High Altitude Gladiator for highway use?

[Gl4dy8r]

Other jeep owners who ride in my Mojave always comment on how smooth the ride is, both on and off pavement. It's got ACC, heated leather, color matched top and fenders, literally every option except the trail rail and plug in the bed. It's even got the Mopar locking under seat boxes. And the seats in the Mojave are better(to me) because of the extra bolstering. I'm pretty sure you can get the "creature comfort" options on any trim level. It's all about what you're doing with it. Do your research. Test drive different trims. I've had the Mojave 6 months, I've got 26k on the odometer. I drive A LOT. A lot of trails, but more highway/city. In no way do I feel like I made the wrong choice.

Sponsored

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you know how all the dealers option their Overlands, you know more than me.

Why not load up an Overland? Maybe you want the LED lighting on the High Altitude. Maybe you want the color matched stuff.

Do you have Remote-Proximity Keyless-Entry? Not a highway feature, but still a nice feature.

I was talking about what dealers here do...... there's no use having a stripped Overland on the lot- the market here is much different than other places. You don't see many Rubicon here.

Yes, I have all that stuff.
The ONLY thing I don't have is the appearance items - the color matched stuff, the stitching on the seats and 20" wheels (but the Overland still has 18" wheels)
I have passive entry - no need to even touch the key fob.
I have all LED lighting - all LED all locations, including headlights, backup, tail, etc.
I have blind spot monitoring,
I have auto-high beam headlights, leave them on high and they dim when traffic approaches or when the radar/camera detect a vehicle ahead in the same lane,
I have adaptive cruise control,
I have cold weather group (heated seats and steering wheel, remote start, etc.)
That's why I ask folks - point out something that the HA has (OTHER than appearance items) that I don't have on mine.........

If you don't want the 'luxurious' color matched things and don't care about the seat stitching a loaded Overland would be cheaper and still equipped the same except for how it looks.

 

[Ankh]

I was talking about what dealers here do...... there's no use having a stripped Overland on the lot- the market here is much different than other places. You don't see many Rubicon here.

Yes, I have all that stuff.
The ONLY thing I don't have is the appearance items - the color matched stuff, the stitching on the seats and 20" wheels (but the Overland still has 18" wheels)
I have passive entry - no need to even touch the key fob.
I have all LED lighting - all LED all locations, including headlights, backup, tail, etc.
I have blind spot monitoring,
I have auto-high beam headlights, leave them on high and they dim when traffic approaches or when the radar/camera detect a vehicle ahead in the same lane,
I have adaptive cruise control,
I have cold weather group (heated seats and steering wheel, remote start, etc.)
That's why I ask folks - point out something that the HA has (OTHER than appearance items) that I don't have on mine.........

If you don't want the 'luxurious' color matched things and don't care about the seat stitching a loaded Overland would be cheaper and still equipped the same except for how it looks.

I pointed out the 20's as I figured they were for more than just for appearance reasons, but I truly don't know.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

standard option for HA is the wide track axles and upgraded brakes just as the Max Tow package includes. Its a well optioned Rubi without lockers and swaybar dico

Show me the brakes differences please. All of them seem to list the same brakes. So far no one has shown them in comparison. "Heavy duty"? They all say that.
Don't go by the blogs and the so-called "truck magazines" as they repeat what they read elsewhere, often being wrong.
I'm still looking for a difference in rotor size.
It's been said in this forum in more than one post that the brakes are in reality the same.

(Anyone here got pictures of the rotors together? Or larger pads? If there's no physical difference in size, there's nothing inherently different. )

The 1.5" (total width; .75" per side) difference would be an added difference aside from appearance. That would be the only functional difference from an Overland.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I pointed out the 20's as I figured they were for more than just for appearance reasons, but I truly don't know.

More of a handling/cornering thing. They CAN lead to a less smooth ride because there's less sidewall flex, but for higher speed cornering and performance handling, the 20" wheels should matter.

Highway? I just don't see it making a ride difference. Handling yeah, ride, no.

I feel my wife's Grand Cherokee with 20" wheels will indeed do performance driving far better.
Honestly as far as "ride" I don't see a lot of difference on the open road.

Here's a tidbit from an auto site talking about wheel sizes on cars -
As a general rule, bigger wheels result in a rougher ride. Switching to a smaller wheel and a thicker tire can give you a smoother ride without any major modifications to your car. ... If you're looking for a bigger wheel which can provide better handling, you can go up to larger (diameter) wheels.

Car and Driver say larger wheels, lower profile tires, mean they don't handle rough roads as well.
That follows with Jeep making the HA more of a highway vehicle than off-road. You don't want to off-road with tall wheels and short sidewall tires.

 

[Ankh]

Here's my window sticker hope it helps. I ended up shy of 52k final price and a trade in value I couldn't pass on so ended up buying this off the lot instead of building an Overland the way I wanted to(preferred to get stinggrey color)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Here's my window sticker hope it helps. I ended up shy of 52k final price and a trade in value I couldn't pass on so ended up buying this off the lot instead of building an Overland the way I wanted to(preferred to get stinggrey color)

Gotta say if that had been an option for me - I'd likely have gone that route because of the wider axles if nothing else. All of the options I have are on yours, the axles being the difference I'd care about personally.
You got a good deal, it fits your needs and tastes, who can argue with that?!
Nicely done.

 

[bleda2002]

To answer the original question on how it handles highway. It's a solid front axle. Its busier than the tundra for sure, especially above 70. Its more tiring to drive long distance continuously because its just busier. It requires small inputs often and more attention from you. With that said i find under 70 its not too much worse than anything else.

 

[Sazabi19]

Assuming that to be the case, then a person could put much better shocks on my truck and have an even better ride - likely not Mojave level, but still........... mine is excellent on the highway. It's fantastic around town, the only bad spots are rough secondary or local roads and the unkept railroad crossings around here.
Otherwise, to CO and back, the ride was SMOOTH and handling was excellent.
I am looking to put better shocks on.

I'm with you, I like the ride on my Sport S w/Max tow as well. Some people just find it to be too "harsh" and want a more cooshy ride, which it sounds like the OP is aiming for.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

To answer the original question on how it handles highway. It's a solid front axle. Its busier than the tundra for sure, especially above 70. Its more tiring to drive long distance continuously because its just busier. It requires small inputs often and more attention from you. With that said i find under 70 its not too much worse than anything else.

Solid axle doesn't matter on the highway.
if it mattered, then tens of thousands of women would NOT have bought the Grand Cherokee. It wouldn't have been such a success. This isn't 1940.
The highway is a flat relatively featureless thing - a solid axle will handle a highway just the same UNLESS you have made changes yourself.
Even a suspension engineer talked of this on a web site I wish I had bookmarked. He said there's no excuse for a modern solid axle to not behave itself on the highway.
Why should they?
IF yours doesn't handle well - then it's that vehicle, not the fact it's solid front axle.
A highway won't be any different because you aren't flexing anything any differently. Things are relatively stable as far as the lines between axle and steering components.
IFS matters when things are uneven - rougher roads, cornering at speed, etc. because the pivots of the inner tie rods match the pivots for the LCAs almost exactly. That means no bump steer, things stay lined up. But that doesn't matter on the highway.

I went to Colorado Springs with mine in June - 11 hours on the road. My wife drove back, almost non-stop save for gas. I saw her steering wheel inputs - stead as she goes, no constant correcting needed. Same for me - straight and true. No wander, no pull, no correcting needed. It drove and handled on the highway as well as anything I've ever owned. Not as tight as my wife's WK2 but then those are full IFS with RACK AND PINION tight ratio steering (and they can even parallel park themselves)

Anyone who is accepting a vehicle that needs constant correcting or pulls or wandering needs to talk to a dealer about a fix - or figure out what mods/changes you've made to cause it.
I'll put mine against any other truck - IFS or otherwise - on highway driving and handling.
My wife us used to decades of Grand Cherokees - so she'd have pointed out if there was anything "different" about mine.
(by the way, Grand Cherokee was solid front axle up through 2004........... women loved 'em)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm with you, I like the ride on my Sport S w/Max tow as well. Some people just find it to be too "harsh" and want a more cooshy ride, which it sounds like the OP is aiming for.

Then I'd suggest back-to-back test drives -
Mojave,
Overland,
High Altitude.
(NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER)

Then temper those against his other possible uses - will he ever "off-road" and if so - what type?
And go from there.
If the only concern is highway, then pick a favorite. IF there's other possible uses, or if one model has things the others don't - add that to the "pros" list. Maybe all three give great ride and driving experiences, then choose based on other uses or available options, etc.
If you love the appearance of the color-matching things of the HA - then the choice is made. (those things rival any other truck I've seen as far as being able to park in the executive or attorney's parking lot at work! Even my wife would love the high altitude. )

IMO, any of the three above will give a person "cushy".
To some that means firm, stable, but not harsh, to others it may mean mushy, it's why Jeep offers us options!
A JT for any person (almost literally )

 

[kooltoys]

Show me the brakes differences please. All of them seem to list the same brakes. So far no one has shown them in comparison. "Heavy duty"? They all say that.
Don't go by the blogs and the so-called "truck magazines" as they repeat what they read elsewhere, often being wrong.
I'm still looking for a difference in rotor size.
It's been said in this forum in more than one post that the brakes are in reality the same.

(Anyone here got pictures of the rotors together? Or larger pads? If there's no physical difference in size, there's nothing inherently different. )

The 1.5" (total width; .75" per side) difference would be an added difference aside from appearance. That would be the only functional difference from an Overland.

This lists 2 different rotors for the rear and about $30 cost difference. Both show all models listed but no real specs for size or thickness. also it lists 2 different pad sets.. curious to know why 2 part numbers for both pad and rotors..
I see there is a big brake kit for wranglers. interesting

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Same pads fit the front of any 2021 Gladiator - three different sites, including MOPAR -

Vehicle fitment is rather telling ;-) ->

This one says "with heavy duty brakes" but I think if you check the build sheet of any Gladiator, it will say "heavy duty brakes"............

This one simply says "Gladiator" - no difference in version -

* * * * * *
Traction Control
Electronic Roll Mitigation
Trailer Sway Damping
Hydraulic Assist Brake Booster
Anti-Lock 4-Wheel Disc HD Brakes
Low Back Bucket Seats

 

[kooltoys]

Same pads fit the front of any 2021 Gladiator - three different sites, including MOPAR -

Vehicle fitment is rather telling ;-) ->

This one says "with heavy duty brakes" but I think if you check the build sheet of any Gladiator, it will say "heavy duty brakes"............

This one simply says "Gladiator" - no difference in version -

* * * * * *
Traction Control
Electronic Roll Mitigation
Trailer Sway Damping
Hydraulic Assist Brake Booster
Anti-Lock 4-Wheel Disc HD Brakes
Low Back Bucket Seats

I have been under the impression that its just the rear brakes but that doesnt make sinse with them listing all models under both part numbers.. 1 of the part numbers for the rear list JL fitment as well

 

[dcmdon]

to the OP.

I don't think that any version of a Gladiator is going to actually be a GOOD highway vehicle in the same way that a full sized pickup truck can be.

Its interesting they each have benefits on the road.
1) high altitude is clearly street oriented, but with 20" wheels and low profile tires, it may actually ride worse than other models. Low profile tires and big wheels are for performance not luxury.

2) The Overland is clearly not a hard core model and the one I drove rode decently with little tire noise from its road oriented tires.

3) The Mojave I drove actually rode the best of all of them. It seemed to be softer sprung and better damped, with better body control. However the tires were relatively loud compared to the Overland I've driven.

All of them will suffer in wind noise from the removable roof and doors, both of which are necessarily flimsy compared to non-removable equivalents on other trucks.

In short, I believe that any of these trucks will be tiring in comparison to the vehicles you currently have.

Also - ignore the people who say "I drove 1700 mies and it was fine" if the've owned primarily jeeps.

What matters is the guy who has owned a Audi, a Suburban or F150 king ranch who says "I drove mine 1700 miles and it was fine.

Jeep enthusiasts tend to overlook obvious deficiencies in these vehicles.

Sponsored