even partially load up your WK.... (same for most other 4WD's as well).

What are your van weights, including rated towball weight??? Check out the VIN plate. Is the WK petrol or Deisel? What extras do you have fitted (bullbar/winch/roofrack)?

Once we have those I can do a similar post as per previously.

As per:

https://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum...d.php?t=160495

Cheers, Al.

[drover]

The WK2 diesels stated max tow capacity is 3500kg though in reality this is not possible as you will easily go over the rated GVM of the vehicle which is 2942kg and with most vehicles having added some bar work, racks adding a couple of bums and gear along with the tow ball weight its easy to go over.............. The WK2 carrying cap is 600kg, adding a bull bar 30-85kg, rack 30kg, tow bar 40kg, fridge 30kgs, aux battery 35kg it soon starts to vanish before you add the tow ball weight and a couple of bums, even bigger tyres can add 2kg per tyre.

Very few tow capacity rated at 3500kg vehicles can tow that weight and be legal, usually it will blow out the GVM or GCM of the the tug.......... I have always looked at if its 3500kg then in reality towing something in the 2.9-2.8 t area means you should be under and not flog the vehicle.

https://withoutahitch.com.au/underst...wing-capacity/

https://withoutahitch.com.au/ask-exp...ehicle-limits/

I should add basing calculations on whats noted on a caravan compliance plate should be treated with suspicion as tare should be ignored, it doesn't exist once its left the factory the same as tow ball weight its often a calculation and has no relation to reality.......... the ATM and GTM is supposed to be correct and you should always be under them but its only confirmed by a scale....

[Jeeper6]

Pretty fancy van! Looking at the specs the manufacturer ATM is noted as 3276kg...that is the "Aggregate Trailer Mass", ie maximum allowable weight of the van. Tow ball weight is listed as being 263kg,

That 263kg is of course the tow ball weight when the van is empty, not loaded. So that weight may well balloon by another 50kg to 100kg when it is loaded up. Only way to know what the real weight is when loaded is to load the van with full water tanks, gas bottles and all the other stuff you want to carry and weigh it at the hitch.

As drover wrote above you may run in to issues with the towing capacity of your Jeep once you fill it with fuel and a couple or bodies as you will have already lost 263kg at least of the 682kg carrying capacity. (GVM 2949kg less tare 2267kg)
Eg; 682kg minus 85kg fuel, 263kg ball weight brings you down to a capacity of 334kg. Two bods at say 150kg you are down to 184kg before any bar work, fridge, 2nd battery etc. If the ball weight goes up by 50kg with the van loaded bang goes another 50kg of the Jeep capacity.

The WK2 Diesel has a GCM of 6450kg, your combination of a 3276kg max weight van with a 2949kg max weight legal Jeep is 6225kg...a margin for error of 225kg only which isn't much. Easy to exceed and find yourself illegal weight wise...

[AlbertF]

Hi
Thanks for the information it has been very helpful. I don't have any extras on the car except of side steps and Mopar tow pack. Will have to be careful to what we load in the van. Currently I do not plan to have a second battery in the car or a fridge.

[SouthernComfort]

Totally agree with the advice from Jeeper6 & Drover above.

You will also need to add the weight of a Weight Distribution Hitch, using one is advised for a GC towing more than 2260kg.

On a heavy van like this, keeping its payload to a minimum is a good plan as the ATM is heavier than the Jeep's GVM which can result in the tail wagging the dog i.e. compromised handling. As well as the WDH, hopefully the van also has ESC. Try to keep the car heavier (within the GVM limit) and the van as light as possible to narrow the gap if you can.

Unless you're camping off-grid, leaving the water tanks empty and maybe limiting yourself to one gas bottle will make a difference. Once set up, definitely get the whole rig across a weighbridge to verify everything.

[drover]

Yep, the only sure way is to get it all on the scales, there are some good Weighing mobs in Brissie who come to you, explain it all and sort it out for you..... I have too many years loading trucks so it comes easy but it can be confusing to others, there is more to it than just the things like GCM, GVM, ATM etc..
With those weights I wouldn't advise an annex, fancy jockey wheel jack or other very heavy stuff, keep it all simple and minimal.

When my Jeep is loaded in aorund town mode, no tool box tank near full and 2 x bums on seat its actually 8kg over on the front axle, with a 35kg bull bar and side steps, dropping the van on the back sorts that out but doesn't leave much before I'm at GVM.


PS: Found the RVDS for a 2012 JGC diesel and can confirm the GVM is 2949kg ... No mention of GCM at all it seems , nothing reliable anyway.