Gladiator Long distance heavy tow review

[PyrPatriot]

800 pounds in the box, 700 pounds tongue weight (I'll bet that much because uhaul has the cars clean to the front, a light-assed car will be close to 3/4 of the weight ahead of the center of the axles). Let's be nice and say 400 in the cab. He said 500 with driver and tools and boxes. 1900-2000 pounds payload. At least.

That little Rubicon was more than maxed out on payload. Isn't the basic Rubicon payload 1250 or something like that? So it's already maxed out payload-wise before the trailer was hooked up.
Towing likely close to the 7,000 pound limit.
Very good thing those trailers have the surge brakes! That's a heck of a lot of trailer weight back there to run no brakes.
Wow.

I wonder what the effects on the vehicle are. In my limited experience vehicles can certainly exceeds their oem numbers but usually at a significant wear cost

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[PyrPatriot]

I got 1300 ish

brings me back to the point of the video, whatever Weight you want to use, it was maxed out and point being made, no issues, no problems, drove and handled like a champ. hills, long grades,mountains with snow, crazy winds.

Thank you for sharing. Wonder what it looked like weighted down like that before you hit the road

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wonder what the effects on the vehicle are. In my limited experience vehicles can certainly exceeds their oem numbers but usually at a significant wear cost

Yes........ it can. You add wear to all of the drive train (differential gears, etc. - but that's not usually impacted until the next owner finds heavy wear at 100.000 miles) but the real things that can go are wheel and axle bearings, brakes, tires, engines due to the load and heat on the oil and internals.
Most folks won't notice while they own the vehicle, the real issue is if it's traded at say 60,000 miles and the next owner runs into troubles.
I have replaced transmissions that were shot at only 50,000 miles, as well as u-joints and axle bearings. But like I say, most wear is put off and it's not realized until a next owner comes along. Unless the original owner keeps it for 100,000 miles.
One customer fried their transmission twice towing a loaded uhaul trailer from an east coast state into CO. (enclosed trailer maxed out, car loaded with stuff, they were moving and had all their worldly possessions )
And me - LOL - yeah, I maxed out a Jeep towing a camper and boiled the transmission fluid. I know better but still.. knowing and doing aren't always the same. Blew fluid out the dipstick tube and vent.
A person wants to watch the oil temp and transmission temp close when towing, especially in hills, when at or near the max ratings. Oil literally will break down and stop protecting the engine - sometimes losing 30% or more of its ability to protect. Transmission fluid too hot will not lubricate the needle bearings, thrust bearings and clutch pack plates can turn blue.
I'm not saying anything about this example, just what can happen and that I have personally seen in my automotive career.
It's aimed mostly at those looking in - keep watch on the oil temp and transmission temp - learn the break-down temp of the oil you use as various oils can break down sooner than others. Overheated transmission fluid - get it out of there, have it flushed.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thank you for sharing. Wonder what it looked like weighted down like that before you hit the road

Don't try it in an Overland - you've seen pics of mine with less weight on the back.

 

[TennesseePA]

exactly, except the car weight was 3220 before loading. it was bulked out with weight inside and fully loaded up. scale was 68 and change as she was loaded and towed. the point is being missed here as to my review, long distance heavy towing across country, she did great. so call it 6850, call it 5500 call it 4500, I dont care, I know what the weight showed on scale. the point was gladiator was great. the whole trip

I wasn’t trying to call you out or anything and if that was the perception I apologize. I am more of a reader than a video watcher so I didn’t realize that you had the car loaded with stuff too. I was mainly pointing out that those U-Haul trailers are usually stupid heavy. I will offer some unsolicited advice for next time you tow your rig and it’s probably worth what you’re paying for it. Try loading the car on the trailer backwards. In what I did see I noticed that the trailer had a nose heavy rake to it. Even though it worked out great for you I bet it would have been better if the weight was better balanced on the trailer. For any trailer in general but especially on a tandem axle trailer the weight should be balanced above to or just in front of the leading axle. Let the trailer carry your load with just enough front bias and tongue weight to keep the truck planted. I have been towing trailers my whole life and through both training and experience it is the best setup. The attached photos are from the day I picked up my little toy in Ohio and pulled it to Prescott, AZ.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wasn’t trying to call you out or anything and if that was the perception I apologize. I am more of a reader than a video watcher so I didn’t realize that you had the car loaded with stuff too. I was mainly pointing out that those U-Haul trailers are usually stupid heavy. I will offer some unsolicited advice for next time you tow your rig and it’s probably worth what you’re paying for it. Try loading the car on the trailer backwards. In what I did see I noticed that the trailer had a nose heavy rake to it. Even though it worked out great for you I bet it would have been better if the weight was better balanced on the trailer. For any trailer in general but especially on a tandem axle trailer the weight should be balanced above to or just in front of the leading axle. Let the trailer carry your load with just enough front bias and tongue weight to keep the truck planted. I have been towing trailers my whole life and through both training and experience it is the best setup. The attached photos are from the day I picked up my little toy in Ohio and pulled it to Prescott, AZ.

You hit on something I was wondering and even hinted at- the uhaul trailers force the weight of a car on them to be way forward of the axles. I suspect that is on purpose to ensure the tongue weight is enough as you know as most who tow do that if you don't have enough tongue weight, you have sway and other risks. You must have a minimum weight compared to trailer weight. uhaul forces that.
I also wondered about loading the car backwards as front wheel drive and similar cars have all of the weight clear up front.
I found the sweet spots on each of my cars when loaded up and marked my prior trailer accordingly - red paint stripe was where I stopped the front wheel of the Eagle, silver was for the 73 Javelin and green was for the 70 Javelin. Just the right amount of tongue weight, never any sway.

 

[vegasdavetv]

I wasn’t trying to call you out or anything and if that was the perception I apologize. I am more of a reader than a video watcher so I didn’t realize that you had the car loaded with stuff too. I was mainly pointing out that those U-Haul trailers are usually stupid heavy. I will offer some unsolicited advice for next time you tow your rig and it’s probably worth what you’re paying for it. Try loading the car on the trailer backwards. In what I did see I noticed that the trailer had a nose heavy rake to it. Even though it worked out great for you I bet it would have been better if the weight was better balanced on the trailer. For any trailer in general but especially on a tandem axle trailer the weight should be balanced above to or just in front of the leading axle. Let the trailer carry your load with just enough front bias and tongue weight to keep the truck planted. I have been towing trailers my whole life and through both training and experience it is the best setup. The attached photos are from the day I picked up my little toy in Ohio and pulled it to Prescott, AZ.

very good suggestion. I thought about that, but decided against it last minute... do over again and I would back it on as you stated

 

[vegasdavetv]

You hit on something I was wondering and even hinted at- the uhaul trailers force the weight of a car on them to be way forward of the axles. I suspect that is on purpose to ensure the tongue weight is enough as you know as most who tow do that if you don't have enough tongue weight, you have sway and other risks. You must have a minimum weight compared to trailer weight. uhaul forces that.
I also wondered about loading the car backwards as front wheel drive and similar cars have all of the weight clear up front.
I found the sweet spots on each of my cars when loaded up and marked my prior trailer accordingly - red paint stripe was where I stopped the front wheel of the Eagle, silver was for the 73 Javelin and green was for the 70 Javelin. Just the right amount of tongue weight, never any sway.

those uhaul trailers are stupid heavy..lol

 

[vegasdavetv]

Yes........ it can. You add wear to all of the drive train (differential gears, etc. - but that's not usually impacted until the next owner finds heavy wear at 100.000 miles) but the real things that can go are wheel and axle bearings, brakes, tires, engines due to the load and heat on the oil and internals.
Most folks won't notice while they own the vehicle, the real issue is if it's traded at say 60,000 miles and the next owner runs into troubles.
I have replaced transmissions that were shot at only 50,000 miles, as well as u-joints and axle bearings. But like I say, most wear is put off and it's not realized until a next owner comes along. Unless the original owner keeps it for 100,000 miles.
One customer fried their transmission twice towing a loaded uhaul trailer from an east coast state into CO. (enclosed trailer maxed out, car loaded with stuff, they were moving and had all their worldly possessions )
And me - LOL - yeah, I maxed out a Jeep towing a camper and boiled the transmission fluid. I know better but still.. knowing and doing aren't always the same. Blew fluid out the dipstick tube and vent.
A person wants to watch the oil temp and transmission temp close when towing, especially in hills, when at or near the max ratings. Oil literally will break down and stop protecting the engine - sometimes losing 30% or more of its ability to protect. Transmission fluid too hot will not lubricate the needle bearings, thrust bearings and clutch pack plates can turn blue.
I'm not saying anything about this example, just what can happen and that I have personally seen in my automotive career.
It's aimed mostly at those looking in - keep watch on the oil temp and transmission temp - learn the break-down temp of the oil you use as various oils can break down sooner than others. Overheated transmission fluid - get it out of there, have it flushed.

by the way, oil changed before and after trip, checked often, eye on dummy gauges on screen off road button, never got close to dangerous, of course winter temps helped.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

by the way, oil changed before and after trip, checked often, eye on dummy gauges on screen off road button, never got close to dangerous, of course winter temps helped.

You hit on something I was wondering about in the early stages, before I pulled the trigger - power, ability, etc. can that engine and transmission combo handle towing in hills, long grades and so on. Regardless of anything else, you have shown the engine/transmission combo has the guts.

 

[vegasdavetv]

You hit on something I was wondering about in the early stages, before I pulled the trigger - power, ability, etc. can that engine and transmission combo handle towing in hills, long grades and so on. Regardless of anything else, you have shown the engine/transmission combo has the guts.

it absolutely does. no issues

 

[J Redding]

I have been lucky enough to Photograph 4 different ones over the last two yeara.

Bummer - owls are COOL - I've never seen a snowy owl other than on TV (nature shows, etc.) or in captivity. Neat birds, neat hunters.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have been lucky enough to Photograph 4 different ones over the last two yeara.

That is great! What a neat pic. Such interesting birds. We have owls in our area, we're only a mile or less from the Des Moines river near Red Rock, but have not yes seen anything like that. Like it was posing.

 

[DanW]

Great report! It shows the versatility of this truck. Not car. Truck.

 

[aj8544]

Damn... Safety and weight considerations aside- if that mpg is accurate it is remarkable. Ive done alot of towing at similar weight with full size and hd gasser trucks and never seen more than about 12-13mpg tops on highway trips. My current F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost and 10spd doesnt get 15mpg towing my 3000lb boat downhill. 4.10 gears and 8 spd trans must really work well together.

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