MotorTrend 2021 Gladiator Review - Terrifying Towing?

[XJADDICTION]

Agree to disagree

I tow on winding / steep roads and the 6cyl is just pathetic and gets scary on some steep grades. Granted I've only towed with something that made good power.

I also think the 6cyl is underpowered. Gladiator deserves and needs the 5.7 imo

We all agree a V8 would be sweet. I have also towed with much bigger diesel trucks, this combo works very well as
Is stock Max Tow, small tires 4:10s

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[Indavis01]

We all agree a V8 would be sweet. I have also towed with much bigger diesel trucks, this combo works very well as
Is stock Max Tow, small tires 4:10s

Theres always a group of people who chant V8, V8, V8....... its kinda funny considering this engine makes more power and torque than most full size trucks with V8s did 10-15 years ago. Engines have come a long way- look at the ford V6 truck engines; hell my wife's 4 banger makes significantly more HP and has a higher towing rating than my Gladiators V6.

 

[Clv22p]

Theres always a group of people who chant V8, V8, V8....... its kinda funny considering this engine makes more power and torque than most full size trucks with V8s did 10-15 years ago. Engines have come a long way- look at the ford V6 truck engines; hell my wife's 4 banger makes significantly more HP and has a higher towing rating than my Gladiators V6.

I traded my Ram for the Gladiator and I would for sure like to have a 5.7 hemi in the Gladiator.

That said, 10 Years ago I had a 2003 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 that had 235 horsepower and I thought it was fast! I did full bolt on and ported heads, cams and when we dynoed it for a custom tune it made like 240 to the tires and I thought it was fast! Haha! Ran 10.0s in the 1/8th.

 

[Lindacamp941]

As to the setup of the rig in the article, upon taking a pre-flight walk around the rig I wouldn't have even attempted to drive it. No WDH? No anti-sway bar? Brake controller? Those are needed, not because the JT is an inadequate tow vehicle, but because it's necessary for safe driving. We're they concerned about the lives of other people on the public highway? Apparently not.

Here's our set up. Sport S Max Tow Package. Airstream Bambi 19cb. GVWR is 5,000 lbs. Unit Base Weight (with LP & Batteries) is 3,650 lbs. Hitch weight (with LP & Batteries) is 525 lbs. WDH and anti-sway setup is a Blue Ox.

Tows like a charm - 15.2 MPG average (tailwind, headwind, up-hill, down-hill) with a little over 2,000 miles of towing. I tow at 55 mph. I'm not in a hurry. I'm retired.

Jeep got the Max Tow package right. What they haven't gotten right is the Mopar trailer brake control. They should be embarrassed about that, for sure.

What brake controller do you currently have? I'm assuming you started with the Mopar? Curious as we are going to take delivery of our Airstream Caraval 19 this November. Right now figuring out what anti say tow bar to purchase and what brake controller.

 

[Smess]

Curt Echo Bluetooth is supposed to be great, consider that.

 

[marcwithac]

Curt Spectrum. Can mount it right beside the steering column. Super simple install.

 

[Jt-wrx]

i have a manual sport on mopar with 37's and curt echo brake controller, i tow a 6'x14' plus v-nose enclosed aluminum cargo trailer with dual braked axles that i set up as home built camper, all up with all our adventure gear, fluids, people etc. adds total of 3780 lbs to the jeep and trailer, trailer portion about 3200 lbs...after a couple good trips this summer i can say i wouldn't want to tow more than 4000 lbs with a lifted gladiator, i know what they are talking about in this article, while my set up isn't as sensitive as theirs i did learn that mixing curves with bumps and wind can get the butt pucker up so just a slight touch on the brake controller keeps things settled down, keep speeds reasonable for trailering will help also, 60-65 tops, that's been my mileage so far peeps, definitely would look at the weight distribution hitch for the automatics with larger tow demands than mine, or whatever other set up is beneficial to keep the tail from wagging the dog

i also have 4.88's, power is not an issue for my set up even with the 3.6, the gearing made all the difference

quoting myself here for update, have been pulling said trailer which is in constant evolution, now the trailer has a 3" lift and 360w of solar panels on top, insulated floor/roof, ice fishing holes and dual queen bunks with a trunk...the jeep i added the timbren 3000 lb helper springs, we have zero issues, we towed all through the rocky mountains this summer, saw max temp of 112c (233 f), 4th gear does the bulk of the work in the low 60mph range and 2800-3000 rpm, 5th gear on the long flats and declines, cruise control is useful, 3rd gear pulls the long big uphills with passing lanes from 4000-4500 rpm and 56-60 mph no sweat, you get used to throwing the gas pedal down ahead of most significant hills while on cruise to start the hill a little faster and still end the hill on cruise control, pretty slick set up, the helper springs prevent sag, stability isn't an issue, some runs we go 5th gear around 3000 rpm and 75 mph and the whole works boogies just fine, stable and fast but we have to be in a hurry, it's uber comfortable at 64 mph in 4th with cruise on and don't have to shift very often, stiffening up the rear end and getting more weight over the trailer axles helped stability a ton, no pucker factor at all now, curves, wind, nothing

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