IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW, PURCHASE DECISION

[Gatorized]

Sorry, there were reasons I didn't get the Sport S max tow - the options we wanted simply are not available with it.

Maybe you didn't see my other post laying out the reasoning and what the upgrades would do for me. I won't be towing 6,000 pounds but want the extra margin there. Same for payload - I want the margin there. Also want the toughness of the larger axles. The width for stability wouldn't hurt.
I just am wanting the more rugged springs and other parts than the Overland has.
I I want the capacity "just in case" and for margin. The Overland has the lightest of everything as far as the drivetrain. I'd prefer a little heavier duty on the bottom side, .

Here’s your axles:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-dana-44-axles-for-sale.25154/
Must be loads of these and the springs left over from the lift installs and all the builds we read about on here.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I did read your posts but can’t remember exactly what features the overland has over the Sports S that you mentioned other than the leather seats and the 8”!monitor. Seems like it be easier to take the seats and larger monitor out of a Rubicon or Overland than it would be to swap axle, brakes, etc. I was actually referring to the new Ranger coming out in 2022. The current one is just a rehash of the global Ranger that has been out since 2011. Enjoy your Overland.

Much easier to swap undercarriage than to swap dash parts and mess with the electronics because then you are getting into the interface with the other control modules that the screen has. (but as shown below, I'm not actually afraid to tackle almost any job)

It's also a lot easier to find the suspension parts than to find seats and screens. I can find complete axles already and the JT is hardly a year old - people have been swapping those parts out for months. When we bought you also could not get the body color hard top and fenders. There were other aspects that were not available on the Sport S that you could get on Overland. Automatic headlights, LED fog lamps and head lights, blind spot monitoring (LOVE that with my wife's GC - being blind in my right eye) , 115v outlet back of console...........

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Here’s your axles:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-dana-44-axles-for-sale.25154/
Must be loads of these and the springs left over from the lift installs and all the builds we read about on here.

I agree - it's amazing for the JT to not even be out a year the stuff you can find.
If I was closer to some of these guys I'd say - here's my truck, install it all and be done with it.
My shop is full so I'll have to either sell something or get another project done or move things around or get my lean-to enclosed!

 

[Big Red Gladiator]

Question is, when you purchased your Gladiator is there anything that you did not know then, that you know now, that would have change your purchase decision or equipment options.

I have owned seven Wranglers (CJ, YJ, JK, JKU) Looking at a JT. When I speck out a Sport S with the equipment I want, it is basically the close to a price of a stripped down Rubicon.

I use my jeep as a weekend driver, mild trails at our camp. Currently have a 2016 JKU WW with ten thousand miles. Headed to the dealerships this weekend..

Debating betweend a Sport S with auto tran, trac-lok, cold weather group, trailer tow (I would then add larger tires.wheels and rock rails) or a Rubicon with auto tran and cold weather group.

Any feed back would be appreciated.

I bought the LE so I would never have to ask this question. I say get as much as you can unless limited by budget.

 

[lrtexasman]

Yea, different strokes for different folks. You are clearly handier with a wrench than I am. My plan is to buy a Sport S with Max Tow to get the payload, towing, cooling, and braking features I want, while keeping my warranty in tact. I would worry that making changes to the axles would end drivetrain /suspension warranty coverage. I would then add Rubicon take off wheels ($1k), Katzkin leather seat covers ($1k), add the 7" monitor and conv. package (could easily plug and play the 8" monitor later). I'll then add the Mopar LED headlights/Fog Lights ($1100). This way, I'll get all the heavy duty stuff and some of the convenience options I like. By the way you can buy a Sport S with LED tail lights, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Adaptive Safety. Biggest reason for me would starting with a JT that has max Tow is because Ill get one that does not have the wandering issues and wont change drive wise after I add the luxuries. I'd be real worried about swapping axles around and ending up with something less than I had regarding driveability. I would be pissed if I had a good driving rig, made the modifications to suspension and axles and ended up a wanderer. Price my build will end up being what a lightly optioned Rubicon would be, but I'd have leather, LEDs, and retain the payload/towing of the Sport S Max tow.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yea, different strokes for different folks. You are clearly handier with a wrench than I am. My plan is to buy a Sport S with Max Tow to get the payload, towing, cooling, and braking features I want, while keeping my warranty in tact. I would worry that making changes to the axles would end drivetrain /suspension warranty coverage. I would then add Rubicon take off wheels ($1k), Katzkin leather seat covers ($1k), add the 7" monitor and conv. package (could easily plug and play the 8" monitor later). I'll then add the Mopar LED headlights/Fog Lights ($1100). This way, I'll get all the heavy duty stuff and some of the convenience options I like. By the way you can buy a Sport S with LED tail lights, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Adaptive Safety. Biggest reason for me would starting with a JT that has max Tow is because Ill get one that does not have the wandering issues and wont change drive wise after I add the luxuries. I'd be real worried about swapping axles around and ending up with something less than I had regarding driveability. I would be pissed if I had a good driving rig, made the modifications to suspension and axles and ended up a wanderer. Price my build will end up being what a lightly optioned Rubicon would be, but I'd have leather, LEDs, and retain the payload/towing of the Sport S Max tow.

It's what I went to college for - I already had a shop when I was in HS to got to skip the auto classes there. I worked in the field for years.

>>Biggest reason for me would starting with a JT that has max Tow is because Ill get one that does not have the wandering issues and wont change drive wise after I add the luxuries.<<

Where does that come from? -
Sport S max tow not having any steering issues? Not true from my info gathering. It's certainly not only Overland and It's not just Rubicon people.
Maybe you plan on driving one on the lot to make sure? Your idea won't "insure" you don't have steering issues unless they have already integrated the fix into all future builds. That's very possible because I see a fix is on the way.
Max tow doesn't change the steering box or linkage in any way.

Any with the tow package has the larger alternator and fan - don't have to get max tow for that.

I checked the Katzkin leather and came up close to 1600 for a JT.......
Yes, they've changed things now but I have the printout stuff for the Sport S from earlier and the LED HEADLIGHTS and fog lights were not available. Didn't show up. LED tail, yes but I said headlights and fog lights. Yes, a person can add any type later, buy and add them.
Blind spot monitoring was also blanked out then, not available on Sport S in September/October.
Like I said - they keep changing things, what you can get, what you have to get to get something else. They keep moving the game pieces on the board. A lot has changed since early October.

 

[5JeepsAz]

Great thread. Cool that you can do your own build or wait for Factory to roll out neato packages. I'll bet the overland gets a badass package like the wide stance, more grunt. It feels like the most obvious missing link, or maybe it's just what I want. A luxury Jeep Truck but not a Rubi. I am amazed how many packages are offered on other models, expecting that for JT, and watching threads for when guys figure out how to retrain the software.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

BTW - the pic above, the interior dash shot, or rather shot of car without dash - that's where I married a Jeep ZJ wiring system, PDC and PCM into my car. I merged the two wiring harnesses. Had to build an adapting circuit to convert the cruise signals from stock switch to what the Grand Cherokee PCM understood or expected. That dash is so packed now.......
However, these JTs - holy cow, I've a bit to learn on those. Not sure I'd be ready to tackle completely rewiring one from scratch like I did the above.

 

[Tim]

Yea, different strokes for different folks. You are clearly handier with a wrench than I am. My plan is to buy a Sport S with Max Tow to get the payload, towing, cooling, and braking features I want, while keeping my warranty in tact. I would worry that making changes to the axles would end drivetrain /suspension warranty coverage. I would then add Rubicon take off wheels ($1k), Katzkin leather seat covers ($1k), add the 7" monitor and conv. package (could easily plug and play the 8" monitor later). I'll then add the Mopar LED headlights/Fog Lights ($1100). This way, I'll get all the heavy duty stuff and some of the convenience options I like. By the way you can buy a Sport S with LED tail lights, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Adaptive Safety. Biggest reason for me would starting with a JT that has max Tow is because Ill get one that does not have the wandering issues and wont change drive wise after I add the luxuries. I'd be real worried about swapping axles around and ending up with something less than I had regarding driveability. I would be pissed if I had a good driving rig, made the modifications to suspension and axles and ended up a wanderer. Price my build will end up being what a lightly optioned Rubicon would be, but I'd have leather, LEDs, and retain the payload/towing of the Sport S Max tow.

I hate to burst your bubble I don’t think the steering issues are linked to a specific trim level. I’ve driven a sport s max tow that has horrible steering. My Rubi drives fine.

 

[lrtexasman]

Tim,
You misread. I know the steering issue is across all trim levels. My implication is that if someone buys a JT regardless of trim level that does not have the wandering issue, I would not risk swapping axles, as the steering issues seem to be hitting around 25% of the people according to a poll I did. In fact, most of the complaints are with the wider axles for whatever reasons.

 

[5JeepsAz]

BTW - the pic above, the interior dash shot, or rather shot of car without dash - that's where I married a Jeep ZJ wiring system, PDC and PCM into my car. I merged the two wiring harnesses. Had to build an adapting circuit to convert the cruise signals from stock switch to what the Grand Cherokee PCM understood or expected. That dash is so packed now.......
However, these JTs - holy cow, I've a bit to learn on those. Not sure I'd be ready to tackle completely rewiring one from scratch like I did the above.

Just in simple terms, why add PCM? I get that mechanical engine works. I get that electrically driven components operate the mechanics better. What I don't get is the advantage of a brain for the engine. It's good as a toaster. Why make it a microwave?

 

[Tim]

Tim,
You misread. I know the steering issue is across all trim levels. My implication is that if someone buys a JT regardless of trim level that does not have the wandering issue, I would not risk swapping axles, as the steering issues seem to be hitting around 25% of the people according to a poll I did. In fact, most of the complaints are with the wider axles for whatever reasons.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

Just for the sake of discussion I’ll venture a guess that there are more wide axle JTs than not. That guess could be way off base. If it’s not then it would be safe to relate a disproportionately high percentage of wide axle JTs with poor steering to there simply being more wide axle JTs in existence.

 

[Gatorized]

Gotcha. Makes sense.

Just for the sake of discussion I’ll venture a guess that there are more wide axle JTs than not. That guess could be way off base. If it’s not then it would be safe to relate a disproportionately high percentage of wide axle JTs with poor steering to there simply being more wide axle JTs in existence.

My understanding is the issue is more a steering control issue than a wandering issue. Too much play in the steering system from the steering wheel to the steering gearbox. Not so much after you get past the gearbox to the front end. It tracks OK, but response to inputs is lacking.

 

[Tim]

My understanding is the issue is more a steering control issue than a wandering issue. Too much play in the steering system from the steering wheel to the steering gearbox. Not so much after you get past the gearbox to the front end. It tracks OK, but response to inputs is lacking.

Agree 100%.

 

[ZTMAN]

For you owners with the loose steering, would the issue have been apparent on a long test drive.?


Thanks to this thread, I did a good test drive on a windy day and did not identify the looseness described by many..

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