Off Road question

[Gobi Wan K]

Back when I was more in the Jeep club game I would always encourage new members to go on a ride with us before doing anything to their Jeep. Every one of them were amazed at the capability of a stock Jeep. It will impress you. The best bang for your buck comes from tire changes. I never had a rear locker in any of my Jeeps until I got this Rubicon. And I would go anywhere I wanted. Best advice is what was already mentioned, go out, play with it, and when you find something you can't do then mod.

Sponsored

 

[WK2JT]

I find that I run out of clearance before traction given the wheelbase. I have an Overland with the Mopar 2” lift, 37” tires, & 5.13 gears. I’ve done Fins & Things in Moab and several 5-6 rated trails (Trails Off-road ratings) here in CO with no problem. I just ran Hackett Gulch today. Nice and easy with the throttle and let the BLD do its job. I’ve been debating lockers now that Eaton has released their e-locker, but beginning to think they will just get me into trouble considering what I have been able to do with open diffs.

 

[Aonarch]

I just went on an all day offroading trip in the Tennessee Mountains.

Not a single locker was engaged on the trip in our caravan. Including the rock shelf obstacles.

OP, what you need is clearance and bigger tires.

We do not allow stock Gladiators including stock Rubicons on these trips because of clearance.

Minimum of a 2.5" lift and 35s are needed for any real offroading. Someone is going to say, I did so and so trail stock. Great, good for you. In my area (Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia) a stock truck would get damaged.

I'll never go rock crawling in my Gladiator. It's really big. To do legit rock crawling and not worry about damage, I'd want Dana 60s or 80s on 40" tires. By then the factory lockers would be left in the stock axles anyways.

Pictures always flatten out the elevation.

I skipped this obstacle even though I have a 2.5" lift on 35s. Everyone else in my group had 37s and at least a 2.5" lift. Most had 3.5-4".

They had an easy time on the trip. I had to be much more careful and still scraped a few times.

I'm not discounting lockers at all. This is actually the first 4x4 that doesn't at least have a rear locker for me.

It's just for my use case, I don't need lockers. But I have a winch and recovery gear for when that statement comes to bite me in the ass.

 

[SmartyJones]

I just went on an all day offroading trip in the Tennessee Mountains.

Not a single locker was engaged on the trip in our caravan. Including the rock shelf obstacles.

OP, what you need is clearance and bigger tires.

We do not allow stock Gladiators including stock Rubicons on these trips because of clearance.

Minimum of a 2.5" lift and 35s are needed for any real offroading. Someone is going to say, I did so and so trail stock. Great, good for you. In my area (Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia) a stock truck would get damaged.

I'll never go rock crawling in my Gladiator. It's really big. To do legit rock crawling and not worry about damage, I'd want Dana 60s or 80s on 40" tires. By then the factory lockers would be left in the stock axles anyways.

Pictures always flatten out the elevation.

I skipped this obstacle even though I have a 2.5" lift on 35s. Everyone else in my group had 37s and at least a 2.5" lift. Most had 3.5-4".

They had an easy time on the trip. I had to be much more careful and still scraped a few times.

I'm not discounting lockers at all. This is actually the first 4x4 that doesn't at least have a rear locker for me.

It's just for my use case, I don't need lockers. But I have a winch and recovery gear for when that statement comes to bite me in the ass.

Awesome pictures! Thank you so much for your feedback. Seems the general consensus is tires and a lift trump lockers for being able to do most things. Now the research begins on lifts and tires. Should we start a new 35 vs 37 debate or just tack on to another ?

 

[Aonarch]

Awesome pictures! Thank you so much for your feedback. Seems the general consensus is tires and a lift trump lockers for being able to do most things. Now the research begins on lifts and tires. Should we start a new 35 vs 37 debate or just tack on to another ?

I'm on 35s, because I only go wheeling once a quarter.

I work from home and have a second car, so I easily could live with 37s if I wanted. I'd have to regear regardless.

This is my motorcycle and dirt bike tow rig. Which, like all of my cars, I can't leave stock.

 

[jac04]

Seems the general consensus is tires and a lift trump lockers for being able to do most things. Now the research begins on lifts and tires. Should we start a new 35 vs 37 debate or just tack on to another ?

Don't forget about gearing. Big tires are useless if your gearing is wrong. Unfortunately, with the JT having such a long wheelbase, you need to go with fairly big tires like 37s to get over more challenging terrain. It seems that a lot of people forget about proper gearing because it doesn't make your vehicle look any cooler.

Side story: I was wheeling my very unassuming looking 2-door JK Rubicon yesterday (4.10s, 33s and a 2" lift). I watched a bunch of big-tired and big-lifted vehicles struggle with a rocky climb - lots of tire-spinning and bouncing around, only to eventually go around. I pressed the easy buttons (sway bar disconnect & both lockers) and crawled right up it with no drama. They looked at me like I had lobsters coming out of my ears.

 

[AZCooWhip]

While some will disagree with me, but lockers should only be a last resort. My wife and I attended an event in Moab held by a very reputable survival/recovery team. They taught us to rely on your ability and not what may or may not have available through your equipment. Equipment fails.

One thing they did teach us was the “2 footed” approach to getting traction. If you use both the brake pedal and the gas you in essence will have “lockers”. You trick the computer to sending power to all wheels instead of just the wheel the computer “feels” has most traction.

Neither the wife nor I have grabbed our lockers since that class. Now mind you, we are not doing level 9/10 stuff, but we are crawling through areas where other Jeepers are using lockers.

Your vehicle is more capable than most will be comfortable in doing. Just be smart in your decisions. Know to the best of your ability of what lies ahead and plan.

Pic is some stuff the wifey was wheeling in her JL ....she hasn’t grabbed a locker since she bought her Chief.

 

[KHam]

Have yet to do any off roadimg in the new gladiator. How capable is it without front and rear lockers? I know if you’re worried about it should have got a rubicon, but I don’t off road much. Reason is went to an off road class and did a lot of stuff where they had us use the front and rear lockers and now I have questions ?

They are very capable without the lockers but it all depends on what you mean by "offroading". That means something different to everyone. For some that means driving down a gravel road and going though a small mud puddle. For others it can mean crawling over boulders the size of smart cars and through rivers 4 feet deep. Most people just want to trail ride and just don't want to get stuck if they venture off to more challenging areas.

But what if you had lockers? There are some things that really need lockers to get you out especially in a lot of off-camber situations where you might have a wheel up in the air. Your 4WD is actually a 2WD in those situations without lockers since you have 1 wheel in front and 1 wheel in back that have traction. Limited slip makes a huge difference in closing the gap and is the next best thing.

A simple example... here's mine on a quick ride to shake down my freshly installed suspension and hydraulic bump stops. At about 2:30 minutes into the video you see me climbing a wet, near vertical climb. (Oklahoma wet and slick clay is nasty.) Even with fully locked front and back you see me slipping around but the long wheelbase of the Gladiator makes it exceptional climber for this. You would not make this without lockers. I tried this same climb with my JK Rubicon that also had 37's and fully locked and could not make this climb without a LOT of speed to get up the first part. You'll notice the quads and side by sides out there avoiding it and going to the side.

My Gladiator has the RK 3" Pro-X suspension and 37" tires. The "clunk" you hear on rough terrain is the hydraulic bumpstops engaging the the metal axle pads. It sucks up the bumps well but noisy.

 

[AZCooWhip]

As far as Gladiators ....they are very capable rock crawlers and should be taken off road.

Same as above .....no lockers grabbed yet.

 

[SmartyJones]

While some will disagree with me, but lockers should only be a last resort. My wife and I attended an event in Moab held by a very reputable survival/recovery team. They taught us to rely on your ability and not what may or may not have available through your equipment. Equipment fails.

One thing they did teach us was the “2 footed” approach to getting traction. If you use both the brake pedal and the gas you in essence will have “lockers”. You trick the computer to sending power to all wheels instead of just the wheel the computer “feels” has most traction.

Neither the wife nor I have grabbed our lockers since that class. Now mind you, we are not doing level 9/10 stuff, but we are crawling through areas where other Jeepers are using lockers.

Your vehicle is more capable than most will be comfortable in doing. Just be smart in your decisions. Know to the best of your ability of what lies ahead and plan.

Pic is some stuff the wifey was wheeling in her JL ....she hasn’t grabbed a locker since she bought her Chief.

That is awesome! Thanks so much for the input. I am really stoaked about taking the Gladiator off road and learning what it can do.

 

[Gvsukids]

My next item for off-roading is a winch. Then I can get by without lockers.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I don’t like the wait to use the locker(s) approach. But this applies to Michigan/Ohio/Indiana wheeling where it’s often wet and muddy and you need momentum.

 

[SmartyJones]

As far as Gladiators ....they are very capable rock crawlers and should be taken off road.

Same as above .....no lockers grabbed yet.

Awesome pictures!

 

[SmartyJones]

They are very capable without the lockers but it all depends on what you mean by "offroading". That means something different to everyone. For some that means driving down a gravel road and going though a small mud puddle. For others it can mean crawling over boulders the size of smart cars and through rivers 4 feet deep. Most people just want to trail ride and just don't want to get stuck if they venture off to more challenging areas.

But what if you had lockers? There are some things that really need lockers to get you out especially in a lot of off-camber situations where you might have a wheel up in the air. Your 4WD is actually a 2WD in those situations without lockers since you have 1 wheel in front and 1 wheel in back that have traction. Limited slip makes a huge difference in closing the gap and is the next best thing.

A simple example... here's mine on a quick ride to shake down my freshly installed suspension and hydraulic bump stops. At about 2:30 minutes into the video you see me climbing a wet, near vertical climb. (Oklahoma wet and slick clay is nasty.) Even with fully locked front and back you see me slipping around but the long wheelbase of the Gladiator makes it exceptional climber for this. You would not make this without lockers. I tried this same climb with my JK Rubicon that also had 37's and fully locked and could not make this climb without a LOT of speed to get up the first part. You'll notice the quads and side by sides out there avoiding it and going to the side.

My Gladiator has the RK 3" Pro-X suspension and 37" tires. The "clunk" you hear on rough terrain is the hydraulic bumpstops engaging the the metal axle pads. It sucks up the bumps well but noisy.

Climbing that hill like Rocky on the steps! That was sweet!

 

[dcmdon]

What kind of off roading? I bought a Mojave for the SoCal deserts and doubt I'll engage my only locker ( rear ) ever if at all.

I did tons in Anza Borrego this past weekend - very soft sand, moderate rocks, never once used the locker. Air your tires down, have a way to reinflate them when you get back on pavement and you'll do most off roading.

If you wanna do all the crazy "Jeep stuff" you see people in 2 door Wranglers do, you can't do that in any Gladiator, including a Rubicon with both lockers.

Start small, get to know your truck. If you need lockers later, add them.

PS: Not knocking the Rubicon, it's rad. It was a long process deciding between it and the Mojave and I know it is more capable when its lockers and other things like the 4:1 are needed. I just finally realized I won't be in those places. My point is, don't look across the fence. Enjoy your Jeep.

Its almost impossible to make up for the long wheelbase. There is stuff a 2 door wrangler Willys can do that a Gladiator Rubicon can't do.

Sponsored