Rear End Issues

[Msilva]

Noticed yesterday that the rear lock indicator was on. Hit the button and it just flashes. Scheduled an appointment for today. On the way to the dealership it would flash on and off every mile or so. Get to the dealer and they now say that it appears to be a sensor issue but the way it’s designed it is not serviceable. Crazy. Full rear end replacement. Less than 12,000 miles. Most of those miles ARE pulling a camper but it’s well under the tow capacity. Dry weight of the geo pro was around 2,850.

Was headed to Pensacola tomorrow. Scrambling to find another tow vehicle. Checked at the dealership 1,200+ to install class 3 hitch on wife’s unlimited JL. Checked with u-haul. 270 for the same. Not ideal but should be fine for one trip. Tow capacity of the JL is 3,500. Pushes start date back to Friday afternoon though.

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[Renegade]

Noticed yesterday that the rear lock indicator was on. Hit the button and it just flashes. Scheduled an appointment for today. On the way to the dealership it would flash on and off every mile or so. Get to the dealer and they now say that it appears to be a sensor issue but the way it’s designed it is not serviceable. Crazy. Full rear end replacement. Less than 12,000 miles. Most of those miles ARE pulling a camper but it’s well under the tow capacity. Dry weight of the geo pro was around 2,850.

Was headed to Pensacola tomorrow. Scrambling to find another tow vehicle. Checked at the dealership 1,200+ to install class 3 hitch on wife’s unlimited JL. Checked with u-haul. 270 for the same. Not ideal but should be fine for one trip. Tow capacity of the JL is 3,500. Pushes start date back to Friday afternoon though.

There are threads on this exact issue, the majority of which involve towing a trailer. The problem gets blamed on oil infiltrating the sensor, but the disproportionate number which involve towing suggests an alternate electrical issue may be at hand.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

There are threads on this exact issue, the majority of which involve towing a trailer. The problem gets blamed on oil infiltrating the sensor, but the disproportionate number which involve towing suggests an alternate electrical issue may be at hand.

My guess is the factory Spicer gears are to blame. Towing will increase the load on the ring and pinion in a way that regular driving doesn't.

 

[ATLalien]

Noticed yesterday that the rear lock indicator was on. Hit the button and it just flashes. Scheduled an appointment for today. On the way to the dealership it would flash on and off every mile or so. Get to the dealer and they now say that it appears to be a sensor issue but the way it’s designed it is not serviceable. Crazy. Full rear end replacement. Less than 12,000 miles. Most of those miles ARE pulling a camper but it’s well under the tow capacity. Dry weight of the geo pro was around 2,850.

Was headed to Pensacola tomorrow. Scrambling to find another tow vehicle. Checked at the dealership 1,200+ to install class 3 hitch on wife’s unlimited JL. Checked with u-haul. 270 for the same. Not ideal but should be fine for one trip. Tow capacity of the JL is 3,500. Pushes start date back to Friday afternoon though.

I'm a complete newbie to towing, but just purchased a pop up camper relatively recently. Our pop up is only about 1600pds dry with a max gross of 2500. Pretty light and well under the rated 6000 tow rating of my Overland. With the trailer hitched up, bed full of camping gear, cab full with the 3 of us, and two dogs, it doesn't feel like such a light load anymore. The Jeep pulls it up to hwy speeds above the speed limit if I want, but it does seem to be working fairly hard, and I really wouldn't want to pull much more.

Despite being well below the tow limit, I'm getting close to the max payload of 1100 pds (Overalnd) once you add in the weights of the passengers, bedload of cargo, fuel, and tongue weight of the trailer. I'd imagine with a larger camper rig, you've got to be fairly close to max payload too, unless perhaps you spread the gear and passengers across 2 vehicles. No idea if that has any relationship to the issue you're having, but I was surprised how easy it is to get close to, or even exceed payload ratings when towing.

 

[wannajeep]

I'm a complete newbie to towing, but just purchased a pop up camper relatively recently. Our pop up is only about 1600pds dry with a max gross of 2500. Pretty light and well under the rated 6000 tow rating of my Overland. With the trailer hitched up, bed full of camping gear, cab full with the 3 of us, and two dogs, it doesn't feel like such a light load anymore. The Jeep pulls it up to hwy speeds above the speed limit if I want, but it does seem to be working fairly hard, and I really wouldn't want to pull much more.

Despite being well below the tow limit, I'm getting close to the max payload of 1100 pds (Overalnd) once you add in the weights of the passengers, bedload of cargo, fuel, and tongue weight of the trailer. I'd imagine with a larger camper rig, you've got to be fairly close to max payload too, unless perhaps you spread the gear and passengers across 2 vehicles. No idea if that has any relationship to the issue you're having, but I was surprised how easy it is to get close to, or even exceed payload ratings when towing.

I've said it before and will again - Jeep marketing did itself a disservice by promoting a 7,000 lb tow rating and showing the Gladiator towing a large Airstream.

I've towed many loads (including Airstreams big and small) with many trucks (including Rams of 5.7L Hemi and 5.9-6.7L Cummins). The Gladiator is a good tow vehicle, not a great one. In recent months I routinely tow 3,000 lb several times weekly, with the manual transmission, and I'm happy. Ram was a better tow rig for sure. Gladiator is still my all-around favorite.

 

[Msilva]

Thanks. Maybe I am closer to the weight limit than I was thinking. It will be interesting to see what they eventually say. I really don’t notice much of a difference when towing except the RPMs are higher especially when going up a hill.

 

[Gvsukids]

I'm a complete newbie to towing, but just purchased a pop up camper relatively recently. Our pop up is only about 1600pds dry with a max gross of 2500. Pretty light and well under the rated 6000 tow rating of my Overland. With the trailer hitched up, bed full of camping gear, cab full with the 3 of us, and two dogs, it doesn't feel like such a light load anymore. The Jeep pulls it up to hwy speeds above the speed limit if I want, but it does seem to be working fairly hard, and I really wouldn't want to pull much more.

Despite being well below the tow limit, I'm getting close to the max payload of 1100 pds (Overalnd) once you add in the weights of the passengers, bedload of cargo, fuel, and tongue weight of the trailer. I'd imagine with a larger camper rig, you've got to be fairly close to max payload too, unless perhaps you spread the gear and passengers across 2 vehicles. No idea if that has any relationship to the issue you're having, but I was surprised how easy it is to get close to, or even exceed payload ratings when towing.

I've said it before and will again - Jeep marketing did itself a disservice by promoting a 7,000 lb tow rating and showing the Gladiator towing a large Airstream.

I've towed many loads (including Airstreams big and small) with many trucks (including Rams of 5.7L Hemi and 5.9-6.7L Cummins). The Gladiator is a good tow vehicle, not a great one. In recent months I routinely tow 3,000 lb several times weekly, with the manual transmission, and I'm happy. Ram was a better tow rig for sure. Gladiator is still my all-around favorite.

And that's why the Max Tow trim has the higher payload and Tow ratings.

 

[Renegade]

My guess is the factory Spicer gears are to blame. Towing will increase the load on the ring and pinion in a way that regular driving doesn't.

It's an electrical sensor failure, not an actual locker failure. Tazer makes a bypass for this issue.

 

[MPMB]

I've said it before and will again - Jeep marketing did itself a disservice by promoting a 7,000 lb tow rating and showing the Gladiator towing a large Airstream.

That was one of the worst pictures Jeep could have selected. Not only did I notice the massive squat, I know that Airstreams aren't light, and this picture is ridiculous choice for marketing the JT.

The Airstream model is a Flying Cloud 28RB. Dry weight is 5979#, tongue weight a whopping 899#. The JT used in the shot is an Overland. If equipped with a tow package and assuming AT, that puts max towing at 6000#. Tongue weight: Max 600# (the picture is old, before the diesel version came out - not that it'd really matter w/ these weights).

A picture is worth a thousand lawsuits.

This is the picture, for reference:

 

[j.o.y.ride]

It's an electrical sensor failure, not an actual locker failure. Tazer makes a bypass for this issue.

I know, but the sensor gets shorted out by metal shavings in the fluid. I am saying the extra load of towing increases the stress on the ring/pinion and is what probably generates the increased shavings.

 

[Renegade]

I know, but the sensor gets shorted out by metal shavings in the fluid. I am saying the extra load of towing increases the stress on the ring/pinion and is what probably generates the increased shavings.

I don’t think the root cause has been identified. It’s all speculation. Why aren’t more higher mileage JTs seeing the same problem?

 

[NachoRuby]

That was one of the worst pictures Jeep could have selected. Not only did I notice the massive squat, I know that Airstreams aren't light, and this picture is ridiculous choice for marketing the JT.

The Airstream model is a Flying Cloud 28RB. Dry weight is 5979#, tongue weight a whopping 899#. The JT used in the shot is an Overland. If equipped with a tow package and assuming AT, that puts max towing at 6000#. Tongue weight: Max 600# (the picture is old, before the diesel version came out - not that it'd really matter w/ these weights).

A picture is worth a thousand lawsuits.

This is the picture, for reference:

I think it's a Sport or Sport S with Max Tow. That's the only way you see that picture on the build site. The other tow packages just show an atv being pulled. The press picture that shows that truck has asterisks and caveats about being properly equipped, so they've covered themselves.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

I don’t think the root cause has been identified. It’s all speculation. Why aren’t more higher mileage JTs seeing the same problem?

Another reason it's the added stress of towing on the gears. Same rear end on the JL which has had more time to see higher mile vehicles not have the problem.

 

[Renegade]

Another reason it's the added stress of towing on the gears. Same rear end on the JL which has had more time to see higher mile vehicles not have the problem.

I would think that big tires would put similar stress on the ring and pinion as a small trailer with stock tires, and we aren't seeing a proportionate number of larger tire JTs having the same issue. I'm not certain about what it is, but I think there is a possibility of an electrical issue associated with towing/trailer plug use. I recently found out how many different wiring schemes are out there for campers. If there is power feeding back into the trailer plug where it shouldn't, it could be causing issues somewhere up the line.

 

[Trippin01]

Not sure what sensor ya'll are talking about. I have a max tow , no LSD, No lockers and I tow or am on trails all the time when taking it out for exercising. However, just went in with 21,000 miles on and was told my rear diff fluid was shot and needed replaced. I passed since I'm having the 4.10's removed & 5.13 gearing installed in the next week or 2. But Diff oil needs changed at 21k miles? Hmmm, sketchy. and was told Transfer case oil was already breaking down and would need changed soon. Off road travel trailer is less than 4k lbs.

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