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does anyone else have a Jeep Gladiator? Towing Question

You could take it off the trailer and drive it over the hill...
 
As noted above, it's not so much the towing, but the stopping. Yes, even with surge brakes. When the tail is bigger than the dog...you have problems.

I worked for an RV dealer for nearly a decade, so I knows me some towing. The Gladiator has a couple things against it for this use - first, it is rated for a light tongue weight. That means you have to keep the LeBaron towards the rear of the trailer in order not to squat the rear of the Gladiator too far (not only does it look stupid, but it unloads your steering wheels and puts undue stress on your rear suspension, as well as uneven loads on the trailer axles), but a rear-loaded trailer is more likely to sway back and forth.

Surge brakes only work when the trailer has momentum, and is "pushing" on your tow vehicle. Electric brakes are MUCH more competent, and if your Gladiator has a factory hitch it should be pre-wired for a brake controller. Get one. Trust me. I use the brakes on my 26' enclosed trailer to hold my Cummins in place on hills, so I don't fumble the clutchwork and do a burnout...but you can also control the amount of braking force the trailer gets with the turn of a knob, and save the brakes on your Gladiator.

Net answer, though? Get a truck rated to tow your load. No sense risking your Gladiator AND your LeBaron because you didn't want to pony up the $19.95 to rent a half ton truck, to go with the trailer!
 
I have noticed that Wranglers (not looked at Gladiators directly) only have a class II hitch receiver from the factory.

Whereas the factory Mopar towing kit for my comparatively dinky Renegade (FWD Renegade) is a class III.

I find that interesting to say the least.
 
YY1 said:
I have noticed that Wranglers (not looked at Gladiators directly) only have a class II hitch receiver from the factory.

Whereas the factory Mopar towing kit for my comparatively dinky Renegade (FWD Renegade) is a class III.

I find that interesting to say the least.
Click to expand...
Me too. What's the tow rating on your renegade? (Front wd or Four wd?)
 
Funny. I just looked it up and the first place (Dodge dealer accessory web store) says 2000 pounds.

Why a class III receiver, then?

BTW- I've pulled my 4200 pound Dakota on a dolly with it.

It's pretty beefy- same gauge steel as Reese and Draw-Tite 5-6K frame mounts, with several large grade 8.8 bolts through the bumper mounts and additional 8.8 bolts through the sides that aren't used for the bumper it replaces.
 
Last edited:
This whole thing is about safety. The renting company is also concerned with Liability. If things go south your auto insurance would likely not help you if you go against the Pro's advice and there is an accident.
Not complicated. Sounds like my dead father in law.
He would spend $1.00 to try to save a dime. Rent/borrow the proper tow vehicle.
Other people on the hi-way are also at risk.
 
Nevada dan said:
I don't mean to be negative but when your coming down a hill on the freeway and you don't have enough weight in the tow vehicle to keep the loaded trailer stable , bad thing happen in a hurry, I've helped clean up a few
Click to expand...
Maybe.
But in my case of the GMC Canyon, it has the factory Tow package which includes:
Tow/Haul mode, which handles vehicle control and trans cooling on grades. Also has the Hill Descent Control which kicks in at lower speeds.
These are things UHaul doesn't consider in their computer recommendations.
I tried explaining to them, but...:BangHead:
So now I tell them I'm hauling what they want to hear.
Always get the insurance, much cheaper than the repair bill they would hit you with.
I leave with the empty trailer.
Case closed.
Potts
 
YY1 said:
Buy a $1000 trailer from craigslist, use it, then put it back on CL for $1500?
Click to expand...
ha ha 2.jpg


$ 1000 trailer
GOOD luck on that one. I've looked and found nothing worth considering under $3000!
 
Triplegreen500 said:
As noted above, it's not so much the towing, but the stopping. Yes, even with surge brakes. When the tail is bigger than the dog...you have problems.

I worked for an RV dealer for nearly a decade, so I knows me some towing. The Gladiator has a couple things against it for this use - first, it is rated for a light tongue weight. That means you have to keep the LeBaron towards the rear of the trailer in order not to squat the rear of the Gladiator too far (not only does it look stupid, but it unloads your steering wheels and puts undue stress on your rear suspension, as well as uneven loads on the trailer axles), but a rear-loaded trailer is more likely to sway back and forth.

Surge brakes only work when the trailer has momentum, and is "pushing" on your tow vehicle. Electric brakes are MUCH more competent, and if your Gladiator has a factory hitch it should be pre-wired for a brake controller. Get one. Trust me. I use the brakes on my 26' enclosed trailer to hold my Cummins in place on hills, so I don't fumble the clutchwork and do a burnout...but you can also control the amount of braking force the trailer gets with the turn of a knob, and save the brakes on your Gladiator.

Net answer, though? Get a truck rated to tow your load. No sense risking your Gladiator AND your LeBaron because you didn't want to pony up the $19.95 to rent a half ton truck, to go with the trailer!
Click to expand...
I agree to an extent.
I bought my truck with towing in mind. But I had to add the electric brake control, (for the very same reasons you mentioned) when I realized the dealer missed it on my order.
The problem with UHaul auto transporters is, none of them accept the 6 pin electric brake connector because all they operate is lights. All 3 of their Auto Transporters have that chain brake activation.
So what am I to do?
I have no room to store a nice trailer.
Are there any Auto Transport rentals that have the electric brake set up?
 
Maybe try a sunbelt rental, if there's one near you? Or, just start calling trailer places and ask 'em.
 
Yea. No luck with calling around locally.
I'll have to try Sunbelt, even if it's a drive away, may be worth it.
Penske only rents auto transporters when you rent a moving truck.
Thanks for replying.
 
Update:
Sunbelt anywhere around me doesn't rent auto transporters.
Guess we are stuck with U Haul. At least it's a solid trailer.
Thanks
 
Thats tempting. Decent price too, but Im on the coast, and don't have much room to store a trailer.
Thanks
 
My 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 4-wheel drive will tow 6200 pounds. The Gladiator is only rated to haul 4200 pounds but I’m not sure why.
 
The GMC Canyon is only rated to haul 3500lbs, but that's with the base model 4 cylinder.
Upgrade to the V6 and the rating jumps up to 7000lbs.
 
Last time I got a quote from Penske for a truck and trailer it was $2500, and that was 15 years ago.

I found a local ford dealership that would rent me a nearly new f150 crew 4x4 for $499 for a week!

...and didn't care that I was pulling a trailer and going from FL to TX and back!

I even called their customer support line from TX when the trailer brake connector shorted the trailer brakes, and between the tech and myself we figured out a work around.

I did that deal twice. The first time the truck had 33 miles on it when picked up and 3500 when returned!
 
I like that CL trailer.

I have a 3x7 very similar. Fits a riding mower or motorcycle perfect. Paid $100.

Single axle car trailers are pretty rare. Wonder what the axle is really rated for?
 
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