2022 Gladiator Rubicon Ecodiesel Build

[caryt]

Good looking Magna..mine with a C15 warmed over so 650/1950 makes towing the 7400lbs over Siskiyou passes a breeze.

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[n0arp]

Good looking Magna..mine with a C15 warmed over so 650/1950 makes towing the 7400lbs over Siskiyou passes a breeze.

Thanks. You don't see too many of them but they're great rigs. Yours is really nice as well. Mine only has a C10 with 385hp/1350tq (biggest engine they had in the Magna in 2000, you could get the C12 in the Affinity) but we've hauled our Ram Power Wagon all over the west coast and CO and many mountain passes without issue. It may drop in speed a bit but we're still usually ahead of the 80K trucks on the way up.

 

[479Sendit]

We travel full-time and currently tow a 2022 Power Wagon, which replaced a 2020 JLUR a couple years ago. Our truck hauls a lot of tools and camping gear. My wife doesn't like driving the lifted Power Wagon (on 38s), so she's been following behind our motorhome in a Subaru Outback the past several months. We decided to downsize to a single vehicle she'd like to drive and would meet all our needs, so have been looking for a unicorn of sorts. We wanted a highly loaded Gladiator Rubicon Ecodiesel in Sting Grey, Gobi, or Sarge Green, with tan leather interior, a good headstart on the mods we plan to save some build costs, and a Smartcap or similar already on it. We found and picked one up a few weeks ago. It came with a Dobinson 3.5" MRR kit w/ heavy coils, Method Beadgrips on 37s, RLD cap, and I found Yukon 4.56 gears as an unexpected surprise.

Starting point, pre-Gladiator...

We have a few permanent lots at an RV park with a 14x36' workshop that we're doing all the work at. We travel 10-11 months of the year and visit said lots during the winter to take care of maintenance/projects.

Here is our build so far. Some of the parts came from our old JLUR, some new. A few things were moved over from the Power Wagon:

- Maxxis Razr MT 40X13.50R17
- Quake smoked fender chop kit
- Rough Country inner fender liners (modified cheapies for diesel fitment)
- Rusty's front and rear adjustable track bars
- Rusty's HD steering kit (drag link, tie rod)
- Steer Smarts sector shaft and track bar brace
- Apex power steering boost and cooler kit
- Synergy ball joints
- Artec front axle truss
- RCVs w/ FAD
- Dana rear chromoly shafts
- TereFlex 1" front and 1.5" rear spacers
- TeraFlex 1.5" carrier bearing drop kit
- Rock Hard 4x4 Patriot front bumper w/ skids, LOD frame ties, Blue OX flat tow kit, etc
- Air Force One braking kit and Curt tow harness
- Harbor Freight Rockshock Edge 6" lights on bumper and 4" lights on A pillar
- Warn Zion 12S winch
- Rock Hard 4x4 Patriot angled down sliders
- Body Armor rear bumper w/ steps, cube lights, and galvanized shackles to match the front
- Tazer JL Mini
- 813 Designs locking rear seat storage
- Bestop Sunrider
- Yakima CBX18 storage box
- RLD slider tray
- DECKED Gen2
- 813 Designs backup camera relocation kit
- 1UP bike rack
- Armorlite flooring

Ultimately I decided to add air bags, so I have an assortment of parts on order for that.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things from the build list. Pictures in no specific order.

I have so many questions on this build! HAHA We just finally put together our build sheet for one that starts the 10th of February. One thing I've gone back and forth on is sliders. I can't decide between RSE and a fixed slider.
How far off the ground are those Rock Hard sliders with your current set up? Is it "reasonable" to get in and out of?

 

[n0arp]

I have so many questions on this build! HAHA We just finally put together our build sheet for one that starts the 10th of February. One thing I've gone back and forth on is sliders. I can't decide between RSE and a fixed slider.
How far off the ground are those Rock Hard sliders with your current set up? Is it "reasonable" to get in and out of?

The step is about 21.5" off the ground IIRC (measured a few days ago, so there is a small chance I'm misremembering). I'll take a measurement later today and post if it's any different.

It's not a problem for either of us, but we're used to getting in and out of lifted vehicles. Neither of us felt the need for anything at all on 3.5" lift and 40s, so we might not be good judges of that since so many people want RSEs with just 37s. We added these sliders after a couple weeks of nothing at all, and chose these specific ones for the sake of other people we occasionally have in our vehicles. My wife is 5'3 and I'm 6'0 FWIW.

 

[n0arp]

The step is about 21.5" off the ground IIRC (measured a few days ago, so there is a small chance I'm misremembering). I'll take a measurement later today and post if it's any different.

It's not a problem for either of us, but we're used to getting in and out of lifted vehicles. Neither of us felt the need for anything at all on 3.5" lift and 40s, so we might not be good judges of that since so many people want RSEs with just 37s. We added these sliders after a couple weeks of nothing at all, and chose these specific ones for the sake of other people we occasionally have in our vehicles. My wife is 5'3 and I'm 6'0 FWIW.

I either misremembered, the air bags fixed a lot more sag than I thought, or probably a combination of both. Photo right under the front door (passenger side, about the same on the driver's side).

 

[n0arp]

Air bags installed. Spacers from Air Lift 60743, spacers and bags from Air Lift 60818HD, and Air Lift 73000EZ. 30PSI pictured.

I pulled the rear springs and found they're the Dobinson C29-247VB coils (3" 440-660lb constant load), not the C29-249VB coils (3" 880-1210lb constant load) I hoped were in it. That explains the sag. The air bags fix it for now... not sure if I'll swap the coils in the future. Still running a TeraFlex 1.5" spacer with them.

 

[479Sendit]

I either misremembered, the air bags fixed a lot more sag than I thought, or probably a combination of both. Photo right under the front door (passenger side, about the same on the driver's side).

Thank you sir!

 

[n0arp]

Air bags are working great but I decided to order the C29-249VB (880-1210lb constant load) coils as well. Also ordered a rear truss kit and am in the process of ordering the Shift Autowerx frame reinforcement kit, or if that falls through (after talking to someone else on this forum about that process), probably the redordeadfab frame reinforcement plates.

 

[caryt]

I have so many questions on this build! HAHA We just finally put together our build sheet for one that starts the 10th of February. One thing I've gone back and forth on is sliders. I can't decide between RSE and a fixed slider.
How far off the ground are those Rock Hard sliders with your current set up? Is it "reasonable" to get in and out of?

Bottom of my RSE with the armor is 20.5" Step height is 25.5"

 

[n0arp]

Went for a drive yesterday and experienced unrecoverable death wobble (where you have to slow to almost a stop to regain control) twice within a few miles. I had put several hundred miles on the setup by that point and had not experienced that at all. Came back to my shop and pulled everything apart to check it out and retorque everything. Everything was at spec except for the front track bar to frame bolt, which needed a little extra squeeze, but that shouldn't have caused it. Set toe in to about 3/32" using one of those DIY alignment kits (still planning to take it to a shop for a proper alignment). Toe was quite a bit out of spec so that could have been a contributing factor.

What I did find and believe to be the cause is the front driver's tire had four rows of stick-on weights when the shop balanced them and had half a row left. I think I lost most of the weights and it was just too out of balance to remain under control, and this was likely exacerbated by excessive toe in. I rotated that tire to the back and drove about 70mi for a test drive and was unable to replicate the issue.

I have 4lbs of Counteract beads and called the nearest open tire shop (a 40mi one-way trip) to get an appointment to break down the tires and dump the beads in. When I got there this morning, they couldn't get the bead to break with their machine or by hand, so they just added back the weight that fell off using the dust imprints as a template. Made the 80mi round trip without issues.

Now I'm contemplating running Traction Off Road double beadlocks like I ordered for my JL so I can be my own tire guy. Getting anyone to touch 40s is a PITA, at least where I'm at currently, and I can't have these issues when traveling. The TOR beadlocks aren't in the build budget and the lead time would be a problem, so not sure if/when I'll do that.

 

[n0arp]

Ended up ordering a set of Traction Off Road Friction Double Beadlocks for a variety of reasons, including the ability to do my own tire work. I ordered a set for my JL several years back and had them for a couple days before developing the engine issues that resulted in getting rid of it. The wheels went separately on Facebook Marketplace, at least, because I still had a set of Visions to throw on it.

There aren't many setups I'd feel confident with a spare delete on, but this is one of them as long as I carry GlueTreads, a plug kit, a set of spare parts (o-rings, valvestems) and the compressor/tools I always have on board. There are only a few, relatively rare failure modes that can't be fixed with such a kit. So I'll be doing a spare delete too.

I run low pressure at times but never anything that BeadGrips can't handle. Maybe with these I'll try out single digits.

Awesome customer service as before, from Traction Off Road, who patiently fielded my plethora of questions.

 

[n0arp]

I realize they're not mounted, but I feel this is a bit more difference than mounting would account for.

Brand new Maxxis RAZR MT on the Jeep with a brand new Toyo MT unmounted beside it. Both 40X13.50R17. The mfg specs are listed as 39.9x14.3 for the RAZR and 39.7x14.4 for the Toyo. I'll mount a Toyo up once I have the wheels and put them next to each other, at the same pressure and without the weight of the Jeep.

Just thought it was somewhat interesting, and might be of interest for anyone comparing tires.

 

[n0arp]

Installed a Wolfbox G930 while I'm waiting for other stuff... looking at these photos the trim looks off, but I didn't notice it in person. Something to check in the morning.

 

[n0arp]

Got the Hothead Headliners Bestop Sunrider headliner and installed it - makes a massive difference.

Got the new Dobinson 880-1210lb rear coils installed and it sits with no air in the airbags, where it required 30PSI to sit before. Seems like a big improvement... almost wish I wouldn't have spent the money on airbags. I'm sure they'll still be useful. Also installed the RK rear track bar relocation bracket at the same time and it handles better, especially at highway speeds.

Wheels came in, but have to be primed and painted before assembly and installation.

 

[479Sendit]

Got the Hothead Headliners Bestop Sunrider headliner and installed it - makes a massive difference.

Got the new Dobinson 880-1210lb rear coils installed and it sits with no air in the airbags, where it required 30PSI to sit before. Seems like a big improvement... almost wish I wouldn't have spent the money on airbags. I'm sure they'll still be useful. Also installed the RK rear track bar relocation bracket at the same time and it handles better, especially at highway speeds.

Wheels came in, but have to be primed and painted before assembly and installation.

You said the hotheads made a massive difference. Meaning it reduced the cab sound or temperature?

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