Max Tow Performance - 20ft Boat

[royceda59832]

I bought my Gladiator knowing I was going to use it to tow a boat. A few months after getting my JT w/max tow, I found a great Key West 20’ center console. The trailer is factory matched to the boat and, according to the trailer title, the trailer weighs 850lbs with a max GVWR of 5250 lbs.

I wanted to write this post to let someone know - do not buy a JT for serious towing. I average 9.5 mpg on the highway at 68mph and the additional weight on the back of the Jeep makes the front end even lighter and the steering wander even worse. This is with only a max of 5k lbs behind the truck - I doubt it’s more than 4K realistically. Acceleration is poor and always noisy, since the engine has to rev so high for even the most meager of acceleration. Braking is decent, however, but nothing impressive. The mirrors are so narrow that I cannot see anything behind the boat while going straight, and they are largely useless for backing once the trailer gets to any sort of angle.

In short, towing with the JT is not comfortable and does not instill confidence. In windy conditions, or on uneven road surfaces or on narrow streets where steering precision is crucial, it feels downright dangerous. Coming from a full-size truck and having towed many trailers with it, I will be glad to return to a full-size truck again in a few years.

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[WXman]

I'm sorry you don't like your truck. Many of us here have towed heavy loads with great success.

I towed over 6,000 lbs with mine last summer. Uhaul auto transport trailer plus car. Lots of tongue weight. Gladiator did a GREAT job and even maintained 55 MPH on a 6% grade. Braking was phenomenal and straight. Got 12.5 MPGs on a 160 mile trip which is amazing considering the load. Just a fantastic tow vehicle.

I also have a 7x14 enclosed trailer that is at the very maximum for frontal area (wind drag) per the owners manual. It tows just as well as my F-150 with the V8.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It may be the angle, I could be wrong, it's hard to tell from the pic, but it seems like a lot more than 10% tongue weight there........ the back of that max tow rig seems sort of low.
My Overland sagged that much or less with 450-500 pounds on the back. And I have a lot softer springs.
Don't know what to say other than others have had fine experiences. With more weight.

 

[futzin']

the back of that max tow rig seems sort of low.

How did you conclude the truck pictured has Max Tow?

 

[Mr._Bill]

How did you conclude the truck pictured has Max Tow?

Second sentence of first post. OP claims it is a JT with Max Tow...

 

[futzin']

Well hell, I sure missed that! Pass the coffee . . .

 

[KVJ]

I pull a camper that weighs 2000# empty. I noticed a difference in power and gas mileage when I went to 285/70/17 KO2s from the stock tires. It dose not go into 8th gear as much. I see the OP added different tires and wheels as well. Here is a picture of the truck with stock tires. The trailer has some wind drag and as you can see I use a strap on tow mirror on the drivers side only, don't need it on the passenger side.

This picture was taken last summer when I first got the JT.

 

[Phineus1941]

I would like to know the tongue weight on the set up pictured, I pulled a 20 foot boat with mine and had no issues after I increased the tongue weight to the 10% needed

 

[WXman]

Honestly, from that one picture it doesn't look like he's anywhere remotely close to maxing out the tongue weight. You can barely detect any sag at all.

If you want to see tongue weight, go rent a UHaul auto transport trailer and put a car on it. That'll make your safety chains drag the ground. Lol. But even still, this truck will hold 55 MPH no sweat.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

How did you conclude the truck pictured has Max Tow?

Mr._Bill beat me to it, but -
It's not a Rubicon, the title of the post is
Max Tow Performance - 20ft Boat
Among other clues in the photo.......

 

[futzin']

Mr._Bill beat me to it, but -
It's not a Rubicon, the title of the post is
Max Tow Performance - 20ft Boat
Among other clues in the photo.......

Since I didn't say I'm sorry in my previous admission of my mistake:

I apologize, where should I send flowers?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Honestly, from that one picture it doesn't look like he's anywhere remotely close to maxing out the tongue weight. You can barely detect any sag at all.

If you want to see tongue weight, go rent a UHaul auto transport trailer and put a car on it. That'll make your safety chains drag the ground. Lol. But even still, this truck will hold 55 MPH no sweat.

Really? The gap between rear tire and fender is less - these have fair rake when not loaded. Also the line of the running board is a gradual slope down as it goes back. Should be at least an inch higher at the back. Not that it's maxed, but I'd expect a max tow to handle 4-500 pounds and sit level. To me, judging by the lines in the pick and the tire clearance, it looks to have dropped a fair bit.

I have my own trailer so I can set the load over the axles and control tongue weight - would never rent a u-haul trailer. They are also heavier than my trailer by a fair amount. I'm at least 6-700 pounds lighter than a u-haul.

 

[TrailHiker]

The rear and fron fender flairs on the Max Tow package have an extra flair ext. bit that extends the fender flair acout 1/2 inch. Look at rye photo of the JT with the Scamp, and you can see the flair difference. Stock Spirt S has one small ext bit sticking out, not two as shown in the Maxtow. The Scamp has a 120 lbs dry tounge weight, so yiu are not going to feel that trailer except in a head wind.

My TaB 400 has around 400 lbs tounge weight, with water tank 1/2 and holding tanks empty, and my Sport S with standard two package, the rear drops 1.25 inches, butting the rear running board 1/4 inch lower than level. Anyone with a MaxTow that can report what 400-450 lbs tounge weight drop is?
Cheers

 

[the-dude-abides]

I have a rubicon I tow a 14ft enclosed trailer with. 3500lbs and 360lb tongue weight. In contrast to your experience, my JT actually tracks straighter with that load. The steering and handling are better. I don't know why and it's counter-intuitive but it was a nice surprise for me.

I was going (and may still if the TW increases past 400lbs) to use a weight distribution hitch to even out the load a bit. You may benefit from a WD setup.

That said, sounds like you aren't happy with the performance. I can't argue much there. Mine pulls fine but it makes a lot of noise doing it. I just chalk it up to a non FI v6 in a jeep pulling a load

In general, I agree with your statement about towing performance. If you're going to be towing over 3000 lbs all the time and spend very little to no time wheeling, this isn't the truck for that use IMO. You would be better served by a full size truck if that's your use case.

 

[TrailHiker]

No, I am very happy with the Sport S tow package performance. We towed the 3400 lbs trailer about 80 miles across country two lane roads going over the coast hills to Ft. Bragg CA from Humbolt area, worked great. We were taking 180-degree switchbacks in some places and start 90-120 degree turns in others, going both up and down the coastal mountains. It was a grand drive, nice scenery in the redwood forest, and their was little to no traffic on this back road trip to get to Hwy 1 from 101, instead of staying on Hwy 101 to Hwy 20, which is more traffic and less woods area, and a more populated route. Gas average was around 17.5mpg.

My only comment was to see if adding Max tow springs would keep the JT level with the trailer hitched up. A 1/4-1/2 drop past level is no big deal, just curious.
Cheers

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