2021 Caravel 16' TV 2020 Gladiator Overland

[Mighty Mite]

Not sure I have the numbers correct below. All numbers come from the info on the door stickers of my Overland or from my trip to the "CAT" scale or from Airstream info. "Cat" scale info was full fuel and NO driver in Jeep.
I do not take delivery of the Caravel till end of Nov.

Caravel
Max GVWR: 4,300 lbs
Base weight: 3,200 lbs with full LP tanks and (2) 100 amp AGM batteries.

Hitch weight: 490 lbs

Gladiator Overland
Max GVWR: 5,800 lbs ("CAT" weight 4,800 lbs)

Max front axle: 3,100 lbs ("CAT" weight 2,540 lbs)
Max rear axle: 3,750 lbs ("CAT" weight 2,260 lbs)
Max cargo for Jeep: 1,035 (on yellow sticker on my Jeep)
Note: 5,800 lbs GVWR and "CAT" weight of 4,800 lbs leaves 1,000 lbs for cargo. 35 lbs might be the heavy rubber mat I used for the bed floor.

1,000 lbs is really a low number to deal with.

Driver (me) 250 lbs
Wife. 130 lbs
Hitch weight 100 lbs (weight of the actual hitch,average WT)
Tong weight 490 lbs


Total weight 970 lbs Leaves 30 lbs for cargo to load in bed of Defender.

On this forum I see Airstreams of 27' - 25' - 23' being towed. Sure they may have the "MAX TOW Package" giving them about 500 lbs of additional cargo. But still the hitch weigh, etc would eat up that 500 lbs pretty quick.

Am I figuring this weight matrix all wrong? Comments will be much appreciated.

What hitch would you recommend for the above situation?


Bob

[grumblin]

Tongue weight of your caravel is 490 lbs. EMPTY. You're going to add another 100 lbs. of tongue weight when you put things in the trailer. You're already over. I don't recommend a hitch. I recommend a different tow vehicle.

[Mighty Mite]

WOW, I thought the 490 lb hitch weight was at max GVWR or 4,300 lbs.


This must mean that all of the towing done by Gladiators in this forum are seriously the wrong truck.


Bob

[Mighty Mite]

Sorry, towards the end of my e-mail, I say "Defender". Meant to say Gladiator. I also have a 1997 Defender, so got my trucks mixed up

[chappy72]

2020 Gladiators came out with 3 models, The Overland that has smallest tow package of all in fact it's just tow hitch added nothing special for added tow power, The Sport S the only model that allows for ordering the Max Tow package providing for a wider wheel base with a 4:10 rear end and allows approximately 765 pounds of tongue weight and can tow up to 7650 pounds. I own a 2020 Gladiator Sport S with Max tow package and tow a 2020 20FC Bambi very easily tows the Bambi in fact I average 15 mpg and that is even running 70 mpg. The Overland model does not allow for Max Tow package as an option one of the reason I purchased the Sport S with Max Tow package.

[chappy72]

I forgot to mention with Gladiator Max Tow package you also get a heavy duty alternator, heavy duty cooling package, etc..