Flat Towing another vehicle with Gladiator

[Shopshirt]

I've searched and I'm only coming up with how to flat tow the Gladiator. I need to use my Gladiator Sport Max Tow to flat tow another family member's truck.

Vehicle being towed: 2001 v6 single cab Ram 2wd auto with drive shaft removed curb weight 4022 lbs. I'll be using a tow bar and have magnetic lights. Any tips or suggestions?

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[smlobx]

Will you be able to incorporate the brakes on the Ram?

 

[Shopshirt]

Not able to set up a brake controller

 

[Rahkmalla]

Not able to set up a brake controller

You should never flat tow a vehicle without brakes. As it has no driveshaft, you should be able to dolly tow with 2 wheels in the air as long as the dolly has brakes.

 

[Shopshirt]

You should never flat tow a vehicle without brakes. As it has no driveshaft, you should be able to dolly tow with 2 wheels in the air as long as the dolly has brakes.

Uhaul doesn't have a Dolly that handles any thing higher than 3900lbs and the app won't let me use their car trailer either. Plus I don't think that their dolly has brakes. Below 4500 lbs doesn't require one in Texas.

 

[antwon412]

Then don’t tow it. You can’t do it safely unless you have the requisite equipment.

 

[Mike25]

Find someone you can borrow a brake buddy you put on floorboard of toad that is inertia based and applies the brakes of towed vehicle.

 

[Jefe1018]

Uhaul doesn't have a Dolly that handles any thing higher than 3900lbs and the app won't let me use their car trailer either.

My trailer or dolly + my JT, I wouldn’t hesitate (not flat tow).

Uhaul’s equipment? For a single day pick up and return Uhaul says it’s $85 for a truck and trailer rated to tow your load.

 

[Max-t]

I ran into this same problem with a different vehicle not rated to tow that type of load. I haul computer won’t let you pull beyond the rating so it won’t even rent to you. They suggest a truck and trailer combo. having towed illegally/unwisely extensively for an old job, I didn’t want to overrule their computer. Counter guy suggested getting it delivered.

Turns out I was able to get a “hotshot” type delivery for pretty close to the rental and gas price. They’re quite affordable. And I didn’t have to go anywhere.

 

[Shopshirt]

Thanks for all of the suggestions I'll look into those other options as well.

However, I'm not following the not rated to tow 4k lbs. I just don't have the brake controller. People are towing 4k trailers all day long. If I solve the brake controller issue I don't see why it couldn't flat tow the truck.

 

[Moby]

Question I have - how far are you towing the vehicle? If you’re going 18 miles, can go on lightly travelled secondary highways / roads, and have no issue with lower speeds, do it. If you’re needing to go 900 miles on 75 mph+ Interstate Highways with lots of traffic, then perhaps consider some other method. I’ve towed vehicles using tow dollies without brakes for very long tows over many types of terrain, and have had no issues - but I kept my speed lower and well-managed. There’s much to consider.

 

[sarguy1941]

I personally wouldn't tow it. I have towed my JK (2Door HT) 15 miles home one day when the ignition switch broke at the grocery store. The JK is setup for flat towing as we tow it behind the MH. So tow bar, and supplimental brakes as well as lighting. It towed horrible with my Max Tow. (also towed it with my F150 and same isues)At 30-40 it was ok but as soon as I got to 50 the curves and bumps were pulling the JT around. In hindsight I should have grabbed the trailer and put it on it but it was already loaded with another vehicle. I've flat towed alot of vehicles over the decades with fixed tow bars so I'm not new to doing it. Going very slow with a brake solution (brake buddy) or person in it braking is the way I'd do it only in short trips if needed.

 

[antwon412]

I personally wouldn't tow it. I have towed my JK (2Door HT) 15 miles home one day when the ignition switch broke at the grocery store. The JK is setup for flat towing as we tow it behind the MH. So tow bar, and supplimental brakes as well as lighting. It towed horrible with my Max Tow. (also towed it with my F150 and same isues)At 30-40 it was ok but as soon as I got to 50 the curves and bumps were pulling the JT around. In hindsight I should have grabbed the trailer and put it on it but it was already loaded with another vehicle. I've flat towed alot of vehicles over the decades with fixed tow bars so I'm not new to doing it. Going very slow with a brake solution (brake buddy) or person in it braking is the way I'd do it only in short trips if needed.

That’s an odd experience. I wouldn’t expect that. I towed my TJ about 2000 miles to Moab and back with my Mojave. No WDH. Just the tow bar. No problems at all through any of the mountain passes or flats.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for all of the suggestions I'll look into those other options as well.

However, I'm not following the not rated to tow 4k lbs. I just don't have the brake controller. People are towing 4k trailers all day long. If I solve the brake controller issue I don't see why it couldn't flat tow the truck.

Brake controller in your truck isn't the issue - the issue is braking the truck you would be towing. And that would not use a brake controller in your truck. It would require equipment in the vehicle being towed. Or, a dolly with surge braking, etc.
The idea is that your truck can't stop that much rolling weight.

A brake controller in your JT is only for trailers, not for flat towing.

It's expensive setting up a vehicle to flat tow it properly.

The only way I'd tow it is like I do my cars -on my car hauler.
I could load up a 4,000 pound vehicle and still be under 6,000 pound towing limit, have good brakes on all 4 trailer wheels/both axles and have full control and not need to modify the vehicle I was hauling for someone.
The problem with trying to otherwise brake a vehicle being towed is that last I knew, it wasn't legal for a person to be in a vehicle being towed in many locations, plus, the person in the vehicle being towed would need to anticipate and react only to the brake lights on the tow vehicle, otherwise you could really screw things up.

I'm not a big fan of dolly towing. I've had a flat bed trailer of one type or another over the years and that's the only way I'll haul cars and trucks. Piece of cake that way. Simple load, simple unload, no driveshaft worries, no steering worries, no brake worries. load, strap and go, stop after a few minutes and check all straps and hitch points, continue on.

 

[sarguy1941]

That’s an odd experience. I wouldn’t expect that. I towed my TJ about 2000 miles to Moab and back with my Mojave. No WDH. Just the tow bar. No problems at all through any of the mountain passes or flats.

I would suspect on a flat open highway it would have been better but on the mountain roads that are far from flat it was yanking it all over.

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