So, what is everybody towing?

[WILDHOBO]

Just bought a new trailer, thank goodness I have Max Tow 5th Wheel edition with air bags.

Pin weight 2300, 12,000lbs loaded, average 13mpg at 75mph and I don't even know I'm towing anything.

I assume the 2500 is in the garage.

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[WILDHOBO]

Dana 60.

Which frame? Cuz that one’s going to crumple.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Which frame? Cuz that one’s going to crumple.

He could have at least rolled up the tonneau cover and erased the front supports.

 

[MTB58]

I assume the 2500 is in the garage.

No, 3500

 

[WILDHOBO]

No, 3500

Awesome.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No, 3500

All kidding aside, serious query - pics of the 3500 and the camping rig in tow?
Sounds like what my former co-worker used to tow his massive small hotel on wheels. He had crazy nice setups.

 

[MTB58]

All kidding aside, serious query - pics of the 3500 and the camping rig in tow?
Sounds like what my former co-worker used to tow his massive small hotel on wheels. He had crazy nice setups.

It's actually my brothers rig. I was just helping him wash that massive 2 bedroom beast. He tows it with his 2022 Silverado 3500 Duramax.
I got rid of my 2500 and my 5th wheel. It's now my gladiator and a 23' Jayco pictured on the previous page.

Just thought it was a funny photo op.

 

[WILDHOBO]

It's actually my brothers rig. I was just helping him wash that massive 2 bedroom beast. He tows it with his 2022 Silverado 3500 Duramax.
I got rid of my 2500 and my 5th wheel. It's now my gladiator and a 23' Jayco pictured on the previous page.

Just thought it was a funny photo op.

Quite. Glad you did.

 

[GiJoe82]

2020 Sport with Max tow. Mopar lift and 35x12x17 Toyo open country AT. Trailer is Coachmen Apex 245BHS 4800 lbs dry. Dealer sold me a blue ox weight distribution hitch with it. Tows really well 60mph or less, not so much on the interstate. I’m wondering if smaller tires would help with interstate speed.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

2020 Sport with Max tow. Mopar lift and 35x12x17 Toyo open country AT. Trailer is Coachmen Apex 245BHS 4800 lbs dry. Dealer sold me a blue ox weight distribution hitch with it. Tows really well 60mph or less, not so much on the interstate. I’m wondering if smaller tires would help with interstate speed.

"max tow" Gladiators are rated that way in part due to the tire sizes placing the engine in the sweet spot for towing on the road.
You took all of that away - you increased tire size increasing rolling resistance, changing the final RPM on the road, shift points and increased braking distances (made matters a bit worse) with the larger tires.

In short - there's a big reason the Sport with max tow comes with the tires it comes with. Any changes from that take away from that.

 

[GiJoe82]

Yep, if I remember correctly my gladiator came stock with 245/75/17 (31.5”) with max tow rated at 7650. The Rubicon comes stock with 285/70/17 (32.8) rated at 7000. So I am considering buying another set of wheels and tires for towing the camper. I don’t really want to go back to sport stock but I’m considering Rubicon stock size tires. Just wondering if that would get my rpm a little lower when doing 70mph

 

[Labswine]

Yep, if I remember correctly my gladiator came stock with 245/75/17 (31.5”) with max tow rated at 7650. The Rubicon comes stock with 285/70/17 (32.8) rated at 7000. So I am considering buying another set of wheels and tires for towing the camper. I don’t really want to go back to sport stock but I’m considering Rubicon stock size tires. Just wondering if that would get my rpm a little lower when doing 70mph

I tow a 5,100 lb (with all we want or need) 27' travel trailer with my stone stock Overland (ordered 5/19, delivered 7/19) and, still have the factory tires. I can cruise on the interstate at 65 MPH in 7th at around 2,100 RPMs.

My tires are the 255/70/18 flavor of the Bridgestone Dueler HL. Basically street only tires.

I am going to need replacing them soon as they're getting up around 39K miles (retired, hence the low miles...) and it's getting time, tread wise. 40K miles are pretty much what one gets from factory tires.

I'm looking to replace them with Hankook Dynapro ATMs in the same size but in the 265 flavor for just a bit better foot print. Great aggressive tread pattern that is also extremely quiet (had the same tires on my '08 Grand Cherokee Overland...Hemi...) so that's from practical experience. They went through snow like I was on dry road.

So, like others have said, you've reduced your towing ability, yes ability, by going to a larger tire therefore negating any benefit from the slightly taller gear, the 4.1, than most of us have in non MaxTow, Rubicon, or Mojave with our 3.73 gearing.

 

[Blade1668]

There are nice hotels in Moab and all over Colorado. I did the Nor Cal BDR with some buddies and we stayed in hotels for over a week.

In some cases it's cheaper than a towing a travel trailer. I was heading to Atlanta for a weekend planned to stay in travel trailer at campground a damn hotel was cheaper.

My trailer is in storage right now, so I won't be able to take any photos yet.

For my lightweight Carbon MTB's I used a bumper mounted receiver hitch mounted on top of the bumper which is very limited on it's weight capacity because it's mounted on the very flimsy bumper. I reinforced the bumper with Saftey Stuts which are designed to help the rv bumper from breaking off due to the extra weight. Total weight for my two bikes and bike carrier was around 100 lbs.

I have since purchased an adjustable width reciver hitch and had my friend who owns a fabrication shop weld it onto the trailer frame with the receiver part on the top of the bumper. I had it done this way because I don't want to drag the bike carrier entering or leaving gas stations or driveways. The hitch is strictly for bike carriers or cargo carriers, because even though it's a receiver hitch welded to the trailer frame it will not support towing.

If you plan on carrying 4 bikes you will definitely need a welded in receiver hitch. Something else you will need to pay close attention to is the type of bike carrier you have. Most bike carriers are not rated for the back of motorhomes or trailers due to all the extra bouncing they are subjected to. I am currently using a Rocky Mounts 2 bike carrier.

Another thing to consider is the weight on the back of the trailer will lessen the tongue weight on the tow vehicle, probably not pound for pound but it will lessen the weight and could change the towing characteristics of your trailer.

Lots of stuff to thing about just to carry 2 or 4 bicycles maybe 200lbs total.

Really good points there, my Scamp has a 2" receiver hitch for just that mounting a bike rack, tied in to a second cross member. I have hauled a hitch rack and cooler on it a few times. Once or twice a light weight utility trailer to on closed limited speed road when moving up to higher ground due to river flooding campgrounds.

2020 Sport with Max tow. Mopar lift and 35x12x17 Toyo open country AT. Trailer is Coachmen Apex 245BHS 4800 lbs dry. Dealer sold me a blue ox weight distribution hitch with it. Tows really well 60mph or less, not so much on the interstate. I’m wondering if smaller tires would help with interstate speed.

I'm sure it would, I definitely "noticed a difference" going from 245/70r17 stock tires to 33/10.5r17 tires on my Max-Tow. About 10 mpg, and more down shifting higher oil temperature along with a few others. That's with utility trailers, my 05 Wrangler Unlimited manual transmission gets the same mileage as my Gladiator does now towing. (On 31/10.5r15 MT tires) without having to downshift. Maybe not the 33/12.5r15 currently.

 

[brsnow2585]

My buddies 3500 when he hits a deer and gets stuck trying to to turn around. My little camper Illinois to Texas so far, and same buddies camper because his truck doesn't cut tight enough to get into the spot(I move it, wouldn't travel pull it).

 

[JAsh1967]

All this talk about how changing tire size can change the towing ability makes me glad I stuck close to my OEM tire size when I bought new wheels and tires.

Went from the stock 245/75/17s to 265/70/17s. Pretty sure that ~1/10" size difference on the diameter is going to make a BIG difference in the final gearing. The weight of the new tires and wheels, might make some difference, but I tend to be conservative when towing and stick to around 60-65mph anyways.

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