I need help with this please

[Alans17]

If you’re looking to get bigger tires, some spacers will get you the lift and wheel spacers or new wheels will get the width. For the price of quality spacers, you can get Tactik 5 Spoke steel wheels. They push the tires out, but not too much. And unlike the spacers, they make your wheels 9” wide instead of the stock 7.5” so wider tires will fit better. They’re not flashy. More utilitarian. But that’s just the look some people are going for.

Your biggest expense will still be the new tires, though. Save at least half your budget for that.

Oh, and that left nothing for upgrades sound.

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[Matts4313]

Terra Acoustics front sound stage. Best $250 spent. Buy Select Increments pods and your favorite 6.5 inch speakers for the sound bar.

Crutchfield has SSV 6.5 adaptors for the roll bar for $40 less. Just a heads up.

 

[Helmer763]

Crutchfield has SSV 6.5 adaptors for the roll bar for $40 less. Just a heads up.

Why not 6x9s?

 

[Matts4313]

So I am trying to get my 21 gladiator sport more aggressive looking and higher off the ground, also the stereo system is nothing to brag about. What can I do with a small budget to get it beefier and sounding good!

Here are some ideas from someone who has been doing the same as you for the last year (budget upgrades, a lil each month):

1. Take offs from rubis are prevalent. You should be able to snag a wheel and tire combo for under $750, pending area. That said, you have the cali rims, which IMO are more attractive than the Rubi rims, so you might just hold off on tires until yours need to be replaced.

2. You can get an aggressive bumper for under $500 and it changes the look a lot.

3. Speakers are a matter of preference, often, but I can give this feedback:

a. The DS18 1" tweeters dont fit in the 3.5 dash or bar, they come in a ridiculous oversized mounting enclosure.
b. Pioneers 3.5 tweets wont fit due to the speaker mounted crossover.
c. JBL club speakers do fit, but they are too tin-canny for my preference.
d. The infinity 3.5s are supposed to be great, never tried them.
e. If you look up the kicker Dart speakers, they are <$70 a pair and are plug and play (no metra adaptors or splicing needed). Best bang for the buck upgrade there is, imo. Downside is they arent super amazing when the top and doors are off.

4. Check the member market place. People are always selling side steps, tonneau covers, wheels/tires, etc

5. If I could do it all over again, my first buy would be the pedal commander. I come from a sports car background (Camaro, Mustang, Vette) and hated the pedal feel of the gladiator. That fixed it, so even if that doesnt make your truck look more aggressive, it will absolutely feel more aggressive in the drivers seat.

 

[Sailscall]

Why not 6x9s?

6.5s drop right in if they aren’t too deep. You’re cutting if you go with 6x9s.

 

[Matts4313]

Why not 6x9s?

Matter of preference I guess. You can get amazing 6x9s but the cost jumps due to needing an amp in many cases. There are a lot of high sensitivity 6.5s that fit in the other enclosure if you are on a budget, as quality 6.5s (with lower power requirements) and the sound bar mounts are both cheaper usually.

 

[Helmer763]

If you’re looking to get bigger tires, some spacers will get you the lift and wheel spacers or new wheels will get the width. For the price of quality spacers, you can get Tactik 5 Spoke steel wheels. They push the tires out, but not too much. And unlike the spacers, they make your wheels 9” wide instead of the stock 7.5” so wider tires will fit better. They’re not flashy. More utilitarian. But that’s just the look some people are going for.

Your biggest expense will still be the new tires, though. Save at least half your budget for that.

Oh, and that left nothing for upgrades sound.

Thanks

 

[Helmer763]

Matter of preference I guess. You can get amazing 6x9s but the cost jumps due to needing an amp in many cases. There are a lot of high sensitivity 6.5s that fit in the other enclosure if you are on a budget, as quality 6.5s (with lower power requirements) and the sound bar mounts are both cheaper usually.

So with super stock u connect 3 with 5" it should still push 6x9 if I was to cut out and mount to support plastic correct? I'm going to get the upgraded sound bar with the 9 speakers one day and the Amp to go with. So for now just trying to make it

 

[Helmer763]

6.5s drop right in if they aren’t too deep. You’re cutting if you go with 6x9s.
What I got were the same dimensions as the expenses suspended and going to replace in future and you

 

[Helmer763]

Anywho thank you all for the help

 

[Sailscall]

Crutchfield has SSV 6.5 adaptors for the roll bar for $40 less. Just a heads up.

Select Increments pods drop in. I believe your cutting with the SSV Works 6.5 adapters.

 

[Matts4313]

So with super stock u connect 3 with 5" it should still push 6x9 if I was to cut out and mount to support plastic correct? I'm going to get the upgraded sound bar with the 9 speakers one day and the Amp to go with. So for now just trying to make it

If I were in your scenario, I would start with changing out the four 3.5 inch speakers (rollbar and dash) with the Dart/kicker set up. That would cost less than $150 and would dramatically improve things.

After that, I would either do a small powered sub (HS10) or a traditional wired amp kit with a sub and 5 channel amp that would allow you to upgrade additional speakers.

The stock head unit sucks booty and will not be enough for most quality speakers, especially 6x9 components that want 100+ watts RMS. So no, I wouldnt start with 6x9s unless you want to invest into an amp/LOC/Wiring kit as well.

 

[Helmer763]

If I were in your scenario, I would start with changing out the four 3.5 inch speakers (rollbar and dash) with the Dart/kicker set up. That would cost less than $150 and would dramatically improve things.

After that, I would either do a small powered sub (HS10) or a traditional wired amp kit with a sub and 5 channel amp that would allow you to upgrade additional speakers.

The stock head unit sucks booty and will not be enough for most quality speakers, especially 6x9 components that want 100+ watts RMS. So no, I wouldnt start with 6x9s unless you want to invest into an amp/LOC/Wiring kit as well.

Yes again really appreciate the ideas

 

[Dougstdig]

Remove the angry face grill for starters...

I liked the tone and honesty of the question from OP. This being said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Again, that being said with the question being asked for our opinions will agree with this statement. There are few parts not made to mod on the JL/JT platform. In my opinion, aside from the factory flat black replacement grill, it’s almost sacrilegious to alter the grill of a jeep. You can mod fenders hood, body panels, suspension skid, plates, interior to your taste, but I would never recommend altering the front grill. It looks 10 times worse than putting lipstick on a pig. I don’t mean any offense to your taste or to a pig, but there are quite a few things you can do on a limited budget to make it you, and to make it more aggressive. Take your time and have fun with it just don’t mess with a Grill.

 

[Dougstdig]

Not a gladiator, but a good buddy of mine has a 2018 JL sport. He likes the stock look but wanted to mother suspension. He got a set of Rubicon takeoff fenders Rubicon stock suspension kept the stock wheels added inch and a half hub centric spacers installed 35, 11 1/2 17 wheels. At some point he may end up making it a buggy out of it, but for now this is what he wants see the pictures below. His priority now is his little toy at the end on 46”era with 8” portals.

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