Wanting to hear from you diesel folks out there - should I trade for a leftover '23 to tow better?

[Not2Late]

I currently own a '21 Mojave. We are wanting to get into overlanding, specifically towing an off-grid camper around. I am worried about the towing (not capacity, but grunt) power and mpg of the 3.6 up and down the mountain passes. Wondering if a diesel would be the way to go. Have been reading about the issues with the diesel fuel pumps. Have found several late '23 builds (marked down alot I may add) that are supposedly past the April '23 build date that is part of the pump recall.

I'd love to hear from folks both diesel and non-diesel. How have your towing experiences been? Is it worth switching out to the diesel? I know the gladiator is not built to be the ultimate tow rig and a fullsize truck could potentially be better. But, we want to be able to do all the jeep trails after we unhook the trailer. Everything always seems like a compromise

Thank you!!

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[RoamingGladiator]

I've owned a RAM EcoDiesel and now a Gladiator Eco and it's a little torque monster workhorse. I've personally had no major issues with either one of my EcoDiesels other than the pump recall and a few minor warranty things, but it was never an issue with the warranty. A lot of the complaints you'll see are people who do not own EcoDiesels, parroting the complaints from the 1st/2nd Gen which have been rectified in the 3rd Gen re-design (allegedly). The others are mainly people waiting on recall parts, etc.

The 3.0 has its issues like any engine, but the 3rd Gen so far has proven to be pretty reliable minus the pump issue. It's extremely important to keep up with your maintenance, and the consensus is to not follow the manufacturer-recommended oil changes and do it much much sooner. I do 7,500km instead of 16,000km.

Lots of great info on the engine in this forum. Those who have them tend to love them.

 

[Stuntman Mike]

I think the JTD tows great.

Just some examples from my experience, speed always at 65 mph and relatively flat area.

Trailer with Corvette C5 on top, 4600 lbs, low drag : 23 mpg and oil temperature below 220 °F
Trailer with Wrangler TJ on top, 5100 lbs, high drag : 18 mpg and oil temperature below 230 °F, mostly in 7th gear
Tent trailer, 1300 lbs, low drag : more or less no difference than without the trailer, means 28 mpg+

I have the feeling that the DEF consumption is slightly higher when towing, but have no evidence.

 

[TheSolarWizard]

I would not own a gladiator with 35s or bigger or for towing if it wasn’t a diesel.

 

[Freems]

I would not own a gladiator with 35s or bigger or for towing if it wasn’t a diesel.

I’ll have to disagree with that, I have a 2020 sport gasser with 3:73’s and 35” and it tows just fine. Now that being said, I’ve not towed at its maximum capacity, my jet boat and trailer are about 4k lbs.

 

[Sting-Gray Neutral Pres.]

If you tow, diesel is the way to go.

 

[Bananaman]

I've towed my 16' cargo trailer and it pulls great. The only 2 issues I have are the mirrors suck for towing a trailer like that, and things get a little dicey in strong cross winds. It feels like the tail is definitely wagging the dog.
This is all compared to towing the same trailer with my 2002 F250 7.3; which actually doesn't feel as strong as the Eco-diesel!

 

[Camaroboi13]

I’ll have to disagree with that, I have a 2020 sport gasser with 3:73’s and 35” and it tows just fine. Now that being said, I’ve not towed at its maximum capacity, my jet boat and trailer are about 4k lbs.

Have you towed with an eco?

 

[Rahkmalla]

go drive one. The diesel is definitely the engine between the 2 more eager to make power, but with that being said, there's a reason the maxtow is gas.

Power isn't the end-all-be-all of tow capability. If it were, RAM wouldn't have the lower output Hurricane rated for over 2,000# more tow cap (11,550#) than the High Output Hurricane (9,340#). Heat matters, and the diesel in the gladiator can't dissipate heat well enough to pull the kind of weight the maxtow was designed to do.

So, do you want to pull 6k+ lbs? buy a new gasser. Do you want to just pull 4k more effortlessly while getting good towing mpgs? Go get a diesel.

 

[Freems]

Have you towed with an eco?

I haven’t yet, but I’m still shy from the RAM version. Look, if I go test drive one, make the dealership let me tow the boat out with, and fall in love…you better have a room for me in Chino, the wife will Not be pleased. :O)

 

[Sting-Gray Neutral Pres.]

go drive one. The diesel is definitely the engine between the 2 more eager to make power, but with that being said, there's a reason the maxtow is gas.

Power isn't the end-all-be-all of tow capability. If it were, RAM wouldn't have the lower output Hurricane rated for over 2,000# more tow cap (11,550#) than the High Output Hurricane (9,340#). Heat matters, and the diesel in the gladiator can't dissipate heat well enough to pull the kind of weight the maxtow was designed to do.

So, do you want to pull 6k+ lbs? buy a new gasser. Do you want to just pull 4k more effortlessly while getting good towing mpgs? Go get a diesel.

This is more important the further south you live. I've never had a problem with heat, even pulling the monstrosity pictured above fully loaded over mountain passes, but I also live pretty far north. Also worth noting that if you are pulling >6k with regularity your stress levels will stay lower in a full size.

 

[Camaroboi13]

I haven’t yet, but I’m still shy from the RAM version. Look, if I go test drive one, make the dealership let me tow the boat out with, and fall in love…you better have a room for me in Chino, the wife will Not be pleased. :O)

Well, luckily we are a men’s facility, so we cannot accommodate your wife after she kills you ?

 

[Not2Late]

go drive one. The diesel is definitely the engine between the 2 more eager to make power, but with that being said, there's a reason the maxtow is gas.

Power isn't the end-all-be-all of tow capability. If it were, RAM wouldn't have the lower output Hurricane rated for over 2,000# more tow cap (11,550#) than the High Output Hurricane (9,340#). Heat matters, and the diesel in the gladiator can't dissipate heat well enough to pull the kind of weight the maxtow was designed to do.

So, do you want to pull 6k+ lbs? buy a new gasser. Do you want to just pull 4k more effortlessly while getting good towing mpgs? Go get a diesel.

I am looking at loaded up trailer in the 4k range, so this is helpful!

 

[Not2Late]

I've owned a RAM EcoDiesel and now a Gladiator Eco and it's a little torque monster workhorse. I've personally had no major issues with either one of my EcoDiesels other than the pump recall and a few minor warranty things, but it was never an issue with the warranty. A lot of the complaints you'll see are people who do not own EcoDiesels, parroting the complaints from the 1st/2nd Gen which have been rectified in the 3rd Gen re-design (allegedly). The others are mainly people waiting on recall parts, etc.

The 3.0 has its issues like any engine, but the 3rd Gen so far has proven to be pretty reliable minus the pump issue. It's extremely important to keep up with your maintenance, and the consensus is to not follow the manufacturer-recommended oil changes and do it much much sooner. I do 7,500km instead of 16,000km.

Lots of great info on the engine in this forum. Those who have them tend to love them.

I appreciate your levelheaded advice! It is easy to get sucked down into the rabbit hole of negativity sometimes.

 

[suzuguy69]

[QUOTEi="RoamingGladiator, post: 1307332, member: 62018"]
I've owned a RAM EcoDiesel and now a Gladiator Eco and it's a little torque monster workhorse. I've personally had no major issues with either one of my EcoDiesels other than the pump recall and a few minor warranty things, but it was never an issue with the warranty. A lot of the complaints you'll see are people who do not own EcoDiesels, parroting the complaints from the 1st/2nd Gen which have been rectified in the 3rd Gen re-design (allegedly). The others are mainly people waiting on recall parts, etc.

The 3.0 has its issues like any engine, but the 3rd Gen so far has proven to be pretty reliable minus the pump issue. It's extremely important to keep up with your maintenance, and the consensus is to not follow the manufacturer-recommended oil changes and do it much much sooner. I do 7,500km instead of 16,000km.

Lots of great info on the engine in this forum. Those who have them tend to love them.
[/QUOTE]

I've owned a RAM EcoDiesel and now a Gladiator Eco and it's a little torque monster workhorse. I've personally had no major issues with either one of my EcoDiesels other than the pump recall and a few minor warranty things, but it was never an issue with the warranty. A lot of the complaints you'll see are people who do not own EcoDiesels, parroting the complaints from the 1st/2nd Gen which have been rectified in the 3rd Gen re-design (allegedly). The others are mainly people waiting on recall parts, etc.

The 3.0 has its issues like any engine, but the 3rd Gen so far has proven to be pretty reliable minus the pump issue. It's extremely important to keep up with your maintenance, and the consensus is to not follow the manufacturer-recommended oil changes and do it much much sooner. I do 7,500km instead of 16,000km.

Lots of great info on the engine in this forum. Those who have them tend to love them.

I’ve also reduced my oil changes to +/-5000 miles to, way better off doing that especially if you tow.

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