Very good review and a great explanation for the manualIt has been a while. Seems some folks want an update. Others have opinions or concerns about the setup.
Jumping in.
We have done 3 trips since purchasing the TT: 230, 300, and 190 miles one way each. That’s around 1500 miles. So far, so good.
I took the trailer empty (no gear, no food, no clothes, drained tanks) to a gravel yard that a buddy works at that has a scale. The trailer empty weighed in at 4200 lbs (rounding up). On our next trip which included my wife, kid, and myself I stopped by the yard to weigh it fully loaded for a 4 day weekend. With the tanks empty and the trailer loaded with food, clothes, gear (toys), and camp needs (hoses, adapters, brooms, etc…) the trailer weighed 4500 lbs. The other trips were packed similarly.
That puts the trailer right at the Gladiator Rubicon with 6sp limit. As pointed out the auto would have a limit of 7000 lbs. The only difference between the two configurations is the transmission and clutch verses the torque converter. In other words, the chassis, brakes, suspension, cooling…all the other bits are up to the challenge of towing 7000 lbs. But the poor little 6sp transmission and/or clutch are rated lower. Are they that much weaker or is there a larger margin of error for the operator? That is speculative—argumentative even.
What I can tell you is the clutch engages smoothly and the transmission pulls this trailer with ease. My advice, do not ride the clutch. Be smooth and deliberate. One of our trips went through western MD, WV, and PA. Over the mountains in high winds. You MUST HAVE an electric brake. I had to push the trailer’s brake button a few times. But everything came back inline. Just pay attention and remember it is not a race.
On another trip into southern VA as we made our way home we hit traffic. Lots of traffic. I had to do many lane changes. Stop and go traffic. You know, heavy traffic stuff. The little Jeep pulled and stopped the trailer like a champ. I was pleased and impressed.
Someone commented that I should have bought the auto if I wanted to tow. Funny story. Before this Jeep or truck…whichever…I had a Dodge 3500 longbed, 4x4, diesel, sitting on 35s. Before that I had an F350 setup the same way. A couple F150s before that. My wife and I decided to down size the truck because we weren’t towing heavy boats, cars, or cargo anymore. Anything we hauled that was heavy in the bed could be towed in the utility trailer behind the Jeep. Downsizing meant we still could get those backwoods spots we like and still fit in parking garages in town. Then 7 months after we got the Jeep, during this pandemic, we decide to get a travel trailer. Do’h! If I knew I was going to be towing a TT, I would have kept the big red beast or gotten another one.
The Jeep JT Rubicon w/ 6sp is great little truck. It is capable and it does tow well. I am keeping the weight close to the limit of the transmission and clutch knowing the rest of the bits are fine. Keep it steady. No racing (you’ll lose anyway). Work the gears. On the hills you will downshift. This a stout half to truck…Jeep.
