How do Gladiators handle on the highway?

[Over The Hill]

I have the 2021 80th anniversary edition with Ironman LT tires on original rims. It runs great at 80 mph on I-40 full of semis. No complaints at all. My JGC with Yokohama passenger tires does feel.a little turbulence, but both are easy drivers.

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[brsnow2585]

I've played with tire pressure a lot, and it's worth trying out. From a cold start yesterday I was at 35/36 all around and was kinda sketchy for 20 mins or so, then checked again and was up around 38 on all corners when things smoothed out. 38-40 is what feels right for mine, I gotta bleed or add a little seasonally to get that pressure at operating speeds

 

[ShadowsPapa]

More likely due to sidewalls warming up and flexing than higher pressure. In all these years, never seen handling improved by an INCREASE, save for tires that require more pressure. It's a really old old topic here

 

[KantFish2Much]

I have the 2021 80th anniversary edition with Ironman LT tires on original rims. It runs great at 80 mph on I-40 full of semis. No complaints at all. My JGC with Yokohama passenger tires does feel.a little turbulence, but both are easy drivers.

I like the Toyo tires the best. If you are in a cold climate and have to deal with snow at all, the AT3 is a kick butt tire. Handles great, rides well, and eats up snow! I moved from Alaska to AZ, and they work well here. However, I am eyeing the RT trial too, as they look nice and my buddy has them on his Mojave, and loves them.

Hope this helps.

Merry Christmas.

KP
2021 80th Aniv. Ed.

 

[ttn333]

I like the Toyo tires the best. If you are in a cold climate and have to deal with snow at all, the AT3 is a kick butt tire. Handles great, rides well, and eats up snow! I moved from Alaska to AZ, and they work well here. However, I am eyeing the RT trial too, as they look nice and my buddy has them on his Mojave, and loves them.

Hope this helps.

Merry Christmas.

KP
2021 80th Aniv. Ed.

My last set were Toyo R/T. Rode great and got about 50k miles out of them. Currently on Baja Boss AT. Similar aggressive looks, same smooth ride on the highway. I do run mine at 35psi though. probably around 32 cold, socal cold that is. And both sets are 37s. I'm about 22k miles into the BB and they still feel great.

 

[agoldxj]

I get 30mpgs with 37s on stock gearing doing 85mpg with a hefty headwind…. All jokes aside being an old thread, I love the way my Mojave rides compared to my wife’s XR JLU. Stock with 37s rode nice but with a level kit and the mopar extended LCA’s it’s even better.

 

[Labswine]

My Overland (ordered 5/19, delivered 7/19) has very nice highway manners. I also tow with her...27', 5,100 lbs with all we want or need travel trailer.

Just put new tires on her. The original factory Bridgestone Dueler HLs gave up the ghost at around 43K miles. They were the 255 flavor. I replaced them with Hankook Dynapro AT2 in the 265 flavor. Just one size wider. Just did a just over 1K mile trip to Toronto Canada and back with the new tires. No change in handling or riding comfort. Plus, they are just as quiet as the original factory tires. Only difference was a loss of about 1 1/2 MPG...probably due to increased rolling resistance from the slightly wider tire. I have them set at 40 psi.

I actually find my JTO more comfortable on long trips than my '19 Grand Cherokee Ltd.

 

[Freems]

After driving my wife's renegade for over a month, I got used to tight steering and the quiet. I thought something wasn't right when I got my gladiator back from body shop. Then after a couple drives was like no this is normal...

Its the freeway speed road noise that gets to me, but otherwise i think it handles fine. It's just different out the door stock then most other vehicles. Soft springs and all. Its a get used to jeep thing. I like it bouncy off-road so it's a compromise to deal with feeling every small hump on the highway. If i didn't I'd have modified it by now to get rid of that.

Yep, The freeway noise thing by the way is the same with any fiberglass or rag top vehicle, noisy as hell. Crank up the stereo, buy a good pass through adjustable steering stabilizer and crank it to the stiffness setting for highway driving and lower the tire pressure to help soften most every hump on the highway. These little changes will help with the compromise.

 

[GWolgamott]

Yep, The freeway noise thing by the way is the same with any fiberglass or rag top vehicle, noisy as hell. Crank up the stereo, buy a good pass through adjustable steering stabilizer and crank it to the stiffness setting for highway driving and lower the tire pressure to help soften most every hump on the highway. These little changes will help with the compromise.

Funny say that I have fox ats stabilizer, marketplace find didn't need it at time but price was right. Waiting on doing front end stuff, ball joints and upgrades etc this summer. Before putting that on. But hell since I posted that like a couple years back it's even louder on highway now. Don't even pay attention to it now.

 

[Freems]

Funny say that I have fox ats stabilizer, marketplace find didn't need it at time but price was right. Waiting on doing front end stuff, ball joints and upgrades etc this summer. Before putting that on. But hell since I posted that like a couple years back it's even louder on highway now. Don't even pay attention to it now.

BTW: ever time I read your occupation listing, I laugh out loud, because it perfectly describes my entire working career.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Be honest. Asking about stock not modified Gladiators. I was fairly unimpressed when I test drove a Gladiator on the highway. It reminded me of a VW van getting pushed around in crosswinds. Off the highway it felt like any other decent modern vehicle... no issues. But on the highway at 75 mph I wondered how much I would enjoy a 5 hour drive... or not.

How does it handle the highway?
Like a drunken sailor with 2 left feet and a sprained ankle. And I absolutely love it!!!!

 

[JonMN]

I'm fine with the highway manners. Mileage tanks after 70 MPH. Steering felt a little vague but I added a Fox 2.0 ATS stabilizer and I am really happy with it now. To be honest, main concern on the highway is waiting for a rock to take out another windshield . . .

 

[NC_Overland]

How does it handle the highway?
Like a drunken sailor with 2 left feet and a sprained ankle. And I absolutely love it!!!!

Two things. This was posted in 2019 when we had the original aluminum steering gear and it was terrible. Secondly, I disagree. Mine is remarkably composed and stable on the hwy. Is it like my Audis and BMWs? Of course not, but it’s comparable or better than any other mid sized truck I’ve ever had.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yep, The freeway noise thing by the way is the same with any fiberglass or rag top vehicle, noisy as hell. Crank up the stereo, buy a good pass through adjustable steering stabilizer and crank it to the stiffness setting for highway driving and lower the tire pressure to help soften most every hump on the highway. These little changes will help with the compromise.

I run stock stabilizer and sticker air pressure in the tires. Rides and handles like a dream.
And with correct pressure, my tires wear perfect and last forever.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm fine with the highway manners. Mileage tanks after 70 MPH. Steering felt a little vague but I added a Fox 2.0 ATS stabilizer and I am really happy with it now. To be honest, main concern on the highway is waiting for a rock to take out another windshield . . .

I simply added the MOPAR longer LCAs to improve caster. Nothing vague about it then.

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