T-1950 Tow Weights With Jeep Liberty Diesel

[wobbly]

Here are the tow weights for our 2006 Jeep Liberty diesel with our
2007 Sunline T-1950. Hitch is a Hensley Arrow. Black, grey, and fresh water tanks about 3/4 full. Tank and 1/2 of propane. Jeep fuel tank about 10 gallons. Yamaha 2400 generator in back of Jeep. Two passengers. Full load of food, etc.

Weights were taken on an Oregon DOT highway scale using the 3 step procedure of Ron Gratz at
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu....cfm#21781221:


Weighing #1 -- TT attached and Weight Distribution Activated
Let Front Axle Load be "FA1" =2450
Let Rear Axle Load be "RA1" =3100
Let TT Axles Load be "TT1" =4500


Then, while in same position on scales, take
Weighing #2 -- TT attached and Weight Distribution Not Activated
Let Front Axle Load be "FA2" =2350
Let Rear Axle Load be "RA2" =3250
Let TT Axles Load be "TT2" = 4450

Then, drive off scales and drop TT. Return to scales and take
Weighing #3 -- TV only -- TT Not Attached
Let Front Axle Load be "FA3" =2650
Let Rear Axle Load be "RA3" =2300

From the above values, you can calculate:

TV weight = FA3 + RA3 =4950

Gross Combined Weight = (FA1 + RA1 + TT1) = 2450+3100+4500 = 10,050
{should also be equal to (FA2 + RA2 + TT2) if scale weights are correct}

TT Weight = Gross Combined Weight - TV Weight = 10,050 -4950 = 5100

Tongue Weight = (FA2 + RA2) - (FA3 + RA3) = (2350+3250) - (2650+2300) = 650

Load Transferred to TT Axles
when WD System in Activated = TT1 - TT2 =4500 -4450 =50

GCVW of the Jeep is 10,100 so the combo is very close to exceeding this value. Axle weight limits for the Jeep are not exceeded.

Considering that the export version of the Liberty diesel, which is called the Cherokee in Europe, has a tongue weight rating of 740# and a tow weight rating of 7400#, and has the same hitch receiver as the US version, this combination seems to be OK for weight.


The combination certainly handles well, probably in large part due to the Hensley hitch.

[emam]

Hey Wobbly, one question I'd like to ask is what type of fuel mileage do you get while towing under normal circumstances?

Like when the TT is loaded, and you're on your way out to camp? Not when everything is empty.

We've been looking for a lighter, smaller combo and wondered whether it would be ecnomical to make the switch to a lighter TT and tow with something like a Diesel Jeep, or a Honda CRV like Norm and his wife.

Neither of us would mind going down in size, as long as we could find something that had a fixed bed, and nothing that we'd have to make up nightly like in the QUE's.

Any real world reports you have on towing, fuel mileage and your comments would be greatly appreciated

[pwb01]

I'll give you a range of a couple of vehicles. My 04 Nissan with a 6 cyl was rated to tow 5500#. With the T-1950 behind it I got 9 to 10 mpg and it was difficult to maintain 65 on a highway. The truck struggled and spent a lot of time in a lower gear at 4000 rpm. My F-150, 8 cyl, is rated to tow 8500#, I get 11-12 towing (18 empty) and I don't even know it's behind me. I keep up with traffic with no effort.

[wobbly]

Originally Posted by emam

Hey Wobbly, one question I'd like to ask is what type of fuel mileage do you get while towing under normal circumstances?

Like when the TT is loaded, and you're on your way out to camp? Not when everything is empty.

We've been looking for a lighter, smaller combo and wondered whether it would be ecnomical to make the switch to a lighter TT and tow with something like a Diesel Jeep, or a Honda CRV like Norm and his wife.

Neither of us would mind going down in size, as long as we could find something that had a fixed bed, and nothing that we'd have to make up nightly like in the QUE's.

Any real world reports you have on towing, fuel mileage and your comments would be greatly appreciated

I don't have accurate records. I do glance up at the electronics console all the time to see the average MPG we're getting. The very worst we got was in a stretch of the Columbia River Gorge fighting a 30 MPH headwind.
I think it dipped down to 13 MPG. Conversely when we were going up the Gorge with a tailwind we were getting around 23 MPG. Most of the time we're getting around 17 -18 MPG.


One vehicle to consider with more towing capacity than the Liberty is the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the Mercedes diesel engine. I haven't been able to find out what economy they are getting while towing, though.
There are some new last year models still at dealers.

[Tweety]

Pat, Not sure that trading down to a 1950 would gain that much in gas mileage for you. When we traded up to the Tweety we only lost a couple mpg. I'll be interested to see what Frank says (nasa) concerning moving from the QUE to the HiLo. Friends of ours have a 1950 that they tow with a Toyota 4 Runner, and he feel like the vehicle is maxed out on towing capacity. I'll see if I can get some info on gas mileage from them.

[Diane]

We tow our 1950 with a 2006 Expedition. Gas mileage ranges from 9 MPG to 14 MPG depending whether we are towing on the flat Eastern Shore of Maryland or through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Towing on the flat we normally use overdrive but downshift in the mountains so the transmission won't hunt. All our towing is done with the TT fully loaded with clothing, food, full fresh water tank, and full water heater. Tow capacity on the Expedition is 8600# so even if the TT is maxed out at 5500#, there is no problem towing no matter where we travel. We also use the Equalizer hitch.

[Honda03842]

Diane and Marshall,

What is your normal mileage when you're not towing?

Norm Milliard

[Diane]

The Expedition gets about 16 MPG back and forth to work which is a combination of highway driving and small city/suburban driving. On the highway in overdrive and not towing, the MPG can be as high as 18.

We've acquired a third vehicle, a 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, due to my MIL moving to assisted living and no longer driving. This means the Expedition will sit in the driveway and not be used for daily trips to work.

[nickster60]

I tow my T-1950 with a Dodge 8.0l V10 I never get more than 9 mpg. It has a towing capacity of 13500 lbs and slugs along at 1500 rpms in overdrive. It is a good truck but it is heavy and boy does it like gas. It is paid for so that is a plus. Thank god for 1.55 a gallon gas.