Bed Chop??!!!

[mog]

Here is Jeep's take on bed chopping for the 2022 Easter Week Gladiator 'Jeep Bob Concept'

Meet Bob. It takes a Gladiator Rubicon and slices off 12 inches from the bed in a style that's known as bobbing. Jeep also gets rid of the doors and B-pillars for a very airy cabin. A custom hardtop has perforation with canvas stretched over it to provide protection from the elements while still letting in light. Custom bumpers are much shorter than stock to improve the approach and departure angles.

Power comes from a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 that breathes through a Mopar cold-air intake. It runs through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Mechanically, the truck gains Dynatrac Pro-Rock 60 axles. The suspension has a 3.0-inch lift and uses components from King Coils and Bypass shocks. The 20-inch beadlock wheels support 40-inch off-road tires.

Sponsored

 

[Kindafearless]

At least Jeep acknowledges the bed bangs on rocks.

I saw their post this morning and thought: Hey! Mine is better than the Jeep prototype! Go me! At least I have a tailgate and can fit a cooler back there with my spare and air compressor

 

[mdyucca]

At least Jeep acknowledges the bed bangs on rocks.

I saw their post this morning and thought: Hey! Mine is better than the Jeep prototype! Go me! At least I have a tailgate and can fit a cooler back there with my spare and air compressor

Looks great! For serious off roaders this is the way to go with the Gladiator.

 

[mdyucca]

Cool story. Love your edgy take?. My wheeling has been a lot more enjoyable without dragging my rear end on every obstacle I come down.

The break over angle has not been a huge problem but I’ll admit that having to readjust on tight turns is cumbersome. Planning ahead and knowing your wheel base is key and usually gets me through without having to back it up a tad. It’s when I focus too hard on the next step and am not paying attention to what comes after when I set myself up poorly for the next obstacle. I’m sure that goes for most rigs though.

On the trip I’m currently taking from coast to coast, having the room in the bed is absolutely necessary when my two dogs dominate most of the cab space. A 4dr JL super short bed simply would not suffice let alone a 2dr. The Gladiator with the bobbed bed is exactly the amount of Jeep that I need and want.

Thanks for pissing in my cheerios, ??!

Thanks for the write up on the bed chop. I see the bed chop becoming a common modification for the Gladiator crowd. You pioneering and documenting your bed chop mod will help many of us in the Gladiator world get started in making the Gladiator a much more off road capable Jeep. Hope you had a great trip!

 

[SigSauerKraut]

At least Jeep acknowledges the bed bangs on rocks.

I saw their post this morning and thought: Hey! Mine is better than the Jeep prototype! Go me! At least I have a tailgate and can fit a cooler back there with my spare and air compressor

Damn that looks good!

 

[jsalbre]

At least Jeep acknowledges the bed bangs on rocks.

I saw their post this morning and thought: Hey! Mine is better than the Jeep prototype! Go me! At least I have a tailgate and can fit a cooler back there with my spare and air compressor

Yours really does look better and more useful than theirs. Sometimes Jeep gets a bit too “concepty” with their EJS Jeeps. What’s with the vented fender flares and ridiculous hood?

 

[mog]

Disclaimer - no relationship with the company

I stumbled across this on Instagram. Motobilt is now making a complete bobbed bed (46" long) for the Gladiator.

all photos property of Motobilt.

 

[FLUndertaker]

Disclaimer - no relationship with the company

I stumbled across this on Instagram. Motobilt is now making a complete bobbed bed (46" long) for the Gladiator.

all photos property of Motobilt.

If this is available to purchase now as a bolt on versus one off all custom, I am all over it. I wonder how much of the frame gets lopped off and besides losing the spare tire space what else needs to be relocated? I don’t see a fuel filler on it.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

If this is available to purchase now as a bolt on versus one off all custom, I am all over it. I wonder how much of the frame gets lopped off and besides losing the spare tire space what else needs to be relocated? I don’t see a fuel filler on it.

Think it's on top driver side.

 

[jsalbre]

Looks like they made it shorter vertically too. I bet it’s going to look really awkward with the hard top removed as the body lines won’t match up.

 

[FLUndertaker]

$5000 plus tax and freight plus you still need it painted. Easily a $8500-9000 project but very bad ass!

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

If you‘re not going to use the bed to do truck stuff (i.e. Haul things)…why not?

Even if you are going to use the bed for truck stuff…I think you could make the argument that the factory bed is marginally useful and bordering on laughable (capacity wise)…so why not just chop a few inches off of it?

 

[mog]

A- I wonder how much of the frame gets lopped off
B- I don’t see a fuel filler on it.

A- According to the webpage HERE "The stock Gladiator frame is trimmed approximately 14-5/8” and the total savings in length is approx 18 inches versus the factory bumper and factory bed."

B-

 

[NC_Overland]

I still don’t get it. I get it for off-road, but at that point, I feel like you’d be better off modifying a four door wrangler. You gain a longer wheelbase, but I can’t see longer than a JKU/JLU being an advantage. Your payload and tow capability are shot to hell by the time it’s that modified. I’m really trying to understand.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

I still don’t get it. I get it for off-road, but at that point, I feel like you’d be better off modifying a four door wrangler. You gain a longer wheelbase, but I can’t see longer than a JKU/JLU being an advantage. Your payload and tow capability are shot to hell by the time it’s that modified. I’m really trying to understand.

Impractical mods like this likely fall under the umbrella of “because I can” and/or “because I do what I want.”

Some people like to do something different. I.e. I saw a video recently of a trail run with mostly Jeeps and a guy showed up with a heavily modified late model Ranger. Most of the work was custom and I can only imagine how much money he sank into it (It was a nice build/professional job…not a hack job). As he was describing it, his tone (discussing the highs and lows of the build) wavered between “yeah…I did that (unique and neat build)” and ”yeah…I did that (should have just built a Jeep or Toyota for less money and aggravation).”

There are easier and cheaper ways of going about the end result (while getting a shorter wheelbase), but if you’ve got money to burn…why not? It’s not like you can take it (money) with you when the time for your dirt nap rolls around.

Sponsored