Maxing tire size AND hauling with Max Tow

[Alans17]

I have a Max Tow and after perusing this site it appears I can run Kenda 35's(they are 10.5" wide) without a lift. As soon as my sliders come in and I install them getting those are the plan. I may choose to do the teraflex front and maybe daystar rear.

My concern isn’t just squeezing 35s into the wheel wells but also making sure they can articulate and don’t rub when I’m off road.

I’ll probably do what some others have done...
Rubicon springs plus 1.5” Teraflex leveler in front
Max Tow springs plus .75” Daystar levelers in back
Rubicon shocks all around

I’ll be starting with 33” Mojave take-offs so clearance will be zero issue. Once those wear out, maybe I move to 34” or get more 33s, depending on my experience with the first set.

I don’t see myself ever being a big rock crawler, but over landing intrigues me. So payload capacity is important to me. I just need big enough tires to get me wherever I want to go. Maybe that changes at some point. We shall see.

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[Mac]

I like the look, but how are the hauling/towing characteristics?

Pretty much same as stock, but even empty you can notice the decrease in power from the larger tires, it downshifts more in the highway but seems fine around town, I am running the stock springs front and rear, only changed the shocks to the Fox shocks from a Rubicon.

 

[WXman]

Hey y’all. I’ve got a stock max tow and I’m thinking of raising it a bit to clear larger tires. right now, my max tow is 2” higher than the front. I don’t want any rubbing with whatever I choose.

But I also want to optimize towing and hauling if I decide I want to overland in this thing. I’ve seen a picture of a Rubi with the backend yanked down while pulling a camper. I don’t own one but I could see myself renting one. Plus if I ever kit it out with a tent and other gear, that could weigh the bed down.

I have a couple of options.

1. Add a Teraflex 1.5” leveler, slap on some 33s, and call it a day. Pro: Cheap, easy, maintains ride and towing. Con: I’ll never have more than 33s.

2. Add Rubi suspension plus a 1.5” Teraflex leveler to the front and and leave the max tow in the back with a .75” spacer. This would give me ~2.5” in the front and .75” in the back so I think I could clear 35s. Pros: bigger tires. Cons: Do I lose towing or hauling capability? What does this do to ride quality? Will I still have rubbing on 35s without fenders mods?

3. Go full Rubi with a 1.5” front leveler. Pros: Easy and proven. Cons: It loses max tow capability. May drag the bed down when full.

Thoughts? Am I missing anything? Are hauling/towing and 35s a recipe for failure?

Of those options, I would never even consider 2 or 3. The Max Tow coils are unique to that trim level. Going Rubicon is a downgrade.

Wheels and tires are considered "unsprung weight" and as such don't affect payload. In the real world, they WILL decrease braking performance and consume more fuel. But they don't affect hauling and towing. Run what you're happy with.

I ran 1.5" front spacers, 0.75" rear spacers, and 35x12.50s on my Max Tow. It articulated just fine and I hauled and towed big weight with it. Even did some videos with FULL payload capacity on it, and also towing near the max with it.

 

[whiteglad]

All the Rubi take-offs I found were priced as high or higher than getting a new, warrantied set of 255s from Discount Tire. Moreover, Rubi 285s are wider and about 12 lb. heavier than the 255s, while the rubis are also a little shorter.

 

[aprez27]

Of those options, I would never even consider 2 or 3. The Max Tow coils are unique to that trim level. Going Rubicon is a downgrade.

Wheels and tires are considered "unsprung weight" and as such don't affect payload. In the real world, they WILL decrease braking performance and consume more fuel. But they don't affect hauling and towing. Run what you're happy with.

I ran 1.5" front spacers, 0.75" rear spacers, and 35x12.50s on my Max Tow. It articulated just fine and I hauled and towed big weight with it. Even did some videos with FULL payload capacity on it, and also towing near the max with it.

Did you need shock extenders?

 

[WXman]

Did you need shock extenders?

I did use the shock extenders just to be on the safe side. The ones that Daystar includes are much heavier duty than the ones Rough Country sold me. I only used them in the front. Since I did 0.75" in the rear I skipped them.

 

[RICARDO]

Of those options, I would never even consider 2 or 3. The Max Tow coils are unique to that trim level. Going Rubicon is a downgrade.

Wheels and tires are considered "unsprung weight" and as such don't affect payload. In the real world, they WILL decrease braking performance and consume more fuel. But they don't affect hauling and towing. Run what you're happy with.

I ran 1.5" front spacers, 0.75" rear spacers, and 35x12.50s on my Max Tow. It articulated just fine and I hauled and towed big weight with it. Even did some videos with FULL payload capacity on it, and also towing near the max with it.

link of the videos please

 

[WXman]

link of the videos please

YouTube channel is called "OFFRD". Search back to the videos in summer and fall of 2019. Lots of good Gladiator stuff in there.

 

[Punknhead]

Max Tow with Rubicon shocks and front springs—and 3/4 inch spacer up front. Patagonia 37’s fit fine with no heavy articulation. I do switch back to 33’s when I tow the camper.

 

[RICARDO]

YouTube channel is called "OFFRD". Search back to the videos in summer and fall of 2019. Lots of good Gladiator stuff in there.

thanks!

 

[RICARDO]

YouTube channel is called "OFFRD". Search back to the videos in summer and fall of 2019. Lots of good Gladiator stuff in there.

do you think the daystar 1.5" front level kit and timbrens will keep the rear ok when towing?

 

[RICARDO]

Max Tow with Rubicon shocks and front springs—and 3/4 inch spacer up front. Patagonia 37’s fit fine with no heavy articulation. I do switch back to 33’s when I tow the camper.

do you have any picture from the side in which we can see how level it is with the spacer thanks

 

[Smash615]

You really just need to look for higher rate springs for the rear. I think the 2.5" Clayton springs are meant to maintain payload and then some.

I'm running the Mopar lift on my max tow and had 1200 lbs of top soil in the bed with no problem. it just leveled the truck out from empty.

I wouldn't overcomplicate it. They're just springs. Get a lift with higher rate springs and regear for whatever tire size you choose and you'll be fine. If towing a travel trailer you'll probably want a weight distribution hitch also. Personally, I'm going to 37's and 4.88's when my 35's are done and I plan to tow a travel trailer that's no more than 4k lbs dry. Shouldn't be any more than 6k when I'm fully loaded up with the family, water, gear etc.

Just joining the community and see you're going to go with 37s AND tow? I would think that the much larger tire would take some of the torque for your camper. I have an Ultralight that weighs about 3800 and mine revs higher than I would like, but OK with it. Wondering if you ever moved to the 37s and how they worked out?

 

[Gren71]

Op

I went larger on tires an then dialed back. Heres a link to that thread. It may give ya some food for thought.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/worth-it-to-go-back.47891/

“Too long dont care?”
Stick to as stock as possible and youll be happy. It will overland with AT tires in your stock size and do everything else you ask it to.

Beware the bro trap where you get sucked in to thinking you need larger tires + lift + winch + new rims + on board air + KC lights + skids all the way around the thing…and so on. Every thing you change has a consequence and a cost.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

As has been covered on the forum - there are some great YT videos put out by 4x4 shops that explain any time you swap for bigger/heavier tires and/or lift, you impact towing capabilities. Towing ability is based on "as it comes from the factory". Changes reduce, not enhance, towing.

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