What suspension and tire build did you complete the Rubicon trail with?

[FatBaldandWheeling]

It's really hard to search through experiences for the Rubicon trail when the most popular trim name is... well, Rubicon. So I figured I'd ask what you completed the Rubicon trail in!

You can link to your build if it was what you used on the Rubicon, or just detail some critical build items for others eyeing the trail:

• Lift height and brand
• Wheel/Tire size and type (inches works, but if you wanna list the full tire spec, feel free!)
• Skid modifications, if any
• Your skill level
• Your difficulties with the trail, in brief

The general idea is that someone can take a glance at your suspension and tires, alongside your experience, and get an idea for their own comfort level!

So, what did you complete the Rubicon trail with?

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[Gvsukids]

It's really hard to search through experiences for the Rubicon trail when the most popular trim name is... well, Rubicon

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...l-brief-review-and-battle-scar-reports.61997/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...l-brief-review-and-battle-scar-reports.61997/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...ladiator-sport-be-on-the-rubicon-trail.59786/

 

[jeep1]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...l-brief-review-and-battle-scar-reports.61997/

Unfortunately I don't have the Gladiator anymore (I miss it...) but happy to answer questions. The full build is well documented by @Northridge4x4 on their Youtube channel but the base of it was Rock Krawler's 3" Pro-X system with the triangulated four link rear. Running 37" Nitto Trail Grapplers.

It performed exceptionally well and really, the biggest issue is the length. There will be scraping and banging. The armor (LOD bumpers, Artec aluminum belly pans) did its job. Watch your lines and Gladiators do just fine....

 

[WestwallNF104A]

It's really hard to search through experiences for the Rubicon trail when the most popular trim name is... well, Rubicon. So I figured I'd ask what you completed the Rubicon trail in!

You can link to your build if it was what you used on the Rubicon, or just detail some critical build items for others eyeing the trail:

• Lift height and brand
• Wheel/Tire size and type (inches works, but if you wanna list the full tire spec, feel free!)
• Skid modifications, if any
• Your skill level
• Your difficulties with the trail, in brief

The general idea is that someone can take a glance at your suspension and tires, alongside your experience, and get an idea for their own comfort level!

So, what did you complete the Rubicon trail with?
[/Mueller?
1943 Ford GPW bone stock. Lo g before the bypasses were put in. Took two days, and lots of winching.

 

[FatBaldandWheeling]

Looks like the quote forming was misshapen. Also, I'm trying to keep this specific to Gladiators for others here who want to take theirs on the Rubicon Trail at some point.

 

[WestwallNF104A]

Looks like the quote forming was misshapen. Also, I'm trying to keep this specific to Gladiators for others here who want to take theirs on the Rubicon Trail at some point.

Yeah, the rest of my post got cut off too. I was going to add that I know of one completely stock Gladiator that did it. No lift, factory 33 tires.

They took their time and had no major issues.

 

[WILDHOBO]

It's really hard to search through experiences for the Rubicon trail when the most popular trim name is... well, Rubicon. So I figured I'd ask what you completed the Rubicon trail in!

You can link to your build if it was what you used on the Rubicon, or just detail some critical build items for others eyeing the trail:

• Lift height and brand
• Wheel/Tire size and type (inches works, but if you wanna list the full tire spec, feel free!)
• Skid modifications, if any
• Your skill level
• Your difficulties with the trail, in brief

The general idea is that someone can take a glance at your suspension and tires, alongside your experience, and get an idea for their own comfort level!

So, what did you complete the Rubicon trail with?

Mine is significantly different than it was when I completed the rubicon, so I’ll tell you how it was when I did it. I sustained zero damage with this setup.

Rubicon
3” lift front, 4.5” estimated rear lift
Mickey 37x12.5x17 on stock Rubi wheels and 1.75” spidertrax spacers. Matching spare, which was used as I killed a valve stem.
Full belly skids from next venture
Diff skids from next venture
All 8 Lca skids and rear shock skids from rock hard
Dana performance rear driveshaft
Adjustable jks control arms (they are strong but have crappy bushings. Don’t buy them) -since replaced with teraflex
Hitch skid from warfab
Rockslide engineering gen3 steps with optional armor

 

[WILDHOBO]

Unfortunately I don't have the Gladiator anymore (I miss it...) but happy to answer questions. The full build is well documented by @Northridge4x4 on their Youtube channel but the base of it was Rock Krawler's 3" Pro-X system with the triangulated four link rear. Running 37" Nitto Trail Grapplers.

It performed exceptionally well and really, the biggest issue is the length. There will be scraping and banging. The armor (LOD bumpers, Artec aluminum belly pans) did its job. Watch your lines and Gladiators do just fine....

What did you get as a replacement? That was a fun trail. Glad to have met you both.

 

[jeep1]

What did you get as a replacement? That was a fun trail. Glad to have met you both.

2024 Rubicon X Hard to say no to the full float rear and the pretty new screen. Got lucky and found one with factory 4.88s quite literally "coming off the truck".

Swapped out the 35s for 37s, added a winch and was in Moab two weeks later. We were suppose to take my wife's jeep but it spent the better part of nine months sitting in the driveway waiting for Jeep to come up with a fix for the manual transmission recall !

I miss the Gladiator but the JLUR is a better choice for the moment. Happy enough with the factory lift on this one that I "probably" won't mess with it much. At least not for a while.....

 

[Terminus33]

An honest question but if you own a stock Rubicon Gladiator shouldn't you be able to complete its namesake trail without any mods?

 

[jeep1]

An honest question but if you own a stock Rubicon Gladiator shouldn't you be able to complete its namesake trail without any mods?

You absolutely can. The folks over at Jeep Jamboree USA took many such Gladiators through the Rubicon as part of the work they do with Jeep. Anything "Trail Rated" has been through the Rubicon "stock"... whether it makes it through without damage is another question and driver experience has a lot to do with that.

People take old school green army Willys through the Rubicon ... People take Land Rovers pulling offroad adventure trailers through the Rubicon. The folks that maintain Rubicon Springs have a built up tanker truck that pumps all the outhouses... That thing makes it through the Rubicon.

Take the bypasses, drive smart, know the lines, have a great spotter, stack some rocks ....

Is it MUCH easier with a 3" lift, 37s, armor and lockers ? Of course.

 

[SoK66]

20 years ago I did it running my 94 YJ on 35” BFG MTs, D44 front w/ARB, D60 rear with Detroit, Rubi Express 4.5” leaf spring lift. The ARB wasn’t working, made it right through.

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