2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S Max Tow w/ 3.5" Clayton Overland Lift on 38" 13.5 Milestar Pats

[Tkessa40]

Been following the Cherokee, JK, JL forums for a while now, and this forum when i Purchased my gladiator back in 2020. Just never really posted anything. I do all of my own work. (minus gearing and in depth engine work), my own lil fabbing here and there. Built my own bed rack for my RTT before I bought my RSI Cap and rock sliders. Half started a youtube channel( @KessyProductions)with little spare time i do have to show the mods and build process as well as an IG account (GladdyGator). Im going to try post my setup and build threads on here to maybe help out others looking to do the same or for additional feedback with how my setup runs. Usually cram the work I do to the jeep on the weekends.


Current set up is a 3.5" Clayton Overland lift with 38" 13.5 Milestar Pats, regeared to 5.13. Currently sitting at 60k miles.

Been on the fence with purchasing a set of Fusion 1 tons, building a set of SD60s ( have a lead for a set from 2013 for like 500 bucks.. maybe a buggy build with those? IDK)., or building the current set of axles i currently have regeared. I have a set of gussets, LCA armor and APEX trusses in my garage ready to be welded on whenever I get the chance, or motivation.

Jeeps setup now has been driven across the country to MOAB and Colorado 2x now. Once on 4.10s and the second time with 5.13s. No complaints with either, but 5.13 is way better for hanging in 8th on the highway.

Most recent mod was adding the Anti Rock rear sway bar since i trashed my stock setup on the top of Imogene Pass, and also trimming the rear fender flares.

Ill try to add more pictures and begin updating the information. Any questions just ask!

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[Jclow801]

Good looking rig! Is all of your steering stock?

 

[Tkessa40]

Yep steering is stock, only steering upgrade has been a fox stabilizer. Turn lock to lock as is, scrubbing or binding

 

[Sw00per]

Nice! The smart cap is on my radar although am really thinking the decked single drawer system would be a useful upgrade.

 

[Tkessa40]

I ran the decked system out west last trip and had it installed for probably 9 months. Now i did snag it for like 1/3 of price new and sold it for way more lol.. loved it, it was truly a great system but pairing it with the cap really limited available cargo space in my bed and made me only really ready to overland or camp. If that’s your use then perfect, but the decked system really took up too much space for my use.
Now the single drawer system looks more useful overall but time will tell

 

[SD Rider]

Good looking build!
Your 3.5 COR lift didnt come with the upgraded steering?

 

[Tkessa40]

It came with the adjustable track bar which is installed, i suppose it’s a slight upgrade from stock.
But I’m stock tie rod, steering box, etc

 

[MSFTMatt]

Killer rig! You have basically of what I want my JTR to grow up to?. Couple questions for you…stock driveshafts? You running the HD rear springs? What made you choose RSI over say Alu-Cab or RLD, etc? Gonna be watching this thread and put me down for 2 new subscribers to your YT and IG

 

[Tkessa40]

Killer rig! You have basically of what I want my JTR to grow up to?. Couple questions for you…stock driveshafts? You running the HD rear springs? What made you choose RSI over say Alu-Cab or RLD, etc? Gonna be watching this thread and put me down for 2 new subscribers to your YT and IG

Man thanks a ton that is aweome!

So yeah Im running stock driveshafts both front and rear. I have whatever clayton rear springs came with their lift kit in late 2020/ early 2021. So their rear springs that I am running are defintely thick and i had a bad "frame tapping" issue with them after install. As the springs would flex just on the road driving it would make contact and make a "boiinggg" sound/feel. It was awful- now at that time i was running a CVT mt hood tent on top, RSI Cap, and a loaded decked system with a spare tire in the rear of the bed. Tons of weight. I alleviated the spring issue by adjusted my pinion angle....which made the next issue come up: The rear "hopping" as I drove down the road cause of the pinion angle.

To solve the pinion deal I added the rock jock carrier bearing spacer which dropped the driveshaft something like 3/4". This helped get rid of the hopping down the road.. ill still get it a tiny bit sometimes with the bikes on the hitch carrier, but rarely.

I like to think I have it dialed in pretty good now with the pinion angle and spring bowing, as it barely every contacts the frame, but the springs are still bowed in the rear anyway.

So. I chose RSI over the other caps for a handful of reasons:
1- looks. The alu cab and RLD caps look awful in my opinion.
1a- it just flows better with the contours of the gladiator
2-At the time of purchasing I snagged a killer deal with a discount and no shipping so the cost was dramatically lower too.
3-The RSI cap supported the most weight (this may still be true currently I am not sure) and with my intentions of adding the CVT mt hood tent on top I wanted the most support possible.

Now I also have not dealt with some of the major issues some people have had with RSI so im all positives. When i run the tent on top i have ZERO leaks no matter how hard it rains...but when the tent is off I do get some leaks and 50% of that i blame myself for. I without a doubt over torqued all of the little nutserts on the panels causing the foam gasket to be squished way more than it should be, but i knew that when i did it. Id rather have them real tight when supporting over 100lbs on the roof doing 80mph down the highway..

 

[Weldit]

Most recent mod was adding the Anti Rock rear sway bar since i trashed my stock setup on the top of Imogene Pass, and also trimming the rear fender flares.

Ill try to add more pictures and begin updating the information. Any questions just ask!

Nice rig! Tell me what on Imogene pass caused you to break? We’re planning on doing Imogene among others this July. I’ll be in a 3.5” spring lifted Sport S with 33’s. Possibly 35’s by then. Ive been manually disconnecting the front sway bar an rocks around here.

 

[Tkessa40]

Nice rig! Tell me what on Imogene pass caused you to break? We’re planning on doing Imogene among others this July. I’ll be in a 3.5” spring lifted Sport S with 33’s. Possibly 35’s by then. Ive been manually disconnecting the front sway bar an rocks around here.

Thank you ! So it was so much that Imogene broke it, but it did break on imogene, somewhere at the top dropping off some ledges.

Basically the stock sway bar frame mounted bracket is super weak and after all of the off roading the bracket started to split, resulting the in jeep(super top heavy setup at the time) rocking really really hard left and right when dropping off of ledges/ terrain. So I mis reread a small drop off and went too fast, the jeep leaned really hard left, then right and it broke off the frame. Ill find a picture somewhere and add it. But There are some companies offering some band aid fixes for the spot, and i suppose i could have welded the seam or added a thick washer to the hole and welded around it, but figured time to do the big upgrade.

 

[Tkessa40]

Here’s the pic afterwards

 

[Sunnysideup]

Great build! I have a similar set up.... Evo 2.5 with 1 inch spacer in the front(lifted jeep 4 inches in front). Evo. 4.5 plush rides rear (when fully loaded for long trips- it still lifts it about 3.5 inches). Metal cloak control arms. Started with a sport max-tow as well. Running 4:88 and 37 inch tires. Method bead grips. RCV front/ Dutchman rear 35 spline with ARBs' in both. Homebuilt topper, at 60,000 miles now. Bilstein shocks... Yeti steering stuff... I have artec truss on rear... front one sits on the bench in the garage right now. I did use the metal cloak bandaid for the rear sway bar. So far its holding!

 

[Tkessa40]

That looks sick too! I haven’t done anything to axles but re gear to 5.13. Torn on the next step with them since I’ve done some hard trails that everyone recommends 1tons. Since i have the truss i may go that route, beat on it some more and then maybe upgrade shafts too. Cause i do wanna go to 40s soon lol

 

[ThatGuyBigNick]

Great looking build, and best plates in the states. #MDGang4life.

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