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Newbie questions

Gitfo

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I'll be making a purchase in the next few weeks, and the reference material I've found here has been invaluable! My questions so far are:

I'll be towing a 4500lb airstream
- are there any recommended tires for low-noise highway use?
- I have located a few models locally that are supposed to have the Max Tow option. I'm assuming I should have this, but at what point would the Max Tow be needed over the $350 tow option?

Thanks!
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Koja

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I'll be making a purchase in the next few weeks, and the reference material I've found here has been invaluable! My questions so far are:

I'll be towing a 4500lb airstream
- are there any recommended tires for low-noise highway use?
- I have located a few models locally that are supposed to have the Max Tow option. I'm assuming I should have this, but at what point would the Max Tow be needed over the $350 tow option?

Thanks!
Call Kent surtlift at Nampa ID Jeep, I went all the way there to get mine because of the great dael.
 

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Donkey Fluffer

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If you're going to regularly tow that weight you'll definitely want the Max Tow or a Rubicon. The other tow package is for very light trailers like jet ski's, harbor freight 4x8 utility takes, bike racks, etc.
 

eaglerugby04

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Max tow or Rubicon for sure. The extra cooling capabilities will only benefit you with towing. Also I see you are in NC do a custom order from Tri-City. Got a really good price with all of the options I wanted for way less than the lot prices of anywhere else.
 

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ShadowsPapa

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I will be towing my car hauler with my Overland with the 6,000 pound tow package. The trailer is 1500, the car 3100 (my heaviest) so that's 4600 and even with another hundred pounds added for jack, straps, etc. I'm 1300 under the rated tow capacity.
Others are towing as much if not a bit more with the 6,000 trailer tow package with no trouble.
Figure how often you'll be towing, if there are any long grades involved, etc.
I did a lot of asking here and several folks posted pictures of their rigs and what they tow - and said they had no problems.
 

MarineHawk

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But Shadows, you said elsewhere that you would want extra capacity to exceed the necessary--or words to that effect.

If he has a 4,500 lb Airstream, assuming that's base weight, he's also going to have perhaps 1,000 lbs of water, propane, and other items, which gets him to 5,500 lbs. That's 92% of 6,000 lb tow capacity, and 79% of a 7,000 lb tow capacity. He's got the nice trailer, and I assume he's gonna want to use it.
 

TrailHiker

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O would not assume the Airstream is 4500 lbs dry, the OP just said he towed a 4500 lbs Airstream, which I take to mean its loaded, ready to use weight. As for cooling, both tow packages are identical as far as the engine and cooling are concerned, the only difference is the Max tow has a Rubi rear axle without the lockers, and the 4:10 final gear ratio, which gives it the extra 1500 or so lbs of towing capacity. Otherwise the two packages are the same equipment.
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futzin'

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Unfortunately, most people use the dry weight number in their minds; never taking the time to go to a scale to get the actual weight. Unless a poster tells us differently, we should assume this. Absolutely no offense intended to the OP.
 

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But Shadows, you said elsewhere that you would want extra capacity to exceed the necessary--or words to that effect.

If he has a 4,500 lb Airstream, assuming that's base weight, he's also going to have perhaps 1,000 lbs of water, propane, and other items, which gets him to 5,500 lbs. That's 92% of 6,000 lb tow capacity, and 79% of a 7,000 lb tow capacity. He's got the nice trailer, and I assume he's gonna want to use it.
Plus one of the issues with towing is the size of the frontal area...towing an open car trailer is much easier than towing an enclosed trailer of the same weight.
 

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ShadowsPapa

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But Shadows, you said elsewhere that you would want extra capacity to exceed the necessary--or words to that effect.

If he has a 4,500 lb Airstream, assuming that's base weight, he's also going to have perhaps 1,000 lbs of water, propane, and other items, which gets him to 5,500 lbs. That's 92% of 6,000 lb tow capacity, and 79% of a 7,000 lb tow capacity. He's got the nice trailer, and I assume he's gonna want to use it.
That's true - but that's me. My gantry crane can lift a sprint car - complete, engine and all, but I'll never get that high in what I lift with it. I like over-engineered stuff quite often.
And I did fail to account for water, etc. because I didn't carry water when I had my trailer - I got it on site, I didn't haul water because that tends to move when the trailer is moving - I didn't like that. So I filled later. I know, you can't always do that, some places just don't have any way to fill at the destination. I was spoiled that way.
Your math is correct and does dictate that he'd be better off with at least 7,000 pounds.
I didn't read well enough. My bad.
I'd still be well under 6 with mine - but if there was a way, I'd prefer more..........
 
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ShadowsPapa

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Plus one of the issues with towing is the size of the frontal area...towing an open car trailer is much easier than towing an enclosed trailer of the same weight.
Again correct - I think Jeep even has that spec charted out. Yeah, I didn't factor that in - absolutely correct.
The frontal area of even a low standing "camper" will be greater and more solid than towing a car where air can get around, etc.
 

Donkey Fluffer

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With the relatively low cost of the Max Tow option and knowing I already would need to regularly tow a 4500 lb Airstream, dry or otherwise, checking the block for the Max Tow seems to be a no-brainer. If nothing else, the 4.10 alone would be significant enough of an improvement to make it worth it. Even if 4500 is his current "wet" weight, RV's have a tendency to put on the pounds as we continue to upgrade them, just like our Jeeps. Also, with a Gladiator, the OP is going to be very tempted to put things (generators, fuel, etc) in the back of his truck. This is all part of GCWR and I cannot advise anything less than Max Tow or Rubicon.

Also, doesn't hurt to have a little grow room if the OP later wants a 5000 lb trailer.
 

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True, a little extra never hurts. I think with the Airstream, the added axle width would be the biggest benefit.
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jwilson2899

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I'll echo a lot of the other sentiments in this thread. If you're already towing a 4500 pound trailer, I would get the Max Tow package for sure. The extra 700 bucks for better axles, better gear ratio, and improved capacity will be well worth it.
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