Moab March 2023 trip with friends that have become like family! Tons of pics and video

[WillVra]

Can you give some info on the JT Willys in your group? Stock, other than lift and tires?

That one is mine, it has a Metal Cloak 2.5” lift, 37” Mickey Thompson Baja boss MT. Other than that it has an OX locker in the rear, the stock LSD was moved from rear to front and Yukon 5.13 gears.

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[WillVra]

Can you give some info on the JT Willys in your group? Stock, other than lift and tires?

Forgot, if you were wondering about bumpers the front and rear are hammerheads.

 

[DADDI8R]

Forgot, if you were wondering about bumpers the front and rear are hammerheads.

I also have a Willys, so was wondering about the drivetrain mods since you did Kane Creek. That is NOT open diff country there.

 

[WillVra]

I also have a Willys, so was wondering about the drivetrain mods since you did Kane Creek. That is NOT open diff country there.

Ya that one was kind of an accident, we weren’t expecting Hamburger Hill, no one had been down it before and someone said it was an easy trail to start with, so that was our first day there and we got a pretty quick introduction to Moab. All in all it was a blast, a few scratches, my rear sway bar link bent the bolt to the frame and popped off just as we were entering Kane Creek. It’s still tied up underneath with para cord. But all good.

 

[HopSlammer]

Fantastic pics and all. I’ve never been there but it’s def high on my must-do list, thanks for posting.

 

[yoda13]

Been to Moab twice, but it’s been a while. This makes me want to go back so bad…Great pics!

 

[tampahoosier]

Man am I glad you posted this! We are headed out to Moab for 3 days at the mid of May - beg. of June. Would love to PM you and talk to you about what trails you hit up and what the JTs could/couldn’t do. I have a diesel Rubicon with 37s and the Clayton 2.5” lift, not sure what I can comfortably tackle.

 

[WillVra]

Man am I glad you posted this! We are headed out to Moab for 3 days at the mid of May - beg. of June. Would love to PM you and talk to you about what trails you hit up and what the JTs could/couldn’t do. I have a diesel Rubicon with 37s and the Clayton 2.5” lift, not sure what I can comfortably tackle.

Ya PM me I can give you what info I have and even see if I can get you or tracks from GIA or ON X.

 

[tampahoosier]

Ya PM me I can give you what info I have and even see if I can get you or tracks from GIA or ON X.

Awesome, shooting you something now!

I was going to ask this in the PM but figured anyone reading might benefit from knowing too... I saw the specs posted above on your Willy's, can you give the specs on the other 2 Gladiators as well?

 

[WillVra]

Awesome, shooting you something now!

I was going to ask this in the PM but figured anyone reading might benefit from knowing too... I saw the specs posted above on your Willy's, can you give the specs on the other 2 Gladiators as well?

Sure the Stingray Overland is Diesel, has a 3.5” metal Cloak lift with the Metal Cloak 6pack shocks, OX locker in Rear, regeared to 4.56 with the LSD from the rear moved to the front differential. Black Rhino wheels and 37” tires, the Gobie Rubicon has 6” long arm lift, Dirt Logic shocks and Dirt Logic coil overs in front, regeared to 5.13, KMC Wheels, 40x13.50 17” I don’t know what Fenders and inner fenders he has on it.

 

[tampahoosier]

Sure the Stingray Overland is Diesel, has a 3.5” metal Cloak lift with the Metal Cloak 6pack shocks, OX locker in Rear, regeared to 4.56 with the LSD from the rear moved to the front differential. Black Rhino wheels and 37” tires, the Gobie Rubicon has 6” long arm lift, Dirt Logic shocks and Dirt Logic coil overs in front, regeared to 5.13, KMC Wheels, 40x13.50 17” I don’t know what Fenders and inner fenders he has on it.

Thanks! So you have the lowest setup lift with the 37s and 2.5” MC. That’s good to know, essentially same set up as me. PM inbound… and I do have OnX!

 

[mx5red]

That one is mine, it has a Metal Cloak 2.5” lift, 37” Mickey Thompson Baja boss MT. Other than that it has an OX locker in the rear, the stock LSD was moved from rear to front and Yukon 5.13 gears.

Did you notice any difference between the tires in your group? Review of the Baja boss? Anybody with more/less noticeable traction, chunking tread, etc? Setting the STT Pro’s as the benchmark…

 

[WillVra]

The first day we went down Kane Creek, down hamburger hill (not up) every one aired down the Gobie with 40’s and bead locks went down to 10psi all te way around and the Stingray went to 13 front and 10 rear, my inexperience led me to drop to about 18 all the way around because I knew we were coming out on the highway. They all did good there was a Jeep JL with us with 37x13.50 20 he dropped to about 25 and had noticeable less traction. After driving back down the highway that night mine came up to almost 22psi and when we did hells revenge I did notice that I lost traction a bit more than the stingray on a couple climbs. He has a weight advantage since he’s a diesel. So I went down to 10 on all (it squatted, it steered harder and drove differently on the highway but rode better on the rocks and had way better traction). The guy with the 40’s did have some tread chunk off a bit but he did some more difficult lines than we did, he always picked the hardest we watched and if he had trouble we chose different. All in all the Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ I think I said earlier they were the Baja Boss MT, they ride good they hold true on the road they do well at the beach had great traction in Moab I really like them. They are a bit noisy but it’s a Jeep, down the highway at 75 you can turn loose of the wheel and it holds true no wobble or shake. I run them at 30psi normal driving. The guy with the 40’s had them balanced in Moab and he said that it made a HUGE difference in drivability, no place around San Antonio could balance them for some reason.

 

[rcraighughes]

Awesome. I am headed back out there the first week of May.

My brother is flying in from the East Coast the day before we leave, will be taking both my Jeeps out there, along with another friend, who has a bronco.

Moab may be my favorite place I’ve ever been to. It’s just amazing.


Hoping to do some harder trails this time than I did last year However, my gladiator is not built up as much as the ones in the pictures you posted!

Ill be out there 5/15 - 5/22. Let me know if tat matches up as Id love to run these with some other rigs
Thanks
Craig

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