Your thoughts on towing this

[Blueiyz]

I have a 2023 Rubicon Diesel with Tow package. Do you folks think it will be OK to tow this trailer?

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[RJinPV]

You don't have enough margin to your tow rating to tow that trailer. You should consider the GVWR of the trailer as the weight you need to tow and then your tow rating should exceed that number with a decent margin(10-20%). The trailer GVWR is likely the weight of the trailer once you load it with all of your supplies. The truck's tow rating is based on one average driver in a stock vehicle with no other stuff. No luggage, no passengers, no nothing. Just one driver. The JTR Diesel tow rating is 6,500 lbs if I remember correctly. Check your owners manual. So you have negative margin with that trailer.

 

[Jefe1018]

You don't have enough margin to your tow rating to tow that trailer. You should consider the GVWR of the trailer as the weight you need to tow and then your tow rating should exceed that number with a decent margin(10-20%). The trailer GVWR is likely the weight of the trailer once you load it with all of your supplies. The truck's tow rating is based on one average driver in a stock vehicle with no other stuff. No luggage, no passengers, no nothing. Just one driver. The JTR Diesel tow rating is 6,500 lbs if I remember correctly. Check your owners manual. So you have negative margin with that trailer.

Actually only 6,000lbs.

If I had to move that trailer in town I wouldn’t hesitate.

I wouldn’t never own that trailer to tow with the JT.

 

[Blueiyz]

There's Also a Smaller version.

 

[GeneralMaximus]

Aren’t those Olivers $100,000 trailers? I’d get a proper tow vehicle if I owned a premium travel trailer

 

[WILDHOBO]

Both are too much. You’ll hate every second of it.

 

[RubiAR]

I have a 2023 Rubicon Diesel with Tow package. Do you folks think it will be OK to tow this trailer?

I looked on the website and it says they're 4900 lbs "dry weight". Idk what that all does NOT account for, but fluid wise the 3 tanks hold a total of 79 gallons. That's 550 pounds extra by itself. Like another said, you could do it locally, but I would never move it long distance. That 18' would be much better.

 

[RJinPV]

The 5,000lb GVWR trailer is getting you in the ballpark but it's more complicated than just the truck tow rating and the trailer's weight. The JTRD has a GVWR that tells you the maximum loading for your truck. GCWR is the Gross Combined Weight rating for your truck and the trailer. You have to stay below both of these numbers.

Your JTRD has a label inside the driver door that will tell you what you payload capacity is. That is likely about 900 lbs. Every single thing you load on your truck goes against that number: racks, luggage, lighting accessories, bed covers, bigger tires, emergency gear, passengers, dogs, and the trailer tongue weight. Trailer tongue weight is usually at least 10% of the trailer weight. So a 5,000lb trailer already eats up more than half of your capacity. Toss in two adults and kids and you might be at limit to the GVWR.

Your owners manual has the GCWR for your JTRD. The gross weight of your JTRD and your loaded trailer (use trailer's GVWR, not dry weight) has to be less than this number. If you are at the limit for these numbers then towing will be technically legal, but it will not be fun. You'll have limited acceleration, you'll notice the trailer dragging you around a lot, and steep grades will be a challenge. Expect to keep speeds at 55mph or less.

I have a largely stock JTR with a tow rating of 7,000 lbs. My trailer weighs 5,800 lbs as measured on a CAT scale. I am right at the GVWR (only one passenger and one driver) but under the GCWR by about 10-15%. Towing this rig is not worry free and I wish my trailer was 1,000lbs lighter. Rough order magnitude scaling to your JTRD means you should look for something with a GVWR of ~4,000 lbs to have low stress towing.

Whatever you do get a weight distribution hitch and a brake controller

 

[WILDHOBO]

I second @RJinPV ‘s comments, but would go further. I also have a rubicon with factory towing, so a 7000ln rating. Our trailer is 3,500 loaded, with an estimated 250lb tongue weight. It’s all I’d like to tow for any distance. It’s easy in the flats, but is very noticeable on uphill steep grades. I’ve towed larger for short in town distances and it does fine, but not on a regular basis.

 

[Idlethunder]

Just like several others have said, that is heavier than I'd want to tow often or for extended distances. My worry isn’t that my Gladiator wouldn’t do it, but more about the added stress it would create to a vehicle I truly love.

 

[bleda2002]

I the 5k one is fine if you throw on a weight distribution hitch. The 7k is a no from me on any long distance trip.

 

[Jaxmax]

I have been where you are, I really liked the trailers you are talking about well made, old school but heavy. Wife and I had lists of wants , she wanted rear u shaped dinette and a walk around queen bed, I wanted tandem axles and something around 3,000 dry weight. What we wanted had us looking and searching and in the end we had to give something up. Yes I am a poser here and scared of my wife too, so the tandem axles went. Thing about tandems is they tow somewhat better straight , but tight turns ya swear you are going to pop a bead, they add weight of two more tires axles and springs, two more wheel bearings , two more brakes, too much bother. When figuring weight most campers we researched figure dry weight which includes full propane tanks, but no water but you will never have three full tanks of water the most will be a full water tank, and as you use it the others fill up , dump them as much as possible to keep weight down.
The trailer my lovely wife found and asked me to look at is a “Vista Cruiser 19ERD” 3100 lbs. Dry, GVWR 4100 lbs. 24’ total
length 7’6” wide, single axle with a sloped front. Mojave tows it good can go up any hill I want on East Coast, knows it is there. Try getting as narrow a trailer as you can, the wind resistance is a big deal, sloped front another big thing. I bought a recent used camper, first thing I did after the seven hour drive home from Vermont was replace all three tires with higher weight rating Hanook tires huge difference, and it won’t bust the bank too much to buy two tires every few years, spare will be fine as they have a spot for it inside under the bed. Last thing, bump outs are nice but add a lot of weight and possible problems like you can’t stop and use bathroom without opening bump out along highway. There are a few others on this forum with Vista Cruisers, all seem happy with their choice, one guy drags the next size smaller 2500 lbs. dry out on the beach , not hard sand either!
…..I should be an author with the books I write here, Geeze!…..Jack

 

[Jaxmax]

Holy shit that is a long read, skip it and just go with this
“Stay light and enjoy life”!!!

 

[Outside Reality Check]

RJinPV and WILDHOBO are spot on. A GVWR of 4000 lbs. would be a good place to start. When narrowing down my trailer search, this forum, and other resources helped. My JTR tows 7000 lbs. so I limited my search to a GVWR of 5000 lbs. My trailer GVWR is 4960 lbs. (dry weight 3042 lbs.) with family and minimal gear loaded in the JTR, and trailer loaded with most of the gear. It tows comfortably, safely, and reliably. The JT is definitely not a towing icon, but it does great as long as I don't ask more than it wants to give.

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