Rubicon build Rock crawling and daily

[Iwanajeep131]

Hi all,

Looking for some help with my build. I want to build my jeep to tackle rock crawling and harder trails but still able to somewhat daily it.

Lift- 3.5" out 4.5" metalcloak game changer
Armor- went pretty much full MC under belly
Axle- keeping axle housing but I have front rcv and rear chromoly
Tire&wheels- currently have 35 from rubicon x
Winch-harbor freight

Eventually I'll upgrade brakes, knuckles and ball joints. Is there anything else you would recommend? Thank you

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[Stan H]

Hi all,

Looking for some help with my build. I want to build my jeep to tackle rock crawling and harder trails but still able to somewhat daily it.

Lift- 3.5" out 4.5" metalcloak game changer
Armor- went pretty much full MC under belly
Axle- keeping axle housing but I have front rcv and rear chromoly
Tire&wheels- currently have 35 from rubicon x
Winch-harbor freight

Eventually I'll upgrade brakes, knuckles and ball joints. Is there anything else you would recommend? Thank you

Regearing to bare minimum 4.56 but 4.88 is the sweet spot for serious rock crawling that still dont hurt gas mileage royally.

 

[bleda2002]

The gladiator is a long weiner dog, so 35s aren't going to cut it for serious rock crawling. Look to move up to 37+ as you really only need a 2.5 inch lift to clear 37s and if you split the fenders you can even do 39s with reasonable bump stops (~3 inches) on a 2.5 inch lift.

4.5 inch lift on a gladiator is huge and will require a whole lot of extra mods like drive shafts, geometry correction and possibly an upgraded front axle for extra caster to really keep it liveable.

 

[Zachanadandy]

The gladiator is a long weiner dog, so 35s aren't going to cut it for serious rock crawling. Look to move up to 37+ as you really only need a 2.5 inch lift to clear 37s and if you split the fenders you can even do 39s with reasonable bump stops (~3 inches) on a 2.5 inch lift.

4.5 inch lift on a gladiator is huge and will require a whole lot of extra mods like drive shafts, geometry correction and possibly an upgraded front axle for extra caster to really keep it liveable.

The OP is in socal, he's probably not running freeway speeds in 4hi. With the fad, the front shaft angle doesn't matter, especially if you only use 4wd on trails and rocks. Make the caster good and send it. The front shocks are what determines if the front driveshaft will have issues. If you keep them under 29" extended you're good to go. The extra lift really helps departure and breakover angle (moreso than tires as every inch is a full inch instead of half an inch. The 4.5" lift and 35s has the same clearance and breakover/departure as a 2.5" lift and 39s. 37s and 4.5" the same as 2.5" and 41-42's. The lift is way cheaper than all the mods needed to run 42s.

 

[bleda2002]

The OP is in socal, he's probably not running freeway speeds in 4hi. With the fad, the front shaft angle doesn't matter, especially if you only use 4wd on trails and rocks. Make the caster good and send it. The front shocks are what determines if the front driveshaft will have issues. If you keep them under 29" extended you're good to go. The extra lift really helps departure and breakover angle (moreso than tires as every inch is a full inch instead of half an inch. The 4.5" lift and 35s has the same clearance and breakover/departure as a 2.5" lift and 39s. 37s and 4.5" the same as 2.5" and 41-42's. The lift is way cheaper than all the mods needed to run 42s.

It's not cheaper to lift 4.5 properly than it is to just go for a budget 2.5 and 38s. Not to mention you're still not gaining any clearance under the axle, and with a 2.5 lift you can get away with upper front control arms to adjust caster and track bars to center and you're gonna be fine off and on the road. On 4.5 you're needing a full set of control arms to get that axle centered since it's going to be so far out and really should have raised track bars and flipped steering.

Also depending on his gladiator year he may not even have a fad so that front axle may be stuck humming away.

 

[Zachanadandy]

It's not cheaper to lift 4.5 properly than it is to just go for a budget 2.5 and 38s. Not to mention you're still not gaining any clearance under the axle, and with a 2.5 lift you can get away with upper front control arms to adjust caster and track bars to center and you're gonna be fine off and on the road. On 4.5 you're needing a full set of control arms to get that axle centered since it's going to be so far out and really should have raised track bars and flipped steering.

Also depending on his gladiator year he may not even have a fad so that front axle may be stuck humming away.

I went drop brackets up front and the triangulated 4 link in the rear, and it's still far cheaper than any kit with all 8 arms. I'd be willing to bet it rides better too. A million ways to skin a cat, but I started with the 2" AEV spacer lift and 37s and it drug the belly and rear bumper often. Swapped to 3.5" metalcloak springs which netted 4.25" of lift and it's much better. I run 5⁰ of caster to keep the driveshaft happy as there are times where I'm doing freeway speeds in 4HI. If you want to run 6⁰+ there just isn't enough separation angle between the pinion and inner Cs.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Yep. With the 35” I’d recommend diff armor as well. If and when you get out to the Black Cats or on Broken Mirror you’ll be happy you have it. If you can swing 37” and some regearing you’ll be way happier. Other than that if you want to run 4.5” of lift it’s your rig so go crazy.

 

[fourfa]

My 3.5” Clayton lift netted +5” in front. (Diesel front springs, vs sagged stock with winch.) Maybe it helps to call out if we’re talking about nominal vs actual lift….

FWIW I did control arms, drop brackets, 28.25” shocks, high angle sway bar links (Rubicon here), no driveshaft - all in all nothing extreme in front, and it’s working well. Ran the Rubicon, never pulled line (front articulation and locker saved me frequently though), even with my heavyweight rig.

 

[VA6489]

Hi all,

Looking for some help with my build. I want to build my jeep to tackle rock crawling and harder trails but still able to somewhat daily it.

Lift- 3.5" out 4.5" metalcloak game changer
Armor- went pretty much full MC under belly
Axle- keeping axle housing but I have front rcv and rear chromoly
Tire&wheels- currently have 35 from rubicon x
Winch-harbor freight

Eventually I'll upgrade brakes, knuckles and ball joints. Is there anything else you would recommend? Thank you

Lets start with tire size and go from there. Ground clearance under the axle is determined by tire diameter. 37s? 40s? 42s? This opens up gearing questions. the "44" front axle while you can get 5.38 gears it is not recommended. Rule of thumb 37s, 4.88, 40s 5.13/5.38. If you are going to run big rubber upgrade the axles to a D60 at least 35 spline.

Rock Crawling, this brings visions of metal masher and king of the hammers, so what is your vision of raock crawling? I have a rig (2021 JTRD) that ran Cripple Creek at good evening ranch ( You tube it) on a Clayton 3.5 and 37s. Currently it is on BFG 39s and we ran the rubicon last summer with no issues. Remember it is all about the lines you pick.

Weight is not you friend 3.6 motor is not a power houseand will start to struggle with weights over 7000#.

Armor, cheap is an easy choice and usually add a lot of weight. Suggesting look at 6061 Aluminum to provide protection and limit weighrt gain.

Lifts.... I started with MC on y JKU switched to EVO for better drivability. and longevity. That was a few years agon. Currently running Clayton 3.5 Overlanding suspension with HD rear springs. My rig is evolving to ARTEC long arms and a triangulated rear. Long arm suspensions drive so much better on the street and performance on the trail is a huge improvment over short arm systems.

Advantec axles have an issue with the front C's bending. Trussing and support the outer ends is bery important. RCV are a great choice think about Dynatrac Ball joints and a forged track bar as well. Forged track bars tend not to flex as much as tubular ones.

Axle shafts. RCVs up front are the way to go. Back it is about the heat treat. All axle have Chromolly in them. You are looking for a 4340 heat treat.

WInch.... I run a 10K winch. I also run a snatch block on most recoveries this provides for more pulling power ( first layer full rating each layer after that goes down 15%) Using a snatch block doubles line speed and doubles pulling power.

Remember weight is not your friend


Cheers

 

[pcrawfordpt]

If you really want to rock crawl, you’re going to want to go with 37’s + which will require a regear to 5:13 (you could get away with 4:88 but why?). As suggested add diff armor. Anti-Rock sway bars front and rear are the bomb. Actually the Rock Jock Pro 3.5 lift is the total bomb if you can swing it.

 

[Billyj7175]

I would recommend a solid, full steel rear bumper and a hitch skid of some sort. The Gladiator's drag the tail everywhere. I now run the MC and it's held up well.
This was just after running Fins & Hells Revenge one time each.

 

[Stan H]

I would recommend a solid, full steel rear bumper and a hitch skid of some sort. The Gladiator's drag the tail everywhere. I now run the MC and it's held up well.
This was just after running Fins & Hells Revenge one time each.

I definitely will be getting one. But the ine thing I eliminated was that stupid spare tire . Cockeyed thing was always scrapping or dragging on something

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

This is the one I’m running. I like the flatness of it. Spreads the load a bit so there’s a greater patch if it were to set the whole rear end weight on it. In my mind the single skinnier point skid would make the jeep go wonky if I were sat on it.

https://nem-ind.com/ultimate-receiver-saver-1.html

 

[Zachanadandy]

This is the one I’m running. I like the flatness of it. Spreads the load a bit so there’s a greater patch if it were to set the whole rear end weight on it. In my mind the single skinnier point skid would make the jeep go wonky if I were sat on it.

https://nem-ind.com/ultimate-receiver-saver-1.html

Has anyone ever actually damaged a hitch by dragging it in the rocks? Bent tow loops is about the worst I've seen in 30 years of dragging rigs through rocks. The hitch slider to me are like diff skids. A solution looking for a problem. Drug the same Dana 60 through the Rubicon and fordyce and the dusy on 35s in my XJ for a decade without issue. Peeling the cheap sheetmetal covers open was a real risk, but an HD cover took care of that. I think you'd have to drag the hitch several thousand miles with the weight of the truck in it before it wore down enough to cause any problems. If it gives you peace of mind it's worth the small investment. On the JLUR we run a large pintle ring, but that's to push the rig out away from the obstacle so we don't drop down on the spare.

 

[fourfa]

I got one of those tall 41.22 hitch sliders specifically to protect the spare tire when I have to leave it under the bed (which is most of the time). I was starting to accumulate drag marks on the tire from shelf drops. Totally stopped once I did - very happy with it

I can put the tire elsewhere at times (and I did on the Rubicon) but for some of us, some of the time, it's not so simple as throwing it in the backseat or bed where it would displace people, dogs, and hard-mounted storage

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