What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[Blade1668]

Garmin Tread Overland XL

I’ve been a Gaia/Dual/iPad Pro user for a while but not been super happy with it for the following reasons:

1. Gaia software is flaky and hard to use
2. Gaia requires a yearly subscription
3. Vehicle orientation is janky with the iPad (I’m always moving sideways)
4. Gaia’s update rate is slow and jerky
5. Frequently Gaia won’t see the Dual and you have to restart it, restart the iPad. Overall not user friendly
6. It’s heavy, necessitating 1 1/2 RAM mounts and it still bounces and shakes all over the place.
7. RAMs iPad holder is rattling junk
8. The iPad holder takes up a lot of room when the iPad isn’t there and partially blocks the passenger airbag the way I have it set up. I like the GPS low so it doesn’t obscure the windshied
9. Actual turn by turn or route finding/tracking is poor.
10. I don’t trust Apple to not break functionality with some update

With this device I get the following:

1. A dedicated system
2. A tiny footprint when the device is not in the vehicle
3. I don’t need my Gaia subscription
4. A more secure, less rattling mount
5. The Tread supports a wireless power module. Think SwitchPros with no wires going through the firewall. I can add the module for $500 which gives me 6 30A circuits
6. It supports comms via MURS and can track other MURS users. I’m using GMRS now, so I may never use this
7. It supports Garmin dog trackers
8. It supports high definition satellite mapping
9. It has off-road turn by turn directions (I haven’t tried this yet)
10. I don’t need my inReach mini, Tread works with Iridium

What I don’t like:

1. Cost. $1400 is crazy expensive but my iPad was $1100 and my dual was several hundred so it’s not much more
2. Garmin’s express software is janky and their websites suck
3. The lock on the mount rattles when the Tread isn’t on there. Easily solved with a Ranger band
4. No cover!! WTF Garmin?
5. Android is janky.

Thanks for your view of the Garmin Tread, I have / had Garmin 5, 12 then another for years but all 3 have gave up. With that I've been trying to decide what to get next.

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[Freems]

Ok…bought it on 3/10 put 300 miles on it this weekend enjoying every single one just getting use to it, today spent most of today plotting on how to mount my power tank, ARB fridge, Thule Xsporter and basket on it. I got my ramsey rep 8k off the car hauler this afternoon cleaning it up to go on the nose of the JT. Going to run 2/0 back to the bed where I’ll put the winch battery (boxed) , charging it through the 7 pin plug in to keep it away from the main and lawnmower batteries up front. If it quits snowing planing hauling the jetboat fishing with it tomorrow, can wait to see how it pulls. I’ve enjoyed this site so far, I look forward to learning from all of your experiences on your Gladiator builds as i tweak mine.

 

[Gren71]

How did you heat it? Not sure if a soldering iron would work or not.

Harbor freight heat gun

https://www.harborfreight.com/power...t-11-amp-dual-temperature-heat-gun-56434.html

 

[mdyucca]

FYI: The Warn solenoid I had didn't have a problem with the amp draw but did give up after 20 years of use. Not as expected the trigger wire bolt cracked loose. On my JT, I just "rolled my own" winch solenoid kit.

Could only hope the new products would last 20 years. You got your money’s out of that last one!

 

[stil2low]

Changed the oil lol. Nice having belly clearance but always a guess on where to put the catch pan underneath and wife got a good laugh watching me refill it hahaha

 

[Gatorized]

Changed the oil lol. Nice having belly clearance but always a guess on where to put the catch pan underneath and wife got a good laugh watching me refill it hahaha

Get a fumoto valve and you can drain direct into an empty 5 gallon oil jug.

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

Changed the oil lol. Nice having belly clearance but always a guess on where to put the catch pan underneath and wife got a good laugh watching me refill it hahaha

Exhibit A for “It’s a Jeep thing, you wouldn’t understand”

 

[SeanHarts]

Finished up my front bumper swap from rough country to this Arcus. May never do a winch and as most know, it’s looks pretty awful with a HUGE gaping winch opening. Fabricated a simple diamond plate cover which ended up looking pretty normal. Have some 4” lights coming today I’ll mount to the diamond plate and update.

What thickness of diamond plate did you use? Just held in place by the 2 overrider bolts? Looks awesome! (I'll take that paint info if you still have it too)

 

[TheTrailGeek]

Well, that was most of my day but worth it, sometimes it sucks being such a neatfreq and having to have every little wire hidden, ran and ziptied, but if you're gonna do something, do it right.

Yeasu FTM-200D installed

What lining do you have on the interior of the hard top? Love the blacked out look.

 

[geneinhouston]

I did this install today...
it took about 7 minutes and almost the same time to go through one of the boxes...

 

[Camaroboi13]

Changed the oil lol. Nice having belly clearance but always a guess on where to put the catch pan underneath and wife got a good laugh watching me refill it hahaha

Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter how tall or short the vehicle is, we all do funny stuff like that. In this case, I was the smart one holding the camera lol

 

[Gren71]

Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter how tall or short the vehicle is, we all do funny stuff like that. In this case, I was the smart one holding the camera lol

I wish I had this much faith in my floor jack

 

[NeatFreq]

What lining do you have on the interior of the hard top? Love the blacked out look.

Coverking Topliner
https://www.quadratec.com/p/coverking/topliner-hardtop-insulation-kit-gladiator-jt

 

[22EcoDs]

I started removing my skid plates and installed an upgraded MetalCloak cross member. The new skid plates should be finished by the weekend or whenever I have time.

Do you find that cross member to be better than stock?

 

[davetha]

Do you find that cross member to be better than stock?

Its definitely way more stout than stock. I don't think I'd order it again though. It was sort of an impulse buy when I purchased the rest of the skid plates. I feel like if you have it all covered, the cross member should hold up.

I'd only purchase it if you plan on doing the metalcloak front long arm kit.

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