What’s the Jeep Gladiator Towing Capacity – What Trailers and Campers Can it Safely Tow?

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Roughly, How Much Will a Jeep Gladiator Tow?

The newest 2022 Jeep Gladiator trims come with different maximum towing capacities. The minimum towing capacity is 4,000 pounds with the Sport & Sport S Gladiator, Overland, and Mojave (Manuals). The Sport & Sport S Gladiator 4×4 with a maximum tow package and a 4.10 Axle ratio can handle up to 7,650 lbs. However, the diesel engine has a lower towing capacity compared to its gasoline variant. 

What Travel Trailer Size Can a Jeep Gladiator Pull?

There are five types of Jeep Gladiator with 4 different towing levels. The trailer size that the Gladiator can pull depends on its engine power, type of transmission, axis, whether it has a low-speed gear or not, and other mechanical features. When you talk to the dealer, you might hear some crazy numbers. But in reality, you should never go beyond the exact limit of the car, in this case, 7,650 pounds at maximum. In other words, the Jeep Gladiator can pull small campers, trailers, and some smaller fifth wheelers.

Can a Jeep Gladiator Tow a Fifth Wheel Trailer?

What’s the Jeep Gladiator Towing Capacity - What Trailers and Campers Can it Safely Tow? 1

Technically, yes. However, if you’re towing a large fifth-wheeler, you won’t be able to move that fast, and you’ll be forced to pay a lot of attention to the trailer’s sway. Just as a reminder, this is a mid-size truck, and it’s not that different in size from the famous Jeep Wrangler, which can tow only small trailers. 

Therefore, our answer to this question will be no, as five-wheel trailers are enormous and are preferable for larger trucks with more engine power and towing capacity. 

However, not all five-wheel trailers are large and problematic for towing. The more enhanced models of the Jeep Gladiator can take on a smaller five-wheel trailer without a problem, no matter its towing capacity. While pulling a five-wheel trailer, some features should be altered or added, but this should be enough to get the job done without any security risks. 

The Towing Capacity of Different Jeep Gladiator Models and Years 

Jeep Gladiator Model by the YearEngine SpecificationsTowing Capacity Range
2020 Gladiator3.6 Liter V6, 285 horsepower, 260 torque

or

3L V6 EcoDiesel, 260 horsepower, 442 torque
4,000 - 7,650 lbs
2021 Gladiator3.6 Liter Pentastar V6, 285 horsepower, 260 torque

or

3L V6 EcoDiesel, 260 horsepower, 442 torque
4,000 - 7,650 lbs
2022 Gladiator3.6 Liter Pentastar V6, 285 horsepower, 260 torque

or

3L V6 EcoDiesel, 260 horsepower, 440 torque
4,000 - 7,650 lbs

What Affects the Overall Towing Capacity of the Jeep Gladiator?

The truck’s towing capacity depends on various factors – internal and external. When we say internal, we’re talking about the integrated smart technologies, the extra towing packages, stabilizations, and terrain management, among others. External factors include the wiring, the trailer’s weight and size, and the terrain of the route you plan to take.

Below, we will examine several of the factors that can increase the towing strength of your vehicle.

Engine Strength

The first factor is by far the most important one. The engine’s strength plays a large role in determining the towing capacity of the truck. The two elements that determine the engine’s strength are torque and the horsepower output. Usually, the higher the horsepower, the higher the towing capacity, although this is not the only thing that’s taken into consideration.

The Jeep Gladiator has two types of engines, diesel and gasoline. The first engine that was released with the Gladiator was a 3.6 liter Pentastar gasoline with Variable Valve Trimming, producing 285 horsepower and 260 lb of torque. The engine that has the most torque is the 3.6 liter Eco Diesel, boosting 260 horsepower and 442 lb of torque. 

Axle Ratio

Next on the list is the axle ratio, which is important because it determines how the truck uses the torque. The axle ratio is determined by how many times the wheels will turn using the power from the engine. In case you are pulling something lightweight, you would want faster movements. On the other hand, if you’re towing something heavy, you would want slower movements in order to avoid the swaying of the carriage you carry. 

Speaking about towing, you would want a higher axle ratio. However, if you’re not that into towing, you can get a lower axle ratio just for the sake of fuel economy. With the 2022 Jeep Gladiator trims, you have 2 options – the standard 3.73 and 4.10 axle ratio, which requires additional selections. These include the Track-Lok Anti-Spin rear differential and the Full-Time 4WD system. 

The Length and Weight of the Truck

The length and the weight of the truck play a crucial role here. In fact, the weight and the length of both truck and trailer will have an impact on the towing efficiency and control of the truck while driving. 

As an example, if you have a larger trailer and you’re planning to use the Jeep Gladiator to tow it, the faster you go, the more mass that trailer will gain, effectively affecting the control of the Gladiator. 

When there are strong winds, you’ll see that trailer dancing on the road, but there’s a way to avoid this. The common advice in this situation is to get a truck that is both longer and heavier than the trailer you tow. This is because the truck is the only thing you can control. 

If it’s the opposite, the trailer your tow can push the truck and will definitely sway more on open roads, causing you problems while driving.  

The 2022 Gladiator’s exterior length is 218 inches; it has a 73.8 inches body width and 75 inches in height. 

Payload

The maximum weight you can place on your track is called payload. This includes all weights such as the passengers, gear, and a full gas tank. The payload capacity of any truck varies from trim to trim. 

The Jeep Gladiator’s payload capacity is different between trims. The minimum of the Sport and Sport S models is 1,200 lbs, while the maximum goes around 1,600 lbs. The Rubicon’s maximum payload ranges between 1,075 to 1,300 lbs, while the Overland and High Altitude trims have 1,150 and 1,275 maximum payload capacity. On the other hand, Mojave’s model, both manual and automatic, have a max payload of 1,200 lbs. 

There are a few claims that the maximum payload capacity is 1,700 lbs, available only on the 3.6-liter V6 engine on the Sport S model, with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Tongue Weight

The tongue weight is one more factor to be checked, as it gives you more stability on your truck. The best way to explain tongue weight is the amount of pressure the hatch puts on the vehicle. 

The heavier trailer you tow, the more weight is closer to the vehicle, which equals tongue weight. The explanation can go the other way around. If the trailer/camper that you tow with your Jeep Gladiator is not heavy, there won’t be any weight near the vehicle, thus causing your trailer to sway. This can cause unpleasant situations, especially for inexperienced drivers. 

Overall, the tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the gross trailer weight.

Towing Package

A towing package can come with different specifications that can make the towing way easier. When it comes to the towing packages by Jeep Gladiator, you’ll find two of them: Trailer Tow Package and the Max Tow Package.

The bigger of the two, the Max Tow Package, has some of the same elements as the basic tow package, but it also offers many more features. Here’s a list of them:

  • Trailer-Hitch Zoom;
  • 240-Amp Alternator;
  • 245/75R17 All-Terrain Tires;
  • Class IV Receiver Hitch;
  • Heavy-Duty Engine Cooling;
  • Daytime Running Lamp System;
  • 4.10 Axle Ratio;
  • Heavy-Duty 4-Wheel Disc Anti-Lock Breaks;
  • GVW-Rating 6,250 pounds
  • Track-Lok Anti-Spin Rear Differential;

Trailer Tow Package

The Trailer Tow Package is the standard towing package and comes with any Gladiator trim, and there are many of them. Here are the following specifications that are included in the regular package of the Jeep Gladiator: 

  • Trailer-Hitch Zoom;
  • Class IV Receiver Hitch;
  • 240-amp Alternator;
  • Heavy-Duty Engine Cooling;

Which Mid-Size Trucks Provides Similar Towing Capacities to the Jeep Gladiator?

The Jeep Gladiator is new on the US pickup market, but it’s one of the best in its mid-size truck category. Here’s a list of other mid-size trucks that can provide the same or similar towing capacity as the Jeep Gladiator:

  • Chevrolet Colorado 4×4 – up to 7,000 lbs.
  • Toyota Tacoma 4×4 – up to 6,500 lbs.
  • Ford Ranger 4×4 – up to 7,500 lbs.

Gladiator Towing Capacity FAQ

Which Jeep Gladiator Has the Best Towing Capacity?

There are five different models of Jeep Gladiator, with four different towing capacities. Only two models of them all have the best towing capacity at 7,650, and those are the Sport 4×4 and Sport S 4×4. These models come with a 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 engine with 286 horsepower and 260-pound feet of torque.

How Can I Prevent My Trailer From Swaying Away?

Sway prevention should always be on your mind, and that’s why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA for short, offers several tips on how to prevent this from happening. 

The first one is to follow the instructions manual from the manufacturer to get info on the towing capacity of your truck. The other tips include trusting the manufacturer’s truck when it comes to towing, such as required gear, driving slow, avoiding sharp turns, and so on.

Is Four-Wheel Drive Preferable for Towing Trailers?

It all comes down to the conditions and the places you usually drive. When it comes to rain, snow, or mountainous terrain, you’ll need four-wheel drive. Your truck will become more stable and will have the power needed to overcome the road or the weather conditions. Every Jeep Gladiator model comes in 4×4 drive, and it’s perfect even for off-roading when towing something small.

Which Engine Type is Better for Towing?

If you plan to tow regularly with your Gladiator, you should go for the EcoDiesel engine. In fact, even if you don’t get the Sport or Sport S trims that offer the highest 7,650 lbs maximum towing capacity, the EcoDiesel engine still beats the standard gasoline version. While the engine type is not the only thing to consider when it comes to towing, there’s a clear difference in the Jeep Gladiator 2022 series.

Is the Gladiator Suitable for Off-Road Driving While Towing?

Yes, it is, but not in all conditions. The reason behind this is that not all off-road paths are suitable for towing. If you have something enormous with you, it’s not possible to overcome the hurdles of off-road driving. The new Gladiator is perfect for off-roading, but you are either going to do it free of load or with something small behind you. If you think that it’s not possible to tow anything off-road, just put it on your truck bed, and boom, you good to roam into the wilderness!

About Chris Coleman

Chris Coleman is an interesting travel blogger and outdoor photographer with a great sense of humor. He owns an RV Accessories shop in New York City so he has the knowledge necessary to provide thorough reviews and give advice on how to choose the right products for RV travel. He puts all that RV knowledge and experience to good use in his sharing posts. Besides product buying guides/reviews, Chris also writes informative articles, how-to articles and RV camping guides in his own interesting viewpoint. Chris’s blog is one of the most reliable information sources for RV campers no matter if you're an expert or a determined beginner.

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