Daily Driver build

[Chance_P]

Hey guys, my intention with this thread is to have a place for short winded documentation of what I have done to my Gladiator. I daily my Jeep and to be honest it will only ever see serious off-roading twice a year. The Rubicon was probably overkill for my needs but I wanted it.

Current mods
-alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit
-35" Falken AT3W's
-rt105 wheels
-custom "1941" decals for center caps
-rally armor mud flaps
-sequential switchback led fender lights
-morimoto 5.0 HID projector retrofit
-Jeep all weather mats
-Tiger tonneau cover
-amazon dead pedal
-rugged ridge sill protectors
-Cquartz ceramic coating



I'll start this off with some pictures of the day I brought it home on June 29th 2019.

The drive home from @spenchey 's

Home in the driveway

I already had these waiting at home. I was going to wait to install them along with my Alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit but my father in law showed up to check out the Gladiator and one thing led to another...

The tires are 35x12.5x17 Falken AT3W's and the wheels are rocktrix rt105 17x9 +12mm

It was about 11pm when we finished installing everything so photos had to wait. This is the next day, Sunday June 30th with the leveling kit and new wheels/tires installed.

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[Trauma PA]

Looking good. I like what you have done so far. I was in the same boat as you. Probably didn't need the Rubicon but countless other vehicles, including several Jeeps, I always settled on. By the time I were to build up a Sport I'd be at or more than what the Rubicon costs so this time I bought the Rubicon and have zero regrets. Good luck with your Firecracker Rubi.

 

[Chance_P]

My next mods we're adding the all weather mats and some rugged ridge sill protectors. I prefer the rugged ridge protectors over all others because they provide full coverage of all painted surfaces right up to the trim.

I also added some universal mud flaps to the front. They came in a 4 pack for about $30. I use plastic rivets to install them with just a few added holes to the fender liner. Currently, I only have them installed on the front, as their purpose is solely to keep road spray off of the Jeep.

View attachment 26449

 

[Chance_P]

My next mods we're to upgrade the lighting. I retrofit some morimoto mini d2s projectors along with xb35w ballasts and xb 4500k bulbs. Everything is powered through a motocontrol harness for a very clean install. I also installed sequential switchback LED's in my turn signals/DRL's.

After fighting the lens off the halogen headlights (seriously, the most difficult headlight I have ever disassembled) I was able to get the projector stuffed inside...

Had to chop off the back of the halogen reflector and enlarge the H13 hole so the projector would have a nice mounting location. The two wires coming out are the wires that trigger the shield to drop for high beam.

Things went together quite nicely after the lens came off.

Shrouds installed. These are the "Bullet" shrouds.

Lens back on.

Nice fitment.

Did a quick height adjustment

And high beam

Low beam. Very good light at the edge of the road. Cutoff is just below the side mirror of 99% of the cars on the road.

High beam on.

Nice shot of the light as well as my DIY LED DRLs. Acronyms.

Here is a shot with the driver's side DRL still the factory Halogen.

I will have to get a video of the sequential switchback function in action.

 

[Chance_P]

Had @pixeldecals make me some new decals for my center caps. I think they turned out nice. This photo was taken shortly after I finished my ceramic coating. I didn't do the wheels yet, so they are still dirty.

 

[Chance_P]

Looking good. I like what you have done so far. I was in the same boat as you. Probably didn't need the Rubicon but countless other vehicles, including several Jeeps, I always settled on. By the time I were to build up a Sport I'd be at or more than what the Rubicon costs so this time I bought the Rubicon and have zero regrets. Good luck with your Firecracker Rubi.

Thank you sir! For me, it was about a 5k difference between the Rubi and the max tow sport I put together. Obviously the sport build had less, and in my opinion the Rubicon looks so much better. I figured with how well the Rubi will hold its value it's a no brainer!

 

[Billy]

Sweet ride!

 

[Chance_P]

Not a lot of updates this month. I installed the Morimoto sequential LED turn signals and drls along with the smoked corner markers for JL. Fitment was perfect. I had some of the same function issues the JL guys are having. Apparently using the Tazer and changing from halogen to led will correct the problem. I'm looking for a hardware solution as I only have the Tazer LITE and don't want to spend the $ to upgrade to the full version. I was given the lights from theretrofitsource for testing.

I plan on cleaning the jeep up sometime soon and getting some quality photos now that it's entirely ceramic coating. I have been busy though. I was slates for knee surgery this month but my surgeon sustained a shoulder injury and therefore my surgery was pushed back. Decided to take on my spring project and beging residing my home. Going from a 2 door JK as my DD to the gladiator has been a godsend.

For reference, the pieces on the left are 10ft and everything else is 12.6ft.

 

[InvertedLogic]

I also added some universal mud flaps to the front. They came in a 4 pack for about $30. I use plastic rivets to install them with just a few added holes to the fender liner. Currently, I only have them installed on the front, as their purpose is solely to keep road spray off of the Jeep.

View attachment 26449

I found your thread while searching to see if anyone has installed Rally Armor universal mudflaps on their JL/JT. Would you mind sharing some pics of the inside of the fender? I am thinking about trying to fit up some of the UR flaps on my JLUR.

I'm mainly interested in how you attached them to the fender liner - did you use the existing push pins?

Also, did you cut a hole in the flap for the Rubicon rock rail?

Thanks!

 

[Eherbaugh]

How are the wheels holding up? I have been looking at them just not much info out there

 

[jdwhichard]

Hey guys, my intention with this thread is to have a place for short winded documentation of what I have done to my Gladiator. I daily my Jeep and to be honest it will only ever see serious off-roading twice a year. The Rubicon was probably overkill for my needs but I wanted it.

Current mods
-alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit
-35" Falken AT3W's
-rt105 wheels
-custom "1941" decals for center caps
-rally armor mud flaps
-sequential switchback led fender lights
-morimoto 5.0 HID projector retrofit
-Jeep all weather mats
-Tiger tonneau cover
-amazon dead pedal
-rugged ridge sill protectors
-Cquartz ceramic coating



I'll start this off with some pictures of the day I brought it home on June 29th 2019.

The drive home from @spenchey 's

Home in the driveway

I already had these waiting at home. I was going to wait to install them along with my Alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit but my father in law showed up to check out the Gladiator and one thing led to another...

The tires are 35x12.5x17 Falken AT3W's and the wheels are rocktrix rt105 17x9 +12mm

It was about 11pm when we finished installing everything so photos had to wait. This is the next day, Sunday June 30th with the leveling kit and new wheels/tires installed.

Hey guys, my intention with this thread is to have a place for short winded documentation of what I have done to my Gladiator. I daily my Jeep and to be honest it will only ever see serious off-roading twice a year. The Rubicon was probably overkill for my needs but I wanted it.

Current mods
-alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit
-35" Falken AT3W's
-rt105 wheels
-custom "1941" decals for center caps
-rally armor mud flaps
-sequential switchback led fender lights
-morimoto 5.0 HID projector retrofit
-Jeep all weather mats
-Tiger tonneau cover
-amazon dead pedal
-rugged ridge sill protectors
-Cquartz ceramic coating



I'll start this off with some pictures of the day I brought it home on June 29th 2019.

The drive home from @spenchey 's

Home in the driveway

I already had these waiting at home. I was going to wait to install them along with my Alloy USA 1.5" leveling kit but my father in law showed up to check out the Gladiator and one thing led to another...

The tires are 35x12.5x17 Falken AT3W's and the wheels are rocktrix rt105 17x9 +12mm

It was about 11pm when we finished installing everything so photos had to wait. This is the next day, Sunday June 30th with the leveling kit and new wheels/tires installed.

love the 105s i found a deal on rt108 +12 just have to get my 35s installed on them i see what they are going to look like mounted

 

[Chance_P]

Well, a lot has happened since I last posted in here. I moved to Colorado, about 2 hours from the San Juans and 90 minutes from MOAB. Been doing a lot of wheeling and camping. Added a few more mods...

-LOD signature series mid width bumper
-badlands apex 12k winch
-metalcloak trackbars f/r
-metalcloak front upper arms
-metalcloak SS relocate and skid
-metalcloak sway links
-centerak console mounts
-2" mopar shocks
-2.5" spacer up front, 2.25" rear
-leitner designs rack
-roam 72" tent

 

[Hank_]

Nice build. How awesome to live where you have all of those outdoor areas to ride. Thanks for sharing those pics.

Hank

 

[Imacb278]

@Chance_P

Amazing Rig and amazing photos! Quick question about the mud flaps...there are two sizes: the MF 20 and the MF 12. Which did you buy and did you have to cut around your rock rails?

Thanks!





I also added some universal mud flaps to the front. They came in a 4 pack for about $30. I use plastic rivets to install them with just a few added holes to the fender liner. Currently, I only have them installed on the front, as their purpose is solely to keep road spray off of the Jeep.

View attachment 26449
[/QUOTE]

 

[InvertedLogic]

@Chance_P

Amazing Rig and amazing photos! Quick question about the mud flaps...there are two sizes: the MF 20 and the MF 12. Which did you buy and did you have to cut around your rock rails?

Thanks!





I also added some universal mud flaps to the front. They came in a 4 pack for about $30. I use plastic rivets to install them with just a few added holes to the fender liner. Currently, I only have them installed on the front, as their purpose is solely to keep road spray off of the Jeep.

View attachment 26449

[/QUOTE]

You'll definitely want the MF20. I used the MF20s on my JLUR when I had it and definitely did not want them any shorter. I haven't decided if I want to go through the process of fitting the flaps to the JT again.

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