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Tom C

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Hi Everyone, I'm new here but would like to get some input on maybe moving to a JT in the next year or so. My main use cases for a vehicle are mild forest trails on occasion, towing the boat to the lakes and 150 miles to the coast, driving on the beach, and the typical Dad duties (aka grocery/target runs, taking to/picking up the toddler from school, Lowes/Home Depot trips).

My 2012 4Runner has been incredible but it's starting to show it's age (170,000 miles). Now that I'm towing a heavier boat (Egret Moccasin 210, about 3000# w/ trailer) than my last poling skiff (East Cape VHP, about 2200# w/ trailer) the lack of power is also pretty obvious. I've been toying with the idea of going EV, all that HP and Torque is enticing, but between the high price and towing range impact the EV trucks are out for the next several years.

Looking at what is coming out that doesn't leave many options that I'm truly interested in. The upcoming JT Mojave 4xe is pretty much leading the pack in what I'm interested in buying. This would be my first Solid Front axle vehicle. When I google towing with the JT I get horror stories, talking about MotorTrend, about death wobble and horrible trailer sway. In theory, towing with the 4xe should be great due to the extra low center of gravity from the HV battery but who knows until it's actually on the road.

I have a buddy with a new JT but he's already lifted his Diesel Rubicon 3" and doesn't tow with it. Does anyone have any experience towing a bay boat or something similar they can share? Has anyone switched from IFS to Solid front axle?
It’s time for you to buy a JT. Right now dealerships are offering as much as $13K below sticke including rebates.

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Gusman2424

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My wife has a 2020 Mojave JT bone stock with the 3.6 gasser. It tows my 19 foot Ranger bassboat with ease (3000lbs?). Drives great as a daily driver as well... even with the Falken MT tires.. though a bit loud.

My 2019 Toyota Tundra crewcab with the 5.7 iforce is a bit smoother and quieter and obviously has plenty of power... but the tranny tends to seek the correct gear.

I would not hesitate to buy a JT to tow... very capable..

Oh, and good luck dropping the top on that Toyota!

Chers,

Gusman
 

Idlethunder

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Hi Everyone, I'm new here but would like to get some input on maybe moving to a JT in the next year or so. My main use cases for a vehicle are mild forest trails on occasion, towing the boat to the lakes and 150 miles to the coast, driving on the beach, and the typical Dad duties (aka grocery/target runs, taking to/picking up the toddler from school, Lowes/Home Depot trips).

My 2012 4Runner has been incredible but it's starting to show it's age (170,000 miles). Now that I'm towing a heavier boat (Egret Moccasin 210, about 3000# w/ trailer) than my last poling skiff (East Cape VHP, about 2200# w/ trailer) the lack of power is also pretty obvious. I've been toying with the idea of going EV, all that HP and Torque is enticing, but between the high price and towing range impact the EV trucks are out for the next several years.

Looking at what is coming out that doesn't leave many options that I'm truly interested in. The upcoming JT Mojave 4xe is pretty much leading the pack in what I'm interested in buying. This would be my first Solid Front axle vehicle. When I google towing with the JT I get horror stories, talking about MotorTrend, about death wobble and horrible trailer sway. In theory, towing with the 4xe should be great due to the extra low center of gravity from the HV battery but who knows until it's actually on the road.

I have a buddy with a new JT but he's already lifted his Diesel Rubicon 3" and doesn't tow with it. Does anyone have any experience towing a bay boat or something similar they can share? Has anyone switched from IFS to Solid front axle?

I don’t have any experience towing a bay boat but I have towed our 22’ pontoon boat several times with my 3.6 Rubicon. The specs on the boat show the total package weight to be 3,500 so I’m guessing ours is around 4,000 pounds with gear. It pulls great and I have no trouble at all with it. As with anything being towed, you have to pay attention, but the Gladiator does a great job with the boat. I came from a Ford F150 that I loved to the Jeep I’d always wanted. My only regret is that I wish I’d made the move sooner.
 
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NinjahGoose

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My wife has a 2020 Mojave JT bone stock with the 3.6 gasser. It tows my 19 foot Ranger bassboat with ease (3000lbs?). Drives great as a daily driver as well... even with the Falken MT tires.. though a bit loud.

My 2019 Toyota Tundra crewcab with the 5.7 iforce is a bit smoother and quieter and obviously has plenty of power... but the tranny tends to seek the correct gear.

I would not hesitate to buy a JT to tow... very capable..

Oh, and good luck dropping the top on that Toyota!

Chers,

Gusman
Thanks for the feedback! It is great you're able to compare the Toyota IFS to the Mojave directly!

As for the top off, I'm not really a top down kinda guy. In my 4Runner I drop the rear window and all door window but leave the sunroof closed. It's just something about that direct sun while in the car that bothers me. On the boat I love it, just not in the car. I would probably remove the doors as soon as I got to the beach though, that's a different story.

I don’t have any experience towing a bay boat but I have towed our 22’ pontoon boat several times with my 3.6 Rubicon. The specs on the boat show the total package weight to be 3,500 so I’m guessing ours is around 4,000 pounds with gear. It pulls great and I have no trouble at all with it. As with anything being towed, you have to pay attention, but the Gladiator does a great job with the boat. I came from a Ford F150 that I loved to the Jeep I’d always wanted. My only regret is that I wish I’d made the move sooner.
Another great IFS to solid front axle comparison while towing a heavier boat than mine! Thanks!
 
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NinjahGoose

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It’s time for you to buy a JT. Right now dealerships are offering as much as $13K below sticke including rebates.
I've thought about it but that would be more of a lateral move than an upgrade. There's nothing mechanically wrong with my 4Runner, it's just older. The 3.6 makes very similar power to the ancient 4.0 in the 4Runner. I would like to wait for the new 12" screen and standard safety/led features, on top of the extra power from the 4xe.
 

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NinjahGoose

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I tow a 2,600 pound trailer with my Mojave (it has the tow package) all across the U.S. and it tows great. I forget the trailer is there sometimes. Never towed a boat or anything heavier.
Thanks for that! I've heard great things about the Mojave suspension.
 

Barnaby’sdad

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My two cents…drive a couple JT’s and form your own opinion. I drove a Sport and thought it rode like a minivan. That is to say cushy and comfortable. My JTR…I would say it rides like a Jeep, which some would say means it rides like shit. It’s what I wanted though.

Towing 3,000 lbs isn’t going to be an issue, but it WILL highlight one of folks primary complaints about the JT, which is that the engine isn’t particularly blessed in the power department.

On the 4xe JT…as folks said…it’s not a thing yet. I wouldn’t necessarily hold my breath on that one.

Great vehicle and I thoroughly enjoy mine, but I’ll be the one to throw this out there….if one of your complaints about your 4Runner is it being gutless while towing a 3,000 lb boat…I’d be considering a “1/2 ton” class truck with a torquey V-8.

If you want a truck with open top fun and to be able to occasionally tow 3,000 lbs comfortably though…it’ll be a fun vehicle, but you aren’t going to win any drag races while towing your boat.
 

PlayfulBird

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steering and is death wobble a thing of early 90’s live axle trucks or can it happen in modern vehicles?
The steering with the steel steering box and all the bushings, bearings and components being in good condition is okay. Dead spots no, but not as direct.
If any component is worn, loose or bent welcome to potential death wobble town central hell.
The fact is that the geometry and the components being the way they are in a solid axle vehicle, death wobble is a side effect of something not being right.

Honestly, if your partial best to go test drive a Gladiator and immediately afterward test drive a taco, then decide
 

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Jim Morrison said in an interview to Brad from TrailRecon that all Jeeps will have an electrified option by 2025.
Truthfully, I don't see how.

The battery placement would necessitate eliminating our under-seat storage (4xe batteries currently reside under the rear seats), reducing the storage along the back of the cab (behind the seats), or reducing floorboard height to allow for a floor-mounted solution. Further, a Gladiator with a battery will reduce towing capacity due to the weight of the battery. For quick reference, the 4xe Rubicon curb weight is 5,222 lbs while the standard Rubicon is 4,448 lbs.

A bone stock Mojave (Soft top, plastic bumpers, etc) weighs ~4,948 lbs. Adding an additional ~800 lbs for a battery, a different engine (2.0 liter and turbo equipment) and necessary equipment will reduce the towing capacity by quite a bit.

Just my 2 cents. If we get a 4XE, I would love it and will come back here and admit I was wrong!
 

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NinjahGoose

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Take a look at Turo, you can rent a private vehicle in your area and probably get some good information from the owner and actual realtime performance too...
That's a very good idea! Would probably be less of a hassle than going to a dealer for a test drive.

My two cents…drive a couple JT’s and form your own opinion. I drove a Sport and thought it rode like a minivan. That is to say cushy and comfortable. My JTR…I would say it rides like a Jeep, which some would say means it rides like shit. It’s what I wanted though.

Towing 3,000 lbs isn’t going to be an issue, but it WILL highlight one of folks primary complaints about the JT, which is that the engine isn’t particularly blessed in the power department.

On the 4xe JT…as folks said…it’s not a thing yet. I wouldn’t necessarily hold my breath on that one.

Great vehicle and I thoroughly enjoy mine, but I’ll be the one to throw this out there….if one of your complaints about your 4Runner is it being gutless while towing a 3,000 lb boat…I’d be considering a “1/2 ton” class truck with a torquey V-8.

If you want a truck with open top fun and to be able to occasionally tow 3,000 lbs comfortably though…it’ll be a fun vehicle, but you aren’t going to win any drag races while towing your boat.
With the similar power rating of the Stellantis 3.6 to the Toyota 4.0 a move to the current JT would be more of a lateral move. Jim Morrison is on record saying all Jeeps will have an electrified option by 2025, so the 4xe is coming to the Gladiator.

I've thought about a half ton but I just don't need a vehicle that large. Maneuvering around town and parallel parking would be a pain. Plus, I want to be able to park in the garage, loading a toddler up while it's raining sucks ass. 3000# should be well within the wheelhouse of any mid-size truck, given it has enough power.

The steering with the steel steering box and all the bushings, bearings and components being in good condition is okay. Dead spots no, but not as direct.
If any component is worn, loose or bent welcome to potential death wobble town central hell.
The fact is that the geometry and the components being the way they are in a solid axle vehicle, death wobble is a side effect of something not being right.

Honestly, if your partial best to go test drive a Gladiator and immediately afterward test drive a taco, then decide
Ok, so it sounds like just take care of your vehicle and you won't run into these issues? I have no plans to lift or modify the geometry in any way. Running 33"s, maybe 34"s, would be plenty of tire for anything I plan on doing.
 
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NinjahGoose

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Truthfully, I don't see how.

The battery placement would necessitate eliminating our under-seat storage (4xe batteries currently reside under the rear seats), reducing the storage along the back of the cab (behind the seats), or reducing floorboard height to allow for a floor-mounted solution. Further, a Gladiator with a battery will reduce towing capacity due to the weight of the battery. For quick reference, the 4xe Rubicon curb weight is 5,222 lbs while the standard Rubicon is 4,448 lbs.

A bone stock Mojave (Soft top, plastic bumpers, etc) weighs ~4,948 lbs. Adding an additional ~800 lbs for a battery, a different engine (2.0 liter and turbo equipment) and necessary equipment will reduce the towing capacity by quite a bit.

Just my 2 cents. If we get a 4XE, I would love it and will come back here and admit I was wrong!
All those are very true points, keep in mind though that with the new rear axle and other updates the 2024 Wrangler can tow 5000lb's now. Losing the under seat storage could be the trade-off you have to make choosing the 4xe over the tried and true 3.6.
 

PlayfulBird

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Ok, so it sounds like just take care of your vehicle and you won't run into these issues? I
Pretty much :)
There are a few components that can fail and it will often take DW for you to realize. Steeting stabilizer (drove around for months not realizing it was empty) or some bushing. One has to hit a certain set of conditions, speed, road waves and then it wobbles. Slow down and it stops, or counter steer hard to get out of the rhythm (a bit scary in my books), nothing that will stop you from getting home and fix it.
 
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NinjahGoose

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Pretty much :)
There are a few components that can fail and it will often take DW for you to realize. Steeting stabilizer (drove around for months not realizing it was empty) or some bushing. One has to hit a certain set of conditions, speed, road waves and then it wobbles. Slow down and it stops, or counter steer hard to get out of the rhythm (a bit scary in my books), nothing that will stop you from getting home and fix it.
Gotcha, so just pay attention to steering dynamics and get it serviced as soon as you notice. Are there service intervals for the steering components that I should follow if/when the time comes?
 

ATL_Rubi

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All those are very true points, keep in mind though that with the new rear axle and other updates the 2024 Wrangler can tow 5000lb's now. Losing the under seat storage could be the trade-off you have to make choosing the 4xe over the tried and true 3.6.
Agree 100%. The new rear axle is a godsend, and hopefully, the gladiator gets it. Regardless of whether it is a 4XE variant or not.

Perhaps they've figured out how to mount the battery on the back of the cab without taking up too much space. Time will tell.
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