Best Jeep Gladiator Tire Pressure for MPG & Tire Life

Tire Pressure Myths, Facts, and the Sweet Spot for Your Jeep Gladiator

If you’ve spent any time in Jeep Gladiator groups on Facebook or scrolling JeepInstagram, you’ve seen the same debate pop up every week:

“Run door-jam pressure!”
“Bro, I’m at 42 psi cold and getting an extra mpg!”
“You’re gonna kill your tires and ride like a lumber wagon!”

After literally years of testing different pressures on my own Mojave (stock 33″ Falken Wildpeak M/T → now 35″ Nitto Recon Grapplers A/T), tracking every tank on Fuelly, and wearing out multiple sets while both empty and loaded with overland gear, here’s the updated 2025 truth for Gladiator owners:

The Magic +3 to +5 psi Rule (When Running Empty) = 42 PSI

• The door sticker on every Gladiator says 37–41 psi cold depending on trim and tire (37 psi on Rubicon/Mojave, 41 psi on Sport/Overland with P-metric tires).
• When the bed is empty or you’re just commuting/weekend wheeling, bump it 3–5 psi over the sticker and you’ll see:
• 0.5–0.9 mpg better real-world highway mileage (my Mojave consistently went from 19.1 → 19.8–20.1 mpg at 70–75 mph on 37s).
• 10–20% longer tread life because the tire stops “shouldering” (outer edges wearing faster than the center when under-inflated for the actual load).
• Less heat buildup on long highway runs = fewer blowouts when it’s 105° outside.

I’ve had members of the Gladiator Owners Facebook group duplicate this on everything from stock 33s to 40″ Nittos and the results are the same: +3 to +5 psi when light = free fuel and free tire life.

When You Actually Need to Drop the Pressure Back Down = 37 PSI

• Throw 1,000 lbs of overland gear in the bed + a roof tent? Drop to door sticker or even 1–2 psi under rear.
• Towing the trailer or boat? Door sticker or slightly higher in the rear only.
• Deep sand or heavy flex off-road? Air down like normal (18-22 psi). The “run it high all the time” crowd conveniently forgets this part.

My Current Daily Driver Settings (37×12.50R17 NITTO RECON GRAPPLER A/T)

• Empty → 40–41 psi cold front / 42–43 psi cold rear
• Fully loaded overland trip → 37 front / 36 rear
• Towing the camper → 37 front / 40–42 rear

Ride quality difference between 37 psi and 42 psi all around? Almost zero in a Gladiator. The Mojave suspension and those giant sidewalls soak it up.

Bottom Line for Gladiator Owners in 2025

Break free from treating the door sticker like it came down from Moses on stone tablets. It’s the minimum safe pressure when the vehicle is fully loaded to its GVWR. When you’re running around empty 90% of the time (like most of us), +3 to +5 psi over placard is the single cheapest modification you can make for better mileage, longer tire life, and zero measurable downside in ride quality.

Your tires (and your wallet) will thank you.

Tread Lightly and Gladiator Up! – Doug

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