Gladiator Sport S Towing Upgrades

[boater2018]

I know you can’t change to legal towing capacity of your Gladiator, so let’s get that out of the way now. Has anyone who bought a non-max tow Gladiator opted to upgrade some parts (gears, springs, shocks, etc) to add support for towing purposes instead of selling/trading theirs for a max tow or full size? If so, what did you do and have you noticed an improvement in towing? Thank you

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[danimal2000]

My camper is about 5k max when loaded. short answer, no haven't changed anything from factory tow page (not max tow)

However I'm considering air bags and maybe sumo springs just to help the back sag and some of the bounciness.

But we've gone quite a ways without, more of just ride comfort. I've been very happy with the gladiator overall, i just don't ask it to do too much.

 

[bd100]

Raised tire pressures to carry the extra load of the trailer hitch weight plus any cargo all at highway speed in summer heat. Touch the tires and compare front to back. If the back is noticeably warmer, add air.

LT-E tires and Bilstein shocks for tighter handling. A single Moab and Colorado trip wore out the stock shocks. The original soft highway tires were scary to consider on the Colorado rocks. Came back with bash marks all over the sidewalls of the LT-Es, but they held. And I had to have them at 50PSI to carry the cargo and trailer hitch weight. Getting too warm at 40. The better shocks help with the trailer bouncing around the back of the truck. The stiffer tires and shocks also help with the cross winds when passing big rigs, emergency handling, etc.

The back was sagging so I got some Timbren SES rubber bump stop helper springs in back. Haven't had a comparable trip yet so don't know how much these will help, but they don't hurt either. Easy to install.

While offroad was crashing against the front bump stops all the time, so replaced those with Timbren "Active Offroad" bumpstops. Wow. You can nail speed bumps and just feel a thump, now. Again, haven't had it offroad since but these will be great. A pain to install.

A practical tip: Don't fill the bunch of water and gas cans until you are actually about to go out into the wilds. No need to haul all that weight up the mountain passes along the way.

For gearing, mine has the stock 3.73s and a 6-speed manual transmission. Going up the mountain passes fully loaded (including all that water!) there were times I could easily wind out 2nd gear but 3rd couldn't hold speed, so I was stuck around 45MPH with the engine near the red line. Changing to 4.10 gears would get me to only 40 before I'd have to hit 3rd gear, but it would have 10% more torque in 3rd so maybe it could have accelerated some more. But maybe not. Maybe I'd be stuck at 40MPH instead of 45MPH! If you have an auto transmission then you get the advantage of less spacing between gears, so maybe yours would have accelerated in 3rd with the same load.

Trailer brake controller. Why can't Jeep include a little path through the dashboard to get the wiring from down below up to the top of the dash? And another path for the GMRS antenna cable. And for a USB cable. And a way through the firewall. Just make a place for these cables to run, please!

Added turn blinkers on those side cowls near the rear view mirrors. You can also purchase several brands of side marker/blinker lights for the "vent" areas a bit lower. Either way, these let people next to you know if you intend to change lanes.

Anyhow, that's most of what I've done so far to improve towing. We only have a small folding trailer, low height and around 2000lb. 16-17 MPG at highway speeds. The trailer has single-axle LT-C tires good for highway speeds, so we aren't limited by the tires to 65MPH. I've hit 75 a few times, usually around 70.

 

[WhereInTarnation]

My 25 has a “gimme” path through the firewall. There’s both a couple inch diameter twist plug and a rubber grommet plug on the drivers side of the brake booster.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Happy with my stock Sport S, with no tow package and no need to tow anymore, I’m here to say if you’re planning on towing anymore amount over 50% or rating, forget about changing anything, except trading in for one with Max Tow to begin with. You won’t be happy with the results changing what you have trying to upgrade. You will end up spending more in mods that trading up. Unless you’re underwater in trade value.

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

Happy with my stock Sport S, with no tow package and no need to tow anymore, I’m here to say if you’re planning on towing anymore amount over 50% or rating, forget about changing anything, except trading in for one with Max Tow to begin with. You won’t be happy with the results changing what you have trying to upgrade. You will end up spending more in mods that trading up. Unless you’re underwater in trade value.

Or unless you don't want an automatic. The manual only has a lower rating because they refused to make a good clutch. Seriously, a twin plate clutch that isn't even rated for 300hp? BS.

 

[boater2018]

One thing about not trading for a max tow, is I tend to think instead of dealing with selling and paying thousands to get a max tow, it might be as good or better to upgrade springs and do a 4:88 or 4:56 gear swap instead of having the 4:10 that the max tow offers. I do wish I would have held out for a max tow, but now that I have a sport s base, money might be better spent on a better gear set and springs. My heavier towing is short hauls during summer to the boat ramp. Haven’t had any high temps. Still debating on getting an older model high mileage full size for what it costs to upgrade some items or trading the jeep for a newer model full size or upgrading a few components to make the short hauls better. Mainly just slow pulling power that I think gears would help with and maybe beefing up the springs. Still thinking through it and trying to decide if I want to part with the jeep, which I really enjoy driving and love to occasionally pull the freedom panels or top this time of year.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Or unless you don't want an automatic. The manual only has a lower rating because they refused to make a good clutch. Seriously, a twin plate clutch that isn't even rated for 300hp? BS.

Have you driven a standard 6 speed? I can’t imagine backing up a travel trailer with a standard. The reverse gear is so high.

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

Have you driven a standard 6 speed? I can’t imagine backing up a travel trailer with a standard. The reverse gear is so high.

I literally daily a JTW 6MT with 3.73s, I'm well aware how tall reverse is. Part of the reason I'm still debating 4.56 vs 4.88 on 34s (255/85r17), between the added gear (inside and out), the area I live (hills, stop/go 0-55), and the fact I do occasionally tow make choosing complicated. Add the fact I may turbo it afterwards I don't want to re-gear twice, or be sluggish.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I had always chosen standard trans back in the daze we had the choice, however that was during the 2,3 or 4 speed automatic transmission choices, so a 4-5 speed made sense. But now that these new 6,7,8,9&10 speed automatic trans are either standard equipment or like in the Gladiator an extra cost option, the performance and smoothness, never mind convenience and efficiency are so much better than the standard trans in any way. Especially with the option in the Jeep 8 speed to manually shift if you want, with the added benefit of choosing to start off from a dead stop in second gear, that’s a bit help in snow and rain to help control wheel spin and jolting starts. Then just flick the lever every 2.000 rpm’s to gain speed.

 

[NC_Overland]

I had always chosen standard trans back in the daze we had the choice, however that was during the 2,3 or 4 speed automatic transmission choices, so a 4-5 speed made sense. But now that these new 6,7,8,9&10 speed automatic trans are either standard equipment or like in the Gladiator an extra cost option, the performance and smoothness, never mind convenience and efficiency are so much better than the standard trans in any way. Especially with the option in the Jeep 8 speed to manually shift if you want, with the added benefit of choosing to start off from a dead stop in second gear, that’s a bit help in snow and rain to help control wheel spin and jolting starts. Then just flick the lever every 2.000 rpm’s to gain speed.

I agree. I’m a manual guy. I had a 6 speed manual JKU Rubicon, because it made a difference in performance, and I buy manual cars when available. However, out application, the 8 speed is much better suited, and has much better performance numbers. You’ll never convince that dude though. I quit engaging in discussions with him. He never stops coming back at you with his counterpoints. lol

 

[Pips_the_JT]

I have a 23 Overland that I put air bags in to stop the butt sag when I tow my sub-compact Kubi TLB - my total weight is just under 5k with it, attachments, the trailer and 15 gallons of fuel. It can be a little stiff if I forget to let some air out when I'm not towing, but other than that, no problems.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

When you say “total weight”, does that mean the trailer or truck?

 

[Pips_the_JT]

When you say “total weight”, does that mean the trailer or truck?

trailer, tractor (loader and backhoe attached) Land Pride 48" PTO mower, Land Pride box scraper, tools, and fuel

 

[boater2018]

Here is a picture showing my boat hitched up and the sag. Should be right at 6000 including trailer, boat, fuel, 2-300 pounds of misc gear

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