I’m having trouble with payload for a RV, help?

[Farmer Fran]

You needed to do your homework. Rubicon has a low payload because of the soft springs. Max tow would have been the one that would have provided you the best towing and a base sport would provide you the best payload capacity.

What's the payload on your sticker?

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[Farmer Fran]

Whoa wait, the control is a push button?

 

[chorky]

Meh, people get too hung up on the number as if the truck will suddenly break in half if you are a bit over. Not saying you should go to 8k weight in the truck, but if you did you wouldn't be the first one to do it either. The axles are rated for 7500 pounds, which in many states is all the legally matters as far as payload is concerned.

Im probably over by 300ish pounds when we tow the 4.6klb camper with 500ish tongue weight, and haven't had an issue.

The problem is not the vehicle and its capabilities despite rated capacities. The problem is liability. If you are involved in a wreck, even if found not at fault, if insurance catches wind of being overweight, they likely will tell you to pound sand in regards to any claims. It is a risk many take, some knowingly, most unknowingly. It's not that the truck can't do it. But, you're putting yourself at risk of being denied any coverage by insurance and having to foot the entire bill of everything yourself. It also opens you up to lawsuits, again for which insurance might tell you to suck it up.

 

[RoamingGladiator]

The problem is not the vehicle and its capabilities despite rated capacities. The problem is liability. If you are involved in a wreck, even if found not at fault, if insurance catches wind of being overweight, they likely will tell you to pound sand in regards to any claims. It is a risk many take, some knowingly, most unknowingly. It's not that the truck can't do it. But, you're putting yourself at risk of being denied any coverage by insurance and having to foot the entire bill of everything yourself. It also opens you up to lawsuits, again for which insurance might tell you to suck it up.

This.

The axles may be rated for 3750lbs EACH but the legality of your payload is stamped on that door. If you have 750lbs of cargo/passengers and a 500 tongue weight, you are legally over the limit of your vehicle. Now like others have said... I'm sure the Gladiator can handle it, but if you're in an accident even if not at fault, the insurance companies will do everything in their power to deny coverage as everyone already knows.

Gladiators aren't known to have a crazy high payload, and the higher the package of the vehicle the less payload normally. Every single thing bolted or on the vehicle is a part of the payload, and the real number that matters is the gross vehicle weight. Will your vehicle snap in half if you go 50 pounds over it? No, but if you have a full cab and hauling a trailer, and then you get into an accident... good luck. That being said, tons of people do this every day and get by fine. Whether you accept the risk or not is up to you. Some places are more lenient on this than others.

Weight savings = increased payload in the end.

 

[Josh00333]

Good advice from Wing.

I would add, go get your truck scaled, full of fuel. Google cat scale a bunch should pop up. That will give you the real weight of your rig.

then deduct stuff and people that leaves you with what’s left for your trailer.

 

[Jaxmax]

What is the dry weight of your camper you say the GVWR is around 5,000 lbs, means you might be at perhaps 3800 pounds or so . Most trailers include full propane tanks in dry weight, you need to add a tank of freshwater , that weight is on the sticker in camper. Then add what you think you will pack in camper . Gladiators are recommended to have a weight distributing hitch at the weight you are talking about.
You are wanting to tow a 5,000 pound camper with a mid size truck, good news is you are looking at campers , so keep looking and see what you can find. I have a Mojave rated to tow, 1,000 pounds less then your Rubicon but have a whole lot more payload then you , yup three pounds, 1129 lbs. We spent a lot of time looking for a camper that fits our needs and the truck, get a narrow camper 7’ or 7’6” instead of the standard 8’. We ended up with a 24’ long , 7’6” wide, single axle camper sort of aero shaped and at 3100lbs. Dry and 4100lvs. GVWR , with a hitch rating of I think 380 pounds.
Camper tows great. …Jack

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You needed to do your homework. Rubicon has a low payload because of the soft springs. Max tow would have been the one that would have provided you the best towing and a base sport would provide you the best payload capacity.

Not really the soft springs as much as the weight of the truck itself and the center of gravity.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Seems this keeps coming up every week............ and yet all of the stuff is in the freakin book.
No one checks this stuff out, buys a truck, then wants to tow a trailer and then complains the truck isn't capable enough.

Payload is on the door sticker.
ANY THING, any person, any object, accessory whatever, comes off that number.
If your family dog weighs 100 pounds and goes with you, subtract 100 from that number.
Trailer TONGUE WEIGHT is what goes against that number, so if that's 500, take that from the number.
If you have added stuff to the bed, subtract that.
If your beer cooler is 100 pounds, subtract that if it's in the truck somewhere.

It's really simple, it's math, it's not complex and Jeep, Ford, GMC and Dodge/RAM have made it stupid simple with that door sticker and the book.
Sorry, but I don't see how it gets so very complicated.

 

[nanook12]

Not really the soft springs as much as the weight of the truck itself and the center of gravity.

I haven’t heard of the Rubicon having soft springs! They don’t feel soft…It does have a heavy diesel engine though.

 

[bleda2002]

The problem is not the vehicle and its capabilities despite rated capacities. The problem is liability. If you are involved in a wreck, even if found not at fault, if insurance catches wind of being overweight, they likely will tell you to pound sand in regards to any claims. It is a risk many take, some knowingly, most unknowingly. It's not that the truck can't do it. But, you're putting yourself at risk of being denied any coverage by insurance and having to foot the entire bill of everything yourself. It also opens you up to lawsuits, again for which insurance might tell you to suck it up.

I'll take my chances, the legality is with the registered state, here my payload is gawr rated I can't get ticketed for being over just the door sticker so I am not breaking any law. If this was commercial it would be a different story as they are rated differently but personal non-commercial use legal limit is your axles in Florida. Legally I'm covered so the insurance has a massive uphill battle if they want to try to deny.

 

[hepcat]

Towing with a JT isn't rocket science. It IS science, however. Set your full rig up properly and carefully. Be circumspect in what you carry/pack/tow, but towing a 5k lbs trailer with your family and necessities with a JT isn't a doomsday scenario. Be judicious in your packing and loading. Don't carry more than you need to. Make sure you have a weight distributing/anti-sway hitch that's set up properly, a brake controller, proper towing mirrors, and load the trailer properly. You'll be fine. The JT isn't a 3/4 ton truck, but neither is it as incompetent a towing vehicle as the numbers might lead you to believe.

You'll find all of the towing/weights information in your owner's manual pp 166-171 (at least that's the page numbers for my 2022 Overland.)

Check out this thread to see what other folks are successfully towing:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-what-camper-youre-towing-with-your-jt.79587/

 

[PuddleJumper]

I was going by the GVWR and keeping it under 5k lbs but now people are telling me my payload on my Rubicon (1126 on door) it’s too low to tow anything but a pop up;(
Family of 4 combined weight 500 and what all do I have to add up from here?

payload is to factor your tongue weight not towing weight. odds are your tongue weight is round 350lbs. which is fine even with family members all loaded up. If it helps your confidence at all, I've towed 8500 with my mojave and while fully dressed with 800lbs of overland crap. was it massively over capacity and illegal? Yes. But did it totally do it just fine with no issue? Also yes, never cracked 211 on trans temps.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Best news I’ve heard! What all do I gotta consider with payload? People, trailer tongue weight and what else?

A weight distrubition hitch is recommended depending on the type of trailer your towing. If its big and boxy, grabs hella wind WDH helps a lot. night and day difference towing my Rpod. Another would be a car trailer so your pulling heavy, it'll help with the squat. but any ol utility trailer for garbage hauls or a mower. yeah you don't need a WDH for that.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Blows my mind I can’t tow a 3884lbs 21.5 ft even with a top of the line gladiator

woah there! can't is a physical limit. You CAN tow whatever you like, shouldn't is the appropriate word. and even then i take it as a safe recommendation to follow.

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