Lift advice for new Gladiator

[CrazyOne]

New guy here. I currently have a 2016 Wrangler with a dealer installed suspension lift and 37" MT tires which works very well. I'm about to add a 2024 Gladiator Rubicon X to my fleet. Requirements for the new ride:

• Upgraded ground clearance. I have to ford a river to get to my house.
• Manual Transmission.
• MT tires.
• Water protection for bearings and anything in the suspension that make sense.
• Very little highway driving. Mostly local and off road.
• No towing.
• A stiffer, vs soft, ride quality.
• The tires will not "stick out" from the sides of the body as current trends seem to promote.

So I'm thinking of going all the way to 40s on this vehicle. I'm just starting research on this so any feedback is much appreciated.

I think the suspension piece is the starting point for this plan. I will also reach out regarding wheels, tires, fender extensions, steps/running boards in the appropriate forums here.

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide!

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[Scott0700]

Just general advice from my experience owning 5 Jeeps.
Put a few thousand miles on it before you change anything. Make sure it drives, handles, runs and shifts properly. After you mod anything, the dealer and Jeep will blame all issues on you.
After that, change one thing and one thing only at a time. Make sure it operates to your satisfaction. Simplifies trying to chase problems.

 

[KoBear]

40” tires without sticking out past the fenders? Good luck. Unless you don’t turn much.

 

[Saltymedic]

What sort of budget are you working with? That'll help narrow down the option a bit.

 

[GI Grandpa]

New guy here. I currently have a 2016 Wrangler with a dealer installed suspension lift and 37" MT tires which works very well. I'm about to add a 2024 Gladiator Rubicon X to my fleet. Requirements for the new ride:

• Upgraded ground clearance. I have to ford a river to get to my house.
• Manual Transmission.
• MT tires.
• Water protection for bearings and anything in the suspension that make sense.
• Very little highway driving. Mostly local and off road.
• No towing.
• A stiffer, vs soft, ride quality.
• The tires will not "stick out" from the sides of the body as current trends seem to promote.

So I'm thinking of going all the way to 40s on this vehicle. I'm just starting research on this so any feedback is much appreciated.

I think the suspension piece is the starting point for this plan. I will also reach out regarding wheels, tires, fender extensions, steps/running boards in the appropriate forums here.

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide!

40's is a big first step, I agree drive it stock and make sure everything works first. Next you need to regear your axles along with a lift as it isn't just tire size, but all that extra weight. RCV axle shafts are stronger than stock and may help with keeping water out of your axles. Lastly, if your worried about your 40"x13.50" tires sticking out, Jeep has fender flare extentions and Rokblokz has removable mud flaps.

 

[Banned]

You could do 3" lift coils/shocks in front with extended LCA's and 1" spacers/+1" shocks rear, narrow 35's and stock offset wheels with a quality snorkel kit. If that can't do what you need, sounds like you need a dinghy.

 

[CrazyOne]

What sort of budget are you working with? That'll help narrow down the option a bit.

Hi Saltymedic - I would like to keep the upgrade under $10k if possible.

 

[CrazyOne]

40's is a big first step, I agree drive it stock and make sure everything works first. Next you need to regear your axles along with a lift as it isn't just tire size, but all that extra weight. RCV axle shafts are stronger than stock and may help with keeping water out of your axles. Lastly, if your worried about your 40"x13.50" tires sticking out, Jeep has fender flare extentions and Rokblokz has removable mud flaps.

Thanks for your input GI Grandpa - by "regear your axles" are you referring to changing the ratio in the differentials?

 

[GI Grandpa]

Thanks for your input GI Grandpa - by "regear your axles" are you referring to changing the ratio in the differentials?

Yes, exactly. Not sure where you live, here in Colorado I always recommend 5.38:1 if running 40" tires due to the altitude. At sea level or flat lands 4.88 or 5.13 may work depending on transmission 8 speed automatic vs 6 speed manual

 

[CrazyOne]

40” tires without sticking out past the fenders? Good luck. Unless you don’t turn much.

Yes my comment wasn't very clear. I simply meant I don't want the tires to stand outside the body simply for cosmetic reasons, which I see on the road quite a bit these days. I do understand that the larger tires will not be completely enclosed in the stock wheel wells and fender flare extensions and mud flaps may come into play. I do plan on turning quite frequently!

 

[Silverator]

Yes my comment wasn't very clear. I simply meant I don't want the tires to stand outside the body simply for cosmetic reasons, which I see on the road quite a bit these days. I do understand that the larger tires will not be completely enclosed in the stock wheel wells and fender flare extensions and mud flaps may come into play. I do plan on turning quite frequently!

Even 35x11.5's will barely stay inside the wheel wells with the stock rims. 12.5 or 13.5 widths with larger tires will certainly come outside the wheel wells or you will be rubbing on the LCA's. It's simple physics really. There's only so much room under the wheel wells, and bigger and wider necessitates pulling those tires/wheels OUT.

Several of the requirements you listed seem to point towards a CLAYTON lift. Perhaps the 3.5" Overland lift. The only problem I see is the "under 10k" constraint. Especially 40's will get you up and over that limit fast. Really fast.

 

[JTGuy]

Good Luck. 40s are going to stick out and cost $$$. Will require many mods and the warranty will be gone.

 

[Faroutgladiator]

Here’s a 3” lift with 37’s and Narrow 11.50 tires. I couldn’t be happier with the ride. I don’t like tires that stick out and tosses mud all over the side!

 

[Banned]

Nice rig ? she looks a couple inches low in the front?

 

[Faroutgladiator]

Nice rig ? she looks a couple inches low in the front?

I agree it could use a leveling kit of sorts

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