Another towing thread....sorry...

[tom.mary.glad]

Only thing I'd add is that towing is kind of like cruising, it's not about speed. Get comfortable at 60 (which, as you found, is about all it'll do) and enjoy the scenery.

That's how I have towed even with a full-size truck. Too much that can go wrong at speed to risk trying to fly with all the other non-towing vehicles.

Agree but I was in a hurry to get home and unload. On flat ground I could hold 70 in 7th.

Its estimated you loose 3.5% power per inch you go up. Max tow gladdies roll out with 31.5" tires stock.. If you run 37's, that's 5.5 inches, or a 20% power loss just to turn those tires.

Likewise, you've regeared to compensate for the larger tires and make up for the loss, but the Gladdy is still a loud towing rig. Loves to rev high and that's what it is- it will still do the job, but sing the entire time it does it.

I suppose despite my earlier threads the gladdy isnt the perfect tow rig, and its arguably not the best offroader. It doesnt have the best payload (ok some dont) and its not got the biggest bed.
Its not the best at style (debatable) and certainly not the most fuel efficient, but where it shines is that its pretty good at all these things.

The jack of all trades, but not a master of anything in particular. That's why its great.

"where it shines is that its pretty good at all these things." and that's why I bought it. I love it. No regrets. If I tow again, I'll take everyone's feedback and opinions into consideration.

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[tom.mary.glad]

I don’t think you have done much wrong, but the worst is the 37” tires, that I’m sure if using the original wheels adds at least 20 lbs each, that take power to spin up to speed, more than 4:88 will provide. Spending all that $$$$ for re-gearing you should have use 5:88 or so. Manual shifting does help from trans hunting, but the computer is just doing what it needs. I suggest you drive on a Cat Scale as you will be traveling just to see what your curb weight with one adult and full tank weighs. With the extras you have I bet you’ll be at least up to 5,500, where my stock everything Sport S is just under 4,960 with my wife and I. Jeep give your Gladiator a CGVWR of 12,300 or so, that’s allowed for everything under your control. Truck, all gear and passengers, weight distribution hitch, trailer ready to go. Full tank of gas. DOD you keep the original tires? If so it’s highly recommended you get a second set of alloy wheels and stock sized 245/75-17 HT tires, not LT but P rated is all you’ll need. Good luck.

When I regeared I was back and forth on 4.88 vs 5.13 I went with 4.88 thinking I would never tow or if I did it would be a small trailer around town. Also, thinking 4.88 would give better mpg for 99.9% of my usage.

I sold the original wheels and tires. If I buy some, I assume I would use tazer to reset tire size? Also, it'll look like it missed leg day

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

I bumped up to 35s on my stock wheels, but if I go to 37s on aftermarket wheels I may keep the stock wheels and put some 285 takeoffs on them for long highway runs. However, when I am towing, we are usually going somewhere that I would use the meatier tires.

So far the Rubicon has towed our little travel trailer just fine. However I have not taken it through the mountains yet. That will be interesting since I am still on the factory 4.10s and skinny 35s.

 

[WILDHOBO]

If you don't tow or not interested, no need to read.

I'm not an experienced tower so be gentle.

I have the following:

• 2021 Sport with max tow (7650 lb tow capacity when stock)
• V6 gasser
• 3.5" lift
• 37" tires
• regeared to 4.88
• light setup - just a few skid plates, factory steel bumpers, winch, AL trifold tonneau cover. Not a overlander setup. I did have a jack, heavy toolbag, Thor's lighting air compressor, cordless tools, and some moving dollies in the bed. Plus me and my wife with small luggage.

I just towed a 6 x 12 enclosed U-Haul trailer with furniture in it from St Louis to Dallas. It got up to 101 F outside. My WeighSafe hitch said I had about 200 lbs of tongue weight. U-Haul says the trailer weighs 1920 lbs empty. Engine coolant, oil and transmission temperatures were all good. Max trans temp of 201 F, max coolant about 225 F I think, max engine oil about 233 F.

I honestly don't know how any of y'all tow anything bigger or heavier than this. I could not maintain above 60 mph on the hills in southern MO. I did use manual shift mode and stay mostly in 6th and sometimes 7. Downshifting to 5th on the hills. I couldn't get rpms above 4500. It seemed like the little V6 just couln't put out any more power. And accelerating onto the highway it didn't want to shift from 3rd to 4th, then 4th to 5th. It was screaming upto 5000 rpms.

Did I do something wrong? Or is the pentastar just that weak? I doubt I'll ever tow again after this experience but I'm open to any feedback the experience towers have.

Thanks

I tow more than that OFTEN. My cargo trailer is an enclosed 7x14. It weighs around the same empty, 2,000 lbs. i have a 3.6 rubicon lifted 4.5” front and 6.5” rear with 37’s, and I’m heavy around 6,200lbs. I do it a bit differently than you did. When I tow our smaller trailer I leave the tranny on auto and let it eat. The power band is in the higher rpm’s. With the cargo trailer I pay constant attention. My personal rule, and I know it’s overkill, is to watch the tranny temp and keep it from exceeding 215 F. Obviously the tranny can handle more. It’s just a number I chose to keep things from pushing the envelope. I manually shift watching only the tranny temp. If it gets close to 215, I go to a higher gear. Otherwise I let the engine give me whatever speed it has, under that constraint. Going up steep mountain grades, I’m not winning any races, but the truck stays happy. On the flats I have no problems pulling the trailer at 70-75mph. I do have factory towing like you, so have the larger transmission cooler. I’m geared to 5.13’s. I went to 5.13 because I tow. I’d have done 4.88 if I didn’t, or if it was very seldom.

 

[Jteakus]

Hat tip to you guys towing heavy with your JT's. I didn't even get the receiver when I ordered mine.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Hat tip to you guys towing heavy with you JT's. I didn't even get the receiver when I ordered mine.

We actually bought it to have something that would handle medium trailers better than our previous 14 Cherokee. So it was our truck first. The off-roading thing just happened. Not my fault.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Hat tip to you guys towing heavy with your JT's. I didn't even get the receiver when I ordered mine.

i almost passed mine up because the salesman couldn’t tell me if it was equipped with the towing package.

Thankfully I only had to check the alternator part number to verify that it did.

 

[IRAH]

Yeah! My Sahara didnt come with a hitch either! It was weird. The 4 pin and 7 pin were there but no hitch. I drilled a hole in the bumper cover and put a ball on it until my proper one came, but I was really confused.

I only have 886 pounds of payload tho, so they were probably like... "Nah, never gonna tow with this thing anyway" and left it on the shelf. :D

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Yeah! My Sahara didnt come with a hitch either! It was weird. The 4 pin and 7 pin were there but no hitch. I drilled a hole in the bumper cover and put a ball on it until my proper one came, but I was really confused.

I only have 886 pounds of payload tho, so they were probably like... "Nah, never gonna tow with this thing anyway" and left it on the shelf. :D

I believe they all come with the electrical. You just don’t get the receiver without paying for it. The actual “towing package” adds a higher output alternator and I believe a different program for the cooling fans. Since the Rubicon and Mojave already have the wide axles, not a lot of extra goodies to get. I do wish the towing package incluided the Mopar brake controller. Mine is sitting here waiting for a chance to install it so I can stop brushing my shin on my current brake controller.

 

[RudeJeepin]

I believe they all come with the electrical. You just don’t get the receiver without paying for it. The actual “towing package” adds a higher output alternator and I believe a different program for the cooling fans. Since the Rubicon and Mojave already have the wide axles, not a lot of extra goodies to get. I do wish the towing package incluided the Mopar brake controller. Mine is sitting here waiting for a chance to install it so I can stop brushing my shin on my current brake controller.

I did the Mopar in the Wrangler and RedArc in the Gladiator. Really no difference in the install or performance.
Not that it matters now, but I wish the Gladiator would of come with the built in controller like the Rams have. I love the system in my old Ram 2500.

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