Getting ready to off-road for the first time, what is this truck capable of? How to plan my build?

[surge101]

So the primary reason I bought this Jeep ( Sport S Max Tow) was to make it my fishing hauler. Got tired of stuffing coolers and rods into my little sports cars. I also got the max-tow package with the intention of (eventually) getting a small boat of my own.

1. But, it's a Jeep, it would be a shame not to take it off-road, right? I definitely want to, but I have no idea what I am doing lol. So, my first question is, what is this truck capable of stock? Can I take it off-road as it is? This is the max tow package, so it has the Dueller A/T. My area looks like most of the terrain is swamp, mud and sand not really rock crawling as I know people in other states have. Are these tires going to be able to handle the mud? Or are they going to get stuck for sure? I'm not sure what to look at and decide "that's too much for the truck."

2. When I do upgrade the tires, what will fit, and what is sufficient? I was thinking 35s should be good enough to handle most of the terrain and also not be terrible on the roads? I will drive this truck daily every day. Also, should I look at changing wheels? I prefer to go bigger tire than bigger wheel, so the 17s on them is the right size for me, I think, but is there still a benefit in getting other 17 inch wheels other than the stockers? Also, will 35s fit the stock truck, or will I need a lift?

3. How will bigger tires and/or a lift affect gas mileage and towing capacity? I'm already getting about 13-14 MPG stock... so I don't really want to dip much lower than that, it's pretty horrible on gas as is, how much of a loss am I going to have with bigger tires or a bigger lift? Also, will this significantly affect my ability to tow? Like I said, I want to buy a small boat eventually.

4. When planning my build, what are things that I need? Do I need a winch? Steel bumpers? I was looking into getting rock rails, but my family went ahead and thoughtfully bought me some side steps for christmas. I graciously accepted the gift without knowing if I actually will keep them on the Jeep long. This is exactly what I got, https://www.amazon.com/TAC-Running-...ac+gladiator+side+steps&qid=1577402401&sr=8-1. Are these going to hinder my ability to offroad at all with clearance or anything? Will they provide any benefit in rock protection? Should I expect these to get ripped off eventually if I try to wheel with them? Any other accessories I'm not thinking of that I may need?

I know it's a lot of questions... thanks for reading and thanks for any help you can provide.

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[PyrPatriot]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/first-time-off-roading.25890/#post-414173

I was in the exact same situation (intent wise for purpose of the vehicle) as you. Cant comment on how good the Duelers are, but here ya go

 

[Jowen]

The truck is a tool, your blank slate to work on. I would not do a lot of lift, you live in fla, not a lot of rock to drive on, a winch yes. A winch for recovery is in my book necessary along with d rings, bubba shackles, recovery straps, tree savers, kinetic rope rope, the list goes on and on. A lot of posts on brake over, off road use, storage options, before going wild look, look, and look again, every one has ideas and different ways of setting up the truck. YouTube is a great idea source, the gladiator posts are also good for ideas. I will caution you to look at manufacturing of home made storage or bought storage. Having no idea of your skills or your wallet. You will change your design many times, think of a tinker toy to play with it is limited by your ideas,desires and money lots of money, jeep stands for just empty every pocket. Enjoy i like mine and so far I have about 20 design of my storage and options, just remember lots of money.

 

[Bobzdar]

Learn to drive it stock, figure out its weak parts for the trails you like and then address them if necessary. Jumping right to a lift, big tires and all the other bs means you'll never learn to actually drive it. Most likely a set of good all or mud terrain tires will be all you'll need. And yeah, a winch is helpful but so is learning how to throw stuff under the tires, trying alternate lines, rocking back and forth and all the other stuff you can do to get a stuck vehicle unstuck but just skip with a winch. Duellers are ok, fine to get started. The Falkens and bfg ko2s that come on the rubis are better while still being livable on the street. Much more aggressive than that and they get loud, wear fast and hurt mpgs. If you want to tow near max, don't lift it and keep the tires close to stock.

 

[Lou3.6]

So the primary reason I bought this Jeep ( Sport S Max Tow) was to make it my fishing hauler. Got tired of stuffing coolers and rods into my little sports cars. I also got the max-tow package with the intention of (eventually) getting a small boat of my own.

1. But, it's a Jeep, it would be a shame not to take it off-road, right? I definitely want to, but I have no idea what I am doing lol. So, my first question is, what is this truck capable of stock? Can I take it off-road as it is? This is the max tow package, so it has the Dueller A/T. My area looks like most of the terrain is swamp, mud and sand not really rock crawling as I know people in other states have. Are these tires going to be able to handle the mud? Or are they going to get stuck for sure? I'm not sure what to look at and decide "that's too much for the truck."

2. When I do upgrade the tires, what will fit, and what is sufficient? I was thinking 35s should be good enough to handle most of the terrain and also not be terrible on the roads? I will drive this truck daily every day. Also, should I look at changing wheels? I prefer to go bigger tire than bigger wheel, so the 17s on them is the right size for me, I think, but is there still a benefit in getting other 17 inch wheels other than the stockers? Also, will 35s fit the stock truck, or will I need a lift?

3. How will bigger tires and/or a lift affect gas mileage and towing capacity? I'm already getting about 13-14 MPG stock... so I don't really want to dip much lower than that, it's pretty horrible on gas as is, how much of a loss am I going to have with bigger tires or a bigger lift? Also, will this significantly affect my ability to tow? Like I said, I want to buy a small boat eventually.

4. When planning my build, what are things that I need? Do I need a winch? Steel bumpers? I was looking into getting rock rails, but my family went ahead and thoughtfully bought me some side steps for christmas. I graciously accepted the gift without knowing if I actually will keep them on the Jeep long. This is exactly what I got, https://www.amazon.com/TAC-Running-...ac+gladiator+side+steps&qid=1577402401&sr=8-1. Are these going to hinder my ability to offroad at all with clearance or anything? Will they provide any benefit in rock protection? Should I expect these to get ripped off eventually if I try to wheel with them? Any other accessories I'm not thinking of that I may need?

I know it's a lot of questions... thanks for reading and thanks for any help you can provide.

REALLY ? . . . Wait . . . REALLY-REALLY ?? You bought THIS truck not having "a clue" what it is capable of ? How is that possible ? You been living like an ostrich ? Don't tell me . . . I DON'T even want to know . . .

 

[eaglerugby04]

So the primary reason I bought this Jeep ( Sport S Max Tow) was to make it my fishing hauler. Got tired of stuffing coolers and rods into my little sports cars. I also got the max-tow package with the intention of (eventually) getting a small boat of my own.

1. But, it's a Jeep, it would be a shame not to take it off-road, right? I definitely want to, but I have no idea what I am doing lol. So, my first question is, what is this truck capable of stock? Can I take it off-road as it is? This is the max tow package, so it has the Dueller A/T. My area looks like most of the terrain is swamp, mud and sand not really rock crawling as I know people in other states have. Are these tires going to be able to handle the mud? Or are they going to get stuck for sure? I'm not sure what to look at and decide "that's too much for the truck."

2. When I do upgrade the tires, what will fit, and what is sufficient? I was thinking 35s should be good enough to handle most of the terrain and also not be terrible on the roads? I will drive this truck daily every day. Also, should I look at changing wheels? I prefer to go bigger tire than bigger wheel, so the 17s on them is the right size for me, I think, but is there still a benefit in getting other 17 inch wheels other than the stockers? Also, will 35s fit the stock truck, or will I need a lift?

3. How will bigger tires and/or a lift affect gas mileage and towing capacity? I'm already getting about 13-14 MPG stock... so I don't really want to dip much lower than that, it's pretty horrible on gas as is, how much of a loss am I going to have with bigger tires or a bigger lift? Also, will this significantly affect my ability to tow? Like I said, I want to buy a small boat eventually.

4. When planning my build, what are things that I need? Do I need a winch? Steel bumpers? I was looking into getting rock rails, but my family went ahead and thoughtfully bought me some side steps for christmas. I graciously accepted the gift without knowing if I actually will keep them on the Jeep long. This is exactly what I got, https://www.amazon.com/TAC-Running-...ac+gladiator+side+steps&qid=1577402401&sr=8-1. Are these going to hinder my ability to offroad at all with clearance or anything? Will they provide any benefit in rock protection? Should I expect these to get ripped off eventually if I try to wheel with them? Any other accessories I'm not thinking of that I may need?

I know it's a lot of questions... thanks for reading and thanks for any help you can provide.

Curious what kind of driving you do. My rubicon is showing 16.5mpg right now on the stock 33s and that with me having to figure out start stop, doing a decent amount of yard work, and driving in a parade. All those things shot the MPG calculator way down.

 

[Mark Doiron]

... So, my first question is, what is this truck capable of stock? Can I take it off-road as it is? ....

Actually, a better first question is what would you like to do off road? While many folks associate Jeeps with rock crawling, plenty of us are into overlanding. It does have moments where crawling across a few rocks is necessary, but more often you're traveling long distances over dirt roads. I'll link a couple videos below that delve into the topic.

... When I do upgrade the tires, what will fit, and what is sufficient? I was thinking 35s should be good enough to handle most of the terrain and also not be terrible on the roads? I will drive this truck daily every day. Also, should I look at changing wheels? I prefer to go bigger tire than bigger wheel, so the 17s on them is the right size for me, I think, but is there still a benefit in getting other 17 inch wheels other than the stockers? Also, will 35s fit the stock truck, or will I need a lift? ....

35s and a lift will hurt your gas mileage. I wouldn't go larger than 17" rims unless you plan on tires larger than 35 inches. You want sidewall to protect your rim, and especially when you air down off road. A lot of folks opt for wheels with a slightly wider stance (compare the offset or backspacing numbers)--or use wheel spacers with the OEM tires. This gives a bit more clearance for the tires when turning and articulating, and counters the increase in center of gravity from a lift and taller tires (IOW, you're less likely to roll the vehicle over).

... How will bigger tires and/or a lift affect gas mileage and towing capacity? I'm already getting about 13-14 MPG stock... .

Something's wrong. Are you going by the dash readout, or actually calculating it? You should do better than that. I get 16-17 around town, and as high as 20 on the Interstate at 75 MPH. And I'm running 35 inch tires. Even my JK with 35" tires and super heavy overlanding gear gets 13-14 around town.

... When planning my build, what are things that I need? Do I need a winch? Steel bumpers? I was looking into getting rock rails, but my family went ahead and thoughtfully bought me some side steps for christmas. I graciously accepted the gift without knowing if I actually will keep them on the Jeep long. This is exactly what I got, https://www.amazon.com/TAC-Running-...ac+gladiator+side+steps&qid=1577402401&sr=8-1. Are these going to hinder my ability to offroad at all with clearance or anything? Will they provide any benefit in rock protection? Should I expect these to get ripped off eventually if I try to wheel with them? Any other accessories I'm not thinking of that I may need?...

Without knowing how you'll use the rig off road, it's not possible to give you a very good answer. Except, as someone else said above: Get out there and use your rig. Especially with other folks. Watch what they do and what they have. Decide what they do and have that will work for you.

A couple videos you might find informative about overlanding ...

 

[surge101]

Learn to drive it stock, figure out its weak parts for the trails you like and then address them if necessary. Jumping right to a lift, big tires and all the other bs means you'll never learn to actually drive it. Most likely a set of good all or mud terrain tires will be all you'll need. And yeah, a winch is helpful but so is learning how to throw stuff under the tires, trying alternate lines, rocking back and forth and all the other stuff you can do to get a stuck vehicle unstuck but just skip with a winch. Duellers are ok, fine to get started. The Falkens and bfg ko2s that come on the rubis are better while still being livable on the street. Much more aggressive than that and they get loud, wear fast and hurt mpgs. If you want to tow near max, don't lift it and keep the tires close to stock.

How do I gauge what is too much for the tires I have? What shouldn't I attempt to go into. I expect to lose some of the towing capacity, but how much would I be expecting to lose?

REALLY ? . . . Wait . . . REALLY-REALLY ?? You bought THIS truck not having "a clue" what it is capable of ? How is that possible ? You been living like an ostrich ? Don't tell me . . . I DON'T even want to know . . .

Sure.

Curious what kind of driving you do. My rubicon is showing 16.5mpg right now on the stock 33s and that with me having to figure out start stop, doing a decent amount of yard work, and driving in a parade. All those things shot the MPG calculator way down.

This is just regular around town driving, A lot of stop and go but still I'm really surprised that I'm getting this kind of MPG from a v6. My friend is doing better in his Hemi... I'm hoping it improves over time, not sure if something is wrong. The best I got was around 15 MPG when I spent a few trips on the highway.

Actually, a better first question is what would you like to do off road? While many folks associate Jeeps with rock crawling, plenty of us are into overlanding. It does have moments where crawling across a few rocks is necessary, but more often you're traveling long distances over dirt roads. I'll link a couple videos below that delve into the topic.


35s and a lift will hurt your gas mileage. I wouldn't go larger than 17" rims unless you plan on tires larger than 35 inches. You want sidewall to protect your rim, and especially when you air down off road. A lot of folks opt for wheels with a slightly wider stance (compare the offset or backspacing numbers)--or use wheel spacers with the OEM tires. This gives a bit more clearance for the tires when turning and articulating, and counters the increase in center of gravity from a lift and taller tires (IOW, you're less likely to roll the vehicle over).


Something's wrong. Are you going by the dash readout, or actually calculating it? You should do better than that. I get 16-17 around town, and as high as 20 on the Interstate at 75 MPH. And I'm running 35 inch tires. Even my JK with 35" tires and super heavy overlanding gear gets 13-14 around town.


Without knowing how you'll use the rig off road, it's not possible to give you a very good answer. Except, as someone else said above: Get out there and use your rig. Especially with other folks. Watch what they do and what they have. Decide what they do and have that will work for you.

A couple videos you might find informative about overlanding ...

Honestly, I think overlanding appeals to me the most, but I don't think that's possible here. South Florida, so as far as I know, never having done this before, is that our off-road is limited to swamps and mud. I don't think we have vast stretches of driveable land. Definitely don't have mountains or hills or anything like that. No desert so I think rock crawling is limited to the swamp boulder pile or going to a recreational park or something of the sort.

I'll have to dive more into the research for wheels/tires, I am completely new to that. Very different world and purpose from the tuner cars I am used to modifying.

Yes, I am going by the dash readout for the MPG. I'm mostly around town, a lot of stop and go, but still 13-14 seems crazy for this motor. The best I could get was around 15 when I was doing highway trips. Not sure what to do about this. The truck has less than 2k miles right now, I'm not sure if it was something that would improve with time.

I guess I will have to get out there and learn. I'm going to be diving into it on my own though with no prior experience, so I'd like to be as prepared as possible.

 

[49Gramps]

I ran Bridgestone's AT Revos on my LJ for a year or so. They were a great road tire, but they were no good on mud, wet rocks, damp grass, or any other moist surface! As I was getting more into serious off-roading, they had to go! I would suggest Nitto Ridge Grapplers as an outstanding road/off road tire. The 285/75R17 or 305/70R17 would be just a tad bigger than what you have now.

Keep in mind that almost all modifications or upgrades you make will do at least one, if not all, of the following-

• add weight
• change aerodynamics
• change the overall gearing

and thus affect your towing capacity and probably your gas mileage to some extent.

 

[Bobzdar]

I get 18-19mpg in my Rubicon 8 speed.

As to what you can or can't do, basically stay out of mud that's deeper than your axles and don't go over rocks that are up to your rockers. Go slow and take your time.

 

[Archie Bunker]

REALLY ? . . . Wait . . . REALLY-REALLY ?? You bought THIS truck not having "a clue" what it is capable of ? How is that possible ? You been living like an ostrich ? Don't tell me . . . I DON'T even want to know . . .

Feel better? What part of his post did you not understand or feel the need to berate him about? Let me guess Jeep Guru,,he should have just sat idly by and asked nothing of a community that is supposed to be helping newbies out correct? Before you bang out some silly high handed response, don't, it wont be worth reading..

 

[Lou3.6]

Feel better? What part of his post did you not understand or feel the need to berate him about? Let me guess Jeep Guru,,he should have just sat idly by and asked nothing of a community that is supposed to be helping newbies out correct? Before you bang out some silly high handed response, don't, it wont be worth reading..

Matt, Matt, Matt . . . one minute your "liking" my (silly) suggestion (post #5) then a bit later your CHASTISING ME over hot coals ?? IF you've EVER noticed my many posts, they are "usually" on the whimsical or "dry" side of humor and though I usually select a Face Emoji of some sort to reflect that . . . JUST IN CASE (as in your case) someone doesn't "get it," , but in this I did not . . . perhaps in hindsight I should of selected something like > ? The choice of > is a reflection of MY Confusion or rather lack of understanding as to how an Ostrich or SURGE can be good at survival yet have it's (COMICAL) head (the ostrich) stuck in the ground . Do ostriches actually do that ? Beats me !?

NOW, SURGE if your listening ? . I have to NOW add, after considering some of the more strait forward helpful suggestions (such as Dorion's) that these ARE good helpful thoughts . AND, I gotta also say that I Truly Admire your brutal honesty (brutal meaning total lack of any insight or knowledge of the vehicle or how to even use it - other than as your "Fishing Buddy" ! Something I TOTALLY GET AND ALSO ADMIRE, as I too am a fishing "nut" and used my past truck and now my Grand Cherokee as MY "take me to the River (or lake) in an Overland-ing way . My confusion continues though, since you seem to suggest that FLORIDA will be your ONLY venue for this JEEPS use ! I highly suggest IF you have the ability - to expand your horizons . GO Explore, Confidently in your Capable new JEEP . Heck just across the border in Georgia (the terrain changes) you'll find FUN awaits ! ONE suggestion, coming from someone who has been stationed in Florida (JAX/Mayport for 4 years) - stay out of the salt and wash the undercarriage after each use on or near that beach-sand (salt). Very Corrosive . Now go take some initiative and google away some "insight of your own . . . you'll be glad you did . . . self confidence is a wonderful thing . HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE . . .you too ARCHIE . . . and stop yelling at Edith so much . . . (hope the emoji's help!)

 

[Lou3.6]

So the primary reason I bought this Jeep ( Sport S Max Tow) was to make it my fishing hauler. Got tired of stuffing coolers and rods into my little sports cars. I also got the max-tow package with the intention of (eventually) getting a small boat of my own.

1. But, it's a Jeep, it would be a shame not to take it off-road, right? I definitely want to, but I have no idea what I am doing lol. So, my first question is, what is this truck capable of stock? Can I take it off-road as it is? This is the max tow package, so it has the Dueller A/T. My area looks like most of the terrain is swamp, mud and sand not really rock crawling as I know people in other states have. Are these tires going to be able to handle the mud? Or are they going to get stuck for sure? I'm not sure what to look at and decide "that's too much for the truck."

2. When I do upgrade the tires, what will fit, and what is sufficient? I was thinking 35s should be good enough to handle most of the terrain and also not be terrible on the roads? I will drive this truck daily every day. Also, should I look at changing wheels? I prefer to go bigger tire than bigger wheel, so the 17s on them is the right size for me, I think, but is there still a benefit in getting other 17 inch wheels other than the stockers? Also, will 35s fit the stock truck, or will I need a lift?

3. How will bigger tires and/or a lift affect gas mileage and towing capacity? I'm already getting about 13-14 MPG stock... so I don't really want to dip much lower than that, it's pretty horrible on gas as is, how much of a loss am I going to have with bigger tires or a bigger lift? Also, will this significantly affect my ability to tow? Like I said, I want to buy a small boat eventually.

4. When planning my build, what are things that I need? Do I need a winch? Steel bumpers? I was looking into getting rock rails, but my family went ahead and thoughtfully bought me some side steps for christmas. I graciously accepted the gift without knowing if I actually will keep them on the Jeep long. This is exactly what I got, https://www.amazon.com/TAC-Running-...ac+gladiator+side+steps&qid=1577402401&sr=8-1. Are these going to hinder my ability to offroad at all with clearance or anything? Will they provide any benefit in rock protection? Should I expect these to get ripped off eventually if I try to wheel with them? Any other accessories I'm not thinking of that I may need?

I know it's a lot of questions... thanks for reading and thanks for any help you can provide.

Oh . . . and I almost forgot, I also LOVE your "picture choice" above your "name" . . . absolutely "nailed it" with regard to this Post . . Will it be changing to reflect your Knowledge (growth) as time progresses ? Will we be privy to your real (reel?) 1st name ?

 

[Rex3rd]

Maybe we need a rule where you must put a laughing face if your joking around so people don't get there panties in a wad

 

[Sx3]

Maybe we need a rule where you must put a laughing face if your joking around so people don't get there panties in a wad

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