2025 High Tide - Towing

[hardwaremike]

I glanced around this towing thread and couldn't find an answer to my question but if its out there and I missed it - I apologize. I just traded in my wife's 2014 Wrangler Unlimted Sahara - original owners - with 194,000 miles. Actually, I sold it on FB Marketplace. I must have asked too little as I had over 450 inquiries in less than a day and the first guy that messaged me stopped by an hour later with a $500 cash deposit and came back the next day with the rest in cash. $8,000. It did have indents on the front corner bumper and one on the rear - very minor - got out of the vehicle in gear - oops - and it parked itself into a nearby tree. It also needed some suspension work pretty soon that I was made aware of. Was upfront about everything but I think the fellow got a nice deal. Anyway, she got a 2025 Gladiator with the High Tide package, Convenience Group and Mopar spray-in bed liner from the factory. I see it looks like the Gladiators come with trailer wiring and some other towing stuff but can someone tell me exactly what I need to actually tow something. Mainly she'll just be towing an aluminum landscape trailer with a riding mower or my ATV in it - no motor home or anything heavy. What do I need to buy to be tow ready and if you have recommendations on brands/parts please indicate that as well. My salesman at the dealership wasn't very knowledgeable. He did try to sneak in a $5,000 cerama-cote wax package that didn't work well for him and when he came back from seeing "if his manager could do anything about it.." gave it a last shot by saying he could take it down to "their cost-$2,900 - because it's already been applied.." That didn't work either so they took it down to zero. Anyway, thanks in advance if you're able to help with the answer.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I glanced around this towing thread and couldn't find an answer to my question but if its out there and I missed it - I apologize. I just traded in my wife's 2014 Wrangler Unlimted Sahara - original owners - with 194,000 miles. Actually, I sold it on FB Marketplace. I must have asked too little as I had over 450 inquiries in less than a day and the first guy that messaged me stopped by an hour later with a $500 cash deposit and came back the next day with the rest in cash. $8,000. It did have indents on the front corner bumper and one on the rear - very minor - got out of the vehicle in gear - oops - and it parked itself into a nearby tree. It also needed some suspension work pretty soon that I was made aware of. Was upfront about everything but I think the fellow got a nice deal. Anyway, she got a 2025 Gladiator with the High Tide package, Convenience Group and Mopar spray-in bed liner from the factory. I see it looks like the Gladiators come with trailer wiring and some other towing stuff but can someone tell me exactly what I need to actually tow something. Mainly she'll just be towing an aluminum landscape trailer with a riding mower or my ATV in it - no motor home or anything heavy. What do I need to buy to be tow ready and if you have recommendations on brands/parts please indicate that as well. My salesman at the dealership wasn't very knowledgeable. He did try to sneak in a $5,000 cerama-cote wax package that didn't work well for him and when he came back from seeing "if his manager could do anything about it.." gave it a last shot by saying he could take it down to "their cost-$2,900 - because it's already been applied.." That didn't work either so they took it down to zero. Anyway, thanks in advance if you're able to help with the answer.

Depending on the trailer and the weight of the trailer when it's fully loaded, you may need a trailer brake controller.
I believe it's law that trailers over 2,000 must have a brake system. That can be surge brakes on the trailer or electric brakes. in the case of electric, you need a trailer brake controller of some sort.
Otherwise, just a 2" ball mount and ball of the correct size for the trailer.
A gladiator should handle such a trailer and load very well. Heck, I haul around 5,000 pounds worth of car hauler and car on it.
I have had the MOPAR trailer brake controller and I had a Redarc controller in the various Gladiators I've owned. Both are fine. Others will have other favorites.
Your trailer MAY have surge brakes - if so, you are set to go.

 

[hardwaremike]

Thanks for the response - good info but my question is even more basic - do I need a trailer hitch receiver or just a trailer hitch?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for the response - good info but my question is even more basic - do I need a trailer hitch receiver or just a trailer hitch?

Do you not have a receiver already at the back?
If not, then you have a rare one with no trailer tow package.
What you install will depend on the weight of the trailer and what you may tow in the near future, ease of adjusting trailer tongue height and so on.
i never recommend simply trailer balls on a bumper as you are stuck at the same height for any trailer tongue, often towing the trailer either nose up or nose down.
Receivers are superior for that.
Trailers are to be towed level.

 

[hardwaremike]

Depending on the trailer and the weight of the trailer when it's fully loaded, you may need a trailer brake controller.
I believe it's law that trailers over 2,000 must have a brake system. That can be surge brakes on the trailer or electric brakes. in the case of electric, you need a trailer brake controller of some sort.
Otherwise, just a 2" ball mount and ball of the correct size for the trailer.
A gladiator should handle such a trailer and load very well. Heck, I haul around 5,000 pounds worth of car hauler and car on it.
I have had the MOPAR trailer brake controller and I had a Redarc controller in the various Gladiators I've owned. Both are fine. Others will have other favorites.
Your trailer MAY have surge brakes - if so, you are set to go.

 

[hardwaremike]

A fellow at O'Reilly's said it does have the bar on it I just need to drill the template on the bumper and get a tow ball.

 

[D_JT]

A fellow at O'Reilly's said it does have the bar on it I just need to drill the template on the bumper and get a tow ball.

I personally would not do that. Get you a proper hitch. They are very easy to install.

 

[hardwaremike]

I personally would not do that. Get you a proper hitch. They are very easy to install.

So that's not a proper hitch?

 

[Hootbro]

The proper class III hitch from MOPAR and what comes with the factory tow package is:

https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/82215648.html

Replaces 90% pf what you have there already under the bumper but lacks the Class III hitch receptacle.

My base Sport also came without the Class III hitch. I chose to use a bolt in adapter from Quadratec:

https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/premium-2-receiver-hitch-jeep-gladiator-jt

Links to my install is here:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/2025-base-sport-anvil.88796/#post-1430750

Regardless of which one you put in, you are still only legally rated to the 4500 lbs tow rating your vehicle came with.

 

[hardwaremike]

The proper class III hitch from MOPAR and what comes with the factory tow package is:

https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/82215648.html

Replaces 90% pf what you have there already under the bumper but lacks the Class III hitch receptacle.

My base Sport also came without the Class III hitch. I chose to use a bolt in adapter from Quadratec:

https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/premium-2-receiver-hitch-jeep-gladiator-jt

Links to my install is here:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/2025-base-sport-anvil.88796/#post-1430750

Regardless of which one you put in, you are still only legally rated to the 4500 lbs tow rating your vehicle came with.

Thanks to everyone for their comments - this last one fully answered all questions I had. Thanks.

 

[D_JT]

So that's not a proper hitch?

No, This would be the a proper hitch.
But no disrespect intended. Have you towed a trailer before?

 

[hardwaremike]

Yes - but only my 12' aluminum landscape trailer and the only things I've towed and plan on towing in it 90% of the time are my Toro 50" zero turn trailer or Polaris Sportsman 800 ATV I use to plow snow. I have a 2014 VW Touareg I love and it's rated for towing 7,700 pounds. I've considered getting a smaller mobile home but I wouldn't tour the country with it - I'd just drive it up to a campground a few hours away and leave it there. But, am I a towing expert -- obviously not!

 

[hardwaremike]

I actually just came up with one last question. I see the Quadratec link provided above for the hitch receiver only says it has a 5,000 pound tow rating with a 500 pound tongue rating. However, I was on a Jeep accessory site for the Gladiator and the similar-looking hitch receiver says its rated at only 3,500 pounds with a 350 pound tongue rating. Can anyone explain the different ratings? Here's the link to the Jeep site I'm referring to - https://mydigimag.rrd.com/publicati...ep&co=US&pid=538&pc=MJ-JT-web&utm_source=jeep

 

[Hootbro]

No clue on the difference. Curt sells the same thing and theirs is rated 5000 lbs also and i trust them to rate their products correctly.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

However, I was on a Jeep accessory site for the Gladiator and the similar-looking hitch receiver says its rated at only 3,500 pounds with a 350 pound tongue rating.

Could be how and where it's made, and if it's actually passed any certifications of any sort. A lot of places will sell similar products or even copies, but can't meet the specs of the real thing or original. I'd be wary of anything other than Curt, DrawTite (or MOPAR) and similar.

IMO, you want to end up with a receiver.
I tend to go the full route, the MOPAR receiver bar that replaces the cross member at the rear.
Hootbro has had good luck with and likes the bolt on less expensive solution.

In your case? I can't say it would really matter - pick one and go with it.
But I would go receiver, not a ball on the bumper.
Why not the ball?
You can't control the height of the trailer tongue - it's going to ride the height of your bumper.
With a receiver, you can buy the ball mount that places your trailer LEVEL behind your tow vehicle.
You want to tow a trailer level as possible, more critical with a two axle trailer, but even with a single axle, it can really matter as far as how well it tows.
If your trailer is low, you can buy a ball mount that will slide into that receiver, lower the ball, to let your trailer tow level. Can't do that with a ball.

So I'd pick something like Hootbro's receiver solution if you really want to save money and easily tow your small trailer(I see no reason not to go that route in your case), or you can go the full receiver that replaces the rear cross member if you prefer "factory" (but more expensive) and I'd skip the ball on the bumper bit.

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