2022 AEV Gladiator Rubicon build

[Free2roam]

Did you ever run any of the AEV lift in conjunction with the Clayton? The AEV kit is a 2.5-3" correct? They say there is no need to replace drive shaft. Do you feel that is correct?

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[Flyin6]

The front driveshaft is installed

As always full writeup on the link

AEV Gladiator Rubicon (real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com)

 

[Flyin6]

Then I popped on the Yukon front diff cover

 

[Flyin6]

And here it is finished to this point.

AEV Gladiator Rubicon (real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com)

Clayton 3.5" Overland suspension and Falcon 3.3 shocks

 

[Flyin6]

Did you ever run any of the AEV lift in conjunction with the Clayton? The AEV kit is a 2.5-3" correct? They say there is no need to replace drive shaft. Do you feel that is correct?

I did not.
I always ran the jeep as an AEV creation. At 2.5" lift I do not believe it requires any driveshaft modifications. THe decision point seems to be around 3" and at 3.5 and beyond with a properly designed kit that allows you to use all that extra height to flex, I feel you would need to change out the shafts

Take a look at the actual build thread and you'll see an elongated drive shaft boot shroud which was probably caused when I unhooked all the AEV stuff and allowed the axle to droop enough to bend that part.

 

[Free2roam]

I did not.
I always ran the jeep as an AEV creation. At 2.5" lift I do not believe it requires any driveshaft modifications. THe decision point seems to be around 3" and at 3.5 and beyond with a properly designed kit that allows you to use all that extra height to flex, I feel you would need to change out the shafts

Take a look at the actual build thread and you'll see an elongated drive shaft boot shroud which was probably caused when I unhooked all the AEV stuff and allowed the axle to droop enough to bend that part.

I was thinking about a frankenlift. Aev springs and Clayton arms? Questioning my thoughts though.
Edit:
Has anyone done this?

 

[Flyin6]

I was thinking about a frankenlift. Aev springs and Clayton arms? Questioning my thoughts though.

Its a free country...

Your decision begs the question...Why?

When Clayton manufacturers what may well be the best spring out there, you have that

Then by keeping it all in the same genome, someone else already answered the big questions, like "Will these parts work together?"

On the flip side, experimentation is always interesting. I'll post a "Popcorn" emoji and wait to see how it turns out. I hope it does!

 

[Flyin6]

Starting on the rear seat delete and cargo platform build. Objective: Get rid of weight, make room for a big hairy mass, and if the hairy mass can live with it, room for some stuff when on the trail.

 

[Flyin6]

Getting well into the rear platform. I'll post a few pics, but the writeup will be on the build thread

Catching up from where I left off. I purchased a nice electronic scale. It register when I place a pencil on it.

Here's the weights of things I found in the rear:

Jack assembly 8.7 lbs It will remain
Rear seat, small 35.2 lbs.
Rear seat lg section 54.2 lbs
Kit to store top 12 oz
Seat bolts 1.0
Floor mats 4.1

In total I'll lose 95.2 lbs

That's huge folks. To lose 100 lbs is pretty major in, for say, the drag racing world. That equates to a tenth or more in the 1/4 mile. It will result in a sprightlier feel and slightly better fuel economy numbers.

I have been tracking this since the beginning. Shortly after I purchased I weighed it at 5270 lbs with a full tank of gas and without me.

I have a rough goal to hug that number as closely as possible while adding things I need, and deleting things I do not.

I expect big gains when I swap to a LiPO4 battery which weighs 18 lbs vs what I am guessing is 55 or better. I will switch up to aluminum bumpers and ditch that big AEV in the front for a stubby. The AEV lights are made from lead and stellar matter and weigh as much as a decent set of dumbbells. They will get tossed in favor of something lighter as well.

 

[Flyin6]

Oh, here is a look at the differences between the old AEV 2.5" lift and the new Clayton 3.5" Overland suspension system:

 

[Flyin6]

Day 2 of the rear cargo floor is in the bag.

Details here: AEV Gladiator Rubicon (real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com)

 

[Flyin6]

Oh, I laid down dynamat first

 

[Flyin6]

Day three on the platform build. It is built at this point. When the glue cures, I'll sand it, coat it with 2-part bed liner and final install it.

 

[Flyin6]

Well, I got it all coated, but not installed! I coated it the first time around 1000. I checked it around 1600 and found some light spots, so I ended up spraying it again. It's hanging and curing at the moment. It will go in tomorrow.
Here's the reason for all the work:

 

[Flyin6]

And what it looks like at the moment:

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