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Towing and Payload
The 2026 Gladiator tows up to 7,700 pounds, the most gas towing in the midsize truck class, on a Sport or Sport S equipped with the Max Tow Package and its 4.10 axle and Class IV hitch. Here is exactly what each configuration pulls, and what that means for the boat or trailer you actually own.
Towing is where the Gladiator separates itself from the Wrangler and from most midsize rivals. Every 2026 Gladiator runs the 3.6-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic in a 4×4 crew-cab body, and the rating you get depends on axle ratio, hitch class, and the tow package you check. The headline 7,700-pound number is a specific build, not every truck on the lot, so this page breaks the ratings down by configuration.
If you are shopping the Gladiator specifically to pull a boat, a car hauler, or a camper around the Highland Lakes, match the trailer to the right configuration below, then confirm the exact rating on your truck’s door-jamb label before you hitch up.
By Configuration
All figures are 4×4 crew cab with the 3.6-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic (the only Gladiator powertrain), maximum when properly equipped. Ratings are conventional bumper-pull.
| Configuration | Hitch / Axle | Max Tow |
|---|---|---|
| Sport / Sport S with Max Tow Package | Class IV, 4.10 axle | 7,700 lb |
| Rubicon / Rubicon X | Class IV, 4.10 axle (std) | Under 7,700 lb |
| Willys / Sahara / Mojave (properly equipped) | Class IV available | Under 7,700 lb |
| Base Sport, standard hitch | Class II, 3.73 axle | 4,500 lb |
The single highest rating, 7,700 pounds, belongs specifically to a Sport or Sport S with the Max Tow Package. The Gladiator’s gross combined weight rating is up to 9,650 pounds.
Payload
Payload is everything you put in the truck: passengers, cargo in the cab, gear in the bed, and trailer tongue weight. The 2026 Gladiator offers an available maximum 4×4 payload of up to 1,720 pounds on a properly-equipped Sport S, the most in the class. Lighter-duty and heavily-optioned trims carry less, so the number that matters is the one printed on your specific truck’s payload label.
Payload matters for towing because trailer tongue weight, usually 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer, counts against it. A 6,000-pound trailer can put 600 to 900 pounds on the hitch before you have added a single passenger, so check payload alongside tow rating.
Packages
Fifth-Wheel
The Gladiator is built for conventional bumper-pull trailers, not fifth-wheel or gooseneck setups. Its 5-foot bed is too short to safely mount a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch, and its payload is not rated for the higher pin weights those trailers place in the bed. If you need to pull a fifth-wheel camper or a gooseneck stock trailer, that points to a full-size truck. For everything that tows off a bumper hitch, the Gladiator is well within its element.
Trailering Tech
What Can It Tow
Here is how common loads line up against the ratings. Weights are typical loaded ranges; your actual trailer may differ, and a good rule is to keep the loaded trailer at or below about 80 percent of your truck’s rating.
| Load | Typical Weight | Gladiator Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Pair of PWCs on a double trailer | 2,500–3,500 lb | Any Gladiator, even base Sport |
| Small fishing or bass boat + trailer | 2,500–4,000 lb | Base Sport handles it |
| Loaded utility / landscape trailer | 3,000–5,000 lb | Most trims; add tow package |
| Teardrop or small pop-up camper | 1,500–3,500 lb | Any Gladiator |
| Mid-size boat (20–22 ft) + trailer | 5,000–6,500 lb | Rubicon, or Sport S with Max Tow |
| Mid travel trailer or 2-horse bumper-pull | 5,000–7,000 lb | Sport S with Max Tow (7,700), mind the 80% rule |
If your loads live in that top band, the build to order is the Sport S with the Max Tow Package: a 4.10 axle, Class IV hitch, and the full 7,700-pound rating.
Around Austin
For a bass boat headed to the Granger Lake or Lake Bastrop ramps, a base Sport or any properly-equipped Gladiator has the capacity to spare. Pulling a bigger boat to the Colorado River or a loaded car hauler across town, a Rubicon or a Max Tow Sport S at up to 7,700 pounds is the safer margin. Hauling a small camper out to Pedernales Falls or a landscape trailer to a Decker Lake job site sits comfortably in the middle of the lineup’s range. Whatever you pull, add the tongue weight to your passengers and cargo, keep the total under the truck’s payload label, and you will have a rig that tows with room to breathe.
Questions
Up to 7,700 pounds, the most gas towing in the midsize truck class, on a Sport or Sport S with the Max Tow Package (4.10 axle and Class IV hitch). A base Sport with the standard Class II hitch tows 4,500 pounds; the Rubicon, Mojave, and other trims tow between the base and the max when properly equipped, so confirm the rating on the door-jamb label.
It is the option that raises a Sport or Sport S to the full 7,700-pound rating. It adds a 4.10 rear axle, an anti-spin differential, a Class IV hitch, heavy-duty engine cooling, a 240-amp alternator, all-terrain tires, and a higher gross vehicle weight rating. It is the single most important box to check if you tow regularly.
Up to 1,720 pounds of 4×4 payload on a properly-equipped Sport S, the most in its class. Payload covers passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight, and it varies by trim and options, so confirm the figure on your truck’s payload label.
No. The Gladiator is rated for conventional bumper-pull towing only. Its 5-foot bed is too short and its payload too limited for the pin weights of a fifth-wheel or gooseneck trailer, which need a full-size truck.
For trailers with electric brakes, which is most trailers over about 3,000 pounds, yes. The Gladiator’s factory wiring is ready for a Mopar integrated trailer-brake controller, which our service team can install. Trailer Sway Control is standard on every Gladiator.
For maximum capability, a Sport or Sport S with the Max Tow Package at 7,700 pounds. It gives you the highest rating without the off-road tires that wear faster on the highway. If you also want serious trail hardware, the Rubicon comes tow-ready with a factory Class IV hitch and 4.10 axle.
Explore the 2026 Gladiator
