Can I Tow this?

[Bonanza]

What was your gas mileage with the 4.88? I was around 12mpg with 37s and 4.10s. I had to stay below 60 or I was looking at 9mpg.

Similar, 12mpg. I too kept right around 60 because it turned into a parachute any faster.

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[BearFootSam]

I was in a similar boat but went a different direction. I’ll say this, you won’t be doing yourself any favors towing that much. When you want to use the camper it means full tanks, food, water, propane etc at which point you are over max weight.
For the cost you could get a used class A that might tow your Jeep.
Rather than a trailer I ended up getting an 02’ Winnebago with an 8.1 V8 and 26k lb GVWR. It’s built better, is bigger and does more of what we want.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I have a Gladiator Rubicon (Automatic).

I'm looking at possibly buying a new camper.

Here's the specs:
GVWR 7000LBS
Dry 5040LBS
Hitch 685LBS

I know I have 7000LBS towing capacity. When I camp I am mainly doing instate trips. I always travel with the tanks empty and usually just carry, food, clothes, mountain bikes, and maybe firewood.

Is the hitch weight too much? Anyone with a rubicon have experience towing this heavy and with this hitch weight?

DONT

If that is the dry hitch then no. You have only 15 pounds to max hitch and you WILL exceed that as soon as you put anything in the camper. Do not know what your payload is but if it is around 900 pounds, you will only be left with under 200 pounds after hitch and that is maybe one man and no cargo at all.

Also everyone focuses on the max one can tow and the trailer GVWR. Please dont. Pay attention to the tongue weight and the axle capacities and your payload. Figure out everything going in the truck for camping, put it in the truck and go to a CAT and weigh it. Make sure you got everything distributed for the axles.

That tells you what you have left for everything that sits on the tongue before maxing out. Do not use the dry tongue on the RV ad as that is WITHOUT anything in the camper. Tanks wont be empty when you leave camping before you dump. Account for that.

Bascially go the other way. Figure out passengers and cargo you will have and the remaining is the max tongue you can carry. My guess is two people will put you at350 ish. That leaves what? 550 for tongue and all cargo? Put a couple things in truck and you have 500 at max for tongue? That leaves you with a 5000 lb GVWR to tow.

Remember IF you exceed tongue that is illegal and any and all harm crash or even rolling your vehicle will be civilly liable AND your insurance will not cover it.

I have a max tow and I would never get a trailer with 685 on the tongue as dry. Hell I would not even get a 600 tongue. We are looking at one with a 490 dry tongue because it will most like end up at 600ish when loaded.

 

[jeventures]

I’ve a lot of towing experience with everything from old ford rangers to modern 1 tons and class b work trucks. I agree with all the guys who suggesting you go with a smaller camper for a better and safer experience.

 

[Summitsearcher]

All jokes aside I don't tow much I sold my camper a couple years ago but when I go to buy something like this I always ask myself what would Chuck Norris do????

Ole Chuck Norris would pull a 40’ 5th wheel without trailer brakes Through the Sierra Nevadas in the winter. Because you know, that’s how Chuckie does things. No worries, McGyver is his co pilot.

 

[WILDHOBO]

As someone who tows with our ‘21 rubicon with the same 7k capacity, hell no. If you want to tow it in town and it has amazing brakes, fine. But good luck on the highway. Genuinely, I’m not being a jerk. Our trailer is approximately 3k fully loaded, and I have no problems, but don’t win any races uphill.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I just pulled a 3400lbs camper and I wouldn’t go much bigger than that. With the brake controller it would push and pull me almost at every light. It got really annoying. I did have a crappy controller from autzone though so a better one might help.

It's not just weight, it's the frontage of the camper as well. the chart in the book, if anyone bothers even reading any more, tells of the max frontage area as well.

Was yours single axle? IMO, single is more difficult. I've had both type and would never go back to single axle with a light truck - but that's just me...................
I've got the MOPAR brake controller - no issues. I've also run the REDARC controllers, no issues there, either.

 

[berb]

No, because you will be over your limit every time you go camping.
No, because if you get into an accident even if it is not your fault you will be found to be at fault because you exceeded your tow capacity limit.
No, because yeah sure your Gladiator can physically pull that weight, but it is the strain on the drive train and wear and tear on the transmission to do it. Over time you will have issues.
No, because what people forget it is not about towing, but about breaking! Too much weight and the truck will need a lot more space to stop.

And in referencing Gren71; there is a HUGE difference between 6,000lbs and 7,000lbs.
Gren no one should have told you not to get your camper.

ALL OF US SHOULD BE TELLING BDoerr54 NOT TO GET THIS TRAILER!

I sold trailers for a few years and we always advised people to buy a camper 1,000lbs below their max to account for all of the stuff they put into their camper and truck beds. Very few people carry an extra 1,000lbs of stuff with them when they go camping. (exception = people who put golf carts in the back of their trucks and tow a trailer)

Good luck and stay safe!

 

[Ferg]

I’m going to agree that I wouldn’t tow that TT. I have a JTR and pull a <5k# TT. I think you’d be both miserable and unsafe pulling something as heavy as you’re proposing with that much hitch weight.

 

[Gren71]

How are yall going on about this guy “going over his weight” ?

his jtr pulls 7,000 max

the camper is 5,040 dry

he already said he doesn’t ride with full tanks…

are you all just assuming hes going cram 1,960lbs of goodies and beer into this thing?

at most he’ll probably pack in a couple hundred pounds of food and such and the camper its self will be around 5,500-5,750. Stil well below his max and even below the normal 1,000 below max suggestion.

the tongue is a little high but as long as hes smart and doesn’t over load his cargo capacity from the B pillar sticker he will be fine.

I didn’t check the op’s TT dimensions but the frontal area is a big concern and shouldn’t be over looked. Living by example my TT is close, not over, my max frontal and pulls right along behind me.

a WDH is a must, our manual even says that. So is a break controller.

Reading through this thread is wild. Like you folks forget its a truck and can do truck stuff…its not just a wrangler with a max 3,600 that looks like a pooping dog with a uhaul on it haha

we all do what we think is safe. But if the numbers match up and the OP feels good the sky isnt going to fall. Stick to the numbers and what the manual says your truck can do.

 

[WILDHOBO]

People with lots of towing experience will say this is a bad idea. People with way less experience might say yes. That should about cover it.

 

[Snake Eyes]

No, because you will be over your limit every time you go camping.
No, because if you get into an accident even if it is not your fault you will be found to be at fault because you exceeded your tow capacity limit.
No, because yeah sure your Gladiator can physically pull that weight, but it is the strain on the drive train and wear and tear on the transmission to do it. Over time you will have issues.
No, because what people forget it is not about towing, but about breaking! Too much weight and the truck will need a lot more space to stop.

And in referencing Gren71; there is a HUGE difference between 6,000lbs and 7,000lbs.
Gren no one should have told you not to get your camper.

ALL OF US SHOULD BE TELLING BDoerr54 NOT TO GET THIS TRAILER!

I sold trailers for a few years and we always advised people to buy a camper 1,000lbs below their max to account for all of the stuff they put into their camper and truck beds. Very few people carry an extra 1,000lbs of stuff with them when they go camping. (exception = people who put golf carts in the back of their trucks and tow a trailer)

Good luck and stay safe!

Agree. We use the rule of never have a trailer where the GVWR is more than 80% of your max. Keeps you in the safety zone. Also @ShadowsPapa is right about the frontal area. Many people forget that. There are so many things that go into whether you should tow something besides “this is the max I can tow or gee the dry hitch is under my max”.

 

[DCPHOENIX]

I'll throw my two cents in here.

I drove Phoenix - Houston - Phoenix - Houston - Little Rock - Houston -Little Rock in just under 11 days.

I did it towing a 20ft long (tongue to back of trailer) dual axle utility trailer that weighed roughly 5700lbs at its heaviest. The truck bed was nearly empty, interior of the cab had me, dog and about 300lbs of gun stuff. Frontal area was lower than the roof of the Gladiator. It was wider than the Gladiator by roughly 1ft either side.
Load was covered tightly with tarps. Essentially a big rectangular cube.
I measured the tongue weight at 600lbs.

I was probably overweight.

Gladiator was fine for the thousands of miles I did.

HOWEVER

It is not a comfortable tow vehicle for long trips. It is noisy, the seat gets uncomfortable and there's nowhere to rest your left arm.

My mpg's were around 14.5. Not bad but man the engine is noisy (you'll be pushing the rpms).

Crossing NM in 40mph crosswinds was not fun. I wouldn't have wanted to tow something higher sided, with less weight.

If I was going to buy a camper, personally, I'd be looking at something on the smaller side. I do think the Gladiator is a perfectly capable tow vehicle, its just not the best

 

[Jeep-A-Kneez]

Best NOT to put yourself and your equipment in question. Plain and simple, a safety hazard. If you like and choose to keep your truck, then I would eye something 500 to 1k lbs lighter. If you're dead set on the camper you're looking at, then you need to step up to a 1/2 ton truck.

Good luck

 

[kevman65]

How are yall going on about this guy “going over his weight” ?

his jtr pulls 7,000 max

the camper is 5,040 dry

he already said he doesn’t ride with full tanks…

are you all just assuming hes going cram 1,960lbs of goodies and beer into this thing?

at most he’ll probably pack in a couple hundred pounds of food and such and the camper its self will be around 5,500-5,750. Stil well below his max and even below the normal 1,000 below max suggestion.

the tongue is a little high but as long as hes smart and doesn’t over load his cargo capacity from the B pillar sticker he will be fine.

I didn’t check the op’s TT dimensions but the frontal area is a big concern and shouldn’t be over looked. Living by example my TT is close, not over, my max frontal and pulls right along behind me.

a WDH is a must, our manual even says that. So is a break controller.

Reading through this thread is wild. Like you folks forget its a truck and can do truck stuff…its not just a wrangler with a max 3,600 that looks like a pooping dog with a uhaul on it haha

we all do what we think is safe. But if the numbers match up and the OP feels good the sky isnt going to fall. Stick to the numbers and what the manual says your truck can do.

I guarantee no one on this Board has a JTR that says 7000 on the sticker. It's a Unicorn, it's a stripped down, bare bones Rubicon with an automatic. Bet my lunch none have been manufactured.

Be willing to bet his sticker says something like 6250 pounds max.

The biggest problem is the payload, he's already given the tongue weight as 685 pounds and that's BEFORE he factors in the WDH and anti sway bars. He's already over max tongue weight EMPTY. With a payload limit of 1200 pounds, he can put his family in the truck and nothing else.

As I keep harping on and no one wants to listen because "I've always done it this way" you HAVE to do the math.

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