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sarguy1941

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So thought I'd share my experience of towing a 1600# CTC across the US.

My JT is a Max Tow, with Fox Shocks, Factory Steel Bumper, Badlands 12K Winch with Synthetic Rope, Back Rack, Redarc brake controller, and soft cover. In the bed was Orca 40Q cooler, 5 Gallons of Non-E in a Wavian Jerry Can, Tractor Supply plastic tool box with Honda 2K EU2000, mini floor jack, tooks, tow straps, tarp, extension cord, Ryobi Impact and Drier with batteries and charger. Additionally spare for trailer, 2 director camp chairs plastic fold up table, portable shower and BBQ grill and charchol. Of course on back seat was suit case for wife and I along with IPAD, PC etc. Cat Scale showed 6500#'s for the Jeep.

CTC is a 5x10 x6' interior height. Trailer came in at 1600#'s at the CAT scale.

Our route was SW VA to NY via RT29 and 81. In NY RT90 to Finger Lakes Region. Then on Sunday RT86 to 90 to Elkhart IN. When we left IN we headed west on 90 to RT80 all the way to 76 into Denver CO. After some stuff in Denver we headed to MOAB down 70. Leaving MOAB to Grand Canyon was 191 to Rt160 into the GC. We left GC on Monday and headed to Waco TX via 40 to 35. Leaving Waco between variable route to MS, then Atlanta GA, then Charlotte NC and back to VA.

Total trip was 5920 door step to door step. I tried to manually shift most of the time as without it I was bouncing around on the highway. 65-70 was most of the way even though out west I felt like getting run right over. Best I got on MPG was 14.4 (in VA on way out) and worst was 7.3. Although it towed the camper it was never fun. I have towed every size camper with our last being a 35' 5th wheel with my F450 Dually prior to switching t MH's. Sold our 38' MH this spring and took the CTC. Wife didn't feel comfortable towing it as some trucks blowing by at 80 did blow us around. I tried to move around gear each stop to get weights better but never found a optimal distribution that felt great. Trailer didn't lower the truck with 20#'s of air in the bags. Ride was good just slow and steady.

Not sure about these guys towing 5000# 25' campers at 80 with a JT but after mine I doubt I'd buy anything bigger for a long trip. This is a great setup for a short weekend trip close to home but next summer will be something easier. Besides wife already listed the CTC on Market place....

It was a great trip anyway and for those who never travel the US, you need to do it once. Lots of stuff to see and some stuff just doesn't look the same when your on the edge of a ledge

CTC.PNG
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GOCAMPN

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Nice info, and dang that thing is like a paper airplane! My trailer is double that completely empty. :LOL:
 
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sarguy1941

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I did document each fill up and am trying to get it into a format for folks to see....
 

XJFanatic

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Thanks for the report. Always hate towing single axle trailers. I used to tow an 18ft car hauler loaded with my trail XJuggy with a WJ never swayed, never moved and that was with a soft lift with long arms.

That being said anytime it had a single axle trailer it felt sketchy above 65.
 
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sarguy1941

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I tow many trailers. The only issue I had was when a bus or TT would blow by 20 or more mph than I was going. It would blow the trailer all over. Agree dual axle is more stable but the trailer towed very level and when not in the wind & rain towed fine. I guess I feel more comfortable than my wife does. And you definitely don't set the cruise and go down the road with one hand on the wheel like I could in my F450
 

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mdyucca

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Good to hear the trip went well. Also, good information and my feelings about the Gladiator as a tow vehicle is like yours. I came from a Dodge Ram diesel with 13k lb tow rating. I have a 1600# camp trailer that I tow with the Gladiator and feel that is all I want behind the Gladiator.
 
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sarguy1941

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I definitely miss the Super Duty but I didn't buy the JT to tow all the time like the SD. I knew it would work just not like a SD. I opted for the max tow mainly to pull my car trailer and Kubota if needed as well as get some of the upgraded features without spending stupid funds on the JTR.

As far as the trip it was awesome. NY was a Search and Rescue fund raiser / Standby event in a national forest that we do every year. Iowa 80 truck stop is a place to stop if your on RT80. Boulder was nice but didn't have the time we wanted. Stopped by to see granddaughter so that was good. MOAB...Whats there to say. Been trying to get there for years. Wife loved Arches and I got a little off road at the end of the day taking the off road trail out of the park. Would have loved to do more off road but knew I had 3000 miles to get home ! Was there 3 days. Moab brewery had best brews and Moab diner best breakfast by far. Grand Canyon was great and surreal. Never understood why people talked like they did about it until I stood on the rim. Amazing. Waco was cool but hot as hot. Actually skipped camping that night as it was 105 at 6PM when we left dinner so grabbed a hotel room. Texas Ranger museum is cool if you make it there and of course wife was all over Magnolia (Guys the food trucks are great while she shops). Looked at a few CJ3A down there also. Had planned to look at some M715 but the guy was on vacation (my luck). I'll be back for those. Looked at another CJ5 (79) in Laurel MS but was a bit more than I wanted to go for the year. If it had been older I'd bought it. By the time we hit Dawsonville GA I was done with driving. Headed home that night. Planning a similar trip next year. Not sure where but its on the calendar.
 

Riccochet

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I kind of have similar feelings in regards to how the Gladiator tows. We have a Sport S with max tow. We use it to tow my 18' bass boat. It's a single axle as well. I've pulled that boat all over the east coast with a Ram 1500 at speeds over 80 mph with no issue. Nothing made it sway or feel unstable. It's maybe 4000# loaded. Put that same boat behind the Gladiator and it starts to get sketchy at 70 mph.

I think the stock springs in the rear are too soft. And it needs a beefier rear sway bar.
 

Labswine

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With my Overland, I tow a 5,000-5,200 lb dual axle 27' travel trailer. I don't go over 65 mph. Yes, it does get blown around a little with passing trucks.

But, I also remember as a kid camping with the fam, we had a '74 Chevy Suburban and a heavy (back in those days trailers were heavy) 22' Terry travel trailer, twin axle, and Dad complaining every time a big truck passed us about getting blown all over the road. Yes, he did have a WDH, sway bars, and electronic brakes.

So, getting blown around by tractor trailers is all part of the experience. Just white knuckle it for a few seconds then it's all good :)
 

brianinca

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We took our new civilianized M101 A3 "car camping" a few weeks ago. It's a PITA to backup a short trailer vs a long one, but even going over passes >8000 ft it was no big deal. We only went a dozen or so miles off pavement and nothing hairy, but a 4Runner turned back before we got where we camped.

After 1400 miles or so, mileage was in the double digits so a good 50% better than with our 24' trailer that can't go off pavement, let alone on rocks.

Empty on that trailer is 1300 lb or so, maybe 2500 lightly loaded (haven't weighed yet). Nearly empty bed, put the load on the trailer, right? Kind of surprised you had troubles, at all. Full coverage 5x8 trailer on 35's with new shocks and lunette/pintle hitch with surge brakes.

I don't drive over 65 with the big trailer and kept it at/below 70 on the freeway with the little one. Not any reason to hurry with a trailer for vacation, for us. Won't hesitate to take into windy conditions that have cancelled or changed plans for our big trailer.
 

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jwilson2899

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takeitsleazy

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I’ll have to keep that in mind for light loads- towing my wife’s JK with a heavy ass uhaul trailer got me around 5500 and although I didn’t dare go over 65, nobody was blowing me around. I got 16.5mpg the entire trip as well
 

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Interesting report. Not sure why I have had such a different experience towing behind a lifted Rubicon on 37s. I've towed our 3500 lb camper far more distance than that and not had any issues. It's probably more aerodynamic which might help. I also have a weight distribution/anti sway hitch. Maybe that is part of the difference.

Jeep Gladiator Real world towing 1600 lbs trailer 5960 Miles around the US 253504707_10225799357000309_5192284877024305283_n
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