Help! Buying a Travel Trailer and need help with weight/size of trailer to buy

[PNWGladiator]

I have a stock 2021 Gladiator Willy’s automatic 3.6L with the factory Towing Package. My owners manual says my truck has a tow capacity of 6000lbs.

I’m looking to buy a travel trailer and have narrowed it down to 2 options but I’d like some help in what you all think is doable.

I will be running a WDH and the Curt Echo Bluetooth Trailer Brake controller

option 1 4700 dry weight 29 footer dual axle no slide out

option 2 5700 dry weight 30 footer dual axle with 1 slide out

Option #2 really provides my family with the space/features we prefer but I’m worried I’d be pushing it with the weight. We only plan Short distance trips, under 200 miles and won’t be hauling much in the trailer, if anything.

Your thoughts and input are much appreciated!

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[Blade1668]

Something to think about before deciding on the trailer is how much stuff your family will add to the total weight food, clothes, camp gear, water gray and black water, propane tanks.
Some travel trailers don't include the water and propane tank weight.
Things like that is why I got my Scamp 16ft when I did it was under my LJ max capacity for towing (5000 lbs) around 3500 leaving 1500 lbs of leeway. I never had a problem pulling or stopping. I know I had my LJ loaded up close to rated max capacity a few times. I might have been over a few times too pulling it and my 4 wheeler on its trailer behind it. (Short distance, restricted access roads and low speed)
A friend of mine tows a fairly large T.T. with his Rubicon JT him, wife and dogs spent about a month traveling with theirs from N. AL to PA. then Tx around and back. But not traveling with much extra gear.

 

[Blade1668]

And check the links below your thread.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/towing-first-travel-trailer-with-gladiator.33024/

 

[Joekapi]

You absolutely do not want a trailer that is within 300lbs of your towing capacity with its dry weight alone. The general recommendation is stay within 80% of your capacity at full load.

Your willys may not even be able to handle the hitch weight of a trailer that size. Option A is the only option. And even that isn’t a great option if you’re already at 4700 dry.

 

[sarguy1941]

As said in another post figure all your stuff your going to add. Dry weight is the trailer before anything (no propane, no water, no spare tire, no "optional TV", etc). I tell folks to add 1000#'s to any dry weight by the time you put stuff in it. Also remember your tow rating is based on driver only. No wife, kids, Dogs, camp wood, chairs bikes.....I could go on....

 

[iadslgladiator]

Both of those will end up over weight by the time you load them and your truck up. You need to be under 4k dry weight to start with.

My opinion doesn't really matter as its your rig but FWIW....... I'm sure you can set it up to get it down the road with weight distribution hitch and some other mods but I cant imagine it will pull either one of those comfortably.

Not that you asked but, this is the trailer I found that seems to be a nice fit for the gladiator and still has nice size and features for a family and won't break the bank either. Salem 178BHSKX.

 

[NGNERD]

I would recommend reviewing your payload sticker on the door. You usually run out of payload before you run out of tow capacity in my opinion. 15% of trailer weight, on average is your tongue weight and when resting on your hitch takes away from payload, then people and gear take away from payload as well as the WDH. It adds up quick. You can put all gear in the trailer preferably on or just forward of the axles, not behind to help prevent sway. Enjoy the camping

 

[Jaxmax]

Your rating is 6,000 pounds with the 3.73 axle ratio, and my Mojave with the 4.10 axle ratio is rated for the same 6,000 pounds, and I will never atempt to tow that amount. You might not have experiance towing, but your vehicle will drive very different, properly set up brakes and hitch make stopping ok, the trailers you are looking at must be 8 foot wide, compared to your six foot wide jeep, you will not be able to see down sides of trailer to merge out into traffic with out getting add on towing mirrors. You need to add at least a thousand pounds to your dry weight, I know you say you aren't taking anything along, but food ,clothing ,dishes, trailer accesories , and chairs are all things that we take for granted as nothing. There are guys on here towing up to 40' with sport max tow models , rated for 7,650 pounds, and that looks sketchy. Short 200 mile trips sound short until you pull out with the trailer, not going on any hills will make things much better. I do have a 5,000 pound Whaler, 4500 pound travel trailer, and am looking to downsize now that I don't have a V-8 truck tow vehicle., My ideal camper is 3,000 lbs. or less, seven foot wide max, will not be killing my jeep and perhaps get ok mileage for towing.....Jack

 

[eaglerugby04]

Unless you already own it I would strongly recommend against the echo. I have hit a few sketchy situations where I was being pushed by the trailer on a downhil and used the manual button to balance things out. Relying on my phone and bluetooth is not the way I would want to go. Get the redarc, trust me.

 

[brianinca]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/curt-echo-manual-override-button.38906/

Works perfectly.

Unless you already own it I would strongly recommend against the echo. I have hit a few sketchy situations where I was being pushed by the trailer on a downhil and used the manual button to balance things out. Relying on my phone and bluetooth is not the way I would want to go. Get the redarc, trust me.

 

[kelkolb]

I'll reiterate what others have said. Both of those are really too much for your Gladiator. Here's a rough breakdown

Wife and two kids (average weights here not knowing ages, body types etc) - 400 lbs
Fresh water tank - 8lb/gal, let's say 40 gal = 320 lbs
propane - 100 lbs
Gear/food/clothes etc - 300-500 lbs

That's an extra 1200+ lbs. With the 4700 lb dry weight trailer you're already at your limit and this isn't even a great tow vehicle, let alone when you're at your limit. Personally, I wouldn't go over about 5,000 lbs loaded. That would lead to a roughly 3800 lb dry weight trailer.

I have a Max Tow (7650lb tow rating) and I'm only looking at a 20 footer with a 3500 lb dry weight.

 

[eaglerugby04]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/curt-echo-manual-override-button.38906/

Works perfectly.

Thats pretty cool. Changes my views on the entire thing. Nicer than having to drill a hole

 

[White Jeep]

I have a Curt Echo and had it up and running in 15 min. So far, works great. Have I-Phone mounted on a window suction mount and the App is open and running right in front of me. Gladiator + 16' Airstream. Agree with ALL on this post both trailers are too much. Even with my 16' Airstream with a 3500 lb dry weight (but with full Propane tank and batteries) and a max GVWR of 4,300 lbs, my tong weight is 560 lbs (25% water, no black or gray and lightly loaded)

I am pushing my "Pay Load" sticker on my door of 1035 lbs on my Overland. EACH truck has a different Pay Load number on the Federal door sticker. Pay Load is really effected by the tong wight, which comes off the Pay Load. Bob

 

[horrocks007]

We own a 2021 Jayco 184bs, it has a slide out dining area, bunk beds etc. Pretty compact, but really nice trailer for what it weights and has. We tow it with a 5000#/1600Pay Load rated SUV. Worth checking out anyway.

I'd be pulling this behind a Willy's Gladiator Diesel if I can get one.

 

[Labswine]

Just bought a 27' Vantage Sonic. 4700 unloaded, will be about 5100 loaded. Tow rating 6000 lbs? I think it's more than that but I digress. Antisway bars, electronic braking will go along way. I have an Overland, tow package, not the Max tow. So, in light of all that, I'm about 83% of towing capacity.

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