When did the air box change?

[ShadowsPapa]

My Overland JTs had the cold air from the grill go right into the bottom of the air box itself - the tube from the grill lined up with a passage in the bottom of the air box. Looking inside the box with the filter out you could see the passage. It dumped the air right into the air box itself.
My 25 has a cheap tube that goes from the grill over to the right fender area and dumps the air outside the air box, but where it would pick up intake air anyway.
In short, my 2025 air box would not fit the 2022 Overland.

Here's the 2022 air box - you can see the passage molded right into the bottom of the box!
The 25 has no such molding but instead straddles a thin plastic tube that sits below the box.

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[Craig the old guy]

New to the group, I traded my JKU for a 2025 Gladiator Nighthawk. What I found is that there were many changes made for the 2024-2025 Gladiators. Not sure I understand why, but......The airbox is one, I also don't have an engine cover, that must have saved Stelantis at least $5.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

New to the group, I traded my JKU for a 2025 Gladiator Nighthawk. What I found is that there were many changes made for the 2024-2025 Gladiators. Not sure I understand why, but......The airbox is one, I also don't have an engine cover, that must have saved Stelantis at least $5.

Engine cover disappeared back in about 21.

It's been suggested that some pre-24 models have the air box like my 25. And that's the confusing bit. If it was a change for 24/25, how could earlier years have it.

The JK is a different engine, different in too many ways to compare at all.
JL has the same 3.6 as the JT, but the JK is a different version of the 3.6 from the JL and JT

 

[Q Tip]

I'm good with my 2025 JT air filter set up EXCEPT that it uses dang wood screws to seal it instead of easy to use and secure clips...AAAARRRRRGGGH!!

 

[Badunit]

Which design is better? Would the older design force water into the air box if someone hit a water crossing too fast (or hit a "puddle" on the road too fast that throws water up in front of the grill)? I suppose it is more likely a cost cutting measure but I still wonder which is better.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm good with my 2025 JT air filter set up EXCEPT that it uses dang wood screws to seal it instead of easy to use and secure clips...AAAARRRRRGGGH!!

And those danged screws come out hard all the way and go in just as bad the 5th time as the first.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I have not seen both years side by side, so can’t really tell. But if described like in the original post, with the grill intake tube redirected to dump the air in the fender area to be sucked in? That might make the journey a little more difficult for water to get in the air cleaner. But as it is in my 2024, I would think twice about charging in to a body or water that’s over the front bumper.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Which design is better? Would the older design force water into the air box if someone hit a water crossing too fast (or hit a "puddle" on the road too fast that throws water up in front of the grill)? I suppose it is more likely a cost cutting measure but I still wonder which is better.

Is one older than the other? Jerry says his older Jeep has the same design as mine - but my 2020 and 2022 had the one piece design, the duct molded in, my 25 has the two piece design, dumps air at the right front corner where it pulls air in..
I've also noted more baffling there compared to my others, they have definitely changed something.
This air box is a @#$% to get back in place after you remove it! My 2022 just snapped right back down into place at the bottom - this one - you can't tell if it's in or not, there's no snapping and you can't feel the thing go into place like before.

 

[NULL POINTER]

My 2024 is like your 2025. When I had my 2023 Gladiator Rubicon, the airbox was the same as the one on the 2024. I had a 2018 JLUR and I am pretty sure the airbox on that one was no different than my 2024 JT. Agree with others, the removal and reinstall is screwy. Screws are hard to screw in or out. As someone else said, clips would have been so much easier when changing out the air filter. JLUR bottom two holders used to snap right back in when the airbox was reinstalled, 2023 JT and 2024 JT do not have that audible "snap" that you can feel when reinstalling the airbox. Hard to know for sure if it is seated properly or not until you start wiggling it to get it back into the throttle body intake tube where the clamp is.

Another 2024 change, wait until you go to install something under the steering column and find that there is no room for anything under there in the 2024+ Rubicon and Mojave X models. Completely rearranged under there.

 

[Vtur]

Mine 2021 diesel has the tube end right below, outside of the air box. The box also has a hole right above where the tube end. It's an indirect design to avoid vacuuming in water/snow.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Mine 2021 diesel has the tube end right below, outside of the air box. The box also has a hole right above where the tube end. It's an indirect design to avoid vacuuming in water/snow.

Yet my 22 had the integrated cold air tube - made into the air box.
Apparently there isn't a clean break for the change?
My 2020 and 22 also had a lot more bugs at the right end of the filter because it was a direct path. I can understand the new design - pushiing cold air where it will be picked up, but allowing water to "drop out" first (the other design wasn't a sealed tube, but more likely to let water and snow in)

Odd that my 22 had the design I pictured, and snapped out and back into the rubber grommets below with a positive sign it was in place - and this has a horrible design for snapping in (can't be better for factory assembly) but better for not letting water in, and some say their Jeep prior to my 22 had this other design..
Goes against what you would see in factories - normally there's a clean, very specific break, down to the date of assembly.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My 2024 is like your 2025. When I had my 2023 Gladiator Rubicon, the airbox was the same as the one on the 2024. I had a 2018 JLUR and I am pretty sure the airbox on that one was no different than my 2024 JT. Agree with others, the removal and reinstall is screwy. Screws are hard to screw in or out. As someone else said, clips would have been so much easier when changing out the air filter. JLUR bottom two holders used to snap right back in when the airbox was reinstalled, 2023 JT and 2024 JT do not have that audible "snap" that you can feel when reinstalling the airbox. Hard to know for sure if it is seated properly or not until you start wiggling it to get it back into the throttle body intake tube where the clamp is.

Another 2024 change, wait until you go to install something under the steering column and find that there is no room for anything under there in the 2024+ Rubicon and Mojave X models. Completely rearranged under there.

NOT looking forward to installing the trailer brake controller. On my 2020, I had it below the steering column - there was plenty of space to screw it to a cross brace. Not any space in these. Very different under there.

 

[Craig the old guy]

Engine cover disappeared back in about 21.

It's been suggested that some pre-24 models have the air box like my 25. And that's the confusing bit. If it was a change for 24/25, how could earlier years have it.

The JK is a different engine, different in too many ways to compare at all.
JL has the same 3.6 as the JT, but the JK is a different version of the 3.6 from the JL and JT

I'm really out of touch then. I have to admit I was VERY familiar with my JK, made too many assumptions about the JT I guess. I had no idea the 3.6 had changed, (my son has a 2020 JT Overland, with an engine cover). I'm also trying to get used to the big touch screen, so far, not a fan. The HVAC controls are too distracting on the country roads too and from our cabin among other things.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm really out of touch then. I have to admit I was VERY familiar with my JK, made too many assumptions about the JT I guess. I had no idea the 3.6 had changed, (my son has a 2020 JT Overland, with an engine cover). I'm also trying to get used to the big touch screen, so far, not a fan. The HVAC controls are too distracting on the country roads too and from our cabin among other things.

Never fear - you'll catch up quickly. You are in good company as far as not having had the chance to keep up with the changes. It's a lot to take in, and if you aren't in the middle of it every week...........

Sit back and enjoy the ride - there's a whole lot of incredibly sharp people here with deep knowledge.
And definitely enjoy the new Jeep!

 

[WncMatt]

NOT looking forward to installing the trailer brake controller. On my 2020, I had it below the steering column - there was plenty of space to screw it to a cross brace. Not any space in these. Very different under there.

Google red arc ... Way easier

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