Discussion: Base Gladiator Sport vs Tacoma Off Road

[IWantAJeepGladiator]

Take this with a tiny grain of salt, but I've seen a few threads about this here and other forums and what I've gathered is that it would not be close to the capability of a rear locker. I've heard the comparison that if a rear locker was a 5/5 improvement in off-road capability, the anti-spin would be a relative 1.5/5 improvement. In addition, because it's clutch-based it would require more maintenance. I saw somewhere else that the anti-spin is good for stability on hazardous road conditions (think ice or water) but not much improvement off-road.

Gotcha. Just want to convince myself it wasn't a waste of money! Haha

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[Hemi]

Take this with a tiny grain of salt, but I've seen a few threads about this here and other forums and what I've gathered is that it would not be close to the capability of a rear locker. I've heard the comparison that if a rear locker was a 5/5 improvement in off-road capability, the anti-spin would be a relative 1.5/5 improvement. In addition, because it's clutch-based it would require more maintenance. I saw somewhere else that the anti-spin is good for stability on hazardous road conditions (think ice or water) but not much improvement off-road.

I have wheeled a lot, and there are conditions where an LSD performs better, and conditions where lockers perform better. LSDs are always on and you get a lot of use out of them. Lockers are only usable where the conditions are slick (to allow wheel slippage when turning). The actual conditions where you lock are rather narrow especially the front locker. It is a beast to turn a rig with the front axle locked - that's why many rigs have hydro assist steering as a mod.

The swaybar disconnects of the Rubi have more effect than lockers on performance overall.

Front and rear LSD and your rig will be a beast.

There is a trick by the way of tapping your breaks with a wheel in the air which will make the Jeep LSD lock and you get locker function for a bit

 

[Slapping_Rabbits]

I have wheeled a lot, and there are conditions where an LSD performs better, and conditions where lockers perform better. LSDs are always on and you get a lot of use out of them. Lockers are only usable where the conditions are slick (to allow wheel slippage when turning). The actual conditions where you lock are rather narrow especially the front locker. It is a beast to turn a rig with the front axle locked - that's why many rigs have hydro assist steering as a mod.

The swaybar disconnects of the Rubi have more effect than lockers on performance overall.

Front and rear LSD and your rig will be a beast.

There is a trick by the way of tapping your breaks with a wheel in the air which will make the Jeep LSD lock and you get locker function for a bit

Interesting. I'm glad to hear this. I was thinking of getting a sport in manual so I could get the options i want and still have it be affordable, but I was concerned the off road capabilities would be greatly diminished.

 

[Jeepers Creepers]

I have wheeled a lot, and there are conditions where an LSD performs better, and conditions where lockers perform better. LSDs are always on and you get a lot of use out of them.

Thanks for adding actual knowledge to the conversation and not just hearsay haha

 

[Hemi]

Interesting. I'm glad to hear this. I was thinking of getting a sport in manual so I could get the options i want and still have it be affordable, but I was concerned the off road capabilities would be greatly diminished.

Interesting. I'm glad to hear this. I was thinking of getting a sport in manual so I could get the options i want and still have it be affordable, but I was concerned the off road capabilities would be greatly diminished.

There is so much opened up just by adding front swaybar disconnects which allow the solid axle to articulate and keep all wheels on the ground. Costs about $100 and even I can install myself and I am a klutz with tools.

Airing down is another big hitter. Getting your PSI down to 10, the tires will contour themselves to the terrain and you get more rubber down, and it helps so much with traction. You don't see 18" or 20" rims on rigs that wheel because we want the sidewalls when we air down.

And all you need is a compressor on your rig, and there are several packages out there for a few hundred.

I was at Moab and was going up Rollover Hill this one time, and made it. And found out at the top I had forgotten to lock. But I was aired down and disconnected. Even without lockers, the rigs are capable of a lot.

Then I was mad at myself because I had spent so much money to add ARB lockers, which are the best on the market, and when I could use them, I forgot. They call me Hemi btw because this other time I was trying to climb over a 4' rock, and the spotter told me to use more gas. So I did, and used too much. And someone said "that boy drives like he has a hemi in it." And it stuck

There is so much you can do even without lockers. That's what people lose site of.

 

[Hemi]

This is me driving my rig at SMORR (Southern Missouri Off Road Reservation iirc), with Trac Loc LSD and no lockers

 

[Hemi]

This is again at SMORR, showing the benefits of solid axles and disconnects. Solid axles is something others do not have - you get flex and keep the wheels on the ground, which is more traction, stability, all good things.

Again, Trac Loc LSD. You can do a lot with just an LSD, or even open

 

[steffen707]

As much as I have been looking at the Gladiator (like every fkn video and article) and I was surprised to learn from my buddy (who off-roads) that the Rubi is the only trim level with locking diffs. Even a 2wd Tacoma Off-Road has a locking rear diff and Bilstein shocks (as well as rear drums, lol). Just a little disappointed that I am not getting at least rear lockers standard or even an option on my Sport S. Will the Trak-Lok anti-spin differential with the max-tow package be comparable to a rear E-locker?

i think if you get the max tow package, jeep sells a diff locking relay harness for the auxiliary switches.....might be an option.

 

[Slapping_Rabbits]

Whoa sweet pics! Good idea. I forget how accessories can be added relatively easy and how different that is from most vehicles. I do like the idea of not getting something until you need it and just putting in on there. I think i would have a better idea of how they worked too if i installed it myself.

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