Max towing and lifts

[ThorJT]

Hey y'all.. new to the jeep world after just picking up a gladiator.. after being a life long silverado guy. I'm sure there's a thread for it, but I've spent so much time scrolling through forums trying to learn as much as I can about jeeps, I feel like I either haven't found the answers I'm looking for, or didn't retain it.

For now my mods are speakers and led lights but my future plans involve lifting the gladiator but I haven't totally pegged down what I want to do. I've kind of been leaning towards the skyjacker kits. I drive 60 miles a day, i won't be doing any rock crawling or major off roading.. just wheeling, daily driving cruising, some tow and hauling, and some light trailing so not wanting to go balls deep in super expensive made for heavy off roading lift kit. But the topic has lead me to a question I can't find an answer to, will replacing the rear coil springs with new ones from a lift kit kill my higher payload and towing rating? Or is most of the benefits come from the wider axles?

For the time being, im getting rid of most of the rake with a terraflex leveling kit and small spacer in the rear with new shocks.. my understanding is i should be good without replacing track bars and other steering and suspension parts correct?

And last question, I've seen referenced quite a few times about steering gearboxes needing addressed.. but I can't remember finding much info on this.

Sorry for the long post and probably asking questions that have been beat to death.. maybe I haven't figured out how to use the site yet but picking up this gladiator has opened a new world I know nothing about. Thank you in advance!

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[Mr._Bill]

The TSB for the steering box is for the 2020 models. There is a long thread in the Warranty/TSB section that covers it, has a copy of the TSB, and how to tell which box is currently installed.

Any change to the factory delivered setup affects towing and payload. If you have the Max Tow option, changing the rear springs essentially removes it and the increased towing and payload capacity. You may be able to find a lift kit with Max Tow equivalent springs, but it won't fully restore the factory delivered capabilities. The increases from the Max Tow package are a combination of the wider axles, progressive springs, automatic transmission, heavy duty brakes, enhanced cooling, larger battery and higher capacity alternator.

 

[ThorJT]

I will head over there and check it out thank you!

Thats kind of what I figured, but haven't found much on spring ratings besides skyjacker claiming dual rated. But I've still got plenty of time for the research. Maybe look more into spacer lifts?

 

[concretewolf]

One option for you: Daystar makes a 3/4” spacer for the back. Not much but it will let you clear up to 35” tires on the back of a Gladiator with the max tow option and keep the oem springs. Many options for up front. 1”- 1 1/2” teraflex spacer and Rubicon take-off springs are a good start. If that doesn’t get you there you could consider the higher clearance front fenders. All that keeps you close to stock suspension.

 

[Terminus33]

This may not be the advice you are looking for but my philosophy on lifts are only get as high as you need for tire clearance. If you aren't doing any extreme wheeling (better suited for wranglers anyway) then the only true gains to all around hight is with larger diameter tires. A lift kit, spacer kit or any other kit won't raise the lowest part of your truck. The front and rear differentials. They are only raised for extra clearance with larger tires. If those tires bind or limit suspension travel then installing the lowest lift to allow the wheels to fit will also keep you safer by increasing the center of gravity as little as possible. Lower CoG is also better for towing.

 

[Alans17]

This may not be the advice you are looking for but my philosophy on lifts are only get as high as you need for tire clearance. If you aren't doing any extreme wheeling (better suited for wranglers anyway) then the only true gains to all around hight is with larger diameter tires. A lift kit, spacer kit or any other kit won't raise the lowest part of your truck. The front and rear differentials. They are only raised for extra clearance with larger tires. If those tires bind or limit suspension travel then installing the lowest lift to allow the wheels to fit will also keep you safer by increasing the center of gravity as little as possible. Lower CoG is also better for towing.

All of this. Lifting a truck high in the sky looks awesome and it’s a perfectly valid thing to do, but it comes at the cost of being able to to “truck stuff” as well. The bed is higher - a pain for hauling. You’ll have to more cautious of payload capacity.

I’m also in the same “only as much as you need” camp. I don’t have a world-beater on my hands, but in just the past week I’ve knocked off a couple of famous trails (Imogene Pass in Ouray, CO and Fins and Things in Moab, UT) with just a Max Tow, Rubi take off front springs and shocks, a 1.5” Teraflex leveling kit up front, and Mojave take of 33” wheels and tires. And I did it all with a fully loaded bed.

 

[Stlrfan152]

With a leveling kit its just the shocks that need to be changed or the mounts extended. I got longer control arms because i felt the steering wasnt as good with height added, but most people say its fine. If your steering box is steel its the new style, the tsb is for the aluminum boxes. I thought somewhere on the forum people were saying the mopar kit wont hurt towing on a max tow, thats what im going to look into down the road. Im guessing the dealer can tell.

 

[eaglerugby04]

you said max towing. I would caution against a leveling kit if you are truely planning on putting some weight on the back. My travel trailer on the back pulls all the rack out once I put that on back there.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

You can fit 35's on a Max Tow with no lift at all and be fine. I had 315 70 17 BFG KO2S mine before I lifted it and there was plenty of room and no rubbing. Pictures for references, stock wheels and sitting stock

I installed a 2.5" SST Readylift kit installed and with that on it I was able to tow 5,000lbs of rock with no problem, probably 50 miles or so worth of towing on rolling hills. It looked like this with the 2.5" Readylift installed on 315 70 17 BFG KO2s

Later on I added a Rubicon Suspension, just the front springs and the Fox Shocks and kept the 2.5" Readylift installed and the rear max tow springs, stock wheels and I added 1.5" wheel spacers to push the wheels out a little more. It looked like this after that

I'm now running the same above setup but with 37 12.5 17 Goodyear Kevlar's installed. I towed about 4,000lbs with that a few weeks back, boat trailer combo and had no issues. I pulled it like a boss about 30 minutes up the road. Looks like this now. Only other thing I have added since adding the 37's are drop down brackets for the control arms. Still have the stock track bar installed.

 

[JTpoor]

For what it's worth. I'm in the same boat. Want to lift my JT some (about 3.5") and will be putting 37's on it. Debating how much it will affect towing which I probably will do minimally. I figure 95-99% of my miles every year will be not towing anything so those 5% of my miles, I'll just take it easy on the gas pedal and build in a little extra travel time to make up power lost by going with bigger tires. As far as coil spring capacity, there are a couple threads on here where some people have used Sumo Springs or Timbrens to balance out the coil spring capacity that they may have lost going with aftermarket coils. Seem to be worth the money that they've spent. As far as I can tell, I haven't seen a thread that states exactly how much capacity one loses based on which aftermarket spring they go with.

 

[ThorJT]

I'd have to say I'm there on the only as much as I need and with 35s being the biggest I'd go if I even went that big.. I love the look of a 4.5 inch lift and 37s, but I chose the gladiator over the wrangler for the "truck stuff" for a reason.. I'm wanting to beef up the look without sacrificing much if any at all of the functionality.. I've got the terraflex, daystar, and lower control arms on the way to give a little more room up front and still keep some of the rake for towing reasons. It sounds like I need less lift than I was thinking I was going to need.

I was wandering how the Mopar lift stacked up especially as far as the towing capacity but I haven't found much from those who have it. But I've seen it posted a few places about the Rubicon springs, what benefits come from swapping those?

 

[ThorJT]

You can fit 35's on a Max Tow with no lift at all and be fine. I had 315 70 17 BFG KO2S mine before I lifted it and there was plenty of room and no rubbing. Pictures for references, stock wheels and sitting stock

I installed a 2.5" SST Readylift kit installed and with that on it I was able to tow 5,000lbs of rock with no problem, probably 50 miles or so worth of towing on rolling hills. It looked like this with the 2.5" Readylift installed on 315 70 17 BFG KO2s

Later on I added a Rubicon Suspension, just the front springs and the Fox Shocks and kept the 2.5" Readylift installed and the rear max tow springs, stock wheels and I added 1.5" wheel spacers to push the wheels out a little more. It looked like this after that

I'm now running the same above setup but with 37 12.5 17 Goodyear Kevlar's installed. I towed about 4,000lbs with that a few weeks back, boat trailer combo and had no issues. I pulled it like a boss about 30 minutes up the road. Looks like this now. Only other thing I have added since adding the 37's are drop down brackets for the control arms. Still have the stock track bar installed.

Absolutely love this look! How is the ride with the SST? I know the Silverado world I just came from everyone warns you to stay away readylift.. but that looks really good

 

[ThorJT]

For what it's worth. I'm in the same boat. Want to lift my JT some (about 3.5") and will be putting 37's on it. Debating how much it will affect towing which I probably will do minimally. I figure 95-99% of my miles every year will be not towing anything so those 5% of my miles, I'll just take it easy on the gas pedal and build in a little extra travel time to make up power lost by going with bigger tires. As far as coil spring capacity, there are a couple threads on here where some people have used Sumo Springs or Timbrens to balance out the coil spring capacity that they may have lost going with aftermarket coils. Seem to be worth the money that they've spent. As far as I can tell, I haven't seen a thread that states exactly how much capacity one loses based on which aftermarket spring they go with.

Thats where I was thinking I wanted to be, around 3.5" with 35s. Not sure I wanna do 37s and need a regear though. Most of the towing or hauling I'll be doing won't use all of the max to abilities, but I don't want to give it up just for some good looks.

 

[aai]

I too like the look of open fenders like you. Just finished up doing this, you would have to talk to the manufacturer on the lifts as been mentioned on this thread. I went with the Rock Krawler Adventure 3" lift. actually 4.25" front/3" rear over stock Overland suspension. This image is 295/70/18 (34s) with approx. 700lbs of weight on the rear, onboard water tank etc. Still has a slight rake. Quad rate springs in the rear. handles the interstates through the mountains with no issues keeping up with traffic. I too sometimes load a small enclosed trailer filled with scoots. stock 373 gearing for now but absolutely no issues towing and simply locking tranny into 6th gear.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

Absolutely love this look! How is the ride with the SST? I know the Silverado world I just came from everyone warns you to stay away readylift.. but that looks really good

With the Readylift spacers installed it rides as good as it did stock. I'll change out the stock track bar when I get new 37's in about 4 or 5 months. The Goodyear Kevlar mtr 37's made the ride a little rougher than before but going from a A/T KO2 to a MTR that was expected. The spacers have been on the JT for about a year and a half and it still rides great.

I still got stock 4.10 gears and still see over 17mpgs, we got 18.3 on our trip to Boone NC the weeks ago and 18.5 in May on our trip to wrightsville Beach. I want consider a regear unless I decide to go bigger on tires but honestly I love the look of the 37's. It gives me plenty of clearance and the JT still offers enough power for me.

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