What are the upgraded tow options?

[dslfreak]

The person that ordered my Jeep placed the order without the tow package, I do have the trailer connections....I see alot of the Tow package has upgraded fan and Alternator for cooling....Can someone help with the differences especially the fan?

my Current Alternator is 220 Amp Alternator

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[Mr._Bill]

The Tow Package includes the upgraded fan and alternator, and the frame mounted hitch receiver. Without those installed by the factory, your towing capacity is 'legally' limited. If you plan to be towing, make them order a new truck outfitted the way you ordered it. If you have already taken delivery, it is not something that can be fixed by the dealer.

 

[kevman65]

Tow package has a 240 amp alternator.
Tow package has a Class IV receiver.
Tow package has heavy duty engine cooling.
Tow package has trailer hitch zoom for back up camera.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

True what's been said here - and there's countless other threads on this same thing. If you want it for towing, buy one ready for towing. You can add parts but it's not the same thing.

 

[dcmdon]

I respectfully disagree.

There is no significant difference with the towing package. Same brakes, same springs, same shocks.

The cooling "upgrade" is a fan with a 10% higher amp rating. Or something like that. Same radiator, same oil cooler, same transmission oil cooler.

The upgraded alternator may matter if you will be towing a 20 foot caravan with running lights. Otherwise its a marginal upgrade. I can't seem to find what the standard alternator is so I can't give an exact comparison.

But I remember finding it when I was evaluating whether to get the tow package or not.

Finally, an OEM receiver hitch can be purchased from Mopar. The exact same hitch that comes with the truck if you order it. So you get the exact same structure.

The point about "legal" tow weight, I've never seen proven. I don't see in any documentation how the tow kit increases the tow capacity of the vehicle.

Again, we're talking about the regular tow package, not the max tow package with has some significant upgrades including different axles, gearing, and suspension.

I agonized over the tow package for my Mojave and ultimately got it because I mistakenly believed that without it you didn't get a trailer light plug. Had I known that all Gladiators got the plug, I'd probably have purchased the receiver for $225 and installed it in an afternoon.

One last thing. You do get a zoom feature on the reverse camera to help with backing the truck up to a trailer. That's of little value to me because nothing I haul can't be finessed by hand for the last inch. But if you tow heavy stuff, this might be a big help.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The cooling "upgrade" is a fan with a 10% higher amp rating. Or something like that. Same radiator, same oil cooler, same transmission oil cooler.

The upgraded alternator may matter if you will be towing a 20 foot caravan with running lights. Otherwise its a marginal upgrade. I can't seem to find what the standard alternator is so I can't give an exact comparison.

The alternator is to handle the draw of the cooling fans. It's not for trailer lighting. Fans - and the battery charging involved with travel trailers equipped with a battery.
So the alternator keeps the two truck batteries charged, runs the larger fan motors, and charges the trailer battery, and possibly the electric brake emergency battery (there's a battery to engage trailer brakes in event of a disconnect and that gets charged by the tow vehicle) and the trailer brakes.
I can't recall the amperage draw, but a trailer like mine or BIGGER with 4 wheel electric brakes take ~16 amps at full draw. Some may be more, smaller trailers, single axles, etc. will be less draw.

Base alternator is 180, next step is 220, then I believe the 240.

I'd be interested in seeing the spring differences between the tow package vs. no tow package........

 

[KVJ]

Is there a difference in the grill openings of the max tow?

 

[dcmdon]

Is there a difference in the grill openings of the max tow?

There is no change in grill openings. All Gladiators get a grill with larger openings than the Wrangler.

But remember that we are talking about the ~ $500 tow package, not the ~$1200 max tow package. They are 2 different things.

 

[dslfreak]

Thanks, I was mostly just curious, I purchased it used but was curious what is needed besides the hitch

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is there a difference in the grill openings of the max tow?

Nope. All jt the same

 

[dcmdon]

Thanks, I was mostly just curious, I purchased it used but was curious what is needed besides the hitch

All you need to tow is a hitch. How much you can tow is mostly determined by what model you have.

I have a Mojave. this is the listed tow capacity.

Notice that there is no adjustment for the tow package. Its this way for all models. The only exception being the MAX TOW package.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

All you need to tow is a hitch. How much you can tow is mostly determined by what model you have.

and which alternator and fan.
If a person tries to tow 6,000 pound (which shouldn't be done even WITH the tow package) and they don't have the higher capacity fan and alternator to match, they may fine things running too hot.
If it's not the higher rated fan and you get into mountains, you may not like it because the air is less effective at heat removal at altitude, it takes more air going through to keep things cool.

And again - I am curious to see if the JTs with tow package have the exact same springs as a JT without tow package assuming all other options are the same.
They may be - but so far everyone is jumping and saying the only difference is hitch, this or that.........
Has anyone checked to see? No, it's ignored.
Two trucks I've owned in the past had different springs when equipped with certain tow packages.

On the JT the payload is in the same range tow package or not (it's adjusted for the added weight of accessories that's why I say "range")

 

[MattHamilton]

I have the Tow package with the Class IV hitch. I just had that part replaced by the dealer for a rust issue near the tow hook. I believe this is the part: 68334750AA . I'm no mechanic, but from what I see, it can be added after factory.

 

[Rishstev]

Difference for the tow package and the max tow package is max tow has stiffer rear springs and 4:10 gears.

 

[dcmdon]

and which alternator and fan.
If a person tries to tow 6,000 pound (which shouldn't be done even WITH the tow package) and they don't have the higher capacity fan and alternator to match, they may fine things running too hot.
If it's not the higher rated fan and you get into mountains, you may not like it because the air is less effective at heat removal at altitude, it takes more air going through to keep things cool.

For 90% of the people who tow 90% of the time, this isn't really an issue.

I tow mostly small boats, utility trailers that max out at about 3000 lbs and things like that.
Its usually around town at speeds not exceeding 40 mph. A Gladiator could safely town 10,000 lbs under those conditions with a WDH.

I know you tow a 3500 lb car for long distances on a roughly 1500 lb trailer. So it may matter to you.
(and towing 10,000 lbs on the highway, even in cold weather is reckless)

But while the edge case of a 5000 lb trailer, over mountains, at highway speeds, in the summer , is a very real thing for some people. It not terribly common.

In the case you were talking about, lets speculate about the lower vs higher rated fan. How much of a difference will it make in the ability to pull a heavy load up a hill. 60 mph vs 50 mph?

The power required to go 60 mph is somewhere around 60% more than the power required to go 50 mph. (Power required overcome aerodynamic drag goes up as a cube function and power required to overcome frictional losses goes up as a square function of speed. So frictional losses go up 44% and aerodynamic losses go up 72%. So 60% seems a reasonable estimate).

So you greatly relieve the stress on the truck by just slowing down a bit.

I remember when my dad bought a Ford Taurus wagon in the 90s to tow his race car. He got the tow package. It included
1) heavier rear springs
2) a transmission oil cooler
3) an engine oil cooler
4) a larger radiator
5) higher weight rated tires.
6) a full sized spare

Now THAT was a tow package. It substantially increased what that car could do. I think maximum tow weight went from 1500 lbs to 4000 lbs. We don't get anything like that.

Ford currently sells a tow package that bumps the Maverick from 2000 to 4000 lbs tow capacity. I'd be interested to learn what that includes. I guess it depends on what is holding the truck back. If the problem is the CVT burning itself up, it could be something simple like swapping the CVT for the 8 sp auto. (I know that's not it, but was just trying give an example)

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