My towing review. UPDATE! Now with 37s!

[fun2drum]

I think WDH is a no-brainer for a travel trailer. It makes the experience so much better all the way around.

I don't even like pulling the large U-Haul trailers without it, but you do what you've gotta do. The small U-Hauls and my little utility trailers are fine without it, but when you've got some weight back there a WDH reduces my stress level several times over.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Good posts, thanks OP for that feedback and others for using the auto trans in manual mode to control gearing. Here is my situation. I normally tow my light 240Z (2400 lbs) using U-haul's 2300 lb trailer behind my Xterra. No problem since under the 5k limit.

Now with the JTR and lifted 3.5", although with the Metalcloak it still corners nice and flat, I now have a 3800 lb Mustang GT to tow, so with the same trailer, would put me close to the 7k limit. We have mountain passes to go over but not winding, but I believe up to 6 deg incline.

My question is, will I need a WDH and brake controller for this setup? The JTR comes with tow pkg, trailer hitch.

Legally you MUST have trailer brakes. The trailer may have surge brakes, if not, if it has electric brakes by law you have to have a brake controller and run brakes. I think the cut-off is likely 3,000 pounds for having working trailer brakes of some type.
You have lifted quite a bit so tow ability drops. Check with any LEGIT 4x4 outfit, some of them have YT videos, explaining that lifts do drop towing capacity..
With that sort of weight you are looking at over 600 pounds tongue weight. Be sure to subtract that from your payload number (as well as yourself, cargo, etc.) And again, that big a lift means payload is impacted because your center of gravity is radically changed.

Yep totally true. I’ll be looking for Featherlites or other alum dual axles soon, with brake controller and WDH, for safety’s sake.

Do NOT use a WDH on an all aluminum trailer. Featherlite trailers are still fairly heavy because they have a steel frame. Aluma trailers are all aluminum except the axles themselves, are hundreds of pounds lighter, but don't use a WDH hitch with them. I spoke directly with an Aluma engineer - he said do not do it.
Since featherlite is a steel frame and tongue, you could use a WDH, but it will be likely 400 pounds or so heavier than an Aluma.
My aluma is 1500 pounds, plus a spare and a light aluminum tool box that weighs about 10 pounds, plus the tools in it so I just call it 1600 pounds.
It's a tilt bed so I drive the car onto the trailer until it just starts to tilt back down, when it's down, I lock the bed down, strap the car and it's done. No ramps. Easy to get off the trailer, too. Unstrap car, unlock trailer bed, get in and slowly back the car up until the bed tilts, drive off.
With my 3300 pound car I'm hauling about 5,000 pounds. Tows great. Electric trailer brakes on both axles mean the truck brakes don't work harder than usual. 500 pound tongue weight as suggested by Aluma for that weight. No WDH because of the undue stresses put on the aluminum trailer tongue and frame but frankly, it's no big deal as I've never used a WDH on a car hauler, and most others don't, either.
Travel trailers/campers, it's almost a must.

 

[dcmdon]

Yep totally true. I’ll be looking for Featherlites or other alum dual axles soon, with brake controller and WDH, for safety’s sake.

My dad tows his 240Z race car with a really nice aluminum trailer. I don't recall exacts, but its ridiculously light. He has used the trailer to haul a 3400 lb Corvette with no problems. Though the tow vehicle was totally overkill (GMC 3500 Diesel dualy) compared to what he tows his Z with (a Ridgeline)

I guess my point is that if you shop around you can find a nice light trailer that can still tow the mustang.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My dad tows his 240Z race car with a really nice aluminum trailer. I don't recall exacts, but its ridiculously light. He has used the trailer to haul a 3400 lb Corvette with no problems. Though the tow vehicle was totally overkill (GMC 3500 Diesel dualy) compared to what he tows his Z with (a Ridgeline)

I guess my point is that if you shop around you can find a nice light trailer that can still tow the mustang.

That 3400 pounds is nothing, really. Like I said - mine is probably 3300, and the station wagon version is a bit heavier. A friend in the NY area has an identical trailer to mine, exactly the same - he not only hauls is show cars, he's hauled his skid loader around and he said it's a lot heavier than any of his cars.
I'll have to look at the trailer's GVWR but I believe it's somewhere around 7,000 pounds, the trailer itself weighs 1500 pounds without accessories like spare, etc. The numbers are on the trailer itself.

 

[Rusty PW]

That 3400 pounds is nothing, really. Like I said - mine is probably 3300, and the station wagon version is a bit heavier. A friend in the NY area has an identical trailer to mine, exactly the same - he not only hauls is show cars, he's hauled his skid loader around and he said it's a lot heavier than any of his cars.
I'll have to look at the trailer's GVWR but I believe it's somewhere around 7,000 pounds, the trailer itself weighs 1500 pounds without accessories like spare, etc. The numbers are on the trailer itself.

Nice trailer.
My Nismo is too low for that unless I use wood to drive up on.

I want one of these. But they are $$$

https://www.futuratrailers.com/us/pro-sport

 

[OngsterA]

With a 1500 lb alum trailer and my Stang GT at 3700+ I should not need a WDH then, to pull with my JTR

 

[Elff]

Definitely not.
You can just play around with the location of the car on the trailer to get it balanced and towing well.
As previously posted, I am well above what you are towing and I have found the sweet spot on my trailer.

I Just did 4hrs on saturday. 2Hrs each way and I swear the Gladiator pulled it much better this time around since the engine has some more miles on it.
What was funny, is I had some full size trucks following me with TJ's on trailers and from a dead stop and going up hill, I kept pulling away from them.
When we all got to the parking lot, they were amazed that I was towing with a Gladiator.
I was not revving it out either. I manually up shift at 3K rpms to get better gas mileage and unless I need extra power for hills, that works out great. When needed, 4K rpms will keep my speed steady on most inclines and the minute I crest the hill or hit level ground I upshift twice to drop back to 2k rpms.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

With a 1500 lb alum trailer and my Stang GT at 3700+ I should not need a WDH then, to pull with my JTR

I tow with an Overland. I figure I'm at 5,000 pounds. I run 10% tongue weight.
Rubicon should handle that just fine.

 

[Caraholic]

That makes sense. I'm looking at some of the super hardcore Aussie import trailers too. The truck would be the limiting factor on those well before the camper would be. Sounds like the situation would be reversed most of the time with a GeoPro or similar.


I second this. I do miss the Tow/Haul mode of my Titan where it would do this automatically, but doing it manually isn't hard and it does control speeds very well down the grades.

I spoke with a local rv dealer yesterday that was selling the HQ19 stuff-
he mention they were disappointed in the quality and support and we’re even going as far to not recommend them! crazy!

 

[metalry101]

I spoke with a local rv dealer yesterday that was selling the HQ19 stuff-
he mention they were disappointed in the quality and support and we’re even going as far to not recommend them! crazy!

I've read that kind of thing a few times about the Black Series campers. I've been eyeing MDC and Opus primarily, but I don't know that I'll get anything. The wife wants a hardside trailer and I don't want that kind of weight. Maybe we'll end up with a Forest River or something.

 

[steve68]

All the U-Haul trailers I've towed. They all had surge brakes. And no way of using a WDH.

And the surge brakes usually don't work or don't work right, learned the hard way,

I've towed my half of my 88 Mustang GT Vert around the neighbor and up the road to a shop, super easy to tow, it was on a 2 wheel Dollie,

 

[DavidBT]

Nice review!!!
A piece of information I think others would like to have is payload for a FULLY FULLY loaded Sport S Max tow when they are looking at trailering since your tongue weight goes against payload.

I built a Sport S Max tow with every single package except smokers. Also got the spray in bedliner and Freedom top and side steps which adds weight. In the end as delivered it still has 1343 pounds of payload capacity which is not bad. I thought it would be worse due to all the options. The two of us are only 300 pounds of people so that leaves 1043 for tongue weight and cargo if maxed which of course is not a great idea. We are planning to stay under that

Hope that helps someone out there since many wonder what their payload might be on delivery of a massively loaded Sport S Max Tow and want to tow and have not ordered yet but are thinking of campers

Cool information. I just bought a sting grey sport s max tow. Ended up with 1476lbs of payload. I'm going to be pulling a 26' travel trailer with a gvwr of 5,500lbs. The only thing I plan to change is maybe 33" tires.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Cool information. I just bought a sting grey sport s max tow. Ended up with 1476lbs of payload. I'm going to be pulling a 26' travel trailer with a gvwr of 5,500lbs. The only thing I plan to change is maybe 33" tires.

I was thinking about 33s but was wondering how that would affect towing and mpg. Let me know what you find.

 

[DavidBT]

I was thinking about 33s but was wondering how that would affect towing and mpg. Let me know what you find.

It might be awhile. My tj needs some attention for now. The more I research, the more I'm finding your not really gaining much. I've been pretty impressed where the stock tires have taken me so far.

 

[dcmdon]

I was thinking about 33s but was wondering how that would affect towing and mpg. Let me know what you find.

I was thinking about 33s but was wondering how that would affect towing and mpg. Let me know what you find.

With towing its all about gearing.

The 245/75-17s on a sport measure 31.5
285/70-17s measure 32.7 inches.

So the 33s will be 4% larger in circumference.

Which means your engine will turn 4% slower.

Its actually much less of a difference than I though it would be when I started typing this post.

If you have 4.11, you will still have lower gearing than a truck with 3.73s and stock tires.

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