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7:14 am
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline
As some of you know, my current jeep is a two door JK. It's fairly built and a capable rig. I really enjoy the jeep and am sad I haven't been able to wheel it as much as I'd like. I have a small family with two younger girls and a wife that wants nothing to do with four wheeling. Well after the most recent trail run to Slick Rock and Deer Valley, I observed fairly capable Jeep Gladiator Rubicon run Slick Rock. I've always wanted a Gladiator, but it wasn't in the cards yet. Well, low and behold, when I returned from the trip, my wife and I were discussing future vacation schedules and I had voiced wanting to do more wheeling. In that discussion she said, you should sell your jeep and buy a Gladiator...
This shocked me as I hadn't said anything about a Gladiator. So of course my brain is spinning and thinking all about a Gladiator now. The sad part is if I made the switch, it would take a few years to get it built to the same caliber as my current JK. I was curious what the group thought?
The discussion with my wife was that we have a hard time fitting in the 2 door jeep and a we also want a truck for some family camping trips along with the ability to tow a trailer occasionally like a pop up camper.
I have a hard time not wanting the Gladiator on 40 inch tires. I think that would be my end goal. But I think if I bought a Gladiator, I would probably never run in on the Rubicon for fear of denting and scratching it too much.
Um...what?
8:33 am
Club Member
May 12, 2023
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Should definitely talk to Olof about his, as he can give you some insite.
Dale Mogg - WRZG209
8:50 am
Club Trailmaster
March 13, 2015
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It totally depends on what type of wheeling you want to do with it. A JLU would be damage free rubicon trail capable with a budget boost and some 37s all on stock underpinnings. A JT is a trail pig by comparison about needs 40s and heavy armor use and wouldn't be reliable without some axle upgrades. The JT is a great do-it-all vehicle but it isn't as good of a Jeep as a wrangler and it isn't as good of a truck as a proper pickup. The JT is ~500-700lbs heaver than an similarly equipped JLU depending on trims and the JT has the same wheelbase as a Ford Excursion so it makes sense it will require more to make it play well with
I am sitting on 38s with upgraded steering, ball joints, knuckles, and gears in Rubicon housings. I know the rear axle is the current weak link and will go to a semi-float 60 when it fails or UD60s if I get the itch for 40s.
For me the JT serves as a mild trail rig, snow rig, and camping rig. I have the LJ for difficult stuff but honestly haven't been into that type of wheeling lately. If you are comfortable with Deer Valley and Slickrock being the most difficult stuff you plan to hit, then a JT Rubicon with some 37s will work great with minimal build needs to get wheeling. If annual rubicon and fordyce trips are baked into your wheeling brain then keep the jeep and buy a cheap crew cab pickup for family camping rig.
9:51 am
Club President
April 3, 2003
Offline
You can buy a newer used Gladiator that’s already built, if you search as you are already great at!
Kathleen and Brad
12:59 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline
BKGM Jeepers said
You can buy a newer used Gladiator that’s already built, if you search as you are already great at!
Like this one?
Um...what?
6:45 am
Club Member
July 15, 2016
Offline
If it's an option for you, buy a gently used Gladiator and keep your current Jeep for real wheeling.
Jeff and Kathy Root
1:05 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
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I have been really enjoying the two door JK for the more challenging trails. I think Kris hits the nail on the head and I need to get a truck and keep my jeep. Unless I come across a decent used JT.
Um...what?
2:34 pm
October 29, 2016
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Gregulator said
I have been really enjoying the two door JK for the more challenging trails. I think Kris hits the nail on the head and I need to get a truck and keep my jeep. Unless I come across a decent used JT.
I wouldn’t hesitate to run the rubicon in the gladiator.
Fordyce I’d probably pass lol. Last time I was on Fordyce, synergy was there with their JT. This was 2021 and it was on 37’s and open diffs per their instagram post. They had just done the rubicon few days before as well.
They ran the trail and took a little bed side damage but otherwise no issues.
The artec high clearance comp cut bumper is pretty sweet if you go the gladiator route. Keep the full bed length but gain tons of clearance.
Currently buying parts for the JT to get back in some rocks.
W6JLU
4:48 pm
Club Member
July 15, 2016
Offline
Brian, great to hear from you!
Jeff and Kathy Root
9:46 am
October 29, 2016
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Jeff_R said
Brian, great to hear from you!
I’m around! Maybe see ya tomorrow.
W6JLU
10:19 pm
Club President
April 3, 2003
Offline
Gregulator said
BKGM Jeepers said
You can buy a newer used Gladiator that’s already built, if you search as you are already great at!
Like this one?
https://www.randycurnow.com/us.....r_listings
Ha! Uhh. Bigger bucks but nice!
I found a 2024 Mojave lifted on 37s. With fox suspension. 2500 miles. I think it was 50k
Kathleen and Brad
7:17 am
Club Member
August 17, 2014
Offline
Greg, I had a Gladiator Rubicon for a time before I retired from work & found it a heaven-sent for available space. The draw-back was the manual shift in traffic, which I thought I could overcome. It turns out that the combination of commuting & trail runs, I put too many miles on it & quickly became no longer a viable solution & had to sell it. We kept the silver 2-door for trails runs instead & finally sold it as well.
While we had the Gladiator & used it for trail runs, the longer wheel base worked well, but never used it on extreme runs. The positive thing was the usable space, the negative things were its larger size & the manual transmission, which now that I am retired, is no longer an annoyance.
The solution for us was a 2024 4-dr 4xe Rubicon X automatic. It has way more room than our 2-dr did & is nimble enough for tight trail conditions. it currently has 35's, will change that in the future. We bought it during the time when they were heavily discounting them & got a great price.
Hope you find a solution soon!
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