How much clearance do I need?

[martingale]

3 weeks ago my wife surprised me with a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. This is my 1st Jeep and my first 4 X 4 (my other car is a rx-8 GT). I loving driving it and am cautiously exploring areas in the nearby National Forest.

Ideally, I want to use this truck to do week-end camping trips in dispersed areas allowing me to hike, camp, and observe the stars (astronomy is another hobby) in solitude. I also want the ability to do over-landing on longer trails but cautiously. I don't have anything close to the skill to handle a technical trail.

I have been reading about the many modifications people do and I am planning some as well. My intent with this Jeep is for me to get into off-road camping. My question is do I how much clearance do I need? I have read the high clearance generally means anything over 9 inches and I have over 10 inches of clearance now with the 33 tires now. I have talked with a shop who recommended putting 37's on (along with lifting, changing the shocks, etc.). I don't mind spending the money but I hate to invest in something that I will rarely use.

I am looking at putting on a winch, skid plates, and lights. I am also looking for a rack, but would prefer one that works in my Tonneau soft cover.


Thanks in advance for any counsel!

Sponsored

 

[Phljeeper]

I personally think 37s looks perfect on the Gladiator. But you need to do what’s right for you. Going to 35s on your 4.10 gearing works fine and you really don’t even need a lift. If you want a little more height a leveling kit will work well. 37s are a different story. You would want a 2.5” lift minimum and will likely want to regear if you plan to tow. 37s on stock gearing works fine around town but towing will be painful.

Here’s mine on 37s with a 2.5” EVO lift.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You'd be amazed at what these will do stock. Some will say you must have this, must have that, nothing less than 37" tires, you'll have to regear, etc. -that's mainly because that's what they like or their preferences.
Try things out first - then decide what you NEED, otherwise, it's a want.
Many take them out on trails and see how they do first, then decide what they need to change to do other things.
Let's put it this way - if someone else has a 4" lift, they'll say that's what you should get. If they say they look best with 37" tires, that's because that's what they like and run.
So my suggestion - take it out and see how it does. Then go from there.

 

[Sportsbiz]

You'd be amazed at what these will do stock. Some will say you must have this, must have that, nothing less than 37" tires, you'll have to regear, etc. -that's mainly because that's what they like or their preferences.
Try things out first - then decide what you NEED, otherwise, it's a want.
Many take them out on trails and see how they do first, then decide what they need to change to do other things.
Let's put it this way - if someone else has a 4" lift, they'll say that's what you should get. If they say they look best with 37" tires, that's because that's what they like and run.
So my suggestion - take it out and see how it does. Then go from there.

Well said, and I second this bit of advice.

 

[HooliganActual]

3 weeks ago my wife surprised me with a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. This is my 1st Jeep and my first 4 X 4 (my other car is a rx-8 GT). I loving driving it and am cautiously exploring areas in the nearby National Forest.

Ideally, I want to use this truck to do week-end camping trips in dispersed areas allowing me to hike, camp, and observe the stars (astronomy is another hobby) in solitude. I also want the ability to do over-landing on longer trails but cautiously. I don't have anything close to the skill to handle a technical trail.

I have been reading about the many modifications people do and I am planning some as well. My intent with this Jeep is for me to get into off-road camping. My question is do I how much clearance do I need? I have read the high clearance generally means anything over 9 inches and I have over 10 inches of clearance now with the 33 tires now. I have talked with a shop who recommended putting 37's on (along with lifting, changing the shocks, etc.). I don't mind spending the money but I hate to invest in something that I will rarely use.

I am looking at putting on a winch, skid plates, and lights. I am also looking for a rack, but would prefer one that works in my Tonneau soft cover.


Thanks in advance for any counsel!

To the OP, ultimately you should do what you want to do. There’s some great advice already about how much capability your Jeep already has. In fact, a stock Rubicon has more capability than 95% of the drivers behind its wheel.

Here’s a perspective for you to consider: I have a built 2016 JKUR that is lifted on 35’s and my wife has a mostly stock 2018 JKUR which has a spacer lift and 33’s. My wife’s JKUR sits about as tall as our JTR with the same amount of clearance. We crawl with our Wranglers and my wife has followed me on every technical trail and obstacle on just about every trail in Southeast Arizona (and some of them are doozies).

Our Gladiator is the overlanding vehicle and I am confident that it will go anywhere it needs to go on its stock suspension and tires based on what my wife has tackled in her similarly built JKUR. Put a winch on it for sure, maybe a leveling kit if your load out of gear causes the suspension to squat but otherwise you don’t really need to do anything to your rig for it to get you down any non-technical trail you’ll encounter (you’ll do well on most technical trails as well).

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

What's your plan? Where do you plan to go and what do you want to do? Once you know that, what to do with the truck is easy.

How much clearence you need is a very plastic question and is based entirely on what you do and where you go. Of course the shop who sells you the tires and lift is going to say yeah you need tires and a lift. In the same way the butcher says meat is a corner stone of a healthy diet and the baker says that a meal is not a meal Awithout bread, the swag sellers is of course going to try to sell swag. A lift and big rubber do look cool but do they meet your needs?

A stock Rubicon be it Jk, JL or JT is going to out perform right out of the box and I would recomend you push your skills and feel before you start dropping blind money on things you may not need.

Were I in your position I would start off easy and cheap. Do you need an RTT and full 12v shipboard system with all the bits and bobs ? No not really. You can pack a tent and sleeping bags and a cooler and stove and off you go camping. Same goes with the running gear, your stock ride height is already very capable. Wouldnt you rather take that money and underwrite a nice well provisioned trip than have a rig capable of 250% of stock but getting by on saltines and hotdogs?

 

[smlobx]

I agree with the camp that believes that the stock Rubicon is more than capable enough. We have been on some pretty remote trails and have never had any issues. So far we have not even had to use both lockers.

My suggestion is to take it where you want to camp and see how it fares. I think you’ll be surprised.

 

[Mark Doiron]

....Try things out first - then decide what you NEED, otherwise, it's a want.
...

This ^^^^. For an idea of what to expect, let me point you at a video where I rode with a friend of mine in his 2012 Jeep JK Wrangler on 33s. If you figure to not tackle anything any tougher than that road, then you're pretty good to go (only your long wheelbase would be problematic on this route (relevant part begins about 3:10)...




Edit: BTW, the very first part of that video we meet up at Kenton, OK. Which is where the Okie-Tex Star Party is held each year. ;-)

Sponsored