1st baby right around the corner. Is there anything I can do to make my Gladiator safer?

[dcmdon]

car seat placement is really tough in the gladiator if you want to use your backseat to transport anything other than one baby and nothing else. The rear bench isn't exactly spacious and a carseat in the middle means the outboard seats are uncomfortable.

And since my wife refuses to ride in the front when I have my front doors off (i don't take my back doors off because that's where the baby is) that means she rides in the back with my son when my front doors are off.

I can only imagine the hellfire that would befall me if I tried to shove her into an outboard seat with my son in the middle. I'd never be able to take my doors off and transport the family ever again.

Long story short: you can't prevent every accident, but choosing how and where and when you drive is 95% of avoiding accidents. If you can't put the carseat in the middle, don't beat yourself up about it. Make up for it in other ways.

Its still selfish of her for requiring the seat to be on the side when it should be in the middle.
And if it means that you can't take the doors of so she will ride in front for the time (18 months??) it takes the baby to get out of a rer facing child seat then that's what you should do.

Having a child requires sacrifices.

If the worst it means for you is no doors off, then so be it.
If the worst it means for her is driving doors off with her squished into an outside seat, then so be it.

I hate to be a prick, but grow up.

When my wife and I had kids we swapped a Miata and a 400 hp STi for 2 Volvos. We did this knowing that in a short amount of time we would be able to have fun cars again. We tried for a while with 1 Volvo and the Miata the parent doing drop off and pick up driving the Volvo that day. But that failed because things come up. We needed 2 vehicles that worked with a rear facing car seat.

maybe my car seat is unnecessarily wide? Who knows.

afterthought: maybe they were so blown away by the extra headroom they glanced right over the missing hip room?

Its not. Rear facing seats are huge. Its counterintuitive, but as the kids get older, you can get a smaller car because the car seats get smaller until there aren't any.

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[dcmdon]

Really? I drove, my wife was in the front passenger seat, my grandson, son and his wife, all in the back seat. Both of them, my son and D-I-L, commented on how much better the back seat in the Gladiator was than in my Silverado - and my son ain't short at well over 6'. (and over 200 pounds although he's lightened up quite a bit lately)

The Gladiator interior is narrower than my Volvo. But plenty of leg room. We are not large people in my family. Its fine for us.

 

[Rahkmalla]

I hate to be a prick

Not 100% sure i believe that tiny little takeaway hidden in the middle of all that directed bashing

 

[dcmdon]

Not 100% sure i believe that tiny little takeaway hidden in the middle of all that directed bashing

I do not intend to be a prick.

But its time to grow up. You need to be told this.

Consider it tough love.

Having a baby is the most important thing you will do IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

When it comes to safety, you adjust your life around the baby, not the other way around.

I gave up flying formation acrobatics and motorcycles when my kids were born. I'm back at it now that they are older. It all gets easier as they get older. The funny thing is I didn't do this grudgingly.

It was just the right thing to do. I found myself afraid when riding and flying. Something I'd never felt before. So it actually became unpleasant.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The Gladiator interior is narrower than my Volvo. But plenty of leg room. We are not large people in my family. Its fine for us.

But people know going in what the dimensions are. These are more narrow than the Silverado and yet - my son and his family were fine. Luke wasn't small at the time. (although his wife is pretty small)
Even I feel the Gladiator is better in the back seat than my Chevy was. Without totally redesigning the gladiator, new body, they can't make it any wider as the walls are about as thin as possible now. It's based on the Wrangler body so it's not like this is a new thing. If the Wrangler is too narrow inside, so is the Gladiator. Same basic panels, doors, etc.

Having a child requires sacrifices.

Amen to that LOL. Been there, done that - even having a grandchild involves changes...........

No way I'd go doors off with a child under a certain age in the vehicle. That's more adult or older child fun stuff. It's a luxury, not a necessity.

 

[dcmdon]

My friend and his wife go front doors off and freedom panel off with their kid in the center of their JK around town. It seems a reasonable compromise.

If they are going on the highway, they take the minivan anyway because its got airbags everywhere and is more comfortable for long trips.

 

[booneja]

firstly, congrats on the upcoming member of your family....I feel like my JT is safer than most of the previous vehicles I had, except for my Ram 1500 (1998) old school heavy beast of a truck. I've seen some videos of crashes and the other vehicle got the worst of it, like others have said, do your part to reduce the interior projectile issues and control what you can (way you drive, speed, etc,) and you should be good, my kids are both grown adults now.

Best of luck....ohh and if you need to get into the jeep in the middle of the night for "emergency trips" with the kids, and it will happen....just drive more cautiously, give yourself a couple slaps in the face to jar your senses awake, helped me tackle a long drive across country when my kids were really young (work transfer and needed to get to destination quick)

 

[Mister Lamb]

Appreciate all the tips and feedback.

Takeaways: aim to get the car seat in the middle, tuck away loose items, drive like a granny.

I think I can handle all that!

 

[flintlock]

One recommendation that folks may think is ridiculous to suggest: find a local service to walk you through installing the car seat the first time. Many local police departments and other groups offer it as a free service. They’ll show you specifically how to install your car seat for your vehicle, tips for securing the baby, etc.

It’s not rocket science and lots of good YouTube videos, but I still found it helpful. Even if just one less thing to wonder if I did it right on as a new Dad.

 

[PyrPatriot]

I was in the same boat when I got my JT. Kid was due in a couple weeks. I made sure the rear baby-seat side door couldn't open unless from outside as I could forget to do it later when kid hit toddler stage. I added a winch and mud terrains after Jeep got stuck on a road covered in mud and I was just spinning my wheels without digging down to get to pavement. I added spare diapers and baby supplies, recovery gear, blankets, etc also because now it wasn't just looking after myself if I got stuck in a snowstorm or broke down in the summer in the middle of nowhere.

 

[OffAxis2021]

Like others have already stated... statistics state that drivers tend to turn away from an accident (avoidance), so the center of the backseat is the safest place from your child. IJS

 

[Bjeepz]

One recommendation that folks may think is ridiculous to suggest: find a local service to walk you through installing the car seat the first time. Many local police departments and other groups offer it as a free service. They’ll show you specifically how to install your car seat for your vehicle, tips for securing the baby, etc.

It’s not rocket science and lots of good YouTube videos, but I still found it helpful. Even if just one less thing to wonder if I did it right on as a new Dad.

Great point, I work in Public Health and there is a healthy baby program in many public health departments (Canada), I've seen the staff work with new parents on baby seat safety concerns.

Regarding not lifting the rig.... Unless you have a Mojave the suspension is soft and turd like, excessive brake dive and body roll in any non slow maneuver, a small high end lift will get rid of that messy ride, potentially making the rig safer during unexpected maneuvers. I know a lot of non knowers will disagree, but take if from those who've had quality suspension, it improves everything over stock handling.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

Another move is to have another kid. Then you need to use both rear seat. That middle space will be important. They'll need a no mans land to keep their hands to themselves. Hahaha.

 

[Gren71]

One recommendation that folks may think is ridiculous to suggest: find a local service to walk you through installing the car seat the first time. Many local police departments and other groups offer it as a free service. They’ll show you specifically how to install your car seat for your vehicle, tips for securing the baby, etc.

It’s not rocket science and lots of good YouTube videos, but I still found it helpful. Even if just one less thing to wonder if I did it right on as a new Dad.

A lot of hospitals / fire departments / and ems agencies will do this for you as well. They will all happily show you how to install, and uninstall, as well as adjust a carseat properly.

lots of great advice. Im all on board with driving defensively. It takes some getting used to but im so used to it now, after both boys, that i set my cruise to the speed limit and exist in the right lane. I’ve actually found it makes for a much more stress free travel.

though…i wont say I always make the wisest choices. My two year old LOVES driving with the doors off.

 

[Uparms]

I am 61 with a 5 year old granddaughter that loves my JT,. Picnics in the bed when we go to the park and all rides with the back window out. The other day when it was time to leave the park, she asked" Can we sit in the back of your truck for a little" and pulled out her favorite Disney Princess book to show me. The JT is safe, lifted or not. You should supervise their "Speed Climbs" into the bed. She also likes to help lift the sunrider top and was the first to break a sun visor mount.

I really like all the great suggestions those in the real know have made earlier in this thread. Great suggestions!! Get through the backward facing phase and Imagine how happy that 2-3 4 year old will be. #KeepTheJeep.

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