I'm in love...but

[Gvsukids]

Thanks. Yeah the tongue weight bothers me the most - or the limited payload that is. I am really getting a mixed bag of responses/opinions, which I really appreciate. Maybe if I get the truck, give it a shot and it's obviously not going to work, then I can switch up on campers. An Aliner Ranger 12, for example, would be well within the parameters. Those trailers are about $1500 dry, and have a tongue weight of approx. 150 lbs.

Need to get a good deal on the truck first. Thanks to all and happy towing!

Did you happen to look in the towing sub forum?

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[Happiator]

Did you happen to look in the towing sub forum?

Yes. I’ve read a lot of towing threads. Is there something in particular you are referring to?

 

[tjbrown23]

just to bump that trailer in reverse up onto a curb for a driveway for parking job at your house would require 4 lo, ask me how i know, otherwise you smoke clutch hard, also if you stop on a steep-ish driveway...you'd never get started from a dig without 4 lo...ask me how i know, on a friends super steep country driveway empty i couldn't get started from a dig with 37's with 3.73's without near redline clutch drop and spinning the gravel....if it was pavement i would have needed 4 lo again to get to the top of the driveway, why did i stop? he was coming down so we pulled over to chat and he was gonna turn around come back up....anyway, you've been warned

I would say if you read the forums extensively 37s on 3.37s are not advisable especially with the manual. Everyone that went 37s with 3.73s regeared to atleast 4.56 or 4.88s. From my experience the manual and 4.10s with 37s is liveable but not ideal, but not worth 2k cost to regear. In comparison I drove it stock for over 2k miles and I have lost all pep and torque in the lower rpm range. I couldn't imagine how bad the 3.73s with 37s would be especially towing. All I was pointing out with the video was this guy towed way over the limit and did fine, he had to finesse things a bit but these trucks are capable. I think if your within the limits Jeep sets you should be 100% fine. Is the gladiator the perfect truck to tow... no, is it a great truck to haul...no, is the bed big enough to fit items most truck haul (mattress, furniture, longer lumber).....no, but it can do it. This is essentially a wrangler with a bed that you can justify as a truck. If you love the Gladiator don't hesitate, these things are awesome and you can make it work!

 

[Reeb65]

I have a manual rubicon with mopar lift and 37s with stock 4.10s and have towed a loaded up a 6x10 box trailer. I'm not sure the weight but after I got moving I didn't notice it behind me. As others have said reverse is a little tricky and will require a lot of clutch slippage. If your worried about weight check out this video he is in a sport, non max tow, 37s with 3.73 gearing and way over the limit.

If your thinking about going with 35s or 37s in the future splurge for the Rubicon to get the 4.10 gears. 4.10s are only available with the manual on the Rubicon. It will save you 2k+ not having to regear!

The 4.10's are standard on the Rubicon manual or automatic.

 

[Reeb65]

I have an Overland 6-speed, same towing capacity as Willys of 4000 lbs.

I towed once with it so far: a Honda Civic on a U-Haul tow dolly. The tow dolly had surge brakes.

The Honda had a few things in it; I calculated the total weight of the Honda & tow dolly at 3500 lbs, about 88% of the maximum allowable.

Was my wife and I plus two cats and normal luggage in the Overland. The trip was nearly 1000 miles on I-95 and other highways. I can report that the Overland handled it beautifully in every respect, including starts. The short 1st gear helped there. I was even able to use 5th gear on level portions of highway; downshifted to 4th on hills. There were no sway issues. I got 18 mpg towing.

I know your camper is a different deal; the weight is similar but it would be more subject to side winds. I am just reporting my experience in case it is helpful.

You forgot to mention you were going downhill and getting 18 mpg.

 

[syreeves]

I have a 6MT JTR - I'm running 35s on stock gears (4.10). The gearing feels tall to me. I tow a 3000lb boat probably 10x a year. I already know that when backing up, especially on an incline (e.g. to get up my driveway) I'll be shifting into low - too much work for 2 pedals and looking out the rear - low gearing lets you approximate an automatic (almost... not quite but almost). I don't think I'm going to enjoy long trips towing the boat - I expect never to get into 6th. 4th to 60 and 5th after that.

But - again, could be the 35s. If you are running smaller tires (32s on a Willys) and stock gears (3.73) I suspect the overal ratios are better, but not much better than 35s on 4.10.

BUT - I can tow more than a JLU and I am more capable than a Tacoma and cheaper than a similar Bronco or new Defender so I accept the compromise. JTs are compromises. I think you either accept the compromise and love it for what you get or you'll just be unhappy. But I'm pretty sure you'll be stoked! ?

 

[Happiator]

I have a 6MT JTR - I'm running 35s on stock gears (4.10). The gearing feels tall to me. I tow a 3000lb boat probably 10x a year. I already know that when backing up, especially on an incline (e.g. to get up my driveway) I'll be shifting into low - too much work for 2 pedals and looking out the rear - low gearing lets you approximate an automatic (almost... not quite but almost). I don't think I'm going to enjoy long trips towing the boat - I expect never to get into 6th. 4th to 60 and 5th after that.

But - again, could be the 35s. If you are running smaller tires (32s on a Willys) and stock gears (3.73) I suspect the overal ratios are better, but not much better than 35s on 4.10.

BUT - I can tow more than a JLU and I am more capable than a Tacoma and cheaper than a similar Bronco or new Defender so I accept the compromise. JTs are compromises. I think you either accept the compromise and love it for what you get or you'll just be unhappy. But I'm pretty sure you'll be stoked! ?

Thanks! Super stoked!

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

You forgot to mention you were going downhill and getting 18 mpg.

Well, going from Naples, Florida (elev. 13' at my house) to Henrico, Virginia (elevation 200') is actually uphill. And I did get 18 mpg average for the whole trip, towing 3500 lbs.

 

[Jt-wrx]

to the op, if you want to run 35/37 on manual and tow 3500 lbs the 4.10 of the rubicon will not be enough, if you had to drop a trailer off on a short run around town for service it could get you by, but on the highway adventuring to places for camping etc....the extra cost of the rubicon is likely more than that of a sport s, and you'd still be under-geared with the rubicon, get ready for 4.56 minimum, 4.88 is ideal, and 5.13 if you're building a heavy trail rig with steel armor everywhere and really heavy wheels/tires

i have lived with a manual on 35's then 37's and now 4.88's for over a year and pulled my travel trailer to do said service in town to have some work done to it, but it would never do more, just like the guy in the video in this thread, one trip, no curbs, no stops on hills, he just did a simple essentially level when at parking lot speeds drop....in no way shape or form would he have done any more than that, i know, i've smoked my clutch before on some pretty simple everyday resistances to the tires, even 8" of crusted snow empty you'd need 4 lo to go anywhere without a re-gear

with 4.88's now i'd chirp the tires from a dig on that super steep driveway, or slow clutch roll out without any drama or revs, now i can move my trailer around without 4 lo, now it will tow well on highway and hold hills, now cruise control on highway is actually useful and will hold the top gear at highway speeds over most rolling hills with barely any loss in speed...it's truly night and day difference, full 6 gears useable again, slightly stronger acceleration than when it was new on the skinny little 31" sport s tires

4.88's have been the single best upgrade hands down for running these larger tires, it drives quick through town, it's peppy, power all over, i can hole shot at the lights in the short run out lanes, throw a cat back exhaust on so you can hear/feel it with the manual it's more enjoyable and fun to drive, much like a sports car...

you will suffer misery with the manual, a lazy painful misery, if you run 35/37's on 3.73's, and double misery for towing closer to the tow limits

get the sport s, or willy's or whatever lower trim level and put the money in gears, if you are going up in tire size to the 35/37's

i'm telling you, i've lived this, find my posts, i have posted in trailering section, i've posted in the gears section, i was always in love with the jeep but it would not still be the same love affair i have now if not for the 4.88's on my set up, i love driving it, clutch roll outs without throttle are no issue, you can bump along in drive thru's or ease away from your house without touching the throttle...as it should be, i could go on and on but just trust the experience here

once i figured out i needed gears, i envisioned towing on the highway through the mountains and having to come to a stop on a longer hill climb, for an accident or whatever...to get going would require 4 lo....can you shift out of 4 lo on the fly? now what when you get going again? you gotta slow crawl in 4 lo to the top of the hill before you can get level enough to go back into 2 hi again....that's risk you'd be taking....how to get out of 4 lo on a long steep hill climb without coming to a stop again, pretty sure shifting 4 lo to 2 hi isn't something you want to do on the fly with a trailer

 

[Reeb65]

Well, going from Naples, Florida (elev. 13' at my house) to Henrico, Virginia (elevation 200') is actually uphill. And I did get 18 mpg average for the whole trip, towing 3500 lbs.

I think you forgot a few fill ups but if you think you got 18 mpg congratulations.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

I think you forgot a few fill ups but if you think you got 18 mpg congratulations.

Short of re-running the trip with you in the truck I don't think I can convince you. It is not clear to me what troubles you about my statement.

But convincing you is beside the point. I was giving some information to the OP, which he seemed to appreciate.

 

[Happiator]

Short of re-running the trip with you in the truck I don't think I can convince you. It is not clear to me what troubles you about my statement.

But convincing you is beside the point. I was giving some information to the OP, which he seemed to appreciate.

I did. Thank you!

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

I did. Thank you!

You're welcome!

There is a widely-accepted notion that modern automatic transmissions are so efficient that they deliver just as good MPG as manuals, which was not the case way back when.

While this is basically true, what I have found is that driving habits still are what matters the most. I like to have the instantaneous MPG displayed at the top of the instrument cluster so I can see how my driving habits affect fuel economy. When I need (or want) to gun it I don't care about MPG, but most of the time I prefer smooth starts and shifts, and best economy / lowest practical RPM.

In any case I really enjoy the experience and try to get the most out of driving a manual.

 

[Reeb65]

Short of re-running the trip with you in the truck I don't think I can convince you. It is not clear to me what troubles you about my statement.

But convincing you is beside the point. I was giving some information to the OP, which he seemed to appreciate.

I average 17mpg with no trailer and no load. There is either something wrong with your trip computer, your calibration or how you calculate your fuel economy. Sorry 18 mpg is just not possible with a trailer.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

I average 17mpg with no trailer and no load. There is either something wrong with your trip computer, your calibration or how you calculate your fuel economy. Sorry 18 mpg is just not possible with a trailer.

Well, as I said, it was 18 MPG average for 1000 miles of highway driving. I got 24 on the same trip returning, with no trailer. Do you believe that? (EPA rating is 23 highway). I have a stock Overland, with the stock highway tires.

I wonder why some folks insist that since they have not experienced X, then X is not possible for anyone else.

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