MetalCloak to the rescue...Greg's '23 Willys JT

[Greg_L]

Hi I'm Greg, I drive a 2023 Willys JT. For the hellish backstory about my drama with Extreme Terrain/Teraflex, read here:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/extreme-terrain-teraflex-hell.87396/

While all that was going on, Matson @Metalcloak sent me a PM and very unbelievably kindly and generously offered to send me their MetalCloak JT leveling kit! To say I was blown away is an understatement. As I picked myself up off the floor I gladly accepted his offer and a few minutes later a guy from their company named Will (I hope I got that right, I'm sorry if I remember the name wrong) was on the phone with me going over details. And a few days later, all this showed up....

Guitar and amps not included.

What we got here is a set of 2.5" dual rate front springs, adjustable track bar, adjustable front upper control arms, sway bar links with quick disconnect, bump stops, spring pads, and shock relocation brackets. I'm staying with stock shock for now. So how eff'n cool is that?????????? Super cool.

So next stop, the driveway to undo what I had (Terflex spacer kit).

New MetalCloak spring compared to the stock spring + Teraflex spacers. The difference is striking. This stuff is beefy.

Before cramming the new springs in place, I had to do something better about the bump stop situation. Getting a nut under the spring perch sucks, I'm sure you all know that. The steel is thick enough to be tapped so that's what I did. Maybe I don't know what I don't know, but IMO this is how it should be done.

With that handled, the new springs can go in....

Next up, the sway bar link pins. Pretty cool set up, easy peasy.

This is me. It was actually chilly in Houston, Tx that morning.

On to the upper control arms. These were pretty easy and uneventful. I used MetalCloak's length recommendations and they went right in very easy. I know a little something about alignments. I can fudge it in a driveway close enough. My caster is about right where it should be. This is where the heft of the new parts really becomes evident. This MetalCloak stuff is significantly beefier than the stock stuff.

And lastly, the new adjustable track bar. Not really much to see here besides it's pretty gold color and how much more badass it is over the stock piece.

I put the track bar in last with the JT put all back together and sitting on it's own weight. I've got about 1/4" difference from side to side best I can tell. To me that's acceptable considering how goofy it is to measure that kind of stuff anyway. I'm good with that. Centered the steering wheel a little bit and she's good to go. All road tests have been great so far.

So here's what my Willys JT looks like. Other stuff I've done...
DV8 fender delete.
Hooke Road fender liners
Some kind of Amazon steel bumper and Amazon winch.
Smart Cap
Fancy dorky colored headlights and matching foglights. SunPie or something like that. I like em.
GFX TR29 17x9 0 offset wheels
37 x 12.5 BFG KO2
Spray in bedliner that you can't see.
Clayton 2" rear springs
And just so you know I'm not a mooch...I did previously buy a kinked rear track bar from MetalCloak to clear the spare.
So here's some glamour shots....

So...that's about it. Hope you like this little pictorial essay.

Thank you so much, again, @Metalcloak . I'm new to Jeep world and offraoding in general you've set me up for success and I'm very grateful. You got a fan and customer for life with me and the wifey is already asking about some stuff for her JL. So I'll be back soon.

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[Minty JL]

@Metalcloak FTW

 

[Jteakus]

Congrats!
Yes, the team @Metalcloak is first class.

 

[azmojave]

Dude, that’s awesome!
@Metalcloak

 

[Sweetums]

I'm glad it's sorted out, I love my Metalcloak kit on the JTRD and the LJR.

 

[HorsesRear]

Hi I'm Greg, I drive a 2023 Willys JT. For the hellish backstory about my drama with Extreme Terrain/Teraflex, read here:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/extreme-terrain-teraflex-hell.87396/

While all that was going on, Matson @Metalcloak sent me a PM and very unbelievably kindly and generously offered to send me their MetalCloak JT leveling kit! To say I was blown away is an understatement. As I picked myself up off the floor I gladly accepted his offer and a few minutes later a guy from their company named Will (I hope I got that right, I'm sorry if I remember the name wrong) was on the phone with me going over details. And a few days later, all this showed up....

Guitar and amps not included.

What we got here is a set of 2.5" dual rate front springs, adjustable track bar, adjustable front upper control arms, sway bar links with quick disconnect, bump stops, spring pads, and shock relocation brackets. I'm staying with stock shock for now. So how eff'n cool is that?????????? Super cool.

So next stop, the driveway to undo what I had (Terflex spacer kit).

New MetalCloak spring compared to the stock spring + Teraflex spacers. The difference is striking. This stuff is beefy.

Before cramming the new springs in place, I had to do something better about the bump stop situation. Getting a nut under the spring perch sucks, I'm sure you all know that. The steel is thick enough to be tapped so that's what I did. Maybe I don't know what I don't know, but IMO this is how it should be done.

With that handled, the new springs can go in....

Next up, the sway bar link pins. Pretty cool set up, easy peasy.

This is me. It was actually chilly in Houston, Tx that morning.

On to the upper control arms. These were pretty easy and uneventful. I used MetalCloak's length recommendations and they went right in very easy. I know a little something about alignments. I can fudge it in a driveway close enough. My caster is about right where it should be. This is where the heft of the new parts really becomes evident. This MetalCloak stuff is significantly beefier than the stock stuff.

And lastly, the new adjustable track bar. Not really much to see here besides it's pretty gold color and how much more badass it is over the stock piece.

I put the track bar in last with the JT put all back together and sitting on it's own weight. I've got about 1/4" difference from side to side best I can tell. To me that's acceptable considering how goofy it is to measure that kind of stuff anyway. I'm good with that. Centered the steering wheel a little bit and she's good to go. All road tests have been great so far.

So here's what my Willys JT looks like. Other stuff I've done...
DV8 fender delete.
Hooke Road fender liners
Some kind of Amazon steel bumper and Amazon winch.
Smart Cap
Fancy dorky colored headlights and matching foglights. SunPie or something like that. I like em.
GFX TR29 17x9 0 offset wheels
37 x 12.5 BFG KO2
Spray in bedliner that you can't see.
Clayton 2" rear springs
And just so you know I'm not a mooch...I did previously buy a kinked rear track bar from MetalCloak to clear the spare.
So here's some glamour shots....

So...that's about it. Hope you like this little pictorial essay.

Thank you so much, again, @Metalcloak . I'm new to Jeep world and offraoding in general you've set me up for success and I'm very grateful. You got a fan and customer for life with me and the wifey is already asking about some stuff for her JL. So I'll be back soon.

Fantastic looking Willys and a great story. That has got to be the Cleanest looking undercarriage I have ever seen on a Jeep.

 

[Minty JL]

Metalcloak is the Gold standard for a reason

 

[Greg_L]

Fantastic looking Willys and a great story. That has got to be the Cleanest looking undercarriage I have ever seen on a Jeep.

Thanks. I keeps it clean. It really only sees the beach and filthy dive bars for now. I'm not in an off-roading kind of area. But it'll see some west Texas time this winter.

 

[SimonH]

@Metalcloak !!! I d love their arms for my european 2.5 lift by the way

I like what you did, except the fender delete, from rear the Gladi looks a bit goofy, don't you think?

anyhows, nice write down and yeah, the other stuff was "hell", I read that before and could not believe it....

 

[Greg_L]

@Metalcloak !!! I d love their arms for my european 2.5 lift by the way

I like what you did, except the fender delete, from rear the Gladi looks a bit goofy, don't you think?

anyhows, nice write down and yeah, the other stuff was "hell", I read that before and could not believe it....

I don't think it looks goofy. I love the fender delete. It was one of the first things I wanted to do. I put some small flat flares on the wife's JL and while I had it stripped down I was like...yeah I'm doing it to mine. It's a little "extreme" but it's unique. I don't care if I throw mud and water everywhere. That's what car washes are for.

 

[TheOpa]

@Metalcloak for the win! Nice write up Greg appreciate the pics to go along with it.

 

[HorsesRear]

I really like the fender delete on your "Gladiator". I wish I had the nerve to do it to mine. Even if I didn't like it I would keep it to myself.

 

[Sweetums]

Metalcloak is the Gold standard for a reason

I see what you did there.

 

[Greg_L]

I really like the fender delete on your "Gladiator". I wish I had the nerve to do it to mine. Even if I didn't like it I would keep it to myself.

What's stopping you?

 

[Minty JL]

I see what you did there.

I've been full of puns this week........guess better then the normal shit lol

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