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First time towing

ShadowsPapa

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The MPG apparently sucks towing with these - on the other hand, even though my Silverado would do far better MPG towing than the JT ever would, the empty MPG is quite a bit better with Gladiator than some trucks, so I guess it's a trade-off.
You've got a sail in the wind with the frontage, so I guess it figures it wants to hold gears, sensing the torque.

NICE setup and you've got it sitting great.
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brianinca

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Did you have a lot of uphill or something? I don't recollect ever seeing 5000 rpm after pulling on to the freeway, 55-62 showed 11-13 MPG once I got to 5th and 6th. Even with 350 lb of water / 60 lb propane you should have been under 4K.

Passing trucks at 72 mph sure cost fuel mileage but was easy and didn't feel sketchy in any way.

Watch out for headwinds is what I'm thinking, no ice for me thank you!

I just picked up my new Geo Pro 19FBTH front bedroom toy hauler yesterday! Just got home from a 624 mile ride home through heavy wind, snow, ice and rain!

I have the equalizer 4 point WDH. Very smooth ride with mine!

My Mojave did great! Suspension and handling wise. Burned a lot of gas though and did not like to hold a taller gear. Constantly had to do a manual up shift because it would just hold at very high RPM’s and not shift. It would just sit at 5K or higher forever if you let it. MPG’s sucked @ 8.9 average. Trailer weighs 3441lbs empty with 548lbs Tongue weight. 31 gallon water tank was full as well as the two propane tanks.

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Gren71

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I was getting 10-12mpg on flat road and holding in 5th or 6th gear pretty easily.

As I watch more about WDH setup I believe that I may need to invert my shank, like Ocotillo boy's is, in order to move the tongue of the trailer up a little before its completed lowered onto the ball. That is supposed to allow for the trailer to sit more level once the weight is completely on the WDH.



Great video incase anyone was looking for one!
 

Ocotillo Boy

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Did you have a lot of uphill or something? I don't recollect ever seeing 5000 rpm after pulling on to the freeway, 55-62 showed 11-13 MPG once I got to 5th and 6th. Even with 350 lb of water / 60 lb propane you should have been under 4K.

Passing trucks at 72 mph sure cost fuel mileage but was easy and didn't feel sketchy in any way.

Watch out for headwinds is what I'm thinking, no ice for me thank you!
Yes. Lot of hills and lot’s of wind. Got it in Utah. Was driving much faster than I normally would in California otherwise I would get splattered by semi trucks doing 80 plus. By the time I got to California after midnight I was tired and just kept jamming. Next weekend is my first trip going to Ocotillo Well’s so I’ll be doing 55-62 tops. This will give me a better idea.
 

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I suspect a lot of bounce could be too heavy on the tongue, I think you have WDH, that should eliminate this though. Is the trailer level when hooked up?
That was my first thought, or not enough making it light.
 

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Gren71

Gren71

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Burton79

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ShadowsPapa

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The trailer is not light, but if you have the wt in the trailer to far back it will lift up at the front.
Yeah, not enough weight on the tongue it will be balanced on the trailer axles and tend to bounce or rock. Enough weight and the front stays down.
 

Keyser_Soze

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Yeah, not enough weight on the tongue it will be balanced on the trailer axles and tend to bounce or rock. Enough weight and the front stays down.
@ShadowsPapa, I PM’d you awhile back. Would you mind checking your messages and giving me your feedback? ?
 

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Gren71

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Yeah, not enough weight on the tongue it will be balanced on the trailer axles and tend to bounce or rock. Enough weight and the front stays down.

Very interesting! The main storage compartment is under a bed in the front section of the camper. So i can see that being a factor.


I ordered a couple bubble levels today to help me figure out where I sit once its attached
 

eaglerugby04

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Very interesting! The main storage compartment is under a bed in the front section of the camper. So i can see that being a factor.


I ordered a couple bubble levels today to help me figure out where I sit once its attached
It helps to use that one the most. I made the mistake of being organized my first trip. Second trip I tossed random things there and a spare propaine tank in there for the lulz. I noticed a better ride. But honestly part of it just was being more used to it and the size, you just don't feel it as much if that makes sense.
 

MrJeep

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It is very easy for you to do a test:
put some heavy things in the front of the trailer and see if the bounce goes away. I always err on the side of maxing out tounge weight, it always seems to pull better.
 

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Not a tow guy but learned two things: a jeep climbs rocks and gullies, it's much more nimble than a truck built to tow, so it is going to feel the road, the weight, differently than a more standard pickup; get someone who tows all the time to drive your rig, watching their pre-drive walk around, what they check for and why, how they sit in the seat, tilt their head listening for this and that, what they do with their feet and hands during shifts. All of that might help you get a feel for what ... Else ... you can do that other trucks can't. I've seen jeeps with trailers at the top of the bottom of a lot of places where nobody else dared get to

Jeep Gladiator First time towing d51d5176176ca3548b570e6547c2e48f
 

brianinca

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I zip-tied two 45 lb plates to the front of my Jeep trailer for exactly this reason. Even a really light trailer (behind a YJ) can make things VERY uncomfortable without enough tongue weight!

It is very easy for you to do a test:
put some heavy things in the front of the trailer and see if the bounce goes away. I always err on the side of maxing out tounge weight, it always seems to pull better.
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