Gladiator Expedition Rigs

[mog]

Great point about twist. Pickup trucks all twist, but the Gladiator is really just a stretched JL. Jeeps are made not to twist, aren't they? Maybe a simple bracket tying the bed rail to the cab rail is all that is needed. Krag added a rollbar, which seemed to resolve the issue. Or maybe there isn't any twist anyway.

Simple enough to check. Have a thin balsa dowel attached to both the cab and the bed and see if it breaks after 'extreme' wheelin'. Even more, data if you have a GoPro attached to watch that area of the truck. This would not only give you peace of mind (and perhaps save a ton of 'reinforcing'), for Gladiators in general but would be a direct test for your truck, your suspension, your wheels/tires, and your driving style.

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[Gruffid]

Simple enough to check. Have a thin balsa dowel attached to both the cab and the bed and see if it breaks after 'extreme' wheelin'. Even more, data if you have a GoPro attached to watch that area of the truck. This would not only give you peace of mind (and perhaps save a ton of 'reinforcing'), for Gladiators in general but would be a direct test for your truck, your suspension, your wheels/tires, and your driving style.

or perhaps - if you have the GoPro, connect the balsa dowel only at one end and a piece of tape where it would be connected at the other end (kinda like a speedometer needle and gauge) to watch the deflection with the GoPro.

 

[Mules]

or perhaps - if you have the GoPro, connect the balsa dowel only at one end and a piece of tape where it would be connected at the other end (kinda like a speedometer needle and gauge) to watch the deflection with the GoPro.

Alright we need a volunteer to do some bed twist experiments and measurements! I haven't found any measurements on the internet.

 

[FitfulGoat]

I’ll be doing the alpine loop this fall in Colorado with an ARE bed cap. Happy to do some testing on twist/flex as I also have a GoPro. Not sure on the balsa wood but that’s easy enough ?

 

[Mules]

Bed Twist!

Alright I couldn't wait, so here is my backyard test. My Gladiator bed twisted 3/8" overall from one side of the bed to the other. I drove one tire up a 3 ft. incline. I measured 1" on the driver side from the bed rail to the bottom of the hardtop window. On the passenger side it measured 1 3/8" for a 3/8" overall difference. I unlocked the sway bar and maxed out the suspension.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

As I just happened to take a pic of me “flexin” theres no distortion along the bed. Or damn near imperceptible.

So I think general rules of thumb here on spacing and appropriate flexible expansion room joints should be fine. In all other ways there’s not much at all to the rigidity of the body. I mean its a tub. So the strength is in the chassis and crossmembers.

Full size trucks have a lot more flexibility in them as they do take the shock of many, many tons over many many years of hard work. But that doesn’t make for a good daily and that kinda flexibility just isnt in most modern mid-size trucks.

I feel there needs to be some structural member somewhere to hold the roof load and carry it down to the frame, but the midwall seems like you should be able to tie it together into the bed. I think the harder part is that the body is aluminum and the bed steel. So that bodywork will be a pickle and those two materials don’t go together well.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

Bed Twist!

Alright I couldn't wait, so here is my backyard test. My Gladiator bed twisted 3/8" overall from one side of the bed to the other. I drove one tire up a 3 ft. incline. I measured 1" on the driver side from the bed rail to the bottom of the hardtop window. On the passenger side it measured 1 3/8" for a 3/8" overall difference. I unlocked the sway bar and maxed out the suspension. 3/8" flex isn't a lot, but it will be enough to break or bend the camper shell, so I'm back to either stiffening the truck, or building in flexibility somewhere. It would have been much easier if it didn't twist!!! It will twist more under a dynamic load and additional weight.

Oh good! Someone brought a ruler to the party

 

[mog]

More inspiration

 

[Mules]

Looks like I found a nice back door for the camper. The Sky Slider hardtop actually comes apart in pieces. I can buy just the back frame and glass from Mopar.

 

[booneja]

Looks like I found a nice back door for the camper. The Sky Slider hardtop actually comes apart in pieces. I can buy just the back frame and glass from Mopar.

Someone should do a door and window delete panel like they do for just the window delete on a JK/JLU. That would make one sweet two door version of the Unlimited, similar to the inspiration LR Defender, sorry to go off topic, lol

 

[Mules]

When my two-tone, 2 door chassis-cab arrives from FCA I am planning on building this with a Total Composite panel kit and Arctic Tern Windows that I already have (bought for my Fuso FG, but sold that truck). The pop-top will be hardsided.

Hard side pop up is definitely sweet. Is it a power lift?

 

[mog]

Hard side pop up is definitely sweet. Is it a power lift?

No power lift as the hard sides will fold 'up' into position, so not attached to the roof. The roof is 84mm composite (FRP-foam-FRP), which weighs 1.9 pounds per Sq.Ft. so just a touch over 50 pounds total for the horizontal part. No problem for me, but I'll add some gas struts if someone smaller needs to lift it.

 

[Mules]

Looks like most medium size fridge's up to 30" length will fit on top of the 40% rear seat, but watch the height. I like the ICECO VL45 or 60 because the tope opens from either side. I can open it from inside the cab or outside. Pretty nice. Any opinions?

Also I'm leaning towards a 1500 Jackery with solar. My power has actually been out since yesterday, and the ICECO/Jackery/Solar combo would be pretty handy right now.

 

[Mules]

I hate to give up the Freedom panels, but if I move the upper bed toward the front of the vehicle, I'll still have 3-4 ft. in the back of the vehicle to stand and walk, even while someone in is the upper bed. Pretty important if I need to stand and go to the bathroom in back. I've got a lot to fit in the layout including a small toilet in back. I'm raising the down position of the ceiling to 54" internal height. I can sit upright on the bench in back even with the top down. Time to layout the inside.

 

[mog]

I'm diggin' the color-matched top, and everything is much shinier. Did you ceramic coat all the paint?
Could you fit some panoramic windows in the top, or will the fabric sides be in the way?

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