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Jeep Gladiator Mojave Edition! [Updated With Live Pics and Chassis/Suspension Breakdown]

hjdca

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Oops, they forgot that too...
Lets face it, I want the Mojave with the front lockers and sway bar disconnect added, and the option between the 2:75 or 4:1 transfer cases.... That solves the debate for me... Otherwise, even in California, it is tough to give up the front lockers and sway bar disconnect because there are still a lot of hard hill climbs here integrated with the desert terrain... Living in Southern California and running the SVRAs here, beach, desert, hill climbs, etc...., I would probably still pick the Rubicon because of the front lockers and sway bar disconnect. I already ran my Rubicon at Pismo beach and I used 4WH 1st and 2nd gear the whole time, note: I did bottom out the front shocks a few times, so, the Mojave would solve that.... 4WL Rubicon is too low for the dunes, but, with my insistance on the manual tranny, I am not sure I would have wanted the 2:72 transfer case anyway. Overall, nice move by Jeep to offer the Mojave.
 

Gray_Bison

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Hate to say it but serious desert runners will laugh at what the Mojave offers at just 285HP/260T compared to something like the Raptor at 450HP/510T as standard equipment. I only say this because that is how Jeep is advertising the Mojave...high speed desert running. The press release Mojave video is lame. My mother-in-law could drive a Bronco II through the same trails at the same speed. Pick up the pace Jeep if you want to seriously enter the desert running arena.
While the press release was pretty lame, i feel like this is the perfect solution for the guys who are die hard Jeepers but are not hardcore crawler or overlander. It's suitable for a DD as well as the quick romp thru the desert. I think it'll do pretty well on the western side of the sates, and some of the "flat" states as well. But maybe I'm just biased since i live in the desert :tumbleweed:
 

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Lets face it, I want the Mojave with the front lockers and sway bar disconnect added, and the option between the 2:75 or 4:1 transfer cases.... That solves the debate for me... Otherwise, even in California, it is tough to give up the front lockers and sway bar disconnect because there are still a lot of hard hill climbs here integrated with the desert terrain... Living in Southern California and running the SVRAs here, beach, desert, hill climbs, etc...., I would probably still pick the Rubicon because of the front lockers and sway bar disconnect. I already ran my Rubicon at Pismo beach and I used 4WH 1st and 2nd gear the whole time, note: I did bottom out the front shocks a few times, so, the Mojave would solve that.... 4WL Rubicon is too low for the dunes, but, with my insistance on the manual tranny, I am not sure I would have wanted the 2:72 transfer case anyway. Overall, nice move by Jeep to offer the Mojave.
So you want a Rubicon with different shocks.

This is actually great news for me as I don't like the factory Rubicon shocks as they have way too little rebound damping, so these may be a good upgrade. I'm wondering if the front is actually raised an inch or if they just put the Rubicon front fenders on to give the 1" of extra clearance. I don't see anything else other than the nebulous 'reinforced frame and axle' which, to be fair, may be a significant change or could be almost nothing.
 

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From an overlanding rig build point of view, the Mojave throws a big wrench in the Rubi vs S Max thought process. I'd love to see some part numbers on the FOX bits to see if they could support a 2" lift. If they can, the Mojave will probably put this debate to bed... for me at least.
But not for others. Half the reason I didnt get the Rubicon was the decreased payload. I havent come across one personally that didnt have a door jam of about 1100lbs but most Sport Max Tows had over 1500. 400lbs of payload is a HUGE difference for overlanding
 

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PyrPatriot

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While the press release was pretty lame, i feel like this is the perfect solution for the guys who are die hard Jeepers but are not hardcore crawler or overlander. It's suitable for a DD as well as the quick romp thru the desert. I think it'll do pretty well on the western side of the sates, and some of the "flat" states as well. But maybe I'm just biased since i live in the desert :tumbleweed:
How would these do on mountain roads with steep climbs on mud/dirt/loose rock?
 

DesertShot

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It is probably a simple case of F=m*a. When rock crawling and doing "Rubicon" things, FCA knows that the a portion of that formula is going to be low. While doing "Mojave" things, a is going to be much greater, so they beefed up the frame (probably learning from Ford as RH 67 says).

Rock crawling
5,000lbs * 3mph = 15,000lbs hitting the frame

Dune jumping
5,000lbs * 25mph = 125,000lbs hitting the frame

Of course that is an extremely over simplified take of the forces involved and other components that reduce the forces. It does however show, in simple terms, why FCA would deem the beefed up frame for the Mojave and not for the rest of the lineup. I don't think most of the JT owners out there are jumping their Rubicons.

I also don't think that the Mojave is a more capable version than the Rubicon. The only places I think it would truly excel over the Rubicon at in the real world is jumping, sand dunes and maybe on road ride comfort. I'm hoping that the price will reflect that and come in just a little under the Rubicon, but I highly doubt it. If the new suspension is just the FOX Factory Racing stuff you can already buy, that alone is about a $3,500 upgrade.
I get this (mechanical engineer here). I guess it just seems a little frustrating that they say they beefed up the axle walls to 10mm on all of the 3rd gen hd d44 axles in preparation for the Mojave, so why wouldn't they also just beef up the frame for every gladiator.
 

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But not for others. Half the reason I didnt get the Rubicon was the decreased payload. I havent come across one personally that didnt have a door jam of about 1100lbs but most Sport Max Tows had over 1500. 400lbs of payload is a HUGE difference for overlanding
They have the same gross weight rating - meaning the 400lbs difference in payload is equipment already on the Rubicon. If you plan to add steel bumpers, wheels and tires, skid plates and rocker guards to the Max tow, guess what, there goes most of that payload difference and you haven't added any cargo yet. If you don't need that stuff, then sure it makes sense, but on my Rubicon, which has an 1150lbs payload and is pretty much loaded, the only thing I had to add for it to be ready for anything is a 90lbs winch and mount. It came with winch ready steel bumpers, LED lights, skid plates, rocker guards, cargo management system, proper wheels and tires, plus lockers etc. all under warranty. Once you add all that to a max tow, I'd be surprised if it had even 100lbs more spare payload, and it won't have the warranty coverage on all of those parts that the Rubi has AND your wallet will be lighter. There's no free lunch here. The only thing you lose with the Rubi is around 200lbs of gross combined weight in towing, and that's due to the larger tires and front skid plate that lets a little less air into the radiator vs. the max tow.
 

PyrPatriot

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The only thing you lose with the Rubi is around 200lbs of gross combined weight in towing, and that's due to the larger tires and front skid plate that lets a little less air into the radiator vs. the max tow.
And you state this based on what?

The other differences in payload and towing come from the rear springs, discussed in depth and length in other threads. The Max Tow has special rear springs
 

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Sorry guys didn't read all 10 pages of this thread but did anyone see actual suspension travel numbers? I'm curious if this actually has more travel over the Rubicon.
 

Bobzdar

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And you state this based on what?

The other differences in payload and towing come from the rear springs, discussed in depth and length in other threads. The Max Tow has special rear springs
The Rubicon has 'special' springs all the way around. Gross weight is the same 6250lbs on both, so the Rubicon plainly weighs more hence has lower payload as Gross weight rating = net weight + payload. But that weight is all equipment that I'd want if I'm going out into the wilderness and would add the weight back to a max tow.

I read about the difference in tow rating quite a while ago, which is based on cooling. The max tow has smaller diameter tires which gives the engine a little more mechanical advantage, and has more air from under the front bumper, which is blocked by the skid plate on the rubicon.
 

Gray_Bison

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How would these do on mountain roads with steep climbs on mud/dirt/loose rock?
I suppose it depends on your definition of steep, but I believe it would be fine, maybe not at the same speed you'd use in the desert or across the dunes. It still has 4WD and a rear locker so it should be able to tackle the average to moderate mountain condition.
 

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But not for others. Half the reason I didnt get the Rubicon was the decreased payload. I havent come across one personally that didnt have a door jam of about 1100lbs but most Sport Max Tows had over 1500. 400lbs of payload is a HUGE difference for overlanding
I think @Bobzdar pointed out most of the things we are going to add to the S Max to get it "overland ready". As he pointed out, that is going to eat a lot of the S Max's extra capacity. If you put even a modest 2" lift on it, there goes those special rear springs anyways. And since almost no aftermarket lift kit gives real specs on their kits, you could be (and most likely would be) putting softer springs on.

If you are going to overland in a stock S Max you will definitely have a payload advantage over the Rubi or Mojave, but if you start building it to take the abuse of the trail, probably not so much.

How would these do on mountain roads with steep climbs on mud/dirt/loose rock?
98% of my offroading is done here in Colorado and I've never needed to use lockers for steep climbs on roads or even trails. 4Lo makes short work of them. Throw in big rocks and ledges, then you need the lockers.

I get this (mechanical engineer here). I guess it just seems a little frustrating that they say they beefed up the axle walls to 10mm on all of the 3rd gen hd d44 axles in preparation for the Mojave, so why wouldn't they also just beef up the frame for every gladiator.
It makes since to me. Their analysis showed that the axles needed to be beefed up for both rock crawling and desert running, so they did that across the board. The frame only needed to be beefed up for desert running, so they saved money and only did it to the Mojave. Remember, they said they went to 10mm for the axle because the Mojave needed it, they never said the Rubicon did not need 8mm (that last part is just pulled out of my ass to highlight that the Rubi might have needed some axle beefing all on its own and we have just never heard that before).
 
 



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