Towing concerns. What are you towing at what max?

[Osutrikers]

We have a 2020 Mojave, which has a 6000 lb capacity. Looking at a trailer that dry weight is 4200. The trailer is being towed by a Toyota 4Runner, which I looked up and it’s 5000 max. But still, I’m Wondering what some of you are towing at what max. Would you be comfortable towing it if you were careful how much ‘stuff’ you added? Thanks

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[Gren71]

If you install these airlift bags the truck will feel WAY better hauling close to the max weight.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Air-Lift/AL60830.html?feed=npn&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google | Shop - Vehicle Suspension&adgroupid=84911362294&campaignid=203667377&creative=404001548639&device=c&devicemodel=&feeditemid=&keyword=&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9007464&matchtype=&network=g&placement=&position=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwl_SHBhCQARIsAFIFRVXgrVVsvR7-2J9yB0WWz_WJOxXZNg-R9c7di7sfu7l0ZwQgC7ILrcUaAllfEALw_wcB

I pretty much followed this guys install, with only a couple of changes. It may a world of difference, even on my max tow.



i use a bicycle pump to pump my bags up to 40psi. It takes all of no time and I can just keep the bicycle pump in the bed of the truck, in the in the travel trailer.

 

[Gobi Wan K]

There are a lot of towing threads on here. Have a look.
I will say that you should be aware of what your GCWR is, Gross combination weight rating. You will have to look it up. But you might be surprised to find that you really can't tow 6000 pounds. Once you put people and gear in the Jeep you start eating into your numbers. Best advice is load up and go across a scale. You may be able to move some weight around to get where you want to be. A weight distribution hitch will be your best option at those weights and make sure to get the tongue weight right. Don't listen to these "don't tow more than 80%" people. Just do what you are comfortable with. If you don't have a lot of towing experience then maybe start smaller. I can say without much doubt that the 4Runner was almost certainly over weight pulling a 4200 pound dry trailer.

 

[Jas504]

My overland has a 6k tow rating also.
My boat is right at 6k lbs.
Yesterday I towed in about 25 miles to a set of scales to verify the weight before towing it to Florida next week. The truck seemed to do fine. It's very stable. The 3.6 isn't the most powerful but it did ok.
Around 60-65mph felt like a good safe interstate speed. My trailer has almost exactly 600 lbs of tongue weight. The gladiator had a little bit of squat, but not much. Overall it seems fine, but I definitely wouldn't want to tow more than 6k unless it was with a full size truck.

 

[Jas504]

There are a lot of towing threads on here. Have a look.
I will say that you should be aware of what your GCWR is, Gross combination weight rating. You will have to look it up. But you might be surprised to find that you really can't tow 6000 pounds. Once you put people and gear in the Jeep you start eating into your numbers. Best advice is load up and go across a scale. You may be able to move some weight around to get where you want to be. A weight distribution hitch will be your best option at those weights and make sure to get the tongue weight right. Don't listen to these "don't tow more than 80%" people. Just do what you are comfortable with. If you don't have a lot of towing experience then maybe start smaller. I can say without much doubt that the 4Runner was almost certainly over weight pulling a 4200 pound dry trailer.

Good point about the GCWR.
In the Overland that number is 11,100.
After going over the scales I was 80 lbs over. My guess is the Mojave would be the same since it also has a 6k tow.
The Mojave is probably a little heavier than my truck so that could be a small factor. Here are my weights from the scale.
I am glad I verified these weights. Takes all the guess work out of it.

 

[MPMB]

There are a lot of towing threads on here. Have a look.

This.

Also, I look at the "tow @ 80% capacity" as a guideline to start with. Because there are things that sometimes you can't avoid, like the possibility of towing with a full tank or two. Or you have a lot of s**t that you have take for this trip, so you have that buffer. Or you're new to towing.

A 6000# travel trailer or enclosed trailer will be different compared to a flatbed trailer hauling 6000# of steel or wood.

I know some on here tow at or above the listed capacity without issue. But the manufacturers put the numbers out there for a reason, right?

 

[MrJeep]

I tow my TJ on a car hauler at about 5600# or so to my Overlands 6000# rating and it is pretty drama free. I won't win any hill climb races but stopping and handling are great. Many reports on here of wind resistance being more if a problem/inconvenience to towing with the JT than the weight.

 

[User Banned]

I don't have my Gladiator yet (within the week, though!!), but we currently have a 2018 Wrangler JLU (manual) that says it can tow 3,500. Our TT is a 2020 Jayco 174BH, which is 3,074. After adding gear to the TT, I'm sure we're over by a few, but the JLU handles so well with the WDH, that I've never had any problems.

Also, the exact same Jeep Wrangler JLU can tow 5,500 on European roads, probably due to regulations, etc... The only issue I have/had with the JLU pulling this weight is the gearing...I was always in 2nd and 3rd gear, and could only hit 4th if we were on a nice flat highway, keeping it around 60MPH.

The new Gladiator with Max Tow will be sooooo much better, especially with the auto trans.

 

[Labswine]

The new Gladiator with Max Tow will be sooooo much better, especially with the auto trans.

You'll be well under the weight capacity of the MaxTow but, I'd still suggest manually shifting the 8 speed auto. Keep your shifts at 2,500 or less and keep it in 7th or 8th as terrain and traffic allows. 7/8th will keep your RPMs around 2,000 and your fuel economy won't be as bad. I have a 5,200-5,300 lb 27' TT and when I towed using that shifting method (also 6th if speed drops below 58 mph...still at 2,500 RPMs until back between 60-65 mph then 7th again) and got 13+ mpg.

 

[WXman]

My trailer is a 8.5x24'. It's 3,700 empty.

I usually hauled a UTV, ATV, and camping gear in it. That gets me to 6,000 lbs. But occasionally I haul my tractor in it. That puts me at 8,700 lbs.

I have the Timbren SES kit. I swapped it over from my Ram 1500 to the Jeep Gladiator since the rear suspension is so similar. Works great. I also use the Husky Centerline TS hitch. I love it too.

The truck handles the trailer BETTER than I expected. I've got about 26 years of towing experience pulling loads of every kind. My maiden voyage off in the Gladiator with this particular trailer made me nervous, but after being on the road for 5 minutes I knew it was going to be just fine. It feels exactly like all my full size trucks when towing. No sweat.

A trailer brake controller is a MUST. And keeping your speeds down and your distances long between you and traffic is also a must, as with any other truck on the market.

 

[Bacon]

33' travel trailer, 6400# dry. Rubicon Automatic with a max of 7000. I'm getting it regard to 4.88 in a week, but it does get the job done.

 

[morejeepsthanicancount]

33' travel trailer, 6400# dry. Rubicon Automatic with a max of 7000. I'm getting it regard to 4.88 in a week, but it does get the job done.

I'm about to regear mine next week as well to 4.88. What size tire are you running? After doing months of calculations, I think 4.88 is perfect for big 35s/small 37s and getting 8th gear back when not towing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I tow my TJ on a car hauler at about 5600# or so to my Overlands 6000# rating and it is pretty drama free. I won't win any hill climb races but stopping and handling are great. Many reports on here of wind resistance being more if a problem/inconvenience to towing with the JT than the weight.

Trailer loaded - 5600. Tongue weight at 10% - 560. That's over half your payload.
Assuming you have nothing else in the truck with you and nothing in the back, how does it sit - or do you use a WDH with your car hauler?
I set about 500 - 550 pounds of block on one of those receiver mounted carriers and the back of mine squatted like a dog crapping in the yard. (thus my change to max tow springs in the rear - squat solved)

When I used my car hauler to go pick up some old dealership signs - 1600 pounds trailer and load - my truck couldn't get out of its own way on I80 west of Des Moines. Yeah, I was trying to keep up the speed limit, 70-75 but I was shocked at how it struggled and the transmission hunted so badly all the way home.
I keep seeing folks talk of how well their Overland did and wonder what the hell is wrong with mine?
Handling was great, stopping was great, but the transmission shifted literally 2 or 3 times a minute and it felt like the brakes were on.

 

[Labswine]

I keep seeing folks talk of how well their Overland did and wonder what the hell is wrong with mine?
Handling was great, stopping was great, but the transmission shifted literally 2 or 3 times a minute and it felt like the brakes were on.

Forget about letting the transmission shift itself. Do it yourself. Look up in this thread for my post about manual shifting. It'll make a world of difference not only in performance but possibly even fuel economy as you'll be running in between 2,000 and 2,500 RPMs crusing instead of letting the transmission drop down to 5th or 4th gear and the RPMs going over 3,500 RPMS all the time. It'll handle it quite nicely.

 

[Bacon]

I'm about to regear mine next week as well to 4.88. What size tire are you running? After doing months of calculations, I think 4.88 is perfect for big 35s/small 37s and getting 8th gear back when not towing.

37 BFG KO2s. I drive without a trailer 99% of the time so the real motivation is to regain some of the factory acceleration and 8th gear.

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