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Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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3
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46
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Putting my build thread together

Goals:
  • Be a reliable camp rig for the future family(my TJ is not that)
  • Be a comfortable long distance off-road rig. Generally more capable than my friends to get them out of trouble
  • Be able to tow my TJ to hard rock crawling locations
The base:
  • Max tow Sport S
  • Firecracker red
  • Freedom top
  • Truck bed coating
  • Cold weather package
  • Black alloy wheels
What I've done already
  • Gator truck bed cover
  • Rock hard 4x4 sliders
  • Badlands apex winch
  • Rugged Ridge Arcus stubby bumper
What I plan to do
  • Iron rock off-road 2 inch coil spacer(on hand
    • Bilstiens shocks
    • 2 inch lift Mopar control arms
    • 2 inch lift Mopar sway bar end links
  • Auxbeam switch panel (on hand)
    • Let me know if you have recommendations for routing the wires and fuse box
  • 34" AT3W falken wildpeaks
  • Led fog lights
  • Some form of front skid
  • Get rid of the ugly Arcus hooks
  • 8" screen swap
  • Tazer(on hand)
  • Kenwood ham radio (switches between rigs)
How it started featuring the little red Bantam
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000004557


The jeeps
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000007365


New bumper
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000008520
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000004856


Here are some photos from my modifications to the JCR rack. I'm not quite done yet. But these make the rack work with the hard bed cover. Without modification the rack hits the same locations the bed cover bolts into.

I plan to make it a bit shorter and reduce how much it overhangs the edges.

https://www.jcroffroad.com/product/VABR.html

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20230916_000030839.MP
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20230916_204503819.MP
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20230916_001426008.MP
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20230916_001227025.MP
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20230916_003434486.MP
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Got my Amfib snorkel in. Not super keen on the black plastic look so I sanded the texture down and paint matched it. Install soonish


Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20240510_194327978.MP

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009526


My makeshift paint booth. This way I can close it and keep the bugs off as it dries.
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009527

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009529
 

jtjeff

Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Nov 7, 2023
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Location
Chicagoland
Vehicle(s)
2023 JT Overland
Good looking rig! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. This is the same reason I bought a JT.
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Aug 14, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
61
Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Good looking rig! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. This is the same reason I bought a JT.
Thanks! Yea. I already have the TJ for anything crazy. But it's no longer the long road trip reliable vehicle I need it to be.
 

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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Aug 14, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
61
Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Intake is on and in the low mode.

What a PITA to install. I hope I don't have to get at the fuse box soon because it completely blocks the fuse box

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009564
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Threads
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Messages
46
Reaction score
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Current mpg is 18.4 after 13k miles. Let's see if anything changes on the mpg. I didn't suspect it will
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Threads
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Messages
46
Reaction score
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Decided to take the next camp trip without the trailer. So with a snorkel and max trax, do I get my official overlander card now?

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009789



I cut a little chanel in the truck bed cover to with the rack. The cover still doesn't open very far. But I plan to build a rail system for it later.

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower 1000009788
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
61
Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Got my lift hopefully going on this weekend

What I decided on was the iron rock off-road 2 inch spacer for the rear to maintain the max tow springs and 2 inch front lift springs from synergy.

After that I need to choose tires. I'd like to maintain the thinner tires only my 17 inch wheels. But we'll see.
 
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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
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Messages
46
Reaction score
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Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Been dealing with some wind noise after installing the snorkel. Trying the cape over the gasket trick.

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20240721_023526872.MP
 

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B34c0n

B34c0n

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Aug 14, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
46
Reaction score
61
Location
Where the redwoods are
Vehicle(s)
2023 Gladiator Sport S, 1997 Wrangler Sport
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Making electrons move in an organized fashion
Got the lift installed.
Waiting on some longer front sway bar links.
Also waiting on a part to adapt the new Bilstein shocks
Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20240727_193826833

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20240727_223417990.MP

Jeep Gladiator Family camper, weekend overlander, TJ tower PXL_20240728_033006890.MP
 

Free2roam

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Robert
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Fabricator by trade/ Maintenance Mechanic
Decided to take the next camp trip without the trailer. So with a snorkel and max trax, do I get my official overlander card now?

1000009789.jpg



I cut a little chanel in the truck bed cover to with the rack. The cover still doesn't open very far. But I plan to build a rail system for it later.

1000009788.jpg
Overlander card? Ohhh geezuz!
 

Free2roam

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Robert
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Fabricator by trade/ Maintenance Mechanic

mtbjeeper

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Mike
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I’d say the first step in getting your overlander card is learning how to climb. Climbing over all the Amazon boxes piled up at your front door. Once you’ve mastered that skill you’ve essentially mastered all the requirements.
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