Why Does Curt Hitch for 2011 Volvo XC60 Have Higher Towing Capacity Than Vehicle

Updated 05/13/2020 | Published 05/12/2020

Question:

I purchased the Curt hitch receiver #13268 with a max tow capacity of 4,000lbs and a tongue weight of 400lbs. I just noticed the my Volvo manual indicates my make/models max tongue weight is 165lbs. That seems incredibly fragile given the vehicle weight and engine. Is the Volvo manual erring on the lighter side? The installs I see on your site indicate that the hitch receiver/load should be OK but the Volvo recommendations say otherwise. Can you please advise?

asked by: Andrew

Expert Reply:

Vehicle manufacturers do tend to be very cautious with towing capacities and our hitches are designed to fit the vehicle but then reinforced to be as strong as possible and then independently weight rated which is why you see the big difference between the hitch weight capacity and the vehicle capacity like this. We have to recommend you stick with the lowest rated component in your towing setup as the overall capacity.

expert reply by: Jameson C