Longest road trip you've taken in your Gladiator?

[JustinLentz]

Its a couple of factors. The axles are an issue for one. Solid axles will be outmatched by IFS when it comes to on road comfort but the solid axle will remain superior offroad. Tire pressure, tire type etc... also factor into the over 70mph drive. I've said in previous posts, if you are new or newish to Jeeps... this will ride differently than any other vehicle. If you have owned a TJ, YJ or CJ like some of us have..... the Gladiator drives and rides like a caddy.

There is lots of positives in this thread about road trips but driving faster then 70mph is where things get exhausting. Having to correct steering and the feeling like the truck is being attacked by the wind demons. The rig never feels stable on the freeway.. I drove the new bronco with 35s and drives way better on the freeway. Is it the axles ? Also...I had an F150 which is basically a box on the freeway....drove like a dream. I don't get it.

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[xcantuaj]

Its a couple of factors. The axles are an issue for one. Solid axles will be outmatched by IFS when it comes to on road comfort but the solid axle will remain superior offroad. Tire pressure, tire type etc... also factor into the over 70mph drive. I've said in previous posts, if you are new or newish to Jeeps... this will ride differently than any other vehicle. If you have owned a TJ, YJ or CJ like some of us have..... the Gladiator drives and rides like a caddy.

Not a newbie....I've had several jeeps....I'm use to it. I guess what I'm saying....are the solid axles needed? Its 2022 and our jeeps still ride like Jolopees at 70-75mph.

 

[Gvsukids]

There is lots of positives in this thread about road trips but driving faster then 70mph is where things get exhausting. Having to correct steering and the feeling like the truck is being attacked by the wind demons. The rig never feels stable on the freeway.. I drove the new bronco with 35s and drives way better on the freeway. Is it the axles ? Also...I had an F150 which is basically a box on the freeway....drove like a dream. I don't get it.

Mine rides fine at 80 on the Falkin Wildpeak M/T, but I'm on sport suspension.

 

[PnwGladiatorBuild]

18 Days 6.5k ish miles in March. Camped at 8 National Parks. Drove a Loop from Washington down to California to Arizona, Utah, Idaho and back home. Have driven a 4d wrangler, my lifted Gladiator on 37s, with a Canopy and RTT WAY outperformed in the road stability ability. Did 600 miles in head on 30mph on winds in Idaho, defintily not easy but manageable.

 

[sbach66]

1300 miles over 24 hours, then about 1500 over 26 hours just a couple of days later. Pretty comfortable, actually.

 

[Padre]

I have taken mine on a few road trips. One week after we got it we drove from Florida to Michigan and back. Then last October I drive from Florida to NC and then to CO and WY and back to FL. In march we went to AZ and NM and back. And this Monday I am headed back to CO, WY and ID.

Michigan

Colorado

Wyoming

Arizona

New Mexico

 

[RudeJeepin]

Not a newbie....I've had several jeeps....I'm use to it. I guess what I'm saying....are the solid axles needed? Its 2022 and our jeeps still ride like Jolopees at 70-75mph.

21 JLURD and 22JTRD, both hand 70-75 just fine. Wrangler has the BFG ATs and the Gladiator has Wildpeak ATs, I run the Wrangler at 34 psi cold and the Gladiator at 35psi cold, this really helps to make them feel planted compared to the 38-40 they came with.
Wrangler has been to Moab from Washington state pulling a trailer with 3 motorcycles, about 2000 pounds total. Ruised at 70-72mph most of the time. Gladiator has been to Disneyland from Washington, ran I-5 half the time and HWY 1 and 101 the other half. Keeping up with traffic all the time.
Last rig was a 2015 Ram 2500 with Cummins, and it rode as good as any Ram I've ever been in.
All 3 in my opinion are more comfortable than any F-series I've been in. And yes I had an 2002 F150 for awhile and we have numerous F250/350/450s at work.

Last outing in the Gladiator was from Monterey, CA to White Salmon, WA, only stopping for fuel and snacks. Took the coast most of the way, a out 900 miles and 19 hours.
Dead pedal in both Jeeps.

 

[tommyp]

Not a newbie....I've had several jeeps....I'm use to it. I guess what I'm saying....are the solid axles needed? Its 2022 and our jeeps still ride like Jolopees at 70-75mph.

There are plenty of IFS trucks out there if that is what you are looking for (like all of them). The straight axle will lean offroad first and on road second. IFS has gotten a lot better recently and for mostly on road use IFS probably make sense for most everyone. I think we will see some really interesting IFS rigs getting released in the next few years. Stuff that will take 37's without issue like the gladiator. Right now it is 7k for a long travel lift kit for a toyota.

But yeah I don't like driving my gladiator above 72 ish. It just doesnt feel right especially in any corners. My wife doesn't seem to care and runs it up to 80 out west. But thats what you are getting in trade for better off road abilty.

 

[glassjawkid32]

14 hours from socal to moab. Very comfy ride IMO. what really surprised me is my buddies said they didn't find the back seat to be uncomfortable on the drive.

 

[NodrogRide]

On my way back from the Black Hills/Deadwood SD to NY right now. Not as uncomfortable for my family of 5 as I thought it would be. Didn't dare push it much over 70 due to conditions, and gas mileage. All in all, would do again, even got a new duck!

 

[Alans17]

Last summer our family of 4 made a 9-state (not including our own), 5-National Park, 7-National Forest grand tour. It was 5k miles over the course of 3 weeks...

New Mexico
Colorado (Mesa Verde NP, San Juan NF)
Utah (Arches NP, Moab)
Idaho
Wyoming (Grand Tetons NP, Bridger-Teton NF, Yellowstone NP)
South Dakota (Black Hills NF, Badlands NP)
Kansas
Nebraska
Oklahoma

I know I left some stuff off, but we had a very balanced trip of family fun. We spent 2 weeks in hotels, but also camped in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. My wife loves horses we went off-road on BLM land to get really close to wild Mustangs near Cody, WY. And of course we sampled the mining trails near Ouray, CO and the off-road trails near Moab, UT.

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