A peek into our minds? Ezra Dyer's article: I'm Afraid to Start Modifying My Jeep Gladiator

[camodog]

Well, I’m worse than Ezra and you guys. I have been lurking on this forum for few years and haven’t even bought a Gladiator yet!!

This is all out fear of buying an increasingly expensive vehicle and then wanting to spend even more on it! Haven’t been willing to take the plunge though I really want a rubicon or Mojave. Rented a rubicon for a week in Montana this past summer and loved it.

Life is too short, I would pull the trigger and get what you want. As long as you can reasonably afford it.

Rubicons are great, but if you won’t be needing all the bells and whistles go for the max tow!

We use the lockers and low range all the time, so we got the rubicon and are super happy with it

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[mpsoldier]

I bought my Gladiator in December and have managed to drop a bit under $1k already on minor tweeks, nothing that changes the overall styling (roof liner, interior storage, floor mats, etc.) I like the stock look of my Mojave, but want to add a rack over the bed and that will be a couple thousand...

If I go to crazy to fast the wife will probably stab me.

 

[Chris27519]

Life is too short, I would pull the trigger and get what you want. As long as you can reasonably afford it.

Thanks. I need a kick in the pants. Just haven’t been able to pull the trigger. It’s more a mental block on spending so much rather than affordability.

 

[HooliganActual]

Thanks. I need a kick in the pants. Just haven’t been able to pull the trigger. It’s more a mental block on spending so much rather than affordability.

The trick to not spending too much is to buy your Gladiator and then never log onto this or any other Gladiator forums ever again. This place is nothing but a FOMO generator.

 

[DiesMike]

I think I have a real problem. Hearing so many say they have only put 1000 or 4000 in their gladiator so far. I telling myself 10k a year is not that bad. Guess it is a good think I have no wife or kids to worry about.

 

[Alans17]

I bought my Gladiator back in Q4 2020 and promised myself I'd go slow with mods. It took all the way up until Q1 of 2023 to finally be where I think I'm done.

I put a set of Mojave take-offs on first thing when I got it, and didn't replace them until they'd worn out. I rode around on a lift with 33" tires for over a year before I upgraded to 35"s. And the only reason I got the lift early was because I got a limited-time deal on it.

Maybe I'll add a bed rug. Maybe I'll install a cell booster that's sitting in a box. But I'm mostly done and satisfied with where it's at.

Knowing when to stop is probably the hardest part. Otherwise, it can become like woman that's had too much plastic surgery. Too much money, with diminishing returns eventually leading to going backwards.

 

[keithcroshaw]

Yea I think coming from a stock JKU with death wobble I'm petrified to touch my suspension.
Step bar/sliders, bumper, winch, lights I'm planning but I'll see how the stock A/Ts and suspension can handle the obstacles my family and I can realistically fathom traversing.

 

[Crusader]

Rarely, do i read something and nod along in agreement.
This guy gets a lot of what many of us think about right

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a43481294/ezra-dyer-modifying-my-jeep-gladiator-afraid/

Sounds like maybe you chose the wrong vehicle.

 

[ScottBeach]

Crusader. I picked the right truck. Just unsure which way my build will go. Building is part of the fun. But some stress over which choices are made is part of that wonderful process. Going down the wrong path costs time and $ i prefer to avoid wasting either. But i fully admit to wasting time picking the build path.

 

[sbach66]

Me, December 2020 after picking up my Overland:
"I'm just going to put some nicer tires on it but same size, maybe the Sunrider to make it easier to get some fresh air, and a bed cover, but that's it, I don't need anything else."

Me, April 2023:
- Bestop Sunrider
- Tyger folding tonneau
- 17" Pro Comp 69 alloy wheels
- General Grabber ATXs (replaced Falken Wildpeaks which replaced stocks)
- TeraFlex front leveling kit
- N-Fab nerf steps
- WeatherTech mudflaps
- TrailRail
- BlackHorse light bar
- Smartliner truck bed mat
- Hitch skid
- Rampage Rock Rage front bumper
- Sto n Sho front license plate bracket
- Aeroskin hood protector
- Pixeldecals custom "Overland" hood decals
- ShadeIdea sunshade (front and rear)
- Rugged Ridge Fortis tube doors (front and read) and door covers
- Lange Coyote removable mirrors
- Door hinge liners and pins
- Mopar all weather floor liners
- Sun visor repair kit
- Rugged Ridge grab handles (front and rear)
- Hooke Road dead pedal
- Grab bar storage tray
- OffRoam cell phone ball mount
- 813 Fabrications locking under seat storage bin
- Premium soft top (installing later this month)
- WARN winch (picking up later this month)
- KB Voodoo rack (uninstalled, may sell at some point)

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

I have always been the person who changes vehicles for function vs forum... If it looks good and functions too its a win win! I also have never understood jeep owners that dont leave the pavement? Supposedly its 80% have never shifted into 4 low... BUT Who am I to judge? Your money, Your Problem, spend away!

Jeep builds are strategic, I have seen so many of the "fools rush in" approach that lands with buying things twice. If it be the look was cool, but that rock totally ripped my steps off.... to Man I went with this lift kit, only to find out my fat jeep needs HD springs and an additional 1"ride height in the rear etc.... So many times, off the shelf "kits" just don't do it... or only half do it... Sometimes it sucks, sometimes its all just part of the fun putting a jeep together.

One highlight that should have been emphasized- Jeeps are a community of like minded and helpful folks.... which over the last few years seems to be more like the BMW/Mercedes group- "look how much money I threw at my rig" vs the community...



Something that many should consider when reading this article and reviewing their own expenses into their toy. Insurance. Our last build quickly turned into a 50/50 split of expense on the JKUR and the parts put into it.... Even with GREAT insurance like USAA I found out through an annual policy renewal conversation-My insurance only covers $5,000.00 in changes to the vehicle. Anything above needed to be documented with receipts uploaded to a valuable personal property coverage.
- before the arguments most of the guys I wheeled with called BS until they reached out and tried to obtain any form of email/writing that all of their changes were covered (and almost all could not obtain it, and ended up with VPP Insurance...)

 

[ScottBeach]

Escape.idiocracy. i wheel a lot, but i do so in florida. Lots of 4 hi. Tested 4 lo once. Just not needed in sand based off roading. If i ever see a rock i will enjoy 4 lo.

 

[Summitsearcher]

Well… you’re in AZ. I’ll happily come up and help you spend your money. I’m embarrassed at how much I’ve spent and would love to spend more on someone else’s build!! Lol

You know they have interventions for that, to help with impulsive behavior and control that addiction. ?

 

[Summitsearcher]

I have always been the person who changes vehicles for function vs forum... If it looks good and functions too its a win win! I also have never understood jeep owners that dont leave the pavement? Supposedly its 80% have never shifted into 4 low... BUT Who am I to judge? Your money, Your Problem, spend away!

Jeep builds are strategic, I have seen so many of the "fools rush in" approach that lands with buying things twice. If it be the look was cool, but that rock totally ripped my steps off.... to Man I went with this lift kit, only to find out my fat jeep needs HD springs and an additional 1"ride height in the rear etc.... So many times, off the shelf "kits" just don't do it... or only half do it... Sometimes it sucks, sometimes its all just part of the fun putting a jeep together.

One highlight that should have been emphasized- Jeeps are a community of like minded and helpful folks.... which over the last few years seems to be more like the BMW/Mercedes group- "look how much money I threw at my rig" vs the community...



Something that many should consider when reading this article and reviewing their own expenses into their toy. Insurance. Our last build quickly turned into a 50/50 split of expense on the JKUR and the parts put into it.... Even with GREAT insurance like USAA I found out through an annual policy renewal conversation-My insurance only covers $5,000.00 in changes to the vehicle. Anything above needed to be documented with receipts uploaded to a valuable personal property coverage.
- before the arguments most of the guys I wheeled with called BS until they reached out and tried to obtain any form of email/writing that all of their changes were covered (and almost all could not obtain it, and ended up with VPP Insurance...)

“I have always been the person who changes vehicles for function vs forum.”

You mean “Function discovered from forum”?

 

[Stan H]

Rarely, do i read something and nod along in agreement.
This guy gets a lot of what many of us think about right

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a43481294/ezra-dyer-modifying-my-jeep-gladiator-afraid/

Well the one thing I can say is this is very true ..for me it is wanting a lift. But I dont want a lift that I won't like . Or that causes the truck to get a death wobble etc... I have read countless articles and still can't decide which one to get . Although Clayton lifts seem to have every component

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