The Jeep Gladiator is basically a Wrangler with an extra five foot bed welded to the back. It can still do many of the offroad antics that made the Wrangler famous, all while being able to tow a reasonable amount.
In this article, we’ll be going over towing capacity and whether you should tow with a Gladiator. Let’s get started.
Towing with a Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator can tow a maximum of 7,650 pounds when equipped with the automatic transmission, 3.6 liter V6, Max Tow Package, and 4.10 rear gearing. 7,650 pounds is on par with the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier; no slouch by any standard.
7650 pounds is plenty to tow a medium sized boat or camper, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a work truck. It’s not.
The Gladiator can also be had with a six speed manual, but this can only tow a maximum of 4,500 pounds, so be warned; the price for rowing your own gears is significantly reduced towing capacity. One important thing to note is that the Gladiator does not come with a trailer brake as standard, you will need to bring your own.
Jeep Gladiator Towing Capacity by Year
The Jeep Gladiator has been on sale since early 2019; it arrived with the well-known Pentastar 3.6 liter V6 and an automatic transmission. Initially, the towing capability was 4,000 pounds, although the Gladiator Sport models increased towing capacity to 7650 pounds with the Max Tow package and 4.10 rear gearing.
The Gladiator received the Ecodiesel 3.0 liter V6 for the 2021 model year. It produces a solid 260 hp, but more importantly, 442 lb-ft, good for towing trailers. Unfortunately, the max towing capacity with the Ecodiesel, regardless of trim package, is 6,500 lbs.
An important note; while its platform cousin the Wrangler is available with a 2.0-liter turbo 4 cylinder, the Gladiator cannot be optioned with it, on the grounds that it is unsuitable for truck duty.
Towing Capacity by Trim Package
The Jeep Gladiator does not ship with one size fits all towing capacity. Depending on which model you purchase, that will change your towing and hauling capabilities.
Here is the towing capacity sorted by model and transmission. A note, regardless of model trim, max towing capacity is 4,000 pounds without the Max Tow package.
Jeep Gladiator Sport
The Jeep Gladiator Sport can tow 4,000 lbs with the manual transmission and 4500 with the automatic, without the Max Tow package, but that increases to 7650 with the Max Tow Package, the automatic and the included 4.10 gears. The manual is not available with the Max Tow package.
Jeep Gladiator Sport S
The Gladiator Sport S has the maximum towing capacity of 4,500 lbs as standard with the automatic, but with the available Max Tow package, that increases to 7650 lbs.
As with the Gladiator Sport, regular towing capacity is 4,000 with the manual and 4500 pounds with the automatic, rising to 7650 with Max Tow and the automatic. The manual cannot be optioned with the Max Tow package.
Jeep Gladiator Overland
The Gladiator Overland can tow a maximum of 4,000 pounds with the manual transmission, and 6,000 pounds with the automatic. Max Tow package is not available, likely due to the Overland having more offroad oriented suspension.
Jeep Gladiator Mojave
The Gladiator Mojave is meant to be more of a desert prerunner, so it has softer spring rates than normal. Nonetheless, maximum towing capacity is 4,500 pounds with the manual and 6,000 pounds with the automatic, regardless of configuration.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is one of the most popular Gladiator trim levels, so it needs a wide range of capability. Thus, max towing capacity with the manual is 4,000 pounds, and 7,000 pounds with the automatic; Max Tow package is only available on Sport and Sport S models.
Hauling Capacity by Trim Level
Towing capacity is important, but so is the payload capacity of your truck. Here is the maximum payload capacity of each Gladiator by trim level and transmission.
Jeep Gladiator Sport/Sport S
With the manual transmission, the Gladiator Sport and Sport S can each carry 1,700 pounds in the bed. With the automatic, that is reduced to 1,105 pounds without the Max Tow package. Automatic, Max Tow equipped Sport/Sport S Gladiators can carry 1,535 pounds in the bed.
Jeep Gladiator Overland
The Gladiator Overland can carry a maximum of 1,140 pounds in the bed, with the manual transmission, and 1,120 with the automatic; Max Tow is not available on non-Sport/S models. It is only a 20 pound difference, but likely due to the different duty cycles for each transmission.
Jeep Gladiator Mojave
The Gladiator Mojave can haul a maximum of 1,200 pounds in the bed, with either automatic or manual transmission.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
The Gladiator Rubicon can haul 1,200 pounds with the manual transmission, and 1,160 pounds with the automatic transmission, although the Max Tow package is not available. The lower rating for the automatic is likely due to the different duty cycles and extra weight generated with an automatic, not to mention the extra heat.
Should I Tow With a Gladiator?
This depends on your use case. If you buy this truck to use as a work truck, you are spending money in the wrong places. This truck is meant to be a Jeep Wrangler with a bed on the back and some extra towing capacity, not a Ford Super Duty with balloon tires.
The Gladiator tows straight and true; if you want a Jeep and need to tow a trailer on occasion, this is the truck for you. But you can’t expect it to be a work truck, and even frequent towing will get old, as you’ll be working that 3.6 liter V6 hard to get momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How Much Can I Tow With a Gladiator?
Answer: The Jeep Gladiator can tow a max of 7650 pounds when equipped with the Max Tow package.
Question: Can I Tow Frequently With the Manual Transmission?
Answer: You can, but if you’re buying the manual truck just to tow, you have the wrong idea, and it can only tow 4500 pounds. If you need an offroad truck that can tow, you’re better off with a Ram Power Wagon or Toyota Tacoma TRD.
Question: Can I Tow a Trailer Offroad With the Gladiator?
Answer: Certainly. The whole point of the Gladiator is to be an offroad truck with enough towing and hauling capacity to be useful. Just keep in mind it puts extra stress on the truck, drive gently and you’ll be fine.
Conclusion
The Jeep Gladiator is a great offroad truck that has enough towing and hauling chops to be useful on a daily basis. Just don’t expect it to be a heavy duty work truck; it is not meant for that.
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