Heresy? road tires on a Rubicon? ETA- now a shock install

[Sandman 4x4]

I’ve seen plenty of pictures of Mojave’s in snow, so street tires on a Rubicon is no less heresy than that LOL.
You do you

But I’m not the one who buys a Rubicon that I never take off road!

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[gonemad]

But I’m not the one who buys a Rubicon that I never take off road!

I hit the Uwharrie trails in NC the first week I bought it. I just spend the vast majority of the time on pavement, plus the other 10,000 a year I ride that white pig in my avatar.

I think the Bilsteins are a happy medium for road or trail, for me anyway.

ETA- Just looked at your Avatar. I bought an Identical Sports S in 2024. Turns out it had rust issues underneath not covered by warranty. As background, I had been in the market for a smaller truck, as I was in an F150 SuperCrew previously, and no longer needed that much truck. Just wanted a naturally aspirated small truck. So I bought the Sport S, and subsequently traded out of it a year later when the wife saw a red Rubicon she liked. The Sport S was paid for, and the Rubicon is paid for. I’m at the station in life where I figure I can’t take it with me, so I live a little.

 

[NC_Overland]

So to close this up, I installed Bilstein 5100’s all the way around. That install was discussed in another thread asking some particulars on shock installation.

But since this thread was about improving road manners, here’s my two cents.

I removed the stock red Rubicon shocks. They are not Fox that Glads used to run.

The Bilsteins are firmer, as pointed out by @NC_Overland , but my assessment is that is a fair trade off. The Jeep feels more planted, less bouncy over rough road, less shudder over railroad tracks and big bumps. So Gonemad approves of this shock swap.

Good! I like mine better with them too.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I hit the Uwharrie trails in NC the first week I bought it. I just spend the vast majority of the time on pavement, plus the other 10,000 a year I ride that white pig in my avatar.

I think the Bilsteins are a happy medium for road or trail, for me anyway.

ETA- Just looked at your Avatar. I bought an Identical Sports S in 2024. Turns out it had rust issues underneath not covered by warranty. As background, I had been in the market for a smaller truck, as I was in an F150 SuperCrew previously, and no longer needed that much truck. Just wanted a naturally aspirated small truck. So I bought the Sport S, and subsequently traded out of it a year later when the wife saw a red Rubicon she liked. The Sport S was paid for, and the Rubicon is paid for. I’m at the station in life where I figure I can’t take it with me, so I live a little.

Absolutely hear and agree with live a little!!! Money as difficult for some to make, save, replace can be. Even the wealthiest can’t replace time! We love our Sport S, so far no issues my dealer has had unable to get right. Only a bit of death wobble at 19 k, brought it in and they replaced the steering stabilizer and re-aligned. Now the steering wheel is at dead center most of the time, with no wondering except in strong winds.

 

[scgonefishin]

I’ve seen plenty of pictures of Mojave’s in snow, so street tires on a Rubicon is no less heresy than that LOL.
You do you

mojave edition is probably the best in the snow with the limited slip front differential

 

[Sandman 4x4]

mojave edition is probably the best in the snow with the limited slip front differential

That will still depend on what tires you have. A regular Sport with limited options and open differentials, but a nice set of BridgeStone Blizzack tires, in the tallest skinny size, will be better overall than a Mojave with stock MT tires. Especially once underway. The only time you’ll have better traction performance will be in deep light fluffy snow, from a dead stop. At walking speeds. But anything with hardpacked snow and ice not so much. Or rain and standing water!

 

[azmojave]

mojave edition is probably the best in the snow with the limited slip front differential

Where did you hear Mojave has front LSD? News to me. My 21 doesn’t.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

mojave edition is probably the best in the snow with the limited slip front differential

None of the Mojaves come with a front limited slip from the factory.

Maybe you're thinking about the Brake-lock differential. Kind of similiar in the way it helps traction. All Gladiators have BLD.

 

[Badunit]

I thought my 2023 was very wallowy on the road when I got it (new) and the rear was far too softly sprung as compared to the front. It felt like I was driving a pickup that was way overloaded with a high centered load. Bilstein 5100's all around made it far less wallowy. Max Tow rear coils balanced the front and the rear so they reacted the same on dips in the road. It handles like a dream now in my opinion, as Jeeps go. It was a night and day difference.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I traded out of a 2017 F150 FX4 running Michelin LTX Defenders ( that I was very happy with), to get into a smaller truck. I settled on the JT because I didn’t like any of the other small truck offerings, or the turbo 4 cylinders in all but the Nissan.

I had a ‘24 Sport S with light truck tires and was very pleased with the road manners, (solid front axle wandering notwithstanding).

The ‘25 Rubicon I traded into not so much. It’s a longish story how I ended up in the Rubicon. I’m otherwise happy with this Glad. I’d just like to improve how it behaves on pavement, if possible.

My question, how much of an improvement in road manners could one expect with good road tires like the Michelins versus the Falken Wild Peak All Terrain tires that came on it. I realize the Rubi suspension is not the same as the Sport S and will also have an impact on road manners

Thanks in advance.

Your truck. If you want road tires, it’ll probably handle like a dream. With the right wheels, it’ll probably look great. But angry grills…

 

[gonemad]

Your truck. If you want road tires, it’ll probably handle like a dream. With the right wheels, it’ll probably look great. But angry grills…

I changed shocks instead of tires and lowered tire pressure to 33. I’m content for now. Plus, I don’t keep vehicles long and I figure it will be more desirable for sale/trade with “correct” tires.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I changed shocks instead of tires and lowered tire pressure to 33. I’m content for now. Plus, I don’t keep vehicles long and I figure it will be more desirable for sale/trade with “correct” tires.

Vehicles like this, I keep a long time. Regular cars, get replaced when maintenance costs more than value. But the gladiator will be around until I’m dead, unless something terrible happens to it.

 

[gonemad]

Vehicles like this, I keep a long time. Regular cars, get replaced when maintenance costs more than value. But the gladiator will be around until I’m dead, unless something terrible happens to it.

Every once in a while I feel the very same way about a vehicle.

If Stellantis doesn’t put a hemi in a JT by ‘28 when I’m out of warranty, I’m driving this one to to Boone NC for a swap, just three hours away.

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