Owner and consumer Test Drive Reviews

[EvLwMn]

Thanks Gvsukids. Point taken. Also, for the record, I will buy a manual not an automatic trans. I hate automatics. Haven’t owned one for 30 years. And I think I that may help as well as you have more control over the vehicle with a stick.

If anyone else has any words of wisdom or opinions I am all ears. I will not make this decision lightly, and if I discover it’s too much like a pick up I will likely just purchase another Wrangler, even though the bed on the Gladiator would be most helpful.

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[EvLwMn]

It will make it worse on wet roads, snow, ice, ect.

So you are saying the Trac Lock/limited slip diff would make it more squirrelly?

 

[Mtneerdan]

So you are saying the Trac Lock/limited slip diff would make it more squirrelly?

Yeah. Open diff puts the power to the wheel losing traction, often leaving one wheel travelling the same speed as the vehicle, retaining some traction and keeping it in a straight line on the road. Closing the diff makes both wheels spin 100% of the time, leading to sideways situations.

 

[Incommando]

Hi everyone. I’m new here. I haven’t bought a Gladiator yet but am seriously considering. I currently drive a Wrangler Sahara 2 door. My main concern about the Gladiator doesn’t seem to be addressed anywhere so I came here to ask.

My question is, does the Gladiator handle like a pickup truck? Allow me to explain.

I test drive a Gladiator and know it has a better ride than the Wrangler (or at least my Wrangler). I don’t care much about the loose steering as I’m used to it and don’t care about that. My concern is, how does it handle on wet roads? I live in West Virginia and am constantly seeing pick up trucks in the ditch because they simply slide off the road, or spin out if they hit a bit of water/wet on the road. That is why I don’t want a pickup truck. They are squirrelly when the roads are a little wet or slippery. I rarely drive my Wrangler in 4H, only in a bad snow storm, roads haven’t been plowed or can’t be kept up with, have to climb a muddy slope, etc. NEVER on the roads because of rain. And I don’t want to have to use 4WD just because of a little rain. I bought a Jeep because I live on a mountain and have to deal with mud and snow. It’s not a play vehicle, it’s a utility vehicle. So finding information on how this vehicle handles will determine if I buy one or not.

So, again I ask, does this vehicle handle like a pickup truck, or is it more stable like a Wrangler?

Thanks everyone!

Mine handles wet roads more like my JKU did than a traditional pickup. As stated above I think the placement of the rear axle puts more weight on it.

 

[88mmm]

It will make it worse on wet roads, snow, ice, ect.

Yeah. Open diff puts the power to the wheel losing traction, often leaving one wheel travelling the same speed as the vehicle, retaining some traction and keeping it in a straight line on the road. Closing the diff makes both wheels spin 100% of the time, leading to sideways situations.

This is ridiculous. The LSD does not lead to sideways situations. This forum is the only place I've ever seen this. There is a reason most sports cars come with an LSD and it's to gain traction and avoid sideways situation. The trac lock is great in the snow, wet, etc.. That is what it is for!

 

[EvLwMn]

Mine handles wet roads more like my JKU did than a traditional pickup. As stated above I think the placement of the rear axle puts more weight on it.

Ok awesome. That’s what I wanted to know. As long as it handles more like a Wrangler and not a pickup I’m good. Honestly I don’t mind the sloppy steering or the rough ride of my Wrangler. Frankly I look at it as a little truck and it drives like a little truck. If I wasn’t in a position where the open bed on the Gladiator would be very useful, I would likely just trade this Wrangler in on another one. I love my Wrangler, but it’s 9 years old and time for a newer model. That’s why I’m looking into the Gladiator.

 

[Mtneerdan]

This is ridiculous. The LSD does not lead to sideways situations. This forum is the only place I've ever seen this. There is a reason most sports cars come with an LSD and it's to gain traction and avoid sideways situation. The trac lock is great in the snow, wet, etc.. That is what it is for!

Ok

 

[Retro Bait]

Hi everyone. I’m new here. I haven’t bought a Gladiator yet but am seriously considering. I currently drive a Wrangler Sahara 2 door. My main concern about the Gladiator doesn’t seem to be addressed anywhere so I came here to ask.

My question is, does the Gladiator handle like a pickup truck? Allow me to explain.

I test drive a Gladiator and know it has a better ride than the Wrangler (or at least my Wrangler). I don’t care much about the loose steering as I’m used to it and don’t care about that. My concern is, how does it handle on wet roads? I live in West Virginia and am constantly seeing pick up trucks in the ditch because they simply slide off the road, or spin out if they hit a bit of water/wet on the road. That is why I don’t want a pickup truck. They are squirrelly when the roads are a little wet or slippery. I rarely drive my Wrangler in 4H, only in a bad snow storm, roads haven’t been plowed or can’t be kept up with, have to climb a muddy slope, etc. NEVER on the roads because of rain. And I don’t want to have to use 4WD just because of a little rain. I bought a Jeep because I live on a mountain and have to deal with mud and snow. It’s not a play vehicle, it’s a utility vehicle. So finding information on how this vehicle handles will determine if I buy one or not.

So, again I ask, does this vehicle handle like a pickup truck, or is it more stable like a Wrangler?

Thanks everyone!

I have had CJ's in the past and they handled like shopping carts compared to the newer generation. Owned several pickups, the last two being a 2004 tacoma and a 2012 tundra. The tacoma you DID NOT drive on an icy road without 4wd engaged, it would swap ends in a heartbeat. The tundra with stability control was good but could easily break traction on wet/ icy roads in 2wd.

This gladiator seems very well balanced. The night I picked it up I drove the last 20 miles in snow with 3" laying on the road, just what I wanted to do. I was impressed with it immediately in 2wd, did fine and better than the previous trucks I owned.

It will also climb my gravel driveway in 2wd without spinning. neither of the previous or company trucks I had would do this.

I cannot answer if it is stable like a wrangler because the only one I ever drove was lifted and worn out. I can tell you it is as adept on the road if not more so than any suv or pickup I have driven, including a Lexus.

 

[Mtneerdan]

This is ridiculous. The LSD does not lead to sideways situations. This forum is the only place I've ever seen this. There is a reason most sports cars come with an LSD and it's to gain traction and avoid sideways situation. The trac lock is great in the snow, wet, etc.. That is what it is for!

Lets go ahead and end this one where it started.

From Wikipedia:

"Furthermore, automatically locking differentials can cause a loss of control on ice where an open differential would allow one wheel to spin and the other to hold, while not transferring power."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locking_differential

Now you've seen it somewhere beside "on this forum". Might want to google "locking differential, drifting" also.

 

[Incommando]

Against my better judgment: an LSD is not an automatic locking differential. Although there are similarities they are not the same. The limited slip differential is not a locker and is much more linear and/or predictable, if you will.

 

[5JeepsAz]

@EvLwMn , if you are looking for a reason to keep your 2d, ok. This is a truck. Have some weight available for the bed when you need. Use 4X4 when you need for handling. Truth is good drivers keep the shiny side up no matter what vehicle they are in, and bad drivers pay way more in insurance cause, well, because bad drivers. That 2dr box is way more slippery than any truck, as it should be, and if you need proof for yourself rent or test drive. Also, check in the manual threads on this forum when you get yours! These AT guys don't know anything like the MT guys. Go 2drs!

 

[Mtneerdan]

Against my better judgment: an LSD is not an automatic locking differential. Although there are similarities they are not the same. The limited slip differential is not a locker and is much more linear and/or predictable, if you will.

It's all a matter of degrees/compromise.

 

[88mmm]

Lets go ahead and end this one where it started.

From Wikipedia:

"Furthermore, automatically locking differentials can cause a loss of control on ice where an open differential would allow one wheel to spin and the other to hold, while not transferring power."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locking_differential

Now you've seen it somewhere beside "on this forum". Might want to google "locking differential, drifting" also.

This has nothing to do with a limited slip differential. An lsd is not in anyway a locking differential. Drifters weld their differentials so both wheels spin like the lockers on a rubicon.

 

[Mtneerdan]

This has nothing to do with a limited slip differential. An lsd is not in anyway a locking differential. Drifters weld their differentials so both wheels spin like the lockers on a rubicon.

It has everything to do with an lsd, in that an lsd has the potential to cause the rear to break sideways traction by redirecting power to the wheel that is not spinning, which is exactly what it does and is designed to do. The poster i originally responded to suggested that an lsd might make the rear LESS squirrelly. An lsd has zero potential to make the rear less squirrelly, and has every opportunity to make it more squirrelly, or prone to getting sideways by getting both wheels loose, instead of one, on slippery surfaces. An lsd has zero ability to increase your coefficient of friction or add traction, it can only redirect power. This is just basic physics.

This is not a disortation on the effectiveness of lsd's in snow and ice. They are an effective tool if the individual driving knows what behaviour to expect, is prepared for their effects, and knows how to drive with them. That has nothing to do with the known fact that rear spools, lockers, and lsd's, increase the squirrelly rear end effects in snow and ice and other slippery conditions, to varying degrees.

 

[Gvsukids]

I have had CJ's in the past and they handled like shopping carts compared to the newer generation. Owned several pickups, the last two being a 2004 tacoma and a 2012 tundra. The tacoma you DID NOT drive on an icy road without 4wd engaged, it would swap ends in a heartbeat. The tundra with stability control was good but could easily break traction on wet/ icy roads in 2wd.

This gladiator seems very well balanced. The night I picked it up I drove the last 20 miles in snow with 3" laying on the road, just what I wanted to do. I was impressed with it immediately in 2wd, did fine and better than the previous trucks I owned.

It will also climb my gravel driveway in 2wd without spinning. neither of the previous or company trucks I had would do this.

I cannot answer if it is stable like a wrangler because the only one I ever drove was lifted and worn out. I can tell you it is as adept on the road if not more so than any suv or pickup I have driven, including a Lexus.

Do you have any trac lock, or limited slip diff options on your gladiator?

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