Jeep Mojave with out max Tow, Airstream 16ft

[Ericshere03]

I have a stock rubicon ecodiesel on 35’s with factory marshmallow suspension. I tow with an Andersen WD hitch. The setup tows my Airstream 23D wonderfully. The 23D weighs around 4800lbs and about 750lb hitch weight.

I plan on upgrading the suspension with a Mopar lift and rear airbags, 37’s and a regear.

but like I said, in its current form, it tows wonderfully. Been over mountains, bad weather, it’s all good. Truck is super stable.

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[zebest]

Yes I researched everything before buying, that is how I knew my jeep was capable of towing the 16ft air steam.
Anderson WDH is way cheaper than the one I am looking at. I don’t want to throw money away at something I don’t need if some other WDH will work just as well.
I have the Mojave, not Mojave X

 

[ecidiego]

It is a Mojave or Mojave X? the x will have only about 800-900 pounds payload.

YES on the WDH (weight distributing hitch)

I don't understand the X payload at all. It got beefier springs for the steel bumper group. Springs are most of payload on a Gladiator.

 

[JTRDistraction]

(and help with the headlights in the trees bit a little bit)

I think you had a case if instant karma right after your break/brake correction.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Question, I just bought a jeep Gladiator, finally! I also bought a 16 foot Airstream Caravel. I just ordered a break controller for it and now I am wondering if I should get a weight distribution hitch. I don't have any experience driving a trailer and Airstream told me it was a good idea. From all the reviews I have watched it seems like it wouldn't hurt if I did. I am looking at the Weigh Safe. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed

Question, I just bought a jeep Gladiator, finally! I also bought a 16 foot Airstream Caravel. I just ordered a break controller for it and now I am wondering if I should get a weight distribution hitch. I don't have any experience driving a trailer and Airstream told me it was a good idea. From all the reviews I have watched it seems like it wouldn't hurt if I did. I am looking at the Weigh Safe. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I looked up the weight of a 16’ Carravelle that’s 4,300 lbs GVW, that’s with factory rated 950 lbs of everything else. That’s over the tow rating without the Max Tow, not by much, or if you keep the water tank dry or just a couple gallons. The weight distribution hitch is also a must to evenly distribute the weight over the tree axles, but will weigh at least a hundred pounds. The payload is under 1,100 if it’s like mine. So 10% min tongue weight will reduce that by 530, with WDH. Or at 15%, will be 745 lbs! Leaving just enough for you and one other with personal stuff. That’s way too close, especially for a beginner to trailer towing. The Max Tow would have been ideal.

 

[legacy_etu]

Yes I researched everything before buying, that is how I knew my jeep was capable of towing the 16ft air steam.
Anderson WDH is way cheaper than the one I am looking at. I don’t want to throw money away at something I don’t need if some other WDH will work just as well.
I have the Mojave, not Mojave X

So get the Andersen . Made in the USA too. Can’t go wrong sounds like with the recommendations on here.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don't understand the X payload at all. It got beefier springs for the steel bumper group. Springs are most of payload on a Gladiator.

Heeeeeere we go - It's not just springs! And the springs aren't really beefier.
To get the ability to go really fast over dunes and through uneven sand, the springs have to give.
Springs are not most of the payload - it's a whole lot more - braking, steering, handling in emergencies, slalom type maneuvers, it's a bunch of tests.
The added weight of the steel bumpers (my Overland rose a good inch removing the steel bumper and winch and putting the plastic bumper back), the sill guards, the shocks themselves weigh more. The GVWR is LESS for a Mojave than a Rubicon! And that's not the X package,. So add the bumpers, the iron protecting the rocker panel area and other heavy stuff (maybe power seats?) and you kill the payload
In this charge - the column to the left is the Sport and everything based off the sport, the middle is Rubicon and the far right is Mojave - just plain Mojave. So a plain base Mojave has the middle GVW rating of 6140.

Still can't figure out how "springs make the payload". No, that's part of the equation as covered going back 5+ years. The Mojave also has some height knocking things down a bit - center of gravity impacts towing performance as well as how it handles with a full payload.

 

[Jaxmax]

Bill, the Mojave X springs are beefier, just to support the winch bumper and possible winch install, others have swapped them into older Mojaves to help with bumper weight, I will be one of those as I bought a set of front springs. I agree has nothing to do with payload just heavier spring rate.....Jack

 

[danimal2000]

My 2c
I have fastway e2 wdh and I'm very happy with it. Have had it almost 10years, this is the second truck/trailer combo I've used it on. Easy to hitch up, ride is great, sway control very good. I have 6000 lb bars which have been great

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Bill, the Mojave X springs are beefier, just to support the winch bumper and possible winch install, others have swapped them into older Mojaves to help with bumper weight, I will be one of those as I bought a set of front springs. I agree has nothing to do with payload just heavier spring rate.....Jack

You unlike others, used the correct term. RATE.

Too many think "beefy" to mean multiple things, and nothing specific at all.
Rate matters. The X does have a higher spring rate - and that is all taken up with the extra weight.
They match the spring rate to the weight of the vehicle. And - rate matters for ride as well. A lower spring rate can actually keep the tires more firmly planted on the road or surface below you - and that baffles a lot of people.

Rate is determined by coil diameter, wire size and number of coils. A spring with more coils per say 6" at one end than the other has multiple rates. Often a lower rate at one end is used to keep the tires planted and a good ride, while the higher rate of other parts add to the carrying capability.

But beefy is such a generic term......... and doesn't really tell the whole story.

I've compared a lot of springs - various Rubicon spring numbers, Overland spring numbers, Sport Max Tow spring numbers, and one guy sent me info on his Mojave springs a while back (I think I lost those photos on a prior computer crash)
I found the various "winds", wire sizes, and total lengths didn't at all fit in with what most people would "guess" if they had to ID a spring.
The Rubicon springs were actually a multi-rate spring. The wire size actually changed over the length of the spring, meaning more than one rate, for example.
People always said "well, the biggest difference in the max tow is the dual-rate springs" and yet..............................if one does some measuring and looking, they'll see it's true of some of the others.

Rate means how much weight it takes to compress a spring 1".
And to compress it 2", it's twice that much weight, and so on.
By the time you account for all of the weight of a Mojave X, all of that spring spec/rate goes into holding up all of that steel! There's really little left for adding more weight.
Steel hood, sliders, bumpers, power seats, headliner, and other things the X has, that's it, you are all but done.
And the must keep the rate LOW enough to keep it rated for dune jumping and so on, with soft landings, and keeping the tires on the ground over bumpy rides at some speed.

YOU, Jack, probably knew all of that, but others lurking/watching - I used your post as a "jumping in spot". So I'm not assuming you don't know what you are talking about.......

 

[Jaxmax]

Well Bill , I did swap out my rear Mojave springs for a set of Max-Tow springs which were 1 3/8” shorter so used a 1 3/8” Icon aluminum spacer. Chris “White Rabbit” here helped me figuring it out, he did it to his Mojave. I have an RSI cap and a ARB fridge mounted on a bracket in bed for surf fishing. The Jax Max Tow springs along with the differential shock has given me great results rear is more “planted”, doesn’t hop at dune crossings and the Max Tow springs have not given me any real difference in ride feel, I still hit speed bumps and railroad crossings at speed.
I do have much stuff going on with Jeep to get ready for a trip in July. Next Venture full belly skid, Mopar longer control arms , Mopar Performance steel bumper ( modified to have shackle mount), front upper control arm skids, 1/2” Terra flex spacers front and rear to perhaps get shocks in sweet spot and give me an extra 1/2” clearance, new “skinny” 33-34” tires probably Falkens. Perhaps a little finish work on projects done like nut sets in bed to hold the fridge , which for last couple years has had a ratchet strap holding it down, have never taken it out , and that strap must weigh three pounds gotta go!…..Jack
White Rabbit did pass , RIP Chris!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The Jax Max Tow springs along with the differential shock has given me great results rear is more “planted”, doesn’t hop at dune crossings and the Max Tow springs have not given me any real difference in ride feel, I still hit speed bumps and railroad crossings at speed.

The springs are matched for your weight............. (and use)

The max tow springs were just too harsh for my Overland when it wasn't loaded down, and they still sagged a lot when I had a trailer on it. It just wasn't the right combination for me and the weight of the truck. It lost me some ride comfort. I also had to use spacers under them they were so much shorter than the stock Overland springs
I actually had to RAISE the axle a bit after taking my original springs out to keep the max tow springs in place while putting it back together. I think there was something close to a couple inches difference - I'd have to check my old notes.

 

[ecidiego]

X springs raised my Mojave over half an inch all 4 corners after it sank from adding both steel bumpers. My payload is 1084. I'm missing the power seats and side airbags versus a newer X. That's 200lbs? There must be a shitload of extra weight somewhere else.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

X springs raised my Mojave over half an inch all 4 corners after it sank from adding both steel bumpers. My payload is 1084. I'm missing the power seats and side airbags versus a newer X. That's 200lbs? There must be a shitload of extra weight somewhere else.

People have tried to figure out where the weight goes or comes from for years. It's not going to be simple math.

Air bags require some wiring - different harnesses,
the X has a redesigned dash, larger radio screen and extra electronics to handle 2 phones at a time instead of just one.

Did you add the rear bed protection along with the rear steel bumper? Are your wheels and tires the same?
Bed liner?
Tonneau cover?

People try over and over to make this simple - it's not. If it was, everyone who bought an ABC gladiator would have the same payload sticker. All Rubicons with the hard top and steel bumpers would have the same payload.

 

[916WI]

I have a '23 JTRD pulling a 16' Airstream. I had yellow Super springs installed on the back--kind of a bumpstop. Dealing with the airbags on my previous 3.6 JT wasn't for me. I currently use a Mopar trailer brake controller with a Curt sway bar. It works ok for local trips, but I don't want to be pushed by semis on the interstate, so I picked up an Equalizer WDH with 600 lb bars on FB marketplace last year. I did a ton of research and this brand kept coming up over and over. I had it powder coated and will break it out this year. Doing a lithium conversion on the trailer now.....Can't wait until summer!

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