Gladiator Expedition Rigs

[Rubi_Rhod]

Of course, you could do a little more work and have a Jeep Emperor Gladiator

That does look royal. A royal PITB to go out and about in!

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[Mules]

Here's another mock up on a Gladiator. I'm not sure about the barn door. It would be a lot of fabrication to make it work. One nice thing about it is mounting the spare. I'm leaning towards the tail gate since it makes a nice seat, a table and gives better access to roof storage. What do you guys think?

 

[mog]

I'm not sure about the barn door. It would be a lot of fabrication to make it work. One nice thing about it is mounting the spare. I'm leaning towards the tail gate since it makes a nice seat, a table and gives better access to roof storage. What do you guys think?

If you are going to the trouble of making a Jeep Grand Gladiator® I think you should go all in. Without the barn door, you are pretty much like a cap and stock bed. While the tailgate is handly you can add a fold-down table to the inside of the barn door, and certainly, you will have some folding chairs with you. The HUGE difference is accessing your now uber-cool interior. With the barn door, you just use a step on the ground and float right in through the door, with easily closing the door behind you. Same easy egress. With a tailgate, you have to climb over the tailgate (depending on your age and agility that might not be a factor) hang out to pull the tailgate closed, then close the cap's window. Same monkey-motion to open. And no way are you mounting the spare to the tailgate and be able to lift it closed from the inside. So more 'stuff' to have, a swing-out bumper-mounted tire carrier. (is there a reason you would not use the factory location for the spare?). And with your lifting roof, how much access are you going to need for 'stuff'. You will not want to put much weight on top of that.

 

[Mules]

If you are going to the trouble of making a Jeep Grand Gladiator® I think you should go all in. Without the barn door, you are pretty much like a cap and stock bed. While the tailgate is handly you can add a fold-down table to the inside of the barn door, and certainly, you will have some folding chairs with you. The HUGE difference is accessing your now uber-cool interior. With the barn door, you just use a step on the ground and float right in through the door, with easily closing the door behind you. Same easy egress. With a tailgate, you have to climb over the tailgate (depending on your age and agility that might not be a factor) hang out to pull the tailgate closed, then close the cap's window. Same monkey-motion to open. And no way are you mounting the spare to the tailgate and be able to lift it closed from the inside. So more 'stuff' to have, a swing-out bumper-mounted tire carrier. (is there a reason you would not use the factory location for the spare?). And with your lifting roof, how much access are you going to need for 'stuff'. You will not want to put much weight on top of that.

All good points and I hear you about easy access in and out. If I build from aluminum, I'll probably do a barn door. If I build from fiberglass, I'll probably cut up an existing cap & use the tailgate. By the way, I'm running 38" tires which don't fit under the truck. When I wear these out I'm thinking about moving to 40". It would be nice to have a full size spare either on back, or possibly on the forward roof rack. The 38's would be pretty heavy on the roof.

 

[mog]

By the way, I'm running 38" tires which don't fit under the truck. When I wear these out I'm thinking about moving to 40". It would be nice to have a full size spare either on back, or possibly on the forward roof rack. The 38's would be pretty heavy on the roof.

Roger that, on anything over 37" not fitting in the stock area (a good place to add a 2nd fuel tank ). One thing that is keeping me at 35" is a 'light' wheel/tire combo. My C4500 has 385/65R-22.5 (42"x15.5") on Alcoa rims with a combined weight of 228 lbs, and my MB1017 has 395/85-20 (47"x15.5) on Hutchinson wheels so 300 lbs total. I'm not sure what you would end up weight-wise with 40s, (update - I looked it up, about 125lbs, so still manageable). but you might end up needing a crane for a roof mount and that adds even more weight up high where you don't want it. So the rear certainly seems to be the place to mount your spare. That should be quite the Grand Glaidator+® on 40s

 

[Mules]

Roger that, on anything over 37" not fitting in the stock area (a good place to add a 2nd fuel tank ). One thing that is keeping me at 35" is a 'light' wheel/tire combo. My C4500 has 385/65R-22.5 (42"x15.5") on Alcoa rims with a combined weight of 228 lbs, and my MB1017 has 395/85-20 (47"x15.5) on Hutchinson wheels so 300 lbs total. I'm not sure what you would end up weight-wise with 40s, (update - I looked it up, about 125lbs, so still manageable). but you might end up needing a crane for a roof mount and that adds even more weight up high where you don't want it. So the rear certainly seems to be the place to mount your spare. That should be quite the Grand Glaidator+® on 40s

I love the idea of a water tank in the spare location. It will help keep the center of gravity low!

 

[Mules]

I'm thinking about chopping and stretching the original hardtop to make this. Has anyone checked the fit of the Gladiator hardtop to the back of the bed? It looks pretty close and the glass back would look

great. Only problem would be how to hinge/remount the entire glass to open. Maybe I could just hinge the whole back end since there is a seam running near the corners.

Pictured is roughly a 8 1/2 ft. top. This will give a 7 ft. bed which will leave 1 1/2 ft. access at the back to get in and out of the upper bed. The lower bed will also be 7 ft. covering the original 5 ft. truck bed and going over the rear seats, when folded down. It would be great if this could travel and sleep 4 people (although pretty crowded when it rains!)

 

[Blade1668]

Not sure what his endgame is, but the dude in Down2Mob is building his Gladiator. He had a built Ram before and was living out of the Gladiator with a RTT. I'm curious to see how his build looks.

Looks like it would be a great time to go with 6 inch longer rear control arms too on that mod. Help break over angle and few other things. Since he's going through that much already. I'd love to have a budget for doing that.

Of course, you could do a little more work and have a Jeep Emperor Gladiator

Nice commo vehicle there
Your link to the Jeep Grand Wizard on early post is good I should have remembered his stuff and posts.

 

[Blade1668]

I'm thinking about chopping and stretching the original hardtop to make this. Has anyone checked the fit of the Gladiator hardtop to the back of the bed? It looks pretty close and the glass back would look

great. Only problem would be how to hinge/remount the entire glass to open. Maybe I could just hinge the whole back end since there is a seam running near the corners.

Pictured is roughly a 8 1/2 ft. top. This will give a 7 ft. bed which will leave 1 1/2 ft. access at the back to get in and out of the upper bed. The lower bed will also be 7 ft. covering the original 5 ft. truck bed and going over the rear seats, when folded down. It would be great if this could travel and sleep 4 people (although pretty crowded when it rains!)

Possibly JL/U hardtop mixed in with it?

 

[Mules]

Possibly JL/U hardtop mixed in with it?

That would solve the rear hatch issue and we know it fits from the Spartan post earlier. Thanks

 

[JDaPP]

No idea who makes/made this one. (Found on a French 4x4 board)

That one is made by Phoenix camper out of Arizona it is part of their Pulse series.

 

[mog]

That one is made by Phoenix camper out of Arizona it is part of their Pulse series.

Alright, JDaPP for the win! Thanks,

 

[Mules]

And I thought my concept was going to be small.

 

[mog]

And I thought my concept was going to be small.

Well if you want to stick with the JEEP marque, but still want headroom, you could go for this.

If you are willing to change marques, you can get smaller

or even a wee (Scottish Pun intended) bit smaller

 

[mog]

I'm thinking about chopping and stretching the original hardtop to make this.

Spy photos of the Jeep Grand Gladiator® Launch Edition have slipped out.

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