Gladiator is crap for towing

[ChrisNLA]

Let's face it, you don't buy a Gladiator for it's superior towing capabilities, no matter what the Max Tow guys proclaim. It's a midling option for towing, and pretty much everybody knows that if you're planning on doing more towing than off-roading, you should probably go with a more powerful option.

I'm sure that the ire of the Max Tow fanboys will be unleashed on me now.

Nah - I have a Max Tow and still feel they are not great for towing. If I was pulling anything larger than a riding mower or the occasional furniture on an open trailer, I'd probably be in a full size.

The higher payload capacity, 4.10 gears and wider axles ain't bad though. That was my primary reason...

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[Stuntman Mike]

Maybe I wrote this already 10 times.

I am extremely satisfied with the towing capacity of my Gladiator (without max tow package).

 

[Dave D]

Hi all,
I have come to the conclusion that my Gladiator is crap for towing.
6 months ago, we travelled to California from Florida. 2600 miles. averaged about 350 miles a day towing 3500lb travel trailer (ultra light weight).
55MPH average. The ride was good .
When we got there trailer unhooked, that's when I found that the suspension was not right. It was like being in a boat.
So moving on.......... we were there 6 months. Sold the trailer.
December 2023 we moved back to Florida towing 'on a dolly' my wife's Hyandai Veloster. Not a heavy car by any means.
About 600 miles from home after travelling 2000 miles, I could feel the transmission struggling.
We made it home and I took the Jeep to dealer. They inspected and found transmission to be failing.
Thankfully it is under warranty so it is being replaced. My jeep has only done about 55k miles.
So after 55K miles the 1st and only times we have towed the transmission is done as well as the suspension.

I thought I would just post this to see if anyone has any input or has experienced similar issues.

(When i get it back from dealer I will be putting upgraded suspension on, but I don't want to lift it).
Happy days

TFL just did an indepth review of how modifying your truck can affect towing. Surprised how lifting can and bigger tires make a differance to the payload and towing capacity and coolin

 

[NVjeff]

TFL just did an indepth review of how modifying your truck can affect towing. Surprised how lifting can and bigger tires make a differance to the payload and towing capacity and coolin

Who or what is TFL? Can you post a link?

I bought my JT for truck duties, I had intended to install a mild lift and bigger tires.
When I began to read about the towing test to get the rating (even though I have no intent of towing at that weight, in that heat) I decided to leave it stock.

I had noticed the impact of AT tread vs. highway tread on mileage in the past. I plan on doing some traveling with this truck and every MPG helps.

I also prefer the tires stay in the fenders, I'm sort of stuck with factory rims.

 

[Koolcarguy]

I have not had any issues like what you have described here and have towed right under the legal limit….. and it does fine at 65-70mph… (terrible diesel motor though, and has a different transmission than the gas powered. - could be apples to oranges comparison.)


Just curious, if your Jeep is the one in your avatar photo, any of the transmission slipping issues be associated with lack of cooling/air flow? - did you monitor trans temps while towing?

also looks like 37’s? And Heavy black rhino wheels…. Did you re-gear to compensate for losses power due to increased rotational mass? (Also could add to the transmission heat.)

I have also towed alot with 37's but (I to have that diesel motor) but no issues going 75 mph will get warm if I push it on a steep incline but flat no issues

 

[ShadowsPapa]

TFL just did an indepth review of how modifying your truck can affect towing. Surprised how lifting can and bigger tires make a differance to the payload and towing capacity and coolin

I have to smile, almost laugh, as I've been stating that same thing for at least 2 years here, and long ago even posted a link to a young fellow who was explaining it all, even with a whiteboard. He was addressing "truck people" - like the full-size Ford and Chevy people who liked to jack their trucks up, put on mud tires, whatever, but every single thing he talked about applies to any truck with mods.
TFL does it and people are saying gee, look, TFL says it.
Surprised?
OK, but I've been talking it for years.
I'm really baffled as to why anyone would be surprised - maybe because it flies in the face of what Jeep people claim.

 

[NVjeff]

I have to smile, almost laugh, as I've been stating that same thing for at least 2 years here, and long ago even posted a link to a young fellow who was explaining it all, even with a whiteboard. He was addressing "truck people" - like the full-size Ford and Chevy people who liked to jack their trucks up, put on mud tires, whatever, but every single thing he talked about applies to any truck with mods.
TFL does it and people are saying gee, look, TFL says it.
Surprised?
OK, but I've been talking it for years.
I'm really baffled as to why anyone would be surprised - maybe because it flies in the face of what Jeep people claim.

I believe it was you that posted up a 2 mpg loss with a slightly wider AT tire.
That helped me determine to keep the stock size and tread on my truck.

MPG's equate to heat and tow capacity.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Who or what is TFL? Can you post a link?

I bought my JT for truck duties, I had intended to install a mild lift and bigger tires.
When I began to read about the towing test to get the rating (even though I have no intent of towing at that weight, in that heat) I decided to leave it stock.

I had noticed the impact of AT tread vs. highway tread on mileage in the past. I plan on doing some traveling with this truck and every MPG helps.

I also prefer the tires stay in the fenders, I'm sort of stuck with factory rims.

Poking tires out does multiple things - besides the obvious increase in drag, and so on - it impacts steering stability. Oh, I know, the hard core guys will swear it can't matter because "Jeeps are made to modify". Sure, but not like that where you go outside of the engineering.
You impact steering stability, braking stability, bump steer, and more. Get into an emergency situation and you may come to understand.
"But my truck feels so much better with these tires and wheels and my 3" lift".
Sure, ok, but get into identical situations where you need control and handling and braking performance - I win.

There's big reasons Jeep paired up the weights, heights, widths, ratios, tire size, etc. for the tow ratings they did. They had to compromise to get those numbers.
Anything you do takes it outside of that box.

 

[Timoleon]

I feel the Gladiator will tow up to (in my case) 5500 pounds. There is a cost. The motor doesn't make a lot of torque so any load (wind or hills) have great impact while trying to maintain 65 or better. The truck never ever sees 8th gear and rarely 7th. I am ok with that knowing the torque generated. I have foregone putting larger tires because of it. I was losing a bit of sleep knowing that I am burning the edge of reliability and durability on this vehicle. So much so that I decided to get a new tow specific vehicle and reliability was the main reason. I picked up a 24 Tundra. Much better at towing and I got rid of the Jeep Wrangler the wife had (as a trade in offering).

So, back to 2 pick up trucks. But the wife is happy she is back in a Tundra (she hated that I traded the 2018 Tundra).

Now I can put 35's on the truck and enjoy only having to tow the toys on a flatbed. Leave the towing of bricks to the Tundra.

 

[NVjeff]

The Max Tow package is the only way I could convince myself that I can get by with the 5' box on the JT. I don't always need the cargo capacity but when I do I can grab the cargo trailer and know the truck will handle it.
Anything that takes away from the towing capacity reduces the usefulness of the truck, to me.

 

[Brokenpinata]

My 21 Overland M/T with factory tow does a good enough job for me, but I only really pull my sea-doos to and from the lake (about 2200lbs wet w/ gear). I am in western PA, so there are some decent inclines to contend with, but I never have to drop below 4th gear doing about 55-60.

 

[rubicon4wheeler]

Your Gladiator has one of the best automatic transmissions ever produced, which is why it's used by so many different car and truck manufacturers from all around the world. Your tranny's issues are not due to your mods, and are not due to your use of it for towing; its failure is an anomaly which it would have suffered regardless of whether it was installed in a Jeep, BMW, Audi, Range Rover, Chrysler, Ram, Dodge, Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Volkswagen, Porsche, Jaguar, Bentley, Aston Martin, Toyota, or any of the other vehicles it could have wound up in after leaving the ZF factory.

With that said, the Gladiator is the best sub-fullsize truck for towing, but your mods have not done anything to help its performance. You also need to pick the right tool for the job; a 1-ton dually is the optimal trailering pickup truck setup, but it comes with a lot of sacrifices. I picked and modified my Gladiator for optimal performance in two diametrically opposed purposes: towing and offroading. That's all I use it for. I could go in depth with the details of and reasoning for each vehicle modification I've made, but suffice it to say that it excels in both areas but there are of course single-purpose vehicles that outperform it in both disciplines. Every vehicle is a compromise, but your failing transmission is not due to its use towing.

The Gladiator is absolutely NOT "crap for towing." You can certainly improve its performance as a tow vehicle if you re-evaluate your choice of modifications.

 

[Reddog]

Hi all,
I have come to the conclusion that my Gladiator is crap for towing.
6 months ago, we travelled to California from Florida. 2600 miles. averaged about 350 miles a day towing 3500lb travel trailer (ultra light weight).
55MPH average. The ride was good .
When we got there trailer unhooked, that's when I found that the suspension was not right. It was like being in a boat.
So moving on.......... we were there 6 months. Sold the trailer.
December 2023 we moved back to Florida towing 'on a dolly' my wife's Hyandai Veloster. Not a heavy car by any means.
About 600 miles from home after travelling 2000 miles, I could feel the transmission struggling.
We made it home and I took the Jeep to dealer. They inspected and found transmission to be failing.
Thankfully it is under warranty so it is being replaced. My jeep has only done about 55k miles.
So after 55K miles the 1st and only times we have towed the transmission is done as well as the suspension.

I thought I would just post this to see if anyone has any input or has experienced similar issues.

(When i get it back from dealer I will be putting upgraded suspension on, but I don't want to lift it).
Happy days

What is all that stuff on the pic accompanying your comment? What does all that stuff weigh? That grille treatment affects air intake to the radiator for sure. Jeeps are about as aerodynamic as a shipping grate and anything you put in front of that grille opening affects air intake and cooling. I have done a bunch of tests and documented how air flow thru the grille is affected. Minor changes to the Gladiator can affect it's operation in subtle ways. So I'll just say this; a Gladiator is NOT a full size pickup, not in any way. Towing is a generic term and has infinite meanings. Towing in the mountains is far different than on flat lands. Towing off road while overlanding is different as well. The amount of air going thru your grille at slow speeds is far different than at highway speeds. The biggest threat to a Jeep engine in my opinion is heat due to marginal cooling. So towing with added heat affects the life of a transmission as well as the engine. A Gladiator is not an all-around truck and people need to remember that when buying one. I use mine for a variety of uses and tow my 2,000 boat with it on mountain roads with no problems. I would never tow anything close to its design max though.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Jeeps are about as aerodynamic as a shipping grate

I've been trying to get some numbers on that, but so far this is the closest I can find -

So i can't really say if it's as aerodynamic as a shipping crate or not.

 

[Jaxmax]

First off Bugout, your truck looks great not my cup of tea but the whole setup with cap and all looks good.
, the fact you did it all yourself is great!
The Gladiator is a midsize truck my Mojave is rated at 6,000 maximum like most all the other trims when equipped the tow package, other the Max Tow and Rubicon. I am happier with the way my Gladiator handles my camper then I was with my suburban , other then power. The most I tow is about 5,000 lbs. with a boat and 4100 with my camper and that is it, would not go more and I have a narrow , aero shaped camper and would tow no more then that. Your gladiator might suck at towing but you towed a lot with it and that might have nothing to do with your transmission failing, perhaps larger tires on 3.73,gears doesn’t help and other then perhaps blocking some airflow with your custom grill I don’t see the mods as a big issue either. Get the tranny fixed and enjoy the ride, looking at your Glady I don’t see a couple like you two driving a regular pickup……Jack

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