So, what is everybody towing?

[Josh00333]

Repost, but was a fun weekend away.

16’ Mirage I had built.

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[Gren71]

24' Benny with a WDH, no issues even in 115 degree AZ Summers.

whats the weight on that beast? Ive always wanted a pontoon boat

 

[the hiking viking]

A Forest River Wildwood XL Lite 171RBXL travel trailer, just under 4k. Room for the wife and I plus our two ten pound toy Aussie Doodle dogs. Two trips out so far pulling it. My '22 Overlander auto is doing 3500 rpm across flatland and doing 70mph and getting about 11 mpg.

 

[Labswine]

A Forest River Wildwood XL Lite 171RBXL travel trailer, just under 4k. Room for the wife and I plus our two ten pound toy Aussie Doodle dogs. Two trips out so far pulling it. My '22 Overlander auto is doing 3500 rpm across flatland and doing 70mph and getting about 11 mpg.

Shift manually, drop 5 MPH in your speed and you can cruise in 7th at around 2,100 RPMs and get around 13 MPG. That's what I get with my Overland (ordered 5/19, delivered 7/19) towing my 5,100 lb (with all we want or need) 27' Sonic SN220VRB.

 

[the hiking viking]

Shift manually, drop 5 MPH in your speed and you can cruise in 7th at around 2,100 RPMs and get around 13 MPG. That's what I get with my Overland (ordered 5/19, delivered 7/19) towing my 5,100 lb (with all we want or need) 27' Sonic SN220VRB.

appreciate the input...I haven't sat down and looked at any tips on how to tow with this Gladiator so far. Find myself missing the fine towing my former 2018 F-150 with the V6 ecoboost and towing mode gave me. But... it wasn't a Jeep. Lol. Sold my 2011 JKU and the F-150 and got this Gladiator. I'm in a better place now. Lol.

 

[O-Face]

Took these two...

for a trip to Charleston in this...

 

[DesertGladiator]

whats the weight on that beast? Ive always wanted a pontoon boat

It's pushing 7k with the trailer.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Repost, but was a fun weekend away.

16’ Mirage I had built.

I'm curious - with that frontage (don't tell Jeep the square inches on the front of that), and the long, tall, flat sides - how does it handle in a wind or with trucks passing you?

It's a neat looking combo with the color match - I mean white with the black/dark trim. Good match for the tow vehicle appearance-wise.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

appreciate the input...I haven't sat down and looked at any tips on how to tow with this Gladiator so far. Find myself missing the fine towing my former 2018 F-150 with the V6 ecoboost and towing mode gave me. But... it wasn't a Jeep. Lol. Sold my 2011 JKU and the F-150 and got this Gladiator. I'm in a better place now. Lol.

I let mine do most of the shifting except in some real hills here, let it wind up to bein the power band, and tow 5,000 pounds and have averaged 13.9 mpg. Too low RPM will lug it and keep it way below the power band.
I disagree with forcing it into near-lugging. The truck guys told me "let 'er wind" when I asked about my Chevy - they said it was designed to operate that way and would actually live longer.
I experimented doing both ways and found that letting it decide, except in a few situations where I found it shifting too often (building up heat in the transmission) and in those cases I'd hold a gear between where it was wanting to be (if it hunted between 5th and 7th, I'd hold 6th).
I lost mpg doing it manually and forcing lower gears where it was grossly under-powered.
That's the thing about engines - an engine that's small and loaded will get less mpg than a larger engine hauling the same load and by that logic, you are better letting it run in the power band. They are built to wind up. Too many fear the high RPM and think back to old-school engines of the 60s and 70s. Look at the redline on modern engines, the light weight parts and short strokes - made to rev. It's much more efficient to run higher RPM. You get the timing advance (it's way retarded at the lower RPMs - leading to engine heat and the edge of detonation), you get higher pressured and better burns. More power.
I found I was dropping several tenths of a mpg shifting manually except in transmission hunting situations, and decided 13.9 wasn't bad at all for the load I was towing..
Sweet spot is 60 but it didn't drop off much up to 65 mph. Towing over 65 the mpg would drop noticeably.

 

[MrJeep]

Just returned from Killington Jeep Jamboree. It is about 2 hrs each way. The gladiator pulled the TJ very well. That includes a pretty good climb and decent in the mountains of VT

Nice setup. Doing Killington again? We'll be there, will look for you.

 

[BrettWeir]

Nice setup. Doing Killington again? We'll be there, will look for you.

Definitely will be there. I am a trail guide. Usually on Vertigo

 

[carmigo]

Pretty sure I was overweight today with a corvette on the back.

WHAT IS THAT! A Corvette for ANTS?

 

[Josh00333]

It’s 7,6” tall and 7’ wide, so 52.5 frontal. Looks taller than it is partially because there is no awning breaking up the side.

It tows real well. V nose front. Even w side wind and simi’s it tracks well w the Anderson WD hitch.

I’ve towed probably 4K miles; Boise to Yellowstone and back, then Boise to Moab and Pagosa Springs CO and back. Pulse few side trips.

It’s main “problem” is it’s a beef cake. Ready for the road I’m at 6k pounds. Tongue is right at 730.

 

[Josh00333]

See above lol

I'm curious - with that frontage (don't tell Jeep the square inches on the front of that), and the long, tall, flat sides - how does it handle in a wind or with trucks passing you?

It's a neat looking combo with the color match - I mean white with the black/dark trim. Good match for the tow vehicle appearance-wise.

 

[tobyw]

Hot spell here this week, headed for some elevation to try and cool off this weekend...

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