Sponsored

Seeking expert towing advice

koala

Active Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
38
Reaction score
21
Location
Golden, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JKU
So we all know the maximum towing capacity shown for the JT is 7,650 lbs. I have a travel trailer that's 5000 lbs dry, with a GVWR of 7,550. It has a tongue weight of 550 lbs. I think there is more than a manufacturers stated towing capacity to know if you can tow something safely, some formula of GVWR, GAWR, GTV and tongue weight to figure this out. Also doesn't the weight of the Jeep come into play? The Sport with A/T is only 4,672 lbs. If I have a 7,500 trailer and we assume the Jeep can pull that on a flat road can it stop it? Can it get up a hill with it? Can it stop it going down a hill? Will it over heat? I know there's a heavy duty towing option available to get to that capacity which includes "heavy duty cooling" whatever that means - large or larger tranny cooler? No mention of better brakes. Just seems that a trailer weighing almost 2,800 lbs more than the tow vehicle would be an issue...please weigh in all you tow experts! Thanks!
Sponsored

 

Breaktrack

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mac
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Threads
11
Messages
123
Reaction score
439
Location
Montgomery, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
Occupation
Retired
I am in a similar position. I am looking at a trailer that matches yours in weight, etc. The trailer I'm looking to buy has dual axles and it's own brakes, so I'll have to have a connection to hook those brakes up to mine. If the 4.10 gears will do an adequate job on towing, I'll be good to go, but otherwise, I am prepared to regear for the best towing ability, with 35" tires. My additional concern is how do the trailer brakes work with the ABS brakes of the Jeep? What about the adaptive cruise control? The emergency braking under collision avoidance? Not sure about any of that yet.

Mac
 
OP
OP

koala

Active Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
38
Reaction score
21
Location
Golden, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JKU
I am in a similar position. I am looking at a trailer that matches yours in weight, etc. The trailer I'm looking to buy has dual axles and it's own brakes, so I'll have to have a connection to hook those brakes up to mine. If the 4.10 gears will do an adequate job on towing, I'll be good to go, but otherwise, I am prepared to regear for the best towing ability, with 35" tires. My additional concern is how do the trailer brakes work with the ABS brakes of the Jeep? What about the adaptive cruise control? The emergency braking under collision avoidance? Not sure about any of that yet.

Mac
The Jeep does come with a 7 pin connection so after installing a brake controller we'll be set to control the trailers brakes. But you bring up good questions on the adaptive cruise and collision avoidance, hopefully someone towing with those systems on another vehicle can add some light.
 

Breaktrack

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mac
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Threads
11
Messages
123
Reaction score
439
Location
Montgomery, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
Occupation
Retired
Ah, yes, brake controller, that's kind of what I meant by "connection", lol.

Mac
 

kltk1

Active Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
28
Reaction score
15
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2016 RAM 1500
Not sure if this is going to help but I'll throw it out anyway as I'm, somewhat, in the same scenario. I have a 3800lb travel trailer (24' Flagstaff 23LB) I tow with my RAM 1500 Quad Cab 3.6 4X4. The RAM wheelbase is only 3 inches longer and after seeing all the specs for the Gladiator I feel confident it will tow my travel trailer just fine. Even with a small bike in the bed of the Gladiator.

In my research for towing the trailer, I came across information that most experienced TT owners felt comfortable towing not more than 85% of GCWR (The weight of the truck, occupants, tongue weight and trailer. Tongue weight gets added to the weight of the truck and comes out of your GVWR). The problem smaller trucks have is that they usually run out of GVWR and/or Payload before they run out of GCWR so you have to be careful where you put your weight.

I've towed my trailer with a 450lb motorcycle in the bed and it's performed great and I never felt the need for more or felt like the truck was being shoved around by the trailer. I think this is why the Jeep has included the "wide stance" option to the Max Tow package and feels confident they can rate the Gladiator at 7600lbs towing capacity. In the end, if you don't already have one, you'll probably want a weight distributing hitch.
 

Sponsored

dylanmitchell

Member
First Name
Dylan
Joined
Dec 1, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
6
Reaction score
6
Location
Peoples Republic of Kalifornia
Vehicle(s)
1999 Cherokee Classic, 2006 LX470 the 100 series Land Crusier
If you're under 6,000 wet and loaded with gear you should be fine. With the 85 percent rule, you'd be ok towing 6,500 pounds (I'm rounding) and would want a trailer under 6,400 loaded including fluids and gear plus the whatever weight you have in people, dogs, gear, etc. in the truck.

I use 85 percent of the rating and tongue weight minus 300 pounds for each person and their gear. We're usually going from Southern California then up and over the Rockies with some 6%, 7% and what I'd swear has to be a short stretch of 8%. For our need going up and down steep grades, I'd be at 6,400 pounds. Haven't seen tongue weight ratings if it's 600 pounds that would be a 500 tongue weight at 85 percent.

I'd want a trailer that maxed out at 6,000 wet and loaded with gear preferably less. Anything more than 6,500 actual weight I'd want a bigger truck but if you're in a flatter state you might have a different experience.
 

DMoney

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dillon
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
436
Reaction score
437
Location
Idaho
Vehicle(s)
1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport w/ 1.5 inch lift.
Occupation
Freight-liner Diesel Technician
What trim and motor do you plan on getting? Because that can change the tow rating. (Rubicon will have a lower the pounds you can tow because it has softer springs and the ecodiesel will tow less for some reason.)
What @dylanmitchell said is perfect its what I do.
For example:
(I borrow my dads truck to row my trailer since my current rig can't.) His particular truck has a tow rating of 7,760lbs
So 7,760 x .85 = 6,596lbs
I then subtract 250lbs per person (you can do 300 like dylan, up to you.) I go by my self so only one person in truck:
6,596 - 250 = 6,346lbs
Then I go and subtract 500lbs for gear and stuff
6,346 - 500 = 5,846
That's perfect for my 5,500 lbs wet camping trailer.
 

dylanmitchell

Member
First Name
Dylan
Joined
Dec 1, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
6
Reaction score
6
Location
Peoples Republic of Kalifornia
Vehicle(s)
1999 Cherokee Classic, 2006 LX470 the 100 series Land Crusier
DMoney thanks for chiming in too. 85 percent gives us the comfort to handle steep grades or high temps. Plus we keep vehicles for at least 8 to 10 years and staying under the absolute max limits extends the life of the vehicle. Until you get into commercial trucks like a chassis cab 1 ton or larger the vehicle isn't designed to run around fully loaded all the time and hold full power on long grades.

There's also going to be a lot of lifted JT's running larger tires so that will effect towing and load too. Old Man Emu has some heavy suspension pieces for upgrading GVM but you still have to consider the trans, engine, cooling etc. Wonder if OME will have JT parts out soon.
 

megamucho

Well-Known Member
First Name
mega
Joined
Nov 3, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
157
Reaction score
224
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s)
'19 Durango R/T, '18 BMW R1200GS
OP
OP

koala

Active Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
38
Reaction score
21
Location
Golden, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JKU

Sponsored

DMoney

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dillon
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
436
Reaction score
437
Location
Idaho
Vehicle(s)
1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport w/ 1.5 inch lift.
Occupation
Freight-liner Diesel Technician
Thanks for this. I will have to buy the Sport with the max tow package to get the capacity I need - thats the configuration that gives the most capacity
Know how you feel. I would like to have a Rubicon with an ecodiesel. However I would also like to tow my trailer without borrowing my dad's truck every weekend. So I'm probably getting a sport with the pentastar to get the towing specs I need.
 
OP
OP

koala

Active Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
38
Reaction score
21
Location
Golden, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JKU
Not sure if this is going to help but I'll throw it out anyway as I'm, somewhat, in the same scenario. I have a 3800lb travel trailer (24' Flagstaff 23LB) I tow with my RAM 1500 Quad Cab 3.6 4X4. The RAM wheelbase is only 3 inches longer and after seeing all the specs for the Gladiator I feel confident it will tow my travel trailer just fine. Even with a small bike in the bed of the Gladiator.

In my research for towing the trailer, I came across information that most experienced TT owners felt comfortable towing not more than 85% of GCWR (The weight of the truck, occupants, tongue weight and trailer. Tongue weight gets added to the weight of the truck and comes out of your GVWR). The problem smaller trucks have is that they usually run out of GVWR and/or Payload before they run out of GCWR so you have to be careful where you put your weight.

I've towed my trailer with a 450lb motorcycle in the bed and it's performed great and I never felt the need for more or felt like the truck was being shoved around by the trailer. I think this is why the Jeep has included the "wide stance" option to the Max Tow package and feels confident they can rate the Gladiator at 7600lbs towing capacity. In the end, if you don't already have one, you'll probably want a weight distributing hitch.
So what kind of gas mileage do you get with your rig?
 

kltk1

Active Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
28
Reaction score
15
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2016 RAM 1500
Sorry for the late response. I tow at 60 and I get 10-11mpg.
 
OP
OP

koala

Active Member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
38
Reaction score
21
Location
Golden, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JKU
Sorry for the late response. I tow at 60 and I get 10-11mpg.
Ok good to know. I have been getting 7mpg with existing 8.l Chev truck so looking forward to improving that!
 

eternus

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jody
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Threads
60
Messages
1,070
Reaction score
1,032
Location
Longmont, CO
Vehicle(s)
2021 Sting-Gray Sport S Max Tow
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Product Manager
I'm not really part of the conversation but wanted to throw in my numbers from towing with a JKU.

2014 Wrangler JK Unlimited Sport S (not Rubicon)
3.6L Pentastar / 5 speed automatic
3.73 ratio
~33" Duratrac D rated tires
Towing a high wall popup weighing in pretty close to 3500 lbs

Towing from Colorado through Wyoming and into South Dakota (ie lots o hills & altitude) I was getting about 13-14 MPG pretty consistently. The only place power was lacking was on longer or steeper hills, straight-aways were just fine at 65.

I'm hoping the 8-speed automatic Gladiator with 4:10 will chew through that towing even more efficiently... but this talk of Ram 1500 performance is a little bit alarming.
Sponsored

 
 



Top