My 2023 JT Rubicon "Adventure Vehicle" or Off-Road RV Build

[Flyin6]

I am heading up today to pick it up. If it was in the last couple of weeks when you were at AVO you would have seen my truck. I will be regearing, I am sure. Just wanting to see how it handles before I talk with a mechanic to determine the gearing I want.

Yep, I was there/saw it. I was camping over at that lake/campground in Pisgah National forest at the time...cool place. We had a black bear in our campsite one morning when we woke up.

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[813 Fabrication & Design]

THE TRUCK

Well, I recently purchased a 2023 Gladiator Rubicon in "Granite Crystal Gray" as the foundation for my build. Due to the "stop sale order" on both standard transmission and diesel versions I had to get the gas automatic transmission version. I knew I was going to be a little bit heavy when the build was done so the first bit of attention was directed towards the suspension.

I have always been a fan of Australian off-road suspensions so I went with the Dobinsons HD 3-inch lift. If you are going to be heavy you really should check these out. The rear springs are 1,100 lbs rated and the three-way reservoir shocks are a beast. The other components look like they were engineered for a Mack Truck more so than for a Jeep. I like BFG KO-2 tires and I wanted 35 inch tires so I swapped out the rims for the 8 1/2 wide MOPAR rims to handle those tires.

I replaced the front bumper with the ARB "Stubby" bumper upon which is mounted a WARN Zion 10k winch. I run a lot of electronics "in cab" and always have a phone charging too, so I did away with the stock battery system and installed the Genesis Dual Battery System, which I have run on my other Jeeps in the past and it has never let me down when I was out in the "wilds". The batteries I decided upon are the Odyssey Group 25 AGM in 100ah. One of the benefits of this system is that it deletes the small "golf cart" battery that comes stock on the Gladiator and deletes the auto stop/start gizmo they put on these new Jeeps.

The places I go and the things I do in my off-road vehicles always has me wishing for more fuel. So, I installed the LRA (Long Range America) Auxiliary Fuel Tank which gives me an extra 17 gallons of fuel with just the flip of a switch. I also ordered an AEV snorkel with a pre-filter, ARB Diff Covers, Diff Breather Tubes, an electronics accessory bar for the dash so that I can use RAM mounts for all my electronics. I also am installing a number of USB and 12v outlets for my various in cab electronics (Pads, Garmins, InReach, Phone, etc...). Which are in hand now and will be installed when I pick up my truck this coming week from the camper install. While I was getting my camper installed I decided I needed to upgrade my brakes, so I had Ashville Vehicle Outfitters (where I am getting my camper installed) upgrade my brakes with the Power Brake, which is a heavy-duty off-road brake system developed in South Africa where a lot of vehicles are heavy and off-road all the time.

THE CAMPER aka MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

I am 62 years old and have been hunting, fishing, exploring and camping out of vehicles from Alaska to the Everglades and over to Baja and Northern Mexico since I was 16. I have always slept in the bed of the truck, a sleeping platform in the vehicle, a ground tent or a roof top tent and at my age I wanted something easier to set up and break down, comfortable and largely self-contained. When I stumbled across the Alu Cab Canopy Camper I found what I have been looking for since the 1970s. The only problem was they did not make them for the Gladiator, and I wanted a true, solid axle four-wheel drive. I was on the verge of importing an older Land Cruiser "Troopy" for my build when I read that Alu Cab had a canopy camper in the pipeline for Gladiators. I hit the road and found a few on Gladiators and checked them out firsthand and I knew then, that is what I was going to get.

I ordered one for my Gladiator and started the installation using AVO (the closest alu cab dealer to where I live in southwest Georgia). It has the 270 Shadow Awning, the Shower Cube, the 13 Gallon onboard water tank, a pump for the tank with a hose and adjustable "shower head". I also with the 100ah Renogy Lithium Ion Battery for the "House Power", the Redarc 30 DC/DC charger/solar management system, a 200w solar panel, a 1,500 Redarc inverter and the Dickinsons Propane Heater. I am sure I am leaving out a lot. I also went with a Goose Gear plate and the driver side drawer system and storage bin. The photos of the camper installed were sent to me by AVO. It also has mosquito netting and shades that are attached via velcro.

There will be more modifications to come. I will be testing it out this coming week in the mountains of N. Ga, NC and Tennessee and will probably stop by the Jeep Invasion in Pigeon Forge next weekend. I might re-gear depending upon how it handles (probably will be to 4.88). I also am debating a front drive shaft replacement with the Adams two-part drive shaft. I am also on the lookout for a replacement rear bumper with a tire carrier that will let me still use my towing ability for a lightweight trailer if I need to (light weight skiff or boat for fishing). I am also thinking about possibly doing a 2/3 rear seat delete and putting in Goose Gear plates and fridge slide for the fridge/freezer to free up more living space in the future, but I want to see if that is going to be necessary first. I am planning a trip to the North West Territory, the Yukon Territory and Alaska in the near future and will probably be getting the StarLink Mobile System which will probably require me to add more battery power.

I am going to be ordering some molle panels for the interior of my cab, specifically the American Engineering one for above head, in cab for mounting my GMRS radio and a CB (both in hand right now). I will also be adding lights up front for illumination on those trails where you haven't reached the camp site before the sun goes down. I have no doubt that I will be adding stuff to this vehicle until the day I die or get too old to get out there, it is a Jeep after all.

Great looking build! Let me know if there are any other Alu-Cab accessories I can help you with!

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

Very nice build, great quality part choices as well.
If you could get to Overland Expo Mtn West this coming weekend, or likely one of the other locations, search out Aaron Hagar. His Mojave build is similar to this (AluCab, 35" BFG KO2's, etc.) and built for long overlanding trips. He just came back from a 4+ week expedition to Alaska and is headed to Colorado for the expo now. He gave me a full walk-thru of his rig at Overland Expo West in AZ earlier this year. It is amazing. Well worth checking out if anyone gets the opportunity to see it in person.

Aaron's build is awesome and he is one of the coolest guys you will ever meet!

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

I love all these overland rigs, I just wish there were some with A/C involved in the build. I go on week long fishing trips along the gulf coast and currently pull my cargo trailer fishing shack conversion with A/C so I can sleep cool and out of the humidity (coastal air is damp).
Has anyone built an overland rig with A/C for sleeping in hot weather?

I am working on a diesel heater kit now. A/C will be next to try and work out!

 

[T-Rock]

Aaron's build is awesome and he is one of the coolest guys you will ever meet!

Agree - very personable & certainly into vehicles, especially his offroad builds. Always fun to hang out with him!

 

[obrianmcc]

How did it settle even with the HD springs ... isn't the Alu Cab something like 1100 lbs?

 

[fourfa]

Bare Alu-Cab is ~480 lbs before any interior accessories. But it wouldn’t surprise me if some fully built-out installs with every option are that much

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

How did it settle even with the HD springs ... isn't the Alu Cab something like 1100 lbs?

I would say mine is close to that fully loaded with gear, awning, shower cube, etc. I have Dobinson HD 2" in rear, 3" in front and I don't really see any squat. It drives great! I also have Fox 2.5 shocks

 

[Jay61]

How did it settle even with the HD springs ... isn't the Alu Cab something like 1100 lbs?

I have the Dobinsons 3-inch lift with the HD springs and three-way shocks, and I have no sag at all. I actually softened up the rear shocks for a while, but when I was on the interstate I decided to go back to a stiffer setting.

 

[Jay61]

I am working on a diesel heater kit now. A/C will be next to try and work out!

Living in Southwest GA and spending a lot of time all over Florida, I will be first in line for a practical air-conditioning solution.

 

[Brandon Glads]

Nice build

Kodi​

 

[Dog Dad]

Very nice!May I ask what size tires are on those rims?

 

[Jay61]

Very nice!May I ask what size tires are on those rims?

Sorry it took so long, been on an extended trip in the rig, just getting settled in back home. the are the KO2 35x12.5x17, while they are Mopar rims, they are the 8.5 that I replaced the 7.5s with.

 

[Dog Dad]

Thanks for getting back to me.

 

[Jay61]

Well, back from an extended trip to northern Minnesota from southwest Georgia in the rig. I had a blast. One thing I added before the trip was a Hellwig sway bar and that made the highway performance stellar, did away with all the roll. The primary purpose of the trip was to explore, test the vehicle, do some fishing and do some hunting along with living out of the vehicle.

Well, I had a blast. I bumped into a childhood friend from my hometown who moved away and has been in the outdoors writing industry his whole life, he just retired from Real Tree after 30 years and he was going to an "industry" grouse camp for a week of hunting. He got there early, and we hung out and chased pink salmon with our fly rods for a few days.

The rig met all my expectations, and I got a number of ideas about storage of gear during the trip. The truck handled offroad, sketchy conditions without a hitch, and setting up camp by myself was a breeze, takes maybe a minute and a half if I deploy the awning, and about the same time to break down camp. Here are a few photos from the trip.

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