Sport S with Max tow the way to go?

[kostik76]

you get max tow for 4.10 and power outlet. too bad no longer available on manual. offroad is so much better with 4.10

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[Lexx]

Is that yellow payload sticker gospel according to law enforcement? I tow a fifth wheel with my F450 and this subject has been hotly debated on our forums. Folks who have been stopped and had their vehicle weighed have reported that what is done is they weigh your rear axle and compare that weight with the load ratings of your rear tires. Likewise I've never read of a single case where someone towing overweight has been denied coverage by their insurance. Think about this. If you're drunk and have an accident, your insurance is still going to pay despite the fact that you were illegally drinking and driving. If you get into an accident and you're a couple of hundred pounds overweight, I seriously doubt your ins co is gonna wiggle out of paying out. And those who have been involved with these type of accidents report that no one ever asks about weight ratings. Just don't be grossly obvious about what you're towing i.e. don't tow a 35 foot travel trailer with your Jeep lol.

Your vehicle should have a white sticker with the GAWR (axle weight rating) for the front and rear axles. In my case my F450 rear axle GAWR is 9900 lbs from Ford and the manufacturer of the axle Dana, actually specs it out at 15,900 lbs. My 4 rear tires are rated 3950 lbs each for a total of 15,800 lbs. So it would be indeed something VERY heavy before I exceeded the load ratings on this truck.

Likewise you might want to take a look at the rear GAWR on your Gladiator and compare that with the combined load ratings of your rear tires. Then either go to a CAT scale and get front and rear axle ratings or you can estimate 20% of your trailer's pinweight to be on the back of your JT. That'll give you a really good idea if you're overweight.

What if there's no room in the trailer? In any case, that's why he specifically said it was hypothetical. The point of the video, which is spot-on, is that there is a huge difference between maximum towing capacity and what the average family is going to have for towing capacity. Salesmen are usually clueless, and consumers are too. The video was meant to explain something that few people think about when shopping trucks.

Funny thing: My JLUS had a payload of 850 pounds. When my wife and I and our 3 kids got into that Jeep, we were at maximum legal load. And we are not fat people. In fact, 4 of us are kind of skinny. :D But, nobody shopping Jeeps or trucks ever thinks about this. On our camping trips, we were legally overloaded WITHOUT a trailer.





Incorrect. In the eyes of the law, that door jamb placard IS the law. You can put 40" tires and a 6" lift on a Max Tow and it does not take you back to a Rubicon. Remember, we're not talking practical terms here. Everybody knows a Rubicon will pull the exact same trailer a Max Tow will. What we're talking about is in legal terms. Liability. Who gets nailed with a citation if a Vehicle Enforcement officer pulls you over. Who gets nailed by the insurance company if there's a crash. That's what is really important.

The 33% additional legal payload of the Max Tow is THE game changer. It opens possibilities for using the Gladiator as a truck that the other two trims just simply do not have and never will have.

 

[93civej1]

you get max tow for 4.10 and power outlet. too bad no longer available on manual. offroad is so much better with 4.10

what power outlet???

 

[db305]

you get max tow for 4.10 and power outlet. too bad no longer available on manual. offroad is so much better with 4.10

manual was never an option for max tow. stick drops towing capacity to 4,000-4,500 lbs.

 

[Burton79]

Getting real close to pulling the trigger on a new Gladiator. Have posted on here a few times and read even more. Just looking for some final thoughts.

I’m upgrading from a JKU which my family has loved. I do a lot of hunting in the North Maine woods along with a lot of fishing with our boat. The off roaring we do is mostly old logging roads but I like to be able to go anywhere. So no real rock crawling but not something just any vehicle can get by on.

I am leaning towards the Sport S with Max tow 1) For the increased payload and 2) for the wide track axels and higher 4.1 gearing

Anything I’m missing/haven’t considered? Any reason not to get the Max tow package on the Sport S? Also looking at a Rubicon but the price difference is coming in 6-7k higher which I I’m not to keen on. I’ve read a lot on here already on Max tow vs Rubicon. Seems for my use the Max tow would be best?

I was in the same boat, wanting to tow and have payload but also wanted the rubi. Instead I went for the Sport with the Freedom Edition, with the Max Tow and 8.4 Uconnect. It’s coming with damn near everything except the wheel and tires, electronic sway disconnect and fox components. It’s saving me about $10k depending on what I would have actually done if I didn’t care about towing, not saying the Rubi can not tow well or anything, just not as much as the max tow.

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