Considering purchase, need to tow car hauler

[DylanR]

Go to 14:45

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[ShadowsPapa]

Pretty much repeats the known specs........ the only added thing I got out of it was that he thought the ride with a trailer was good, and it handled well. And that's with a lot more trailer load behind him than I'd ever pull. So that's good.
Brakes? Well, there's a harness by the left kick panel you can plug any good controller to so that's an option - many have their favorite brake controller anyway and opt for that even when buying a full-sized truck, so that's not a big deal - it's all pre-wired, simply plug in your brake controller of choice, or, as our dealers have said - it's coming soon.
He was pulling a 6,000 pound BIG boat (big in my opinion, that's a BIG boat) and I won't even be approaching that load - 5,000 pounds or a bit over if I keep my current trailer, under 5,000 pounds if I trade trailers which I will likely do. So I'd be pulling less than he was in his test drive, and possibly a whole thousand pounds less - in fact, with an aluminum car hauler, 1500 pounds less than he was pulling.
Earlier in the video they talked about MPG - the EPA ratings are SOOOO close to a couple of the others (Ford the best -and wow what a great performing 4), Anyway, MPG varies so much with fuel used, driving habits, loads in the vehicle, driver's weight, speeds driven, city/rural/highway, as long as they are within a couple of MPG of each other, I consider them almost even.
With that Ford Ranger and the specs it has - not sure why Toyota sells so well. MAYBE because Ford dropped out of this area for a while and people are just getting used to it again. But the Ranger is a nice truck for sure. To get that performance out of that engine, they've done a good job.

 

[DylanR]

That’s what I have been trying to tell you... I am pulling a boat basically identical to the Malibu 22VLX he is towing.

Toyota’s sell so well because they last forever and hold their value.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ah, so you were the one with the boat. To me a boat means 2-3,000 pounds.......... but then, this is IOWA, not the great lakes, or MN or places with a ton of big lakes to drop a BIG boat into so I don't see anyone pulling really big boats very often unless I drive toward Lake Red Rock or up by Saylorville Lake. There's just no reason for anyone to tow a boat in this part of the state.
Anyway, I was pretty much settled that it would work - but seeing the vid and when he said where he was driving - I assume that area isn't flat like Nebraska or Eastern Kansas........ and he was tugging 6,000 pounds of big boat......... if he can do that, I could certainly pull less.
It was an interesting comparison - if I wasn't interested in the Jeep for several reasons, I think I could consider at least checking out the Ranger.
I told the dealer I was headed his way tomorrow, wanted a test drive and my wife wants to see the colors for real. Paper and computer screens stink to get any idea of what a color REALLY looks like on a vehicle.

Thanks for the link - it was good to see someone REALLY doing something, driving it, pulling, and commenting on the ride and STABILITY. That's important, too.

 

[DylanR]

This would be the most extreme test I have seen posted... it’s a really really steep incline... hauling maxed out weight. Really hard push...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They are hauling a tall trailer with 7,000 pounds up a mountain road - so something not so tall, like a car on a trailer, total weight of say, 4,600 pounds, that's 1,400 pounds even under the Overland 6,000 pound limit, so 4600-5,000 on an open trailer should be a piece of cake compared to a TALL enclosed trailer maxed out with 7,000 pounds.
I'm buying a new trailer that's only 1500 pounds - so with my heaviest car at 3100 pounds I'll only be 4600 pounds (plus straps, tools, spare tire, etc.) still under 5K while you pull 6,000 pounds and these guys lugged 7,000 pounds (PLUS wind resistance) up a steep road.
My load should be no real trouble for these things.
I wonder what the grade of that road was they are on - maybe they said and I missed it.

 

[smlobx]

They are hauling a tall trailer with 7,000 pounds up a mountain road - so something not so tall, like a car on a trailer, total weight of say, 4,600 pounds, that's 1,400 pounds even under the Overland 6,000 pound limit, so 4600-5,000 on an open trailer should be a piece of cake compared to a TALL enclosed trailer maxed out with 7,000 pounds.
I'm buying a new trailer that's only 1500 pounds - so with my heaviest car at 3100 pounds I'll only be 4600 pounds (plus straps, tools, spare tire, etc.) still under 5K while you pull 6,000 pounds and these guys lugged 7,000 pounds (PLUS wind resistance) up a steep road.
My load should be no real trouble for these things.
I wonder what the grade of that road was they are on - maybe they said and I missed it.

From their website....

“... The Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels are located at an elevation of 11,158 feet above sea level. The Ike Gauntlet is an 8-mile stretch of I-70 with a 7% grade...”

As you can see it’s not only a steep grade but very high elevation.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Well.... change in plans thanks to my wife.
I was all set on a Sport S - could get leather option in it, or have the dealer go with Katzkin leather for about the same cost or close to it. The catch was the options. She insisted the hard top be body color. Sorry, can't do that on the Sport S (although they did just kick in body color fenders for the Sport finally)
Then we talked nav, the screen and some other stuff- I said can't do that with Sport S and maxtow.
Well can't you still tow with the others?
Yeah.... but........
well then just get a lighter trailer.
So we have a Gladiator Overland on order - loaded, literally. Pretty much every option except the aux switches and smoker package. She insisted on the body color top and pushed hard for all of the other options. She said if I was going to get one may as well get all the safety stuff and the bigger screen (the small screens of some vehicles I have trouble with)
She asked how often I haul anything over a thousand pounds - well, maybe once every 5 years........ normally it's just a few hundred pounds and I could spread some of that to a utility trailer I have. She asked what the total weight of my cars with a lighter trailer would be - well, trailer 1500 plus car 3100 is 4600 plus some tools and such - I said probably 4800-4900 tops most of the time. Well, won't 6,000 pounds cover that? Yeah, it should.
So there you have it - overland, loaded to the hilt, on order as of a week ago. Yesterday I went out and traded trailers - cutting trailer weight from 2350 down to 1500.
They wanted $390 to install a brake controller - I said forget that - I'll do that myself (getting info on the best controller with the CORRECT wiring from the experts here, of course). I mean - I've wired entire trucks and cars before, can handle a simple trailer brake controller for almost half of what they wanted - and they don't even do it. They'd take it to another place to install that, likely screwed to the bottom of the dash somewhere, and not a controller of my choosing.
I guess I figured that it's the same engine, the same transmission, still heavy-duty cooling with the 240 amp alternator (likely for the multi-horsepower fans needed), but with different tires, different differential ratio. And I'd be over 1,000 pounds under the max tow rating.
All the testing, and even folks here, are pulling heavier loads than I would be - 6,000 pound boats, trailers, or the test in the mountains with a trailer maxed out at 7,000 pounds.

 

[DylanR]

@ShadowsPapa great choice! Congrats on your new Gladiator! You should be just fine... this is my set up for reference.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks
Wow - looks like your rig sits nice and level. What a boat. That's a photo for the Jeep marketing folks LOL
My wife is probably right on all counts - I got by for 3 years with my Comanche - and I farmed back then. My load, especially with new aluminum trailer, will be lighter than what most folks are towing, and lighter than any of the "towing road test" videos I've ever seen. I'll never max out the capacity of even the standard tow package on the overland. She's right - I know I'd miss those other options and part of the idea behind a new truck WAS those options my current truck doesn't have. I wanted leather, heated seats and heated steering wheel (raynaud's is helped by that in cool weather), the bigger screen with navigation, so many reasons. (I know the phone nav can be used through the other, but still....)
I think my time for NEEDING a full-sized truck that can pull big loads are gone.
The Gladiator is a tad shorter, a bit not as wide, so parking in my packed garage will be easier.

Now I can't wait for the darned thing to arrive. The salesman called me last week and said the order had been accepted, a serial number assigned, and build scheduled but he didn't have any more information than that.

 

[pmh076]

I pulled a 1992 Comanche, 2wd, 4.0L short wheel base from york, pa to Pittsburgh, pa last weekend and the truck did great. Averaged about 14.0mpg with some good size hills and never felt like it was too much for it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I pulled a 1992 Comanche, 2wd, 4.0L short wheel base from york, pa to Pittsburgh, pa last weekend and the truck did great. Averaged about 14.0mpg with some good size hills and never felt like it was too much for it.

That's decent MPG, IMO - but I bet you have max tow - Sport S, correct? Still, the Overland should do ok, especially now that I have a much lighter trailer. That Comanche isn't much different in weight than my heaviest car - which is about 3100 not counting gas in the tank.
I'd be towing about 4600-5000 trailer plus car.
I had a 87 Comanche Sportruck and LOVED IT. It had running boards, light bar, off-road and fog lights, the bullet-proof 4.0 and a five speed stick.

 

[pmh076]

That's decent MPG, IMO - but I bet you have max tow - Sport S, correct? Still, the Overland should do ok, especially now that I have a much lighter trailer. That Comanche isn't much different in weight than my heaviest car - which is about 3100 not counting gas in the tank.
I'd be towing about 4600-5000 trailer plus car.
I had a 87 Comanche Sportruck and LOVED IT. It had running boards, light bar, off-road and fog lights, the bullet-proof 4.0 and a five speed stick.

Nope- just the normal tow package as i prioritized the limited slip which i couldnt order with the Max Tow. The comanche had between 1/4 and 1/2 tank of fuel on the way back. I'm excited to get the build started, i think i found the donor cherokee to make it a 4wd swap

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Nope- just the normal tow package as i prioritized the limited slip which i couldnt order with the Max Tow. The comanche had between 1/4 and 1/2 tank of fuel on the way back. I'm excited to get the build started, i think i found the donor cherokee to make it a 4wd swap

My Comanche was a 4x4 - it was needed for what I used it for.
I got the limited slip for my Overland, too - had it in my Silverado and appreciated it.
Thanks for the clarification - your specs with tow package match mine number for number. That helps.

 

[hjdca]

Although the Gladiator is impressive while towing, I do not think you want to be near max tow pounds if you live in mountainous, high altitude, hilly areas. I always believed that you need to buy a vehicle that is rated 2K to 3K pounds more than you will tow especially in the mountainous areas where I live. This philosophy will also help the longevity of the vehicle.

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