SillyWillys' mild JTR build / trip log

[SillyWillys]

Hey all, I thought I'd put together a build thread/trip journal to share my thoughts and experiences with my Gladiator.

I traded my 2016 JK Willys in August, for my JT Rubicon. I swore I'd never sell the JK, but the reality of life eventually set in and I decided the a Gladiator was the right move. Really my only complaint with the JK - and the thing that is hardest to fix - was lack of cargo space. At the beginning of the pandemic I took in the family dog, and I felt like I was constantly juggling stuff around. It was either the dog, cargo, or a friend, sometimes 2 of those, but NEVER all 3. Couple that with always being the "sorry I can't drive, I only have 1 extra seat in my car" guy, and it was time to get a bigger Jeep.

Not the most recent picture of Olive by any shot, but one of my most memorable. Convinced my dad last minute to drive from NH to CO with me the summer after I bought it. Did some wheeling in the San Juans, caught a concert at Red Rocks on the 4th of July and saw fireworks over the Denver skyline. Making memories is what Jeeps are all about and the JK served me well in that regard. Eventually had a Gobi rack and a ski box on top, but daily drivability suffered trying to make up for lack of interior space.

Fast forward a few years to August of this year. I had planned to order a JTR from my local dealer, but caught this 'in transit' about an hour away. Given the supply chain issues this year, I was also afraid 4 months would become 6 or 8 or 10 or 12. I still think tank green is a better color than sarge, but going green to green DID make it easier to trade in the JK.

So why a JTR? I was at the point with my JK where I felt like the next step was to rebuild my drivetrain completely... 35's, regear, lockers, trusses, axle shafts. The Rubicon drivetrain on the JT gives me basically everything I would have looked to do to the JK, but comes with a warranty. Couple that with erring more on the 'daily driver' side of the spectrum and I don't anticipate any major expenses to my drivetrain.

Rubicon
6MT
Premium Audio
LED lighting
Cold Weather Package
Hard Top
Premium Wheels

It also had the black "star" sticker behind the rear doors (a $400 option I think) but I had the dealer remove it as part of the sale because I hated it.

I wanted the steel bumper, painted hard top, and aux switches too but conceded those for the convenience of this deal, and the difficulty in finding other Sarge Greens locally.

Life is short so I immediately planned a trip out west. My sister and BIL live in Phoenix so I volunteered their place as 'homebase' for a month. I threw on some skids, a tonneau cover, Rockblox, and some Billiebars to haul my bikes, and set off. NH to PHX is about 40 hours, done in 3 days.

First offroad adventure was Schnebly Hill Road down into Sedona. Extremely bumpy, not very difficult, but AMAZING views. For perspective, I was leap-frogging with a Subaru Crosstrek that maybe had some spring spacers? The driver/spotter team clearly knew what they were doing but they did not have any major issues.

Next stop was MOAB!!! This has been a bucket list visit for a while. I'm also a big mountain biker so this place was like Mecca to me.

Day 1 I did Bull Canyon/Day Canyon and saw the Gemini Bridges from below. The trail was again pretty easy. Its rated Blue in the Funtreks book. It does have big rocks to make you feel insignificant (important to keep your human ego in check, in my opinion).

Day 2 I decided to push my comfort level a bit and attempted the Top of the World trail (RED in the Funtreks book). You can see I brought my mountain bike this time, figuring it would be a faster way to bail if I needed to leave the Jeep . I was able to get myself up no problem, but coming down the east side of the loop my gas tank and Rusty's LCA skids were working HARD!!! I did run into some folks going up who helped spot me down one of the more difficult ledges, which I was thankful for.

Did a little bit of 3-wheeling, too.

And stopped for some scenic pictures on the way back to town. For those who haven't been - this part of the country is BEAUTIFUL!!! I cannot wait to go back.

So far I am extremely impressed with the capability of this rig. The long wheelbase was obviously an adjustment on the trail, coming from a JK, but I didn't really feel like it limited me much. The key is to buy skid plates and don't be afraid to use them

My goal for this rig is to be a comfortable DD, tackle moderate to difficult trails, and go on as many weekend adventures as possible. I'm into anything that gets me outside so I need to retain the ability to carry a variety of cargo... bikes, paddleboards, camping gear, etc.

In general - here are my plans. I'll detail them out further another day, but I wanted to at least get some pictures up and start outlining my thoughts.

Comfort
Having driven the Gladiator from NH to AZ to NH, really my only complaint is the noise level. YES I did drive a JK with a soft top and gobi rack for a few years, but I'm pushing 30 now and its really important to me to be able to hear Jerry Garcia ripping some lead guitar. Aside from that, I'd like something to hold my phone. Armorlight flooring looks cool and would be nice with my dog, too, but its not high up on my priority list.
- Hotheads Headliner (on order)
- Full Sound Assassins kit (on order)
- Phone/GPS mounting of some kind
- Armorlight flooring

Utility
I rushed to purchase a tonneau cover and bed crossbars to get out west with my bicycles, and I might stick with this setup for a bit. I think long term I'd really like a cap and a drawer system for camping. I have some ideas and access to tools to make my own drawer system... thinking something light and easy to remove, but usable as a sleeping platform.
- Bestop tonneau cover (currently installed)
- Billiebars Crossbars (currently installed)
- Bed liner (LineX probably)
- Softopper
- DIY Drawer System

Capability
Honestly after tackling the Top of the World trail in Moab, my projected spending went wayyy down. This category also starts to ding the comfort/DD category, so going to start mild here.
- Full belly skid (thinking Artec)
- Leveling kit (thinking Clayton... talk me out of it!)
- Winch (unsure... but thinking about keeping it in the stock bumper)
- 35's

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[sass JT]

Nice JT sir… great thread so far!

 

[Mac Attack]

Hey all, I thought I'd put together a build thread/trip journal to share my thoughts and experiences with my Gladiator.

I traded my 2016 JK Willys in August, for my JT Rubicon. I swore I'd never sell the JK, but the reality of life eventually set in and I decided the a Gladiator was the right move. Really my only complaint with the JK - and the thing that is hardest to fix - was lack of cargo space. At the beginning of the pandemic I took in the family dog, and I felt like I was constantly juggling stuff around. It was either the dog, cargo, or a friend, sometimes 2 of those, but NEVER all 3. Couple that with always being the "sorry I can't drive, I only have 1 extra seat in my car" guy, and it was time to get a bigger Jeep.

Not the most recent picture of Olive by any shot, but one of my most memorable. Convinced my dad last minute to drive from NH to CO with me the summer after I bought it. Did some wheeling in the San Juans, caught a concert at Red Rocks on the 4th of July and saw fireworks over the Denver skyline. Making memories is what Jeeps are all about and the JK served me well in that regard. Eventually had a Gobi rack and a ski box on top, but daily drivability suffered trying to make up for lack of interior space.

Fast forward a few years to August of this year. I had planned to order a JTR from my local dealer, but caught this 'in transit' about an hour away. Given the supply chain issues this year, I was also afraid 4 months would become 6 or 8 or 10 or 12. I still think tank green is a better color than sarge, but going green to green DID make it easier to trade in the JK.

So why a JTR? I was at the point with my JK where I felt like the next step was to rebuild my drivetrain completely... 35's, regear, lockers, trusses, axle shafts. The Rubicon drivetrain on the JT gives me basically everything I would have looked to do to the JK, but comes with a warranty. Couple that with erring more on the 'daily driver' side of the spectrum and I don't anticipate any major expenses to my drivetrain.

Rubicon
6MT
Premium Audio
LED lighting
Cold Weather Package
Hard Top
Premium Wheels

It also had the black "star" sticker behind the rear doors (a $400 option I think) but I had the dealer remove it as part of the sale because I hated it.

I wanted the steel bumper, painted hard top, and aux switches too but conceded those for the convenience of this deal, and the difficulty in finding other Sarge Greens locally.

Life is short so I immediately planned a trip out west. My sister and BIL live in Phoenix so I volunteered their place as 'homebase' for a month. I threw on some skids, a tonneau cover, Rockblox, and some Billiebars to haul my bikes, and set off. NH to PHX is about 40 hours, done in 3 days.

First offroad adventure was Schnebly Hill Road down into Sedona. Extremely bumpy, not very difficult, but AMAZING views. For perspective, I was leap-frogging with a Subaru Crosstrek that maybe had some spring spacers? The driver/spotter team clearly knew what they were doing but they did not have any major issues.

Next stop was MOAB!!! This has been a bucket list visit for a while. I'm also a big mountain biker so this place was like Mecca to me.

Day 1 I did Bull Canyon/Day Canyon and saw the Gemini Bridges from below. The trail was again pretty easy. Its rated Blue in the Funtreks book. It does have big rocks to make you feel insignificant (important to keep your human ego in check, in my opinion).

Day 2 I decided to push my comfort level a bit and attempted the Top of the World trail (RED in the Funtreks book). You can see I brought my mountain bike this time, figuring it would be a faster way to bail if I needed to leave the Jeep . I was able to get myself up no problem, but coming down the east side of the loop my gas tank and Rusty's LCA skids were working HARD!!! I did run into some folks going up who helped spot me down one of the more difficult ledges, which I was thankful for.

Did a little bit of 3-wheeling, too.

And stopped for some scenic pictures on the way back to town. For those who haven't been - this part of the country is BEAUTIFUL!!! I cannot wait to go back.

So far I am extremely impressed with the capability of this rig. The long wheelbase was obviously an adjustment on the trail, coming from a JK, but I didn't really feel like it limited me much. The key is to buy skid plates and don't be afraid to use them

My goal for this rig is to be a comfortable DD, tackle moderate to difficult trails, and go on as many weekend adventures as possible. I'm into anything that gets me outside so I need to retain the ability to carry a variety of cargo... bikes, paddleboards, camping gear, etc.

In general - here are my plans. I'll detail them out further another day, but I wanted to at least get some pictures up and start outlining my thoughts.

Comfort
Having driven the Gladiator from NH to AZ to NH, really my only complaint is the noise level. YES I did drive a JK with a soft top and gobi rack for a few years, but I'm pushing 30 now and its really important to me to be able to hear Jerry Garcia ripping some lead guitar. Aside from that, I'd like something to hold my phone. Armorlight flooring looks cool and would be nice with my dog, too, but its not high up on my priority list.
- Hotheads Headliner (on order)
- Full Sound Assassins kit (on order)
- Phone/GPS mounting of some kind
- Armorlight flooring

Utility
I rushed to purchase a tonneau cover and bed crossbars to get out west with my bicycles, and I might stick with this setup for a bit. I think long term I'd really like a cap and a drawer system for camping. I have some ideas and access to tools to make my own drawer system... thinking something light and easy to remove, but usable as a sleeping platform.
- Bestop tonneau cover (currently installed)
- Billiebars Crossbars (currently installed)
- Bed liner (LineX probably)
- Softopper
- DIY Drawer System

Capability
Honestly after tackling the Top of the World trail in Moab, my projected spending went wayyy down. This category also starts to ding the comfort/DD category, so going to start mild here.
- Full belly skid (thinking Artec)
- Leveling kit (thinking Clayton... talk me out of it!)
- Winch (unsure... but thinking about keeping it in the stock bumper)
- 35's

So, how important are the 35"ers, if Top of the World would be the most difficult trail you would attempt?

 

[SillyWillys]

So, how important are the 35"ers, if Top of the World would be the most difficult trail you would attempt?

I plan to get my money out of the stock wildpeaks, but when the time comes to replace them I'll size up. I'll consider 37's, but I don't really want to have to regear or worry about trussing/gusseting my axle tubes. My only compliant with the 33's is that when you air down they become 30's...

Unrelated, but I did get my hotheads and sound assassin kit in the mail this week. Hoping I get some time on Sunday to install and take some pictures.

I got the "full" sound assassin kit, which I plan to put inside the doors as well as against the back of the cab (if I can figure out how to remove the big plastic trim panel there).

 

[SillyWillys]

I logged in to my work laptop today and things were REAL quiet with the holiday weekend coming up.... so I decided to play hooky and installed my headliner.

Its 28 degrees so first order of business was bringing the hardtop inside. I threw a couple panels in to check the fit and finish - very nice.

I got the sound assassin strips as well, which went in no problem. There is a warning that the edges of the metal backing are sharp and I can confirm that they are. VERY sharp.
A word of caution - the black plastic roller will mark the white hardtop if you slip while rolling the strips out. Not a huge deal since the headliner will cover it, but if you are super anal it is something to be aware of.

Getting there... helper dog waiting patiently to get his fur stuck all over the nice black headliner.

And done. Very happy with the fit and finish. Definitely a perceptible reduction in noise. Stereo sounds better and doesn't need to be as loud. Top of my head didn't feel "drafty" like it has for the last 6 years of driving a Jeep. Overall I am very happy so far!

I did try to collect some before/after data, but am not blown away by what it says. Drove a couple miles down a local 60mph 2 lane road. Stereo and HVAC off, cruise control set to 60mph

Before:

After:

So the data says 1.7 decibel decrease in sound level. I'm not an acoustics engineer... 1.7 doesn't sound like much... but decibels are nonlinear, so maybe it is a good improvement? The "after" data does look less noisy to me, so I'm wondering if the headliner is cutting out certain frequencies or volume spikes.

Regardless - the more important thing is that I PERCEIVE it to be improved. I didn't take notes on how high I usually have my stereo up while driving, but I do think I was comfortably listening with it ~5 "volume levels" lower.

Overall very happy with the results. I do also have the "full floor" sound assassin kit to install, but I am going to wait until I have a couple days in the garage to do that. I'll repeat my data collection activity when I get that done, for comparison.

 

[SillyWillys]

Nearly finished with the sound assassins saga today. Did the floor and one door. I'd still like to do the back of the cab but I haven't researched the best way to get at it... from what I've read, its a real pain to remove the plastic back there.

Floor was pretty straight forward. Based on what I've read, and the marketing for this product, I decided not to kill myself trying to get 100% coverage, and instead just tried to get a big piece on every large flat-ish area.

I removed the passenger seat and rear storage bin, passenger side carpet, and then peeled back the rear carpet on the passenger side. Once complete, I put it back together, spun the Jeep around, and did the same for the driver's side.

\

I was EXTREMELY intimidated by the door, for some reason. I guess I always imagined there was some precision work going on in here to keep the window and latch working. But I was wrong... its pretty simple. Just need to remember that someone put it all together in the factory so there's no reason I can't put it together in my garage

This is what the inner door piece looks like, by the way. I believe it is called a carrier plate. It holds the window motor, locking and latch mechanisms. I'm holding the top, and the latch is on the top side of the image, for reference.

I took a bunch of other pictures of the door process if anyone is interested... I may do a write-up at some point because I had to piece together info from about 5 different videos to get this out!

I also did some preliminary sound level testing after completing the floor... it wasn't the same conditions as my previous tests, so I think I'll wait until I finish the other 3 doors and run the same stretch of road before posting that data.... but initial impression is that the sound assassins on the floor does help further reduce noise. Though, it is becoming apparent that eventually you'll just hear the 'woosh' of wind hitting the sharp corners of the Jeep and you'll NEVER get rid of that!

Bonus project from last weekend - quick chop saw job to make a bed divider to keep my snow tools handy at the back of the bed.

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