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Trailer Brakes

Vismich

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I have a small camper... 3k gross weight. We camp a lot in the summer, and was surprised to learn that the gladiator doesn’t have trailer breaks!!

I read mopar will release a factory option and have two questions...

1. When is mopar releasing their breaking system?

2. Should I buy a 3rd party for now? Is it safe to pull with the “sway system” they mention??

How can they advertise best in class towing without trailer brakes!?!
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RIPLER

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Are you sure that your camper has brakes? Most braking on smaller trailers are surge brakes and don't need a controller.
 
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Vismich

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Are you sure that your camper has brakes? Most braking on smaller trailers are surge brakes and don't need a controller.
Yes... I used it with my old Jeep. It’s a little older
 

Jowen

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The brake controller for electric brakes that can be used is the one for the grand Cherokee along with the cable. The problem you will have is the mounting of the controller, I shudder at the thought of drilling in my dash area because I do not know where the wiring runs are. I use rtv to glue the base in place, that way I do not worry about damaging wiring.
 

Oilburner

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How can they advertise best in class towing without trailer brakes!?!
Yup - should be included w/
tow package on this vehicle.
 

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Iron Wolfpack

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This was shared previously and may be helpful before you start drilling into your dash. This is a video of installing a brake controller on a JL. I would assume the JT would be very similar.
 
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Vismich

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The brake controller for electric brakes that can be used is the one for the grand Cherokee along with the cable. The problem you will have is the mounting of the controller, I shudder at the thought of drilling in my dash area because I do not know where the wiring runs are. I use rtv to glue the base in place, that way I do not worry about damaging wiring.
Would you wait for the mopar brake? Just worried about safety
 

TennesseePA

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I cannot believe that in 2019 we are talking about a "truck" that supposedly can tow >7,000 pounds needing an aftermarket trailer brake controller. More and more I am starting to look at the Gladiator as a Wrangler with a bed. They try to claim it as 100% Jeep and 100% truck but it just hasn't proven out in the reviews and the lack of real truck attributes. Anyone else with a Gladiator on order getting a little buyer's remorse? Maybe I can sell my wife on the thought that since the Gladiator is such a disappointment in the truck department we still need that F250 I passed up for the Gladiator.
 

Iron Wolfpack

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I cannot believe that in 2019 we are talking about a "truck" that supposedly can tow >7,000 pounds needing an aftermarket trailer brake controller. More and more I am starting to look at the Gladiator as a Wrangler with a bed. They try to claim it as 100% Jeep and 100% truck but it just hasn't proven out in the reviews and the lack of real truck attributes. Anyone else with a Gladiator on order getting a little buyer's remorse? Maybe I can sell my wife on the thought that since the Gladiator is such a disappointment in the truck department we still need that F250 I passed up for the Gladiator.
I call dibs on yours since we have same color on order at same dealer and you have a shipping date! :LOL:
 

TennesseePA

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I still think that the JT will make a good daily driver but it will not be a very good excursion vehicle. The 3.6 is not a towing engine and you have to modify the vehicle to be legal while towing anything substantial. Just plain dumb. I'll get my JT and family vacations will be limited to its capabilities. My plan was to get a camper to tow around with the JT but who wants to drive from TN to AZ and get 8.5 miles per gallon the whole way? I had a 2011 F550 with the 6.7 Powerstroke and 4.88 gears and I got 10 miles per gallon towing my 19,000 pound machine on my 5,500 pound gooseneck. I pulled that machine and gooseneck behind 4 different trucks and only one had any trouble handling it, the single rear wheel F250. I was at or above the "recommended" towing capacity every time I loaded up to go to a new job. (Before the legal watchdogs go on a rant about that, I had my CDL so my GCWR was a total of the GVWR of the truck and the GVWR of the trailer so I was always legal and even had to cross the scales.)

My point in saying all of that is that the Gladiator is a Jeep with a bed and not a competitive truck.
 

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TennesseePA

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what would make everything perfect is if I could win the video contest I could have the Gladiator built the way I want AND the F250 with a Powerstroke to pull it around the country. A Gladiator, an F250 and a car hauler...What could be better?
 

kayakmike

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I plan to move my brake controller (https://tusonrvbrakes.com/collections/direclink-brake-controller) from my Grand Cherokee to my Gladiator. The cable is a common Dodge/Ram/Jeep cable, so I'm assuming the Gladiator will use the same one. Other cable connects to the OBD-II connector. Not sensitive to installation orientation like other brake controllers that use internal accels/sensors when applying braking.
 

jeepinmike

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Almost every truck towing test I’ve seen is around the same mpg range as the gladiators. 8-12 towing a heavier load. Doesn’t matter the size of truck. Your f550 probably didn’t get 17-22 mpg either when you weren’t towing so I guess it just matters where your priorities lie.

I still think that the JT will make a good daily driver but it will not be a very good excursion vehicle. The 3.6 is not a towing engine and you have to modify the vehicle to be legal while towing anything substantial. Just plain dumb. I'll get my JT and family vacations will be limited to its capabilities. My plan was to get a camper to tow around with the JT but who wants to drive from TN to AZ and get 8.5 miles per gallon the whole way? I had a 2011 F550 with the 6.7 Powerstroke and 4.88 gears and I got 10 miles per gallon towing my 19,000 pound machine on my 5,500 pound gooseneck. I pulled that machine and gooseneck behind 4 different trucks and only one had any trouble handling it, the single rear wheel F250. I was at or above the "recommended" towing capacity every time I loaded up to go to a new job. (Before the legal watchdogs go on a rant about that, I had my CDL so my GCWR was a total of the GVWR of the truck and the GVWR of the trailer so I was always legal and even had to cross the scales.)

My point in saying all of that is that the Gladiator is a Jeep with a bed and not a competitive truck.
ry
 

RedTRex

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I still think that the JT will make a good daily driver but it will not be a very good excursion vehicle. The 3.6 is not a towing engine and you have to modify the vehicle to be legal while towing anything substantial. Just plain dumb. I'll get my JT and family vacations will be limited to its capabilities. My plan was to get a camper to tow around with the JT but who wants to drive from TN to AZ and get 8.5 miles per gallon the whole way? I had a 2011 F550 with the 6.7 Powerstroke and 4.88 gears and I got 10 miles per gallon towing my 19,000 pound machine on my 5,500 pound gooseneck. I pulled that machine and gooseneck behind 4 different trucks and only one had any trouble handling it, the single rear wheel F250. I was at or above the "recommended" towing capacity every time I loaded up to go to a new job. (Before the legal watchdogs go on a rant about that, I had my CDL so my GCWR was a total of the GVWR of the truck and the GVWR of the trailer so I was always legal and even had to cross the scales.)

My point in saying all of that is that the Gladiator is a Jeep with a bed and not a competitive truck.
Very true
 

TennesseePA

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Almost every truck towing test I’ve seen is around the same mpg range as the gladiators. 8-12 towing a heavier load. Doesn’t matter the size of truck. Your f550 probably didn’t get 17-22 mpg either when you weren’t towing so I guess it just matters where your priorities lie.


ry
Very true
You are quite correct about the everyday mileage of the F550. I can say that for many reasons I never really drove it for any amount of distance on the highway without being hooked up. Even though it was a crew cab long wheelbase truck the ride was a kidney busting kind of terrible! I did have to drive it home fro Prescott AZ unloaded and to make the ride just bearable I had my 200 gallon transfer take full of fuel and I filled my 125 Gallon water tank full too. Plus I had the air compressor and other tools mounted on the bed. But it did get 15 MPG when not towing on that trip. Otherwise it just drove back and forth from the hotel to the job site on the mountain.

Gotta love this place. In two posts in a row I was quoted, one in agreement and one in opposition. I admit that it is not fair to compare my Superduty diesel work truck to the Gladiator because of they are designed for different purposes. My whole point was because of Gladiator’s design and intended purpose it is not a suitable tow vehicle for heavy or even moderate loads.

That being said it will be an ideal truck for my new lifestyle since I am in a clinic now and not out in the woods on the top of a mountain. It will pull my boat to the slough and get it out when the ramp is covered in ice, it will pull the UTV to and from my secret hunting spot and It will haul the wife and kids to Gatlinburg or the Grand Canyon in comfort. That is why I ordered the LE. Not as a tow rig.
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