Overland Package Conundrum

[Trep]

I bought a 2020 Overland last year. So far I've only invested in 17" wheels wrapped in 35x12.50 Toyo AT3s and the tera flex leveling kit. I have a ton of plans of things I wanted to do to the truck but now I'm at a spot where I can't make a decision. Let me break it down.

I've always been a truck guy at heart. While I've always loved Jeeps from a far, I couldn't make myself give up the utility of having a bed. I finally was in a good financial position where I could afford the Gladiator and I found one with super low miles in Gobi which is my fav color. I payed 48 for it and owe 30 after trade in and down payment. I knew my value was going to go down, but I didn't expect it to go from 48 to 38 according to KBB. At least my interest rate is in the 5s vs the now 7s for used vehicles.

I finally got the courage to take my Glad on the trails and tackled Snake in Hot Springs, Ark recently and had a blast. The only problem is A) I can't really tackle too many more trails at that park cause without lockers I can't go above a level 2 and B) even if I had lockers some of those level 3 trails I saw look narly and looked like they could bang up the truck body pretty bad. I don't mind some scratches but massive dents etc don't sound smart for a truck I still owe 30k on. I don't expect to ever do 5s without investing $$$$$ and expecting body damage and I'm okay with that. For other reasons I won't go into involving wanting a sports car, I have been debating trading in my Glad for a Miata and then saving for a used TJ to invest my build into so I can trail and not be concerned with body damage as much.

So my impasse is this. I love my truck but I don't want to invest in a lift, bumpers, winch, bestop freedom panel soft top, etc in a truck with no lockers and running 3.73s. If I'm going to invest in a glad, I feel it should be the Rubicon so it can't tackle harder trails, but then my concern is I'll be too scared to do it with a new truck haha. Not to.mentiom, I only took my current truck one time and it came back with codes P0300, P0137 and P0171. They've all cleared since but it feels like the truck shifts weird now sometimes and lacks the power it has before. Does the higher gear ratio and native lockers outweigh the price or should I get after market lockers and gears on the Overland and keep investing in this jeep, or is the route to give up on Jeep for a few years and save up for a decent TJ.

TL;DR I love my truck a ton, but it feels like I'm wasting money investing in the Overland package and not the Rubicon when I want to rock climb with it.

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[Gvsukids]

TL;DR I love my truck a ton, but it feels like I'm wasting money investing in the Overland package and not the Rubicon when I want to rock climb with it.

If you want to rock climb, buy a different vehicle. If you want a truck and can live with lesser trails, then enjoy your Gladiator. Mine will not be climbing boulders, as we have more woods and sand than rocks. A locker will help take you over, but so will a winch. If you regear, add lockers.

 

[Stetson]

I have owned Miata’s in the past and I even raced NASA and SCCA for a few years. Fun cars…but…unless I was going to build a dedicated race car/track car there are probably better choices.

Your gladiator is a good truck, super versatile and you can pop the top and doors off in the summer. I think gladiators are great. I would do a few mods that make you like it a little better and then have a good time with it.

Right now with all the uncertainty in the car market it could be a tough trade to dump a gladiator right now. Out here in SLC they are advertising $5k-$8k rebates at the dealer for new ones.

To trade in what you have for a Miata and save up for a TJ would be a tough sell. Stick with what you have and modify it to make it something you like and then wheel it and be happy.

Stetson

 

[Mr. Wuf]

I have built my Overland on 40s (including proper lift, reinforced axles, lockers, etc.). No regrets.

Mine is a Gobi, too.

 

[Trep]

I have built my Overland on 40s (including proper lift, reinforced axles, lockers, etc.). No regrets.

Mine is a Gobi, too.

I took the doors off for the first time today and took my son to Home Depot and just cruised a bit.. i don't think I could part ways with the truck at this point lol.

Can I see your truck and maybe some more information on the lift and lockers you went with? Looks like I'm buckling in for the long haul on this.

 

[HjStrater]

Your truck can go a hell of a lot further than Snake. Even without lockers.

Steel bumpers and rock sliders, maybe a few more inches of lift, a winch and some seat time and you can do all the badge trails at hot springs

Your confidence and skill is more limiting than your truck right now, and if you do wheel enough to catch up, 37’s gears and lockers will get you through trails as hard as the rubicon.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I bought a 2020 Overland last year. So far I've only invested in 17" wheels wrapped in 35x12.50 Toyo AT3s and the tera flex leveling kit. I have a ton of plans of things I wanted to do to the truck but now I'm at a spot where I can't make a decision. Let me break it down.

I've always been a truck guy at heart. While I've always loved Jeeps from a far, I couldn't make myself give up the utility of having a bed. I finally was in a good financial position where I could afford the Gladiator and I found one with super low miles in Gobi which is my fav color. I payed 48 for it and owe 30 after trade in and down payment. I knew my value was going to go down, but I didn't expect it to go from 48 to 38 according to KBB. At least my interest rate is in the 5s vs the now 7s for used vehicles.

I finally got the courage to take my Glad on the trails and tackled Snake in Hot Springs, Ark recently and had a blast. The only problem is A) I can't really tackle too many more trails at that park cause without lockers I can't go above a level 2 and B) even if I had lockers some of those level 3 trails I saw look narly and looked like they could bang up the truck body pretty bad. I don't mind some scratches but massive dents etc don't sound smart for a truck I still owe 30k on. I don't expect to ever do 5s without investing $$$$$ and expecting body damage and I'm okay with that. For other reasons I won't go into involving wanting a sports car, I have been debating trading in my Glad for a Miata and then saving for a used TJ to invest my build into so I can trail and not be concerned with body damage as much.

So my impasse is this. I love my truck but I don't want to invest in a lift, bumpers, winch, bestop freedom panel soft top, etc in a truck with no lockers and running 3.73s. If I'm going to invest in a glad, I feel it should be the Rubicon so it can't tackle harder trails, but then my concern is I'll be too scared to do it with a new truck haha. Not to.mentiom, I only took my current truck one time and it came back with codes P0300, P0137 and P0171. They've all cleared since but it feels like the truck shifts weird now sometimes and lacks the power it has before. Does the higher gear ratio and native lockers outweigh the price or should I get after market lockers and gears on the Overland and keep investing in this jeep, or is the route to give up on Jeep for a few years and save up for a decent TJ.

TL;DR I love my truck a ton, but it feels like I'm wasting money investing in the Overland package and not the Rubicon when I want to rock climb with it.

Not sure who said you MUST have lockers for some of those places. A lot of folks run without lockers. you can also add....
There's threads here where people argue back and forth about the need - and those who don't have them seem to do just fine. It's not a requirement with modern Jeeps.
Trading is also a risk - you may end up with something with other things going on, or could come out clean.
Don't just ship without learning more and trying what you've got and taking it as far as you can. I'd bet there's some people where who have run such places without "lockers".

 

[Sarge502]

Technically you could build the Overland to be what you want it to be. By the way it sounds like, is that you want to do more off roading with your Overland potentially but don't want to invest in it due to no lockers etc. Which in a sense I get. However, I have an Overland and I wheel it a fair amount. Definitely not a rock crawler, but I've held my own at many places, WIndrock being one. And Yes, there's definitely a lot of technical trails in those same places where I know my limits too. But it's just that. I know my limits. I'm personally fine with it too. That may be where you are NOT by the sounds of your post. Everyone's different.

The way I see it is you have 2 options. If you're wanting to invest in something you can really take off road and be capable. Than get a different trim Gladiator preferably a Rubi. But that still isn't going to change the fact that you could still get into trouble with that as well. As you said yourself you don't want to risk body damage etc. Having a Rubicon doesn't make that part exempt. Actually, in so many ways having something you think is more capable can often get you into more trouble than being reserved by knowing your limits.

Second option is what I took. I've made my Overland the perfect truck for me. I went in wanting an Overland too. I didn't settle for one. It's actually one of the bests trims in my opinion for a lot of people. My Overland definitely isnt overly done like I see so much with Jeeps but it has enough to not only look good and turn heads constantly, but do what I need to off road. It's actually been quite impressive off road, even early on in it;s more stock form than now. And that's even considering that isn't even my primary goal for my ride. But a steel bumper, winch, 35s, minimal lift, all make it more capable than it was before. Actually that's one of the main approaches with my JT is to have enough to know it's clearly not stock, but at the same time not take too much away from the stock look. Simple , Sleek, and Practical is my goal. Hell, technically mine isn't even my daily driver due to my profession. More of a weekend warrior if anything. You can still do a lot to an Overland without breaking the bank and still have an enjoyable ride. Check out my Showcase, Build Progress thread, or any of my links below in my sig; for ideas, question, concerns. JTO life!

Good luck.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

LSD and BLD work in a lot of cases - back to that discussion in a couple of threads dedicated just to this topic of lockers vs. no lockers. Some of the no locker group have taken some stiff trails from the sounds of it. Add a winch and you can do more. (Ironically, I've used my winch more than once but never to help myself, always to do other things)

 

[Mr. Wuf]

I took the doors off for the first time today and took my son to Home Depot and just cruised a bit.. i don't think I could part ways with the truck at this point lol.

Can I see your truck and maybe some more information on the lift and lockers you went with? Looks like I'm buckling in for the long haul on this.

I went with a Metalcloak 4.5" Gamechanger lift and Rubicon take-off axles regeared to 5.13 with factory lockers. The axles are trussed and gusseted, and with my driving style, I don't anticipate major issues.

I have Poison Spyder Rocker Knockers to replace the factory steps, but I haven't put them on yet. I need to replace the fenders to maximize flex, but they're sufficient for now. I'll probably end up selling the Rocker Knockers and adding Metalcloak Overland fenders and rockers.

 

[BringTheLightnin]

I bought a 2020 Overland last year. So far I've only invested in 17" wheels wrapped in 35x12.50 Toyo AT3s and the tera flex leveling kit. I have a ton of plans of things I wanted to do to the truck but now I'm at a spot where I can't make a decision. Let me break it down.

I've always been a truck guy at heart. While I've always loved Jeeps from a far, I couldn't make myself give up the utility of having a bed. I finally was in a good financial position where I could afford the Gladiator and I found one with super low miles in Gobi which is my fav color. I payed 48 for it and owe 30 after trade in and down payment. I knew my value was going to go down, but I didn't expect it to go from 48 to 38 according to KBB. At least my interest rate is in the 5s vs the now 7s for used vehicles.

I finally got the courage to take my Glad on the trails and tackled Snake in Hot Springs, Ark recently and had a blast. The only problem is A) I can't really tackle too many more trails at that park cause without lockers I can't go above a level 2 and B) even if I had lockers some of those level 3 trails I saw look narly and looked like they could bang up the truck body pretty bad. I don't mind some scratches but massive dents etc don't sound smart for a truck I still owe 30k on. I don't expect to ever do 5s without investing $$$$$ and expecting body damage and I'm okay with that. For other reasons I won't go into involving wanting a sports car, I have been debating trading in my Glad for a Miata and then saving for a used TJ to invest my build into so I can trail and not be concerned with body damage as much.

So my impasse is this. I love my truck but I don't want to invest in a lift, bumpers, winch, bestop freedom panel soft top, etc in a truck with no lockers and running 3.73s. If I'm going to invest in a glad, I feel it should be the Rubicon so it can't tackle harder trails, but then my concern is I'll be too scared to do it with a new truck haha. Not to.mentiom, I only took my current truck one time and it came back with codes P0300, P0137 and P0171. They've all cleared since but it feels like the truck shifts weird now sometimes and lacks the power it has before. Does the higher gear ratio and native lockers outweigh the price or should I get after market lockers and gears on the Overland and keep investing in this jeep, or is the route to give up on Jeep for a few years and save up for a decent TJ.

TL;DR I love my truck a ton, but it feels like I'm wasting money investing in the Overland package and not the Rubicon when I want to rock climb with it.

Honestly, you don't need lockers for 90% of things. I have a sport with the LSD in the back and open front on 2" lift and 35s, regeared to 5.13 as I'm going 37s next time. There have been times I wished I had lockers for ease but I have never NEEDED them. This thing will climb anything in 4LO I throw at it with a bit of throttle. Get a winch and some skids and if you can't get over it on your own power, pull yourself up.
Also, I've yet to use my winch and I've taken it up some serious but clinchy stuff out in TN.

 

[HorneyBadger]

I ran an Overland for 3 years and it went most places. Dont need lockers except in the nastiest of conditions. I did have a 2" Mopar lift and put 4.56 gears in it as it was a dog with the 3.73's.

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