What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[mx5red]

Added the Teraflex 1.5” leveling kit. Kicked my old ass so bad I Just finished about an hour ago. Never should have tackled it on my own. Fingers quit working halfway through. Got her done with some additional help from a neighbor who came over and jumped in. Good people everywhere! I’ll post picture tomorrow.

Well props because adding my spacers on jacks in the garage whipped my ass. I’m able bodied just out of shape haha.
Just a whole bunch of crawling at awkward angles and trying to loosen/torque huge bolts down.
I think if I had to start over with a new Jeep the first mod I’d get is a 2-post lift?

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[Summitsearcher]

Well props because adding my spacers on jacks in the garage whipped my ass. I’m able bodied just out of shape haha.
Just a whole bunch of crawling at awkward angles and trying to loosen/torque huge bolts down.
I think if I had to start over with a new Jeep the first mod I’d get is a 2-post lift?

Amen to that!!

 

[Summitsearcher]

As an old, tired, worn out, beat down, fugger who was paralyzed back in 2014 and lost use of his right arm, I am hearing your struggle. Was a strapping healthy 260lbs when they lifeflighted me, six weeks later when I was released muscle atrophy had taken me down to 225.
Had to relearn walkin and all that shit but the right arm remained just skin and bone. Can’t raise it above my waist, and I’m right handed.?
The wife and kids hate how hard I push myself but I tell them “I might go down, but I’m going down swinging”. I refuse to perish due to lack of trying.
I know there’s a lot of older dudes in similar predicaments with the same outlook. To you I say Rock On.
And I have that same leveling kit along with the Mopar LCAs to do by myself when my truck gets here.?

Look you go. Rock on! Those upper and lower control arms were no joke. Needed a breaker bar to get them loose.

 

[Summitsearcher]

Man, I tell you what. Looks like your post history is right up my alley. I love the tailgate black graphic too.

have you been out with the Drummond island stuff or any Michigan outings? I’ve gotten back my jeep 7 months ago, after years away, and getting the itch to get out on some trails.

Yes, I head back to Drummond Island later this summer. @Gvsukids has an awesome video of his adventures there. I’m looking forward to it.

 

[Ar4130]

They get the job done but you get what you pay for. I have one of their roof racks on a JK and besides sub par paint and junk hardware, it does what I need it to do. No complaints because I accepted the downsides. I upgraded hardware where I felt it was necessary and it's all good. All parts fit and assembled with no issues.

One word…rust.

Their powder coat is pretty weak.

 

[Real_Name_Hidden]

New shoes.
The template was a lifesaver.

 

[arskemp]

Got my bikes and bike racks set up on my DIY aluminum extrusion bed rack. Some minor modifications to get the bike racks to sit right on the extrusion, but the bed rack itself feels solid.

More info on the rack in my build log link in my profile or my thread specifically for it: https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...um-extrusion-rack-for-bak-revolver-x4s.59111/

 

[ShadowsPapa]

With the help of forum member jebiruph, started to un-mod my JT for eventual trade-in on a 2022 if it ever gets built.
Started by taking the weight off the front - I didn't want to go back to the stock front springs and remove the Daystar spacers with the weight of the steel bumper, winch and skid plate on it.
Removed front receiver, winch, wiring, skid plate, and put it all back to original.
I see several areas I will do differently next time. Wasn't happy seeing some of it while taking it apart. I know I can do a much better, neater, job next time.

Now I have rows of parts laying on the garage floor until I organize things and put them away for when the new one arrives.

OK, I measured my truck from the center of the wheel caps to the fender trim center line before we started -
(it has the lighter pair of Rubicon springs (numbers 339 and 340) up front with .75" Daystar spacers)
Front - left - 22"
Front - right - 22"

After a short drive, and parking it back in the same place after things were removed, the height now is - ( still with the lighter pair of Rubicon springs (339 and 340) and Daystar .75" spacers)
Front - left - STRONG 22.5"
Front - right - STRONG 22.5"

That is measured this way - center of wheel to this point - (this is an old pic, ignore the measurement, I measure to where I made the red line to be consistent.)

That reminds me of a couple of years ago when I put the stuff on and I said the bumper, winch and skid plate dropped it 1/2"
So with Rubicon springs and Daystar spacers, the weight of the steel bumper, skid plate and winch dropped the front 1/2".
That's why I wanted the weight off first, instead of putting the stock springs back and removing the spacers - that weight would have really dropped the front of the truck with the Overland springs.

And in other news...........
We took the truck to church last night. (it was supposed to storm so didn't want the little car out in with a change of nasty weather, hail, whatever)
It's a route I've driven many dozens of times with this truck. Most of the time taking the truck on this route, it had the weight up front (bumper, skid plate, winch)
I am not kidding a bit - the truck actually tracked better, on the level there was ZERO lead at all, not even a tiny bit, and the ride was smooth as silk. It was a very very different truck. Any bumps were smoother, steering was better, it's hard to explain but it wasn't like a truck, it was more like my wife's GC, only some of the bumps were even softer than that. The ride change was crazy good. But what made me think I was dreaming or imagining things was how it was the best it had ever driven handing and ride-wise. It was as if that extra weight made it lead a times to the right. It's never been bad, just that to be honest, on most roads that had a crown or slant, you had to keep it to the left just a little bit to compensate. Not last night. I was able to eat an ice cream treat while driving and never even think it was wanting to take me to the right if I didn't watch.
No way on a solid axle could weight make any difference at all on steering or any lead (can't call it a pull, it wasn't quite that way, but it did act like a dog that had seen a bird to the right - let go of the leash and it would eventually go there)
I can't see how it's possible. It's not logical. There's no change to camber, that 1/2" difference in height can't have changed caster any appreciable amount at all, and other Gladiators come with steel bumpers and skid plates - the only difference is 85 pounds of winch on a Rubicon.
So why in the world taking off 160-170 pounds and putting back the <20 pounds of stock bumper could make a difference in handling or steering has me baffled.
Bumps and ride - absolutely. The springs are compressed 1/2" less so the softer initial compression of the spring is there to absorb and little bump on the road. Otherwise with the weight, the springs were already compressed and it took a lot more to compress them even more for a bump in the road. That makes sense - so I may rethink what I do with the new one. I may well not put the stock soft rubicon springs under the front of the new one. I have to give that some thought. (or maybe buy an ALUMINUM bumper!)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Added the Teraflex 1.5” leveling kit. Kicked my old ass so bad I Just finished about an hour ago. Never should have tackled it on my own. Fingers quit working halfway through. Got her done with some additional help from a neighbor who came over and jumped in. Good people everywhere! I’ll post picture tomorrow.

Edit: Don’t look like that much but the difference is clear to me.

As long as the difference is clear to you and you are happy - that's all that counts. And frankly, pictures can't show everything, every perspective.

Too bad you aren't closer - this crippled up old fart could have gotten his battle damaged finger in there to maybe help shave 5 minutes off the job.
It's crazy - just 2 or 3 years ago I was still doing most of what I've always done - but the effects of damage to the hands, nerve issues, the tremors, back issues and lately, lack of any strength at all, I was soooo thankful for Jerry offering to help. He lifted that winch like it was a plastic toy. I might have gotten there, but.

No shame in asking for help - and yet with my social anxiety (fine on the web, but panic on the phone or in public), I'm the last one who would ever ask. Maybe some pride involved, too - I recall lifting differentials, heck, I lifted engine blocks, in one case, an entire 4 cylinder citation engine from engine stand to my work bench. But my spine is so badly curved from years of being stupid like that, it's a death wish if I try these days.

Anyway, you got 'er done and it looks fine.

 

[Summitsearcher]

As long as the difference is clear to you and you are happy - that's all that counts. And frankly, pictures can't show everything, every perspective.

Too bad you aren't closer - this crippled up old fart could have gotten his battle damaged finger in there to maybe help shave 5 minutes off the job.
It's crazy - just 2 or 3 years ago I was still doing most of what I've always done - but the effects of damage to the hands, nerve issues, the tremors, back issues and lately, lack of any strength at all, I was soooo thankful for Jerry offering to help. He lifted that winch like it was a plastic toy. I might have gotten there, but.

No shame in asking for help - and yet with my social anxiety (fine on the web, but panic on the phone or in public), I'm the last one who would ever ask. Maybe some pride involved, too - I recall lifting differentials, heck, I lifted engine blocks, in one case, an entire 4 cylinder citation engine from engine stand to my work bench. But my spine is so badly curved from years of being stupid like that, it's a death wish if I try these days.

Anyway, you got 'er done and it looks fine.

Thanks! Glad it’s over to be honest. Today is a down day.

 

[Summitsearcher]

New shoes.
The template was a lifesaver.

Dig those! More information

 

[Summitsearcher]

OK, I measured my truck from the center of the wheel caps to the fender trim center line before we started -
(it has the lighter pair of Rubicon springs (numbers 339 and 340) up front with .75" Daystar spacers)
Front - left - 22"
Front - right - 22"

After a short drive, and parking it back in the same place after things were removed, the height now is - ( still with the lighter pair of Rubicon springs (339 and 340) and Daystar .75" spacers)
Front - left - STRONG 22.5"
Front - right - STRONG 22.5"

That is measured this way - center of wheel to this point - (this is an old pic, ignore the measurement, I measure to where I made the red line to be consistent.)

That reminds me of a couple of years ago when I put the stuff on and I said the bumper, winch and skid plate dropped it 1/2"
So with Rubicon springs and Daystar spacers, the weight of the steel bumper, skid plate and winch dropped the front 1/2".
That's why I wanted the weight off first, instead of putting the stock springs back and removing the spacers - that weight would have really dropped the front of the truck with the Overland springs.

And in other news...........
We took the truck to church last night. (it was supposed to storm so didn't want the little car out in with a change of nasty weather, hail, whatever)
It's a route I've driven many dozens of times with this truck. Most of the time taking the truck on this route, it had the weight up front (bumper, skid plate, winch)
I am not kidding a bit - the truck actually tracked better, on the level there was ZERO lead at all, not even a tiny bit, and the ride was smooth as silk. It was a very very different truck. Any bumps were smoother, steering was better, it's hard to explain but it wasn't like a truck, it was more like my wife's GC, only some of the bumps were even softer than that. The ride change was crazy good. But what made me think I was dreaming or imagining things was how it was the best it had ever driven handing and ride-wise. It was as if that extra weight made it lead a times to the right. It's never been bad, just that to be honest, on most roads that had a crown or slant, you had to keep it to the left just a little bit to compensate. Not last night. I was able to eat an ice cream treat while driving and never even think it was wanting to take me to the right if I didn't watch.
No way on a solid axle could weight make any difference at all on steering or any lead (can't call it a pull, it wasn't quite that way, but it did act like a dog that had seen a bird to the right - let go of the leash and it would eventually go there)
I can't see how it's possible. It's not logical. There's no change to camber, that 1/2" difference in height can't have changed caster any appreciable amount at all, and other Gladiators come with steel bumpers and skid plates - the only difference is 85 pounds of winch on a Rubicon.
So why in the world taking off 160-170 pounds and putting back the <20 pounds of stock bumper could make a difference in handling or steering has me baffled.
Bumps and ride - absolutely. The springs are compressed 1/2" less so the softer initial compression of the spring is there to absorb and little bump on the road. Otherwise with the weight, the springs were already compressed and it took a lot more to compress them even more for a bump in the road. That makes sense - so I may rethink what I do with the new one. I may well not put the stock soft rubicon springs under the front of the new one. I have to give that some thought. (or maybe buy an ALUMINUM bumper!)

Great summary. I’m going to re-measure to see my result using this method.

 

[Real_Name_Hidden]

Dig those! More information

315 70 17 KM3s on AEV Borahs onyx flavored set up with the beadlock rings

 

[Jeepmonster]

Not quite in the same class as the others who have done heavy mods recently, but I replaced the 3D printed snap caps with these better looking key hole covers I got off eBay. Injection molded plastic looks much better (rounded edges and OEM-like texture).

 

[aceisback]

No shame in asking for help - and yet with my social anxiety (fine on the web, but panic on the phone or in public), I'm the last one who would ever ask. Maybe some pride involved, too

Well you sure as hell make up for any loss of words during in person social anxiety when you are live on the interwebs!???

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