Jlarsen34
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- Thread starter
- #1
Condensed Version at the bottom
I picked up my gladiator late February and immediately started ordering parts in hopes of going to ESJ 2020 (RIP). I decided to start with amour first and spend some time wheeling to decide what the next upgrade would be. I've added a front stubby bumper, winch, rock sliders, and Rubicon Express's engine and transmission skid plates (since removed for now). With all the additional weight added to the front/sides, the front end expectedly sagged quite a bit. After install, i took the jeep out for a quick shake down to ensure all the new parts weren't rattling. Minor bumps in the road were fine but large pot holes made a terrible metallic ding. As if something under the jeep was loose. I double checked the bolts were tight. I ran out of time to finish troubleshooting but thought it was a factory flag nut that needed to be bent out of the way of the catalytic converter. When installing, directions call for flipping the upper control arm bolts around so the flag nut is on the inside of the frame by the catalytic converters. The front drive shaft goes under the loop on the left side of the skid plate (picture attached). About a week went by before i drove the jeep again. Since then the front suspension had sagged more than when i drove the first day. Just about every decent sized crack in the road caused the same metallic noise as before. It was snowing a fair bit so i put the T case in 4H. Now each bump i hit, made a terrible whine/grind. The front driveshaft was hitting the loop on the skid plate. I put the T case in 2H immediately after connecting the dots. When i got home and climbed under the jeep, there was about 1/2" or so of space between the top of the front drive shaft and the skid plate loop. I've since removed the skid plate. I think these skid plates would work if i had more bump stop. I wouldn't recommend with stock suspension (at least on a Sport S Max Tow) even without the added weight of bumpers and rock sliders, due to the up travel putting the front driveshaft in contact with the skid plate. Luckily my front drive shaft was okay. There weren't any dings/scratches but the paint did chip off where the driveshaft was spinning and hitting the skid plates.
On a separate but related thought, has anyone found skid plates that work with stock suspension for the gladiators? The guy at 4WP said the front half of the frame was the same as the JL. I ordered the EVO engine/trans skid prior to removing the Rubicon Express ones. I had to cancel though since the front mounting location of the EVO plates was to the bottom of the engine mounts. The gladiator's engine mounts are different for some reason. Someone on amazon asked if it would fit a gladiator and a purchaser said no. I probably should have listened.
Condensed Version
Stock suspension on Sport S Max Tow models (I assume all trims except maybe the rubicon) has enough up travel to put the front drive shaft in contact with the skid plate. With a front bumper, winch and rock sliders, the suspension sagged enough to contact the front driveshaft when hitting mild imperfections in the road during normal day to day driving. With a lift and/or more bump stop, i'm sure these skid plate would work just fine.
I picked up my gladiator late February and immediately started ordering parts in hopes of going to ESJ 2020 (RIP). I decided to start with amour first and spend some time wheeling to decide what the next upgrade would be. I've added a front stubby bumper, winch, rock sliders, and Rubicon Express's engine and transmission skid plates (since removed for now). With all the additional weight added to the front/sides, the front end expectedly sagged quite a bit. After install, i took the jeep out for a quick shake down to ensure all the new parts weren't rattling. Minor bumps in the road were fine but large pot holes made a terrible metallic ding. As if something under the jeep was loose. I double checked the bolts were tight. I ran out of time to finish troubleshooting but thought it was a factory flag nut that needed to be bent out of the way of the catalytic converter. When installing, directions call for flipping the upper control arm bolts around so the flag nut is on the inside of the frame by the catalytic converters. The front drive shaft goes under the loop on the left side of the skid plate (picture attached). About a week went by before i drove the jeep again. Since then the front suspension had sagged more than when i drove the first day. Just about every decent sized crack in the road caused the same metallic noise as before. It was snowing a fair bit so i put the T case in 4H. Now each bump i hit, made a terrible whine/grind. The front driveshaft was hitting the loop on the skid plate. I put the T case in 2H immediately after connecting the dots. When i got home and climbed under the jeep, there was about 1/2" or so of space between the top of the front drive shaft and the skid plate loop. I've since removed the skid plate. I think these skid plates would work if i had more bump stop. I wouldn't recommend with stock suspension (at least on a Sport S Max Tow) even without the added weight of bumpers and rock sliders, due to the up travel putting the front driveshaft in contact with the skid plate. Luckily my front drive shaft was okay. There weren't any dings/scratches but the paint did chip off where the driveshaft was spinning and hitting the skid plates.
On a separate but related thought, has anyone found skid plates that work with stock suspension for the gladiators? The guy at 4WP said the front half of the frame was the same as the JL. I ordered the EVO engine/trans skid prior to removing the Rubicon Express ones. I had to cancel though since the front mounting location of the EVO plates was to the bottom of the engine mounts. The gladiator's engine mounts are different for some reason. Someone on amazon asked if it would fit a gladiator and a purchaser said no. I probably should have listened.
Condensed Version
Stock suspension on Sport S Max Tow models (I assume all trims except maybe the rubicon) has enough up travel to put the front drive shaft in contact with the skid plate. With a front bumper, winch and rock sliders, the suspension sagged enough to contact the front driveshaft when hitting mild imperfections in the road during normal day to day driving. With a lift and/or more bump stop, i'm sure these skid plate would work just fine.
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