Wanting to trade in Ford Raptor

[Banjo]

Hi there. I'm new to forum but not new to owning Jeeps. I currently own a 2019 Ford Raptor SCAB. I currently tow a Riverside Retro Camper 27' 10" long with dry weight of 4800 pounds. The farthest we tow TT is 150 - 200 miles. I live in the Northeast. I'm really missing owning and driving a Jeep. I've owned both a JK Wrangler and JL Wrangler. But then me and my wife got into camping. I used to tow 2000 lb 15' camper with JL (had 2" mopar lift with 35" tires) with no issues except when climbing up inclines where 3.6 motor would struggle a bit but nothing crazy. We wanted a bigger camper and I was wanting a Ford Raptor. I bought the Raptor (6000 lb towing capacity with 1000 lb payload) and upgraded to current 4800 lb Travel Trailer mentioned earlier. It tows TT no problem. I use WDH as well. I've been researching many forums and youtube videos for weeks about towing experiences with their Gladiator. It seems the Sport JT with max tow pkg would be best but would it work for my current TT? I would more than likely want nothing more than 2" lift with slightly bigger tires. It's just me, my wife and cargo. The JT Sport is listed as capable of towing more weight and higher payload than my Raptor, but the Raptor is much wider. Not sure if this matters. I really don't want to downsize TT but I have thought about it if I can get a Gladiator. Wife doesn't want to downsize camper. As they say, "Happy wife, happy life". But I'm bored with Raptor and figure I will get best of both worlds with Gladiator. What are your thoughts? Suggestions? Expert advice. Any help is much appreciated.

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[staying_tuned]

27’+ with all that weight on any lift with larger tires is going to own the truck. They are great but IMO you’ll be disappointed.

 

[Hootbro]

Weight wise, it looks like a MAX TOW Gladiator will work for you. What is left out in a lot of tow discussions is the frontal area spec.

Many will argue when you get within 80% of GVWR with a trailer, to go a full size half ton.

 

[JRobes]

Agree with others, probably not a good pairing.

My suggestion is to keep the raptor for tow duty and daily driving and buy an older TJ and have that for your weekend fun toy and have you and the misses drive both to the camp site ?

 

[Snake Eyes]

MY Sport S Max Tow specs at 7650 tow with 765 tongue. My payload is 1400. Your Raptor is a 1/2 ton and the Gladiator is mid size more in line with the Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado. Two different animals. You would be downsizing. Spec number wise could it do it? Probably. But not going to be comfortable. Raptor is longer and wider. Stick with a 1/2 ton up if you are replacing your truck. Much more comfortable. But like I said numbers do work (except dont know your frontal area) but you would be disappointed.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I think you’ll miss the power you have with your Raptor.

Raptor: 450hp @ 5,000 RPM / 510 ft/lbs @ 3,500 RPM.

Gladiator 3.6L: 285hp @ 6,400 RPM / 260 ft/lbs @ 4,400.

Gladiator 3.0L diesel: 260hp @ 3,600 RPM / 442 ft/lbs at 1,400 RPM.

 

[fishburger]

I traded a 19 Raptor for my Gladiator. I’ll say honestly I miss the raptor and the space it had. The same trailer I would tow with does move the gladiator around a bit on rough roads where my raptor would not. But it’s hard to beat the fun factor of the gladiator and I always had a sense of worry with the ecoboost (cam phasers, turbo going out). If I could have both I would. But the gladiator won at the end of the day!

 

[coalcracker]

I haven’t towed with a JT, but I towed with a Toyota Tacoma and found it to be okay, but not nearly as powerful and as comfortable as the RAM 1500 I have now. You might feel like the JT is a downgrade from the Raptor in that regard.

 

[Banjo]

Here are the specs of TT: Height = 10' Width = 8'. I appreciate your responses. Sounds like I either will have to downsize TT or save up some $$$ to buy an older jeep for some weekend fun. Thank you all for your responses. Always helpful. Maybe I can can convince my wife (after a couple of drinks at the next camping show) into getting a smaller TT and I can finally get my JT.

 

[Benbean66]

I agree with all the above responses. I have a Sport w/Max Tow, and although it does it's job towing the weight, the size of the trailer does impact the comfort of towing. I towed my buddies '69 Pontiac on an aluminum car trailer from PA to GA and I kinda wish I had a slightly larger truck, despite being well within the towing limits of the JT.

 

[Gren71]

Never had a full size so I can’t comment on that aspect.

but i pull a 6,000lbs 30ft TT with my max tow and I feel perfectly comfortable and confident in the truck.

i have no doubt a full size would be better and more comfortable.
But a max tow’d sport would be able to handle his TT fine.

 

[Banjo]

Thank you for sharing your photos and experience towing with your JT max tow. Did you add anything such as air bags to lessen any squatting? Great pics of your JT and TT. The toughest part for me is I only tow TT 3 - 5 times per year so it's hard justifying keeping the raptor just for towing purposes. But I still know I need to be safe.

 

[PlayfulBird]

Don't, would be my advice.
Especially not for what you are describing.
Raptor does everything you want, and better than the Gladiator. Besides wheeling slow and technical rocky stuff and then you are looking at a list of upgrades, all of which will limit or worsen the towing experience (even if you only do it a few times a year).
The Gladiator is an awesome rig. But it does many things okay and none amazing. Ride, seating and drivability...
The wider vehicle does help the stability imo

Rather buy a Jeep down the road to tickle that urge.
If you want to trailer more, or keep trailer and feel the need to Jeep, rather look at trading raptor for another full size and see what that opens up in way of second vehicle.
Downsizing is harder than one thinks... try it before committing. Personally I don't like towing with our JT Rubicon, 34s MTs, rest is stock. Even with upgraded suspension and gvwr I think the offroad attributes don't jive with towing larger stuff.

I suspect being bored of the Raptor ... the Jeep may turn that to being frustrating. The chance is good and grass always looks greener on the other side

 

[Blade1668]

I've got a Max-Tow and find my 05 Wrangler Unlimited tows better than my JT in some areas (utility trailer with 4wheeler) the JT is "gear surfing" now my 16ft Scamp it's less than 4000 lbs. the JT will handle it better longer wheelbase and wider. Now I've got a buddy who tows a larger camper with his Rubicon JT and says he has no problem. IMHO you wouldn't be happy with the towing vs the Raptor towing.

 

[Mflowers11]

I bought my gladiator from a guy that put 36” wheels and a leveling kit on it and wanted to tow a 6000 lb boat a few miles to the lake. He sold it to me because it just didn’t have the power he thought it would. Not sure he realized he cut the torque in half by doing it…

Going from the Raptor to the Gladiator, I don’t think for your purposes that you’ll be happy…and I LOVE my Gladiator. Downsize the trailer some, maybe. But otherwise I wouldn’t do it…

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