2021 T@B 400 real hitch weight and a Jeep Cherokee

Soto

Hey y'all. Strongly considering getting a 400 as our future camper after determining a 320 variant was too small for our long-term ambitions. We have a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with the factory tow package (4500lbs/450lbs) as the potential TV. I wanted to see if anyone with one of the newer 400s has had a look at the real tongue weight of their rigs in various scenarios. Fundamentally the Cherokee's specs fall within the range of capability for what I've calculated out as our likely tongue weight, GVWR, towing capacity, etc. but am curious who has real-world numbers beyond what's on nuCamp's website. Half the point of them making the axle shift was to open up more vehicles to this camper, so I'm wondering if the Cherokee can be one of them.

This is really only relevant to the 2021s that have the axle shifted forward but may also be applicable to the 2020 400 with the Air8, which has a comparable backward weight shift (we don't particularly want that variant).

Also, in before "your vehicle is underpowered, get something beefier". We live in a city with a fairly small carport and wouldn't be able to find much of anything else with the Trailhawk's mix of comfort and offroad capability, so that change is not anticipated as being an option. And have searched the site a bit already, but it's always hard to find "Cherokee" by itself without "Grand" being attached, and there are few enough 2021s out there so far that I'd be curious to see direct data from as many members who have these as possible. Thanks in advance!

Denny16

Your actual tongue weight will be based on what you plan to out into the trailer and tongue box.  The difference between a full propane tanks and a full ine is around 20lbs, to add that to the dry weight in the nuCamp specifications, The rest will depend on how and what you pack in the trailer.  This is going to be different for most campers using the TaB400.  

So actual tongue weight can vary from 330 lbs for trailer and full propane tank on the std, TaB and 350 lbs formthe Boondock model, which I would recommend if you are going to dry camp on dirt access road areas, like BLM sites.  So pack your trailer carefully, and you should be OK.

Can a Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk handle the 2021 TaB 400, I think so, if you keep your gear on the light side (around 500-600 lbs), and keep your driving speeds at 60mph or less.  Is it ideal, no, you are getting close to 80-percent of your max capacity, staying at 60-percent is better.  That said, Your Jeep is very capable, having the heavier suspension and lower gear ratios over a standard Cherokee.  Also driving slower will also save you gas and wear and tear on the Jeep and Trailer.  Others are using similar size SUVs to tow their TaB400 trailers.
cheers

Polanskyster

I just got my 2021 T@B400.  My TV is a Audi Q5 with factory tow package(4400 lbs/440lbs).  No issues so far on my first trip from Portland to the coast over the mountain pass.  Getting about 14 mpg.  Using the amazing Curt echo bluetooth trailer brake controller and manual engine breaking.  

rh5555

We tow a 2020 TAB400 Boondock with a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, but with the 2L turbo engine.  We had the Cherokee before we bought the TAB, but if doing it again, I'd have gone for the 6 cylinder engine (mainly because the 2L is noisy at times).  Keeping your tongue weight down is important, and the principal way we do this is to not carry a spare trailer tire.  Instead we have a converter that allows us to use the Cherokee's spare tire on the TAB (they are almost exactly the same diameter).  With strategic loading, we keep the tongue weight at about 320 pounds.  The Cherokee is totally stable when towing, mostly because it has a long wheelbase compared to the distance from the rear axle to the tow ball (which we minimized by snugging up the hitch):

The trailhawk can't be beat once you drop off the trailer and start exploring!

Message me if you'd like more details.

jenniferlzr

From what I’ve been told on here, 5000K towing capacity isn’t enough for a Tab 400. 

Denny16

Towing a trailer is more than max weight numbers.  The type of vehicle, it’s engine torque capability and wheel base, along with how the frame is made and if the towing setup is OEM factory or theirs party, all play into a TV choice.  The bigger SUVs are fine, as long as they have a long wheel base, and the trailer is within factory towing specifications.  The speed you tow at also is a factor. 

 In Europe, where towing speeds are less than 55mph, vehicles like a Cherokee or similar SUV are used to tow, trailers the size of a TaB400.  The 2021 is setup the more like a EU TaB with its axle further forward, and lighter tongue weight to  GVWR ratio, makes using slightly smaller TV possible, when speed is kept at a max of 55mph, which is what a TaB is rated to be towed at.

The American obsession with towing trailers at 65-70 mph is nuts.  Pulling at slower speeds, gives more time to react to emergency situations, and fuel conception is less, and more environmentally friendly.  As the song goes, the times are a changing, and we need to change with them.  It’s time to slow down and enjoy the trip, as well as the destination. 

VictoriaP

jenniferlzr said:

From what I’ve been told on here, 5000K towing capacity isn’t enough for a Tab 400. 

Plenty of people tow the 400 with a 5000 lb limit. Plenty also tow with larger vehicles capable of more. 5000 is the minimum advised.

Sharon_is_SAM

@jenniferlzr - different model year 400s have different tongue weights.  I believe the 2019 models had a heavier than expected tongue weight (over 500#), so that bears on appropriate sized TV.

rh5555

@Denny16 is right on the money.  For what its worth, we have towed our TAB at 70 mph in blustery conditions, and it has been uniformly stable.  We don't do it for long as our gas mileage plummets from about 16mpg to 8!  Our Cherokee has a 4000/400 pound towing capacity (with factory tow package), whereas @Soto has a 4500/450 pounds capacity.  Fully laden a TAB400 must never exceed 3900 pounds.

Denny16

And I would keep the total weight closer to 3500 lbs, less is more, enjoy!
cheers

Soto

Thanks for the advice everyone. Generally these details gel with our thoughts, specifically that the newer 400s are within the scope of the Cherokee Trailhawk so long as we're careful with our overall load and how we distribute the weight. We learned from a year of towing a Scamp fifth wheel a good amount about each of those subjects, so those lessons will be easy to apply going forward. And glad to see at least a few reviews of lighter towing spec vehicles being able to handle the 400.

Kevin@7

@Denny16,  Agreed that 55 is best for fuel economy and where the trailer seems to handle best but most highway speeds are minimum of 65 so 60 - 65 is where i usually end up as going under the limit too much can be a hazzard when the flow is 70+.  I really see a drop off in mileage as my speed goes up.  I end up mostly averaging 13 mpg which seems low when I hear other numbers.  Maybe I'm always traveling into the wind

@Soto,  I don't have the newer 400 model per your question but I've been towing my 2018 400 with a V6 Jeep Trailhawk (w/ tow package) for 2 years with no problems so far.  I wasn't aware of the shift in the new models but seems to me it at least gives you more adjust ability in tongue weight.   I completely agree with the others that weight balancing is very critical so always be sensitive to that.  I invested in a tongue weight scale just for peace of mind...just wish I had a full trailer scale.  When I owned a 320 I found the light tongue weight was actually causing more of the side to side sway when you get gusts of wind.  Simply shifting weight forward was a simple fix for that.

N7SHG_Ham

A large number of fleet trucks are governed to 62 MPH, at 62 you should be flowing with quite a few big rigs and be no more of a hazard than they are. I drove big truck 2013-2015 that would do 65 on CC and 68 if you stood on it, definitely not one of the fastest trucks out there, BUT always made my miles for the day. It is somewhat of a myth that you get there faster driving way faster (too many speed ups, slow downs, traffic to dodge, etc.), for planning purposes I figure around 50 MPH (even in my car solo), just keep the left door shut. Way more relaxing, better MPG and you are 1st to the accident scene rather than being the last involved

A trick I have learned going though metro areas is get in the lane where all the trucks are that look like they are passing through, 90%+ of the time you will not end up in a lane that is ending soon. Since everybody seems to want to NOT be in lane following trucks, you can usually leave a decent cushion and no one is eager to jump in that, usually can roll right through metro areas just as fast and way less stress than lane hoping trying to find the lane that is (at the moment) moving faster.

Your 13 MPG is common or less at higher speeds, if you want good MPG, it is a Prius and tent. If you could do it, 45-55 MPH likely will yield best MPG, solo or towing. Would you be shocked if I told you NEW full size semi trucks are very close to 10 MPG with 3-5 times the weight and much more frontal area. They are designed for best MPG loaded. The sad reality is the passenger vehicle industry makes vehicles to get optimum MPG lightly loaded with overdrive gears, load them up and a small SUV gets about as bad as a full size pickup (partially because it can't pull the load with the high gears and then the engine is wound up like a squirrel on meth running on a wheel), even when the full size pickup is towing a much bigger trailer.

Denny16

I agree, there seems to be this herd mentality about driving the same fast speed as the single cars on a multi lane highway.  Yes it may be posted for 70mph, but that does not mean you need to drive 70mph when pulling a trailer.  Many states have a slower max speed for vehicles pulling a trailer, as they should be, in Calif it is 55mph.  
  As far as dealing with faster traffic, keep in the right hand lane and let those that want to drive faster use the other lanes, and go around you.  Driving at 55-60mph with a trailer whilst driving on  a 70mph Highway/freeway is not creating a dangerous situation as long as you remain to the right, and allow faster traffic around you.  Drive slower, be safer...
 At one time in the 70s during the first gas crunch, we had a national max speed of 55mph, given the extra traffic on highways today, a National max speed of 60mph is not a bad idea. 

Kevin@7

Typo...I meant 55 not 65 in my earlier post for minimum speed limit.  

Best is to get in the draft behind a semi and let him pull you a bit.  It is a sad reality that there isn't much difference between what I get and even the large trucks pulling the monsters.  I still get pretty bad mileage even when I keep right at 55....must just be my destinations.  Don't want to go much slower or you start to get in the hazardous range.