If you were in Jeep Management, what changes would you make to the Gladiator?

[Greg_L]

Better choice of engines, all with manual transmission as an option: Torquey inline 6. Diesel, especially if we could go back to days of no emission equipment. V8. All simple, no variable valve timing or variable valve lift or or any other BS trying to gain that extra 1/10th of a horsepower or mpg. Tried and true technology.

Total redesign of the electrical system to delete all the computers/modules and go back to electrical and mechanical systems that can be easily and inexpensively diagnosed and repaired; not electronics, computers, and networks. The only computer left would be the ECM and it would be a lot simpler, just enough to run the engine and not one that does stupid stuff. Throttle position would be 100% based on actual throttle position (an actual throttle cable would suit the bill), not some stupid algorithm that causes rev hang and throttle delay.

Simplicity of design. Not all this complicated crap that fails and is expensive to repair or replace.

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[Badunit]

You can get a mint 1970s J-series that ticks every one of those boxes for less than half of what a gladiator costs.

That is the level of tech I'm talking about. Anything from around that time up into the 1990's, maybe even as far as very early 2000's (depending on the vehicle).

 

[Badunit]

Yep, that's me (but not quite that old).

 

[Greg_L]

Bring back carburetors and points ignitions. Gimme pushrods and rocker arms. Get out and manually lock those hubs. 4-spd manuals. Mechanical clutch. No backsets. Two doors. Manual window cranks. No AC, no radio. Tachometer only...do the fucking math if you wanna know your speed. No gas gauge, you gotta dip your finger into the tank that's actually where the backseat woulda been. Speaking of seats, fuck that, we get one seat - driver's. Manual steering, hydraulics are for pussies. Four wheel drum brakes. And bluetooth.

 

[Badunit]

I would be fine with most of that. Pushrods and rocker arms, 4 spd manual with mechanical clutch, manual window cranks (or zipper windows), drum brakes, manual steering, and no AC (but must have the real outside air vents of the past). But I prefer fuel injection and electronic ignition.

 

[MoparToYou]

Well, my other Jeep is a JLUR 392 XR, so give me the 392 in a JT. They said for years it wouldn't fit or wouldn't work in a JL. Now they're saying the same thing for the JT. I say BS, just put the 392 in.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Bring back carburetors and points ignitions. Gimme pushrods and rocker arms. Get out and manually lock those hubs. 4-spd manuals. Mechanical clutch. No backsets. Two doors. Manual window cranks. No AC, no radio. Tachometer only...do the fucking math if you wanna know your speed. No gas gauge, you gotta dip your finger into the tank that's actually where the backseat woulda been. Speaking of seats, fuck that, we get one seat - driver's. Manual steering, hydraulics are for pussies. Four wheel drum brakes. And bluetooth.

Needs a floor high beam switch and a milk crate for a passenger seat and you can take my money, thank you.

 

[Greg_L]

I would be fine with most of that. Pushrods and rocker arms, 4 spd manual with mechanical clutch, manual window cranks (or zipper windows), drum brakes, manual steering, and no AC (but must have the real outside air vents of the past). But I prefer fuel injection and electronic ignition.

You know 10,000 hp Top Fuel engines use magnetos right? Electronic ignition is for wimps.

Needs a floor high beam switch and a milk crate for a passenger seat and you can take my money, thank you.

Hot damn I love those ideas. You're hired.

 

[dave33]

Take the turbos off the new hurricane engine and tune it to run well without. Replace the crappy plastic parts with appropriate metal. Should be more powerful and efficient. I drove a new Ram with that engine and it was incredibly smooth. Im just not a fan of multiple turbos.

 

[BourbonRunner]

You know 10,000 hp Top Fuel engines use magnetos right? Electronic ignition is for wimps.

Hot damn I love those ideas. You're hired.

Sounds good. Dental plan?

Take the turbos off the new hurricane engine and tune it to run well without. Replace the crappy plastic parts with appropriate metal. Should be more powerful and efficient. I drove a new Ram with that engine and it was incredibly smooth. Im just not a fan of multiple turbos.

I hear you. I6s are smooth. But forced induction is the only way they're getting the spec of grunt they are with the newer emissions controls.

 

[Greg_L]

Sounds good. Dental plan?

I'm moving my company to England just so I don't have to provide dental.

 

[Dmag33]

Mandatory ducks
Invincible windshield
Smoke screen
Radar jammer/invisibility cloak
On-board removed door storage

What about a Warp drive and extra Dilithium crystals?

 

[Sweetums]

• Hire someone from Lexus or Subaru and put them in charge of quality.
• Address corrosion issues
• Strengthen rear sway bar frame mounts
• Strengthen track bar mounts
• Brace the selector shaft
• Ditch the aluminum knuckles
• Full float axles
• Upgraded cooling
• Height/tilt adjustable seats
• Double-ball rearview mirror so I can adjust the height.
• New visor design
• Begin work on a next gen truck styled like a J10 with more room under the hood.
• Predrill and tap the chassis for real sliders and skids
• 35" tire option
• In-tailgate storage option
• Fix the license plate light glare issue
• CV front half shaft option on all configurations
• New drive shafts that can work up to a 2.5" lift without binding
• Factory onboard air compressor kit/accessory/option (Used way more often than a winch)
• Put a $1,000 bounty out for ideas that add simplicity, like reducing the number of different fasteners/tools used on the vehicle. Why use e-torx when a hex head bolt the same size as dozens of others would do the job?
• New oil filter design, and flog the guy who came up with this one before firing him. Out of a canon. Into the sun.
• Pop-off cover on the dash over a mounting plate with the screw pattern for a RAM ball mount.

 

[robinja]

As previously posted...

1) Stripped down Gladiator with a flat bed and fold down sides that is just barely street legal for construction and farming applications - and for people that just want a @#@$ basic truck! - See image below of the competition.
2) Two-door extended cab gladiator with a longer bed for short-haul around town delivery orgs (NAPA, Autozone, courier) and service companies (Pool cleaners, etc).
3) Two-door extended cab regular bed... BECAUSE there are plenty of us that will buy it!
4) And take a shot again at a ruggedized Gladiator, maybe up-armored with military grade suspension for global military applications - military parts and service contracts are quite lucrative.
5) And if you decide to build a Gladiator that's more road-truck-like with an A-arm, don't skimp and it better have at least a one-touch sky roof and maybe a fancy way of at least feeling like you are going naked (doors off/top off)!

 

[DiehardTory]

Here is an interesting video posted late 2/8/25 on youtube.. listen to the sources he states:

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