[warsw]

I learned a little more about my Jeep. I have always known the TJ was fairly well balanced but I had no idea how well balanced it really was.

The other day as I was heading into town and I noticed that the truck scales were closed so I pulled in to check the weight of my Jeep. Actually I wanted to check the difference between the front and rear axle. First I weighed the whole Jeep (4350 lbs) and then I weighed each axle. To my surprise they were exactly the same (2200 lbs). This was a 04 Rubicon hard top, 1/2 a tank of gas, no back seat and with both my wife and I in the jeep. Like I said I new they were close but I had no clue they were that close. No wonder they do so well off road.

 

[MPETE]

thats why adding a heavy V8 engine isnt such a good idea because it throws the near perfect weight bias off a bit. aluminum V8, now thats another story.

 

[Elwarpo]

it is balanced until adding 800 lbs of mods

 

[warsw]

it is balanced until adding 800 lbs of mods

LOL I hear ya....You just need to make sure that you add 400lbs to the front and 400lbs to the back :lildevil: .

Oh.....I forgot to add, I have a 9000lb warn winch hanging on the front. You would think that would kinda throw the weight towards the front but it didn't .

 

[G-man]

We did some weighing of jeeps with some scales that go under the wheels. this is what we got on mine with full tank of gas soft top and canvas doors and trail supplies

4153 total weight
front end 2163 lf 1077 rf 1086 52.1% of weight
rear end 1990 lr 996 rr 994 47.9% of weight

other things noticed full doors weigh 55 each
lj weight is more in back like 60%

I would need to add about 80lbs now that rockhard cage is in

 

[Topless Rubi]

Only catch with perfect weight distribution and why I run with the rear light in winter (breaks loose before front) is that the Jeep does not really care which way it is pointed.
Had a good chuckle last year when one corner that was always iced over, being a little sleepy one morning I got the Jeep sideways and straightened it out all without leaving the lane then I kicked it sideways the other direction.

Took me a few seconds to realize just how nicely it drifted through the turn pointed into or out of the turn.....however the people driving beside me didn't appear too be as amused as me.

:laugh:

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

I have to say I'm a little surprised on the 60% split on the quote above for the LJ-is that a totally stock setup? My LJ was at around a 47/53 bias last time I checked, but I've changed a few things since then and SHOULD be pretty dang close to 50/50 now if not over on the nose-I actually think I'm over on the nose now with the bullbar weight and am toying with addressing that soon due to upcoming suspension changes again. You'd be surprised at how easily the weight balances itself on the longer LJ if you do it right and put it in the right places. Then again, when it comes to removing said weight-take it from the right places and keep that balance where it should be. Is there a such thing as building right the first time?

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

[geroux]

ya but if you put the winch on the front the bigger spare and jack etc on the back may balance it.

 

[motovate]

Thanks to everyone. I have a 2003 Rubicon and have been looking for F/R Weight bias with no luck. Found just what I need here. You all are going think I am kind of looney but the reason I wanted the approximate F/R Bias is because I just put a Class 1 Tractor 3 Point hitch on the front. Put a front 2" reciever hitch on the front and had a 2" on the rear. The 3 point is a self contained hydraulic set up - to wire a quick detach plug and wire it to the battery. It will use any 3 point tractor attachment and you basically hook it up just like a trailer. Poke the stinger into the receiver and put the pin in. Done . I did add a u bolt style anti rattler on it and it locks the stinger down tight. I have a 6' tractor blade and weighs about 250 lbs plus the 75 lbs for the 3 point. I can put it on the front or on the rear. I'm just trying to figure out how much ballast I need on the back. It is power up and gravity down and can be "Floated" but no down pressure - just the weight of the blade/3point - like a lot of small tractors. It is going back to after WW2 when the farmers did the same thing to the military GP's before the could get a real tractor. I need it to keep some ditches open and flowing when it rains, pushing snow , and dirt around, back blading roads. I also am getting a 3 point lift pole that will lift 2000 lbs which is the same as the 3 point is rated for. I need to move "things around" in the yard and that will make it easy to do so. The other thing I will use it for in the future is pulling a small plow a couple of times a year. Best thing is it comes off just like a trailer. Sit it down, pull the hitch pin and back up - off you go. It wasn't cheap about 25% of a small used tractor. I could never swing the price for a tractor - this will work for most every thing I need to do.

 

[johncanfield]

Usually front to rear weight ratios in passenger vehicles is around 45/55. If you want to know for sure, take your Jeep to a truck scale and put one axle on one segment of the scales and one on the other segment. The weigh master will give you a readout of axle weights and you can easily figure out the ratio.

 

[redlion]

Very interesting about weight ratio on a TJ. My TJ does not like steep vertical climbs. The front seems light, unloaded springs, etc. Both tires will come off the ground, and now I have this fear of flipping over backwards. Total weight 4250, but haven't had the opportunity to measure axles separately. Tuffy tool box with tools is 300 pounds. And a 37" on the bumper. It's 4 1/2" RE springs, Currie short arms with all JJ ends. So I've wondered if too much weight is in the rear. Or is this just a characteristic of a lifted short arm?? I've been wanting to ask this question for awhile. JKU/JLU don't seem to have any issue. But it's scary following them. Thank you for any comments!

 

[Mouse]

Short arms contribute as does the weight in the back. Overall wheel base makes a big difference and is also why stretching a TJ wheelbase is so popular. I stretched my TJ to a 103" wheelbase and it is much more stable on climbs