How hard have you pushed your stock Gladiator?

[Gvsukids]

I haven't pushed mine, but I've driven it.

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[Firesmith102]

After wheeling quite a bit with all types of gladiators I will say you should at least consider a cheap spacer lift. With the long wheelbase I would also put some armor under there. I recommend metalcloak or rock hard. This picture will help you see the diffER ent sizes and setups. Mine is the sting grey with a 3.5 Tera flex lift on 37s.

 

[DCPHOENIX]

Which mudflaps did you order? I have the Weathertech's (front and rear) and really like them.

I went for the rokblokz fronts. Way more than I wanted to spend but they look good in pictures!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That’s my concern. We’re not going to be rock crawling, mainly dirt roads with rougher sections and I suppose occasional steep ups and downs. The extra 1” or so lift that tires would get me would be nice

You'd be amazed what these do stock. The bigger tires are often for looks, or for extreme use, you'd be fine unless you really get into tougher trails.

 

[Mash5]

I don't think you need to do anything to bring that thing out west and have a great time.
Are there trails you will not be suited to do? Yes. If you lift it X amount or put X tires on there will still be trails you have no business on. Take what you got and learn what its weak spots are and then work on those if you want but it does not "need" anything. It is designed to take you out and play and it will do just fine the way it is. My 2c...

 

[Rahkmalla]

My willys is a lease so i cant really do shit, but I ordered my mojave (a buy) 3 weeks ago and ever since I've been planning my route to 37s... except I don't need them, like at all. Don't need Tactik 5 spokes. Don't need k02 37s. Don't need an aev 2" mojave spacer kit, don't need a geometry bracket.

At 53k the truck was way more than I really wanted to spend (first plan was a 41k 2dr Base manual sasquatch bronco) and I feel like I'm getting sucked into the money pit mindset. I'll probably change my mind 6 times in the next year, but if I'm trying to be financially responsible, I'll run stock tires until they wear out and then go to 35x11.5s on stock rims with no lift.

But who the fuck knows. 3 months from now I might be on here asking about steering stabilizers because my 37s on a 2" are vague on the highway and then another rabbit hole later I'll have spent 2k on steering mods and a few weekends installing them.

 

[futzin']

Truth is, no one can say for sure. It'll be fine until it isn't. Folks here have tried to share the minimum aids, IMO.

 

[futzin']

The bigger tires are often for looks, or for extreme use, you'd be fine unless you really get into tougher trails.

Please define 'extreme' and 'tougher' so that the OP knows what to expect . . .
Oh, and 'bigger', too . . .

 

[futzin']

I don't think you need to do anything to bring that thing out west and have a great time.
Are there trails you will not be suited to do? Yes. If you lift it X amount or put X tires on there will still be trails you have no business on. Take what you got and learn what its weak spots are and then work on those if you want but it does not "need" anything. It is designed to take you out and play and it will do just fine the way it is. My 2c...

So, "How hard have you pushed your Gladiator"? just to stay on topic . . .

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Please define 'extreme' and 'tougher' so that the OP knows what to expect . . .
Oh, and 'bigger', too . . .

Bigger - Over 33" tires.

Extreme -

 

[chadinsc]

a cheap spacer is good advice. try to follow other jeeps if possible atleast at first. also plan to be stuck and have a come a long and enough rope to use it. good chance you won’t get stuck but you gotta plan for it

 

[DCPHOENIX]

I don't think you need to do anything to bring that thing out west and have a great time.
Are there trails you will not be suited to do? Yes. If you lift it X amount or put X tires on there will still be trails you have no business on. Take what you got and learn what its weak spots are and then work on those if you want but it does not "need" anything. It is designed to take you out and play and it will do just fine the way it is. My 2c...

It's for sure way more capable than I am when it comes to off-roading.
I am involved in the firearms industry and I hear "how accurate is X gun". To which 99% of the time the answer is way more accurate than you will be.

 

[AZCooWhip]

All boils down to what trails you hit up. Several good trails in AZ and UT are doable ...assuming they have accessible bypasses. For reference ....37s and 3” for these. Mind you, I built mine to handle the rocks at a minimum. I still have seen plenty of stockers doing just fine.

Do your trail home work before you go.

 

[chorky]

That’s my concern. We’re not going to be rock crawling, mainly dirt roads with rougher sections and I suppose occasional steep ups and downs. The extra 1” or so lift that tires would get me would be nice

This is a really important statement that a lot of folks overlook IMO. You say rougher sections of dirt roads implying a typical class 2 Forest Service Road - the roughest open forest service road you can drive - not behind a gate. Also indicating road and not trail. You should be fine stock. Your profile pic shows you have the Rubicon? that comes with 33", sway disconnect, and lockers. The most I would suggest is a skid plate for the engine - I believe transmission and transfer case already are protected.

Let me put this another way. I drive a Dodge Dakota, for work purposes, on those roads AAALLLLL the time (forester), and often times behind locked gates where not many are allowed to go - some of those roads are pretty sketch. I have never been in a situation that a stock Dakota (with 29's mind you, and low to the ground) couldn't handle. And no lockers or even a LSD on that thing. There are some FS roads that, by management decision/objective, are purposefully 'bad' but they still are all passable by a factory vehicle. To be defined as a road, on FS lands (not sure what BLM does) they MUST be passable at the most by a high clearance (pickup or SUV) vehicle - otherwise it is gated, obliterated, or fixed. By law these FS roads cannot be THAT bad - although time at work would be more fun if they were ;-) So...you should be fine.

The only situation where I think you would need a lift and bigger tires is if you purposefully plan to travel off road trails that by design are made to be difficult. There are a few exceptions, like walker valley in Washington for example. But that's very few and far between and not typically something anyone goes on for a cruise to explore.

I have a TJ on 33's with a 4" lift, and just sold my OBS 7.3l that was super built, 4" lift with 35's and lockers front and rear - in all my time driving around the only time I ever truly needed 4x4 even was in snow/ice. I think your money could be better spent in other places. And your ride/mpg won't suffer.

 

[chorky]

All boils down to what trails you hit up. Several good trails in AZ and UT are doable ...assuming they have accessible bypasses. For reference ....37s and 3” for these.

Do your trail home work before you go.

The OP specifically stated road. not trails.

Nice pics by the way.

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