Tire/Wheel size and Max Tow Package

[jfreeham]

We have a 2020 Gladiator Sport S with the Max Tow Package. We use it to tow our 2020 Airstream Bambi 19cb. It is a perfect match. It didn't take long for me to learn that a Jeep is a gateway drug. There are many ways to modify and "improve" one's Jeep. I have spent too many hours, even late into the night, gazing into the computer at the many things one can buy and all of the advice offered, especially on this forum. So far my addiction to this new drug is not affecting my marriage.

I'm assuming that the engineers in designing the Jeep with the Max Tow Package chose the gearing and wheel size for the most optimum towing capability for the Gladiator. Here's my question: If I change the wheel size, will that affect the towing ability and capacity?

Thanks. I look forward to your insights.

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[LostWoods]

It absolutely impacts towing but I doubt you'll have any issues going to even 35's pulling a 3,500lb trailer.

 

[jfreeham]

It absolutely impacts towing but I doubt you'll have any issues going to even 35's pulling a 3,500lb trailer.

Thank you! I should have mentioned that the unit base weight is 3,650 lbs. The GVWR is 5,000 lbs. The net carrying capacity is 1,350 lbs. But given what you wrote, I'm going to assume that even with a possible, but unlikely, fully loaded 5,000 lbs. trailer, larger wheels won't adversely affect the towing ability of the Max Tow Package.

 

[LostWoods]

As long as you're not pulling it up the 70 in Colorado or something on the regular, you'll likely be fine. If it is an issue, I'm assuming if you've got a truck and trailer like this, you can probably swing new gears and 4.88's would make it as good as stock on 35's.

 

[KVJ]

I have a Sport S w/Max Tow and went to 285/70/17 KO2 tires that are around 32.7" diameter. It fills the wheel wells enough to give the truck a better look, no rubbing and can hardly notice any difference towing except a slight lower MPG.

I like the Airstream Bambi.

 

[whiteglad]

I put 255-80-17 Falkens on my JT. They are 33.1" spec (1.6" over stock), and 10.3 lb lighter than the Rubicon size mentioned above, 1" narrower than the Rubi size--about the same width as stock. For me they are the best compromise for trails, rain, snow, dirt, and pavement while retaining as much of the towing capability as possible.

 

[jfreeham]

Thank you, everyone, I appreciate your thoughts. Even though I didn't know what I was looking for, except that I wanted something different than stock, when I saw Whiteglad's set up I knew that was perfect for me.

 

[whiteglad]

You will like the Falken AT3Ws! If you contact Discount Tire on this forum, they will help you get the best price, whether from them directly, or through your local DT store. I put several hundred miles on mine last month on rocky, dirt trails in NV while elk hunting. I told my son (who went with me) several times how glad I was that I got the tires instead of carry8ing, and probably needing, several stock Bridgestone spares. Better to have one spare and never use it, instead of hoping you are carrying enough spares of a marginal tire. When I got the Falkens, I had two sets of stock 245-76-17 Bridgestone AT's and traded them in--some DT stores will do this, but not all.
The only situation where I would prefer a mud tire would be deep,, nasty mud. OTOH, the Falken AT's are mountain/snowflake rated so much better for my use. Not much mud in NV, but do get snow going across I-70 to Denver when I visit my daughter.

 

[whiteglad]

I saw that Falken makes the AT3W in SL and E in the stock size 245-75-17 but do not trust SL in sharp, plentiful rocks, and the E weighs almost the same as the 255 E's. After all that driving on rocky trails, mine still look new, no chips or cuts.

 

[saintpauljeff]

You will like the Falken AT3Ws! If you contact Discount Tire on this forum, they will help you get the best price, whether from them directly, or through your local DT store. I put several hundred miles on mine last month on rocky, dirt trails in NV while elk hunting. I told my son (who went with me) several times how glad I was that I got the tires instead of carry8ing, and probably needing, several stock Bridgestone spares. Better to have one spare and never use it, instead of hoping you are carrying enough spares of a marginal tire. When I got the Falkens, I had two sets of stock 245-76-17 Bridgestone AT's and traded them in--some DT stores will do this, but not all.
The only situation where I would prefer a mud tire would be deep,, nasty mud. OTOH, the Falken AT's are mountain/snowflake rated so much better for my use. Not much mud in NV, but do get snow going across I-70 to Denver when I visit my daughter.

trade in tires to DT? never heard of this, but I'd presume they have to be virtually new eh?

 

[whiteglad]

Sure. One set was take-offs I had bought mostly for the wheels and tpms, and the other set was on my JT which had been scarcely driven because of the corona. I didn't get a lot for them, but it gave me easier-to-store bare wheels and a bit lower cost out of pocket. It depends on the marketability of such tires in your geographical area and the opportunity for the particular DT store to make something on them too.

 

[BrichJeepUtopia]

I have a max tow sport s, mopar lift and 35x12.5r17 KO2’s. Our camper is the 2020 Cherokee wolf wolf pup black label 16bhs, it’s around 4,000 lbs when we load it up. We’ve traveled just shy of 4,000 miles with it since May. That includes a trip from Dallas,TX to Estes, CO and back. The truck pulls just fine, very stable. Engine and Transmission temperatures have never gotten above normal operating temps. The max tow cooling system is legit. It stays between 4th and 7th most the time and averages 8-9 mpg with 10 being about the best we’ve seen . I did not tow with it on the stock wheels/tires so don’t have any comparison to offer there (I’m sure mpg would go up a bit), but in my experience,The truck doesn’t seem to have any issue towing around 4,000 lbs with 35’s.

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