RudeJeepin's JTRD Journey

[RudeJeepin]

Starting this to help keep track of my Gladiator and how it changes. Probably no serious changes, and things won't happen too fast. But here goes.

After some back and forth with my local dealer we finally found a Gladiator that met my wants.
Brought this 22JTRD home on Tuesday, 5/3/22 to meet its older siblings. 21JLURD

Not pictured is my 79 CJ5, which has moved along, and my son's 99 TJ Sahara.
We immediately jumped a plane for San Francisco for a few days. Missed my Gladdy the whole time, but we had fun.

Waiting for the plane.

Thankful our accommodation were nicer than those on Alcatraz.

A little cultural experience in China Town, we both found it entertaining and well worth while.

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[Jefe1018]

I was getting to say you really stayed in a dump…. Then I realized it was probably a tour.

Congrats on the JT. Diesels will be a rare breed in a few years regardless of what others will say.

 

[RudeJeepin]

I was getting to say you really stayed in a dump…. Then I realized it was probably a tour.

Congrats on the JT. Diesels will be a rare breed in a few years regardless of what others will say.

Yep, that was a tour of Alcatraz.

Thanks, my 22JTRD was to replace the 21JLURD that was originally mine, but the wife fell in love with and had to have.
I love the performance of the diesel, both power and economy. The fuel range of the diesel was what finally sold us on getting back into Jeeps as main/daily rigs.

 

[RudeJeepin]

6/20/22
Next loaded up a couple of kayaks in the back and headed for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. No picture of them loaded, but if you hook the tailgate in the half open mode, it works pretty good.

Usually this is a grass meadow.

Started planning a trip to Disneyland with camping stops both ways. So I picked up a tent and an air mattress. Figured it would work for starters, maybe we'll upgrade to a RTT later.

Test run in the driveway. The air mattress has a built in 110v pump, which I plug into the Gladiator's outlet inside the cab.

6/30/22 7:55am

Loaded up and heading out. Just the wife and I so everything is in the back of the cab. Traveling light, meals will be cold or drive thru this trip.
Stayed at the Mill Cr Campground in the Redwoods the first night, no pics but gorgeous spot to hide out.
The second night we stayed at Colonel Allensworth State Park Campground. Middle of no where, but clean and inexpensive. Before warned though...

This guy was in the bathroom.

Third night was in Anaheim.

Trip down, pretty impressed, kept up with traffic the whole way, passed cars going up north side of grapevine.
Spent time at Disneyland, California Adventure, Universal Studios. Went the long way from Universal back to the hotel in Anaheim via Mulholland Dr and Laurel Canyon, by Grauman's Chinese Theater. Mostly highballed it home, through Big Sur, stayed in Monterey. Seen some wildlife on the way.

Elephant Seal Vista Point, just north of San Simeon. Wife reminded me.

Crescent City area.

Had to get home. My great nephew had his 1st birthday party, couldn't miss that. He shares a birthday with my wife.


Tent...
Napier Backroadz Truck Tent https://a.co/d/fkOPVem

Air Mattress...
Intex Dura Beam Standard Pillow Rest Classic Airbed with Internal Pump, Full https://a.co/d/1oifhOH

 

[RudeJeepin]

8/27/22
Niece's birthday.

Mine, my mom's, my youngest boy's, and my daughter's. Guess you could sy we're a Jeep family. I've even rubbed off on my inlaws, he has a 21JLU Sahara Diesel and she has a 2016 Grand Cherokee.

8/4/22

Hooked up to my still in progress convertion cargo/camp trailer.
Pulled fine, stopped ok. Headed to the Oregon Coast.


9/20/22

Got the RedArc trailer brake installed.
Hooked up to the Cargo trailer again, this time loaded with 3 dualsport motorcycles and headed to Southern Oregon. Took my 2 boys with to a group ride in Prospect.
Having the trailer brake controller and tow mirrors made the pull that much more relaxing.

Tow Mirrors...have to order 2 to get each side covered...
CIPA 11950 Clip-On Towing Mirror Black & Silver, 15.75 Inch https://a.co/d/242cNyy

 

[RudeJeepin]

10/31/22
Winter is on the way, needed more dry storage. Found this on sale locally so I grabbed it.

Part number just case anyone's interested.
Loaded up some more recovery gear, etc. Took the boys hunting, not very productive, but we had fun.

12/15/22

Installed a Rough Country bumper and Warn VR EVO 10 winch. Had to jump on the winch cause Warn had a promo going.

1/1/23

Added some Husky LongJohn mud flaps.

2/10/23

De-pinned the battery on my Warn remote for the recall.

 

[RudeJeepin]

2/12/23
DIY seat slammer.
Originally I did the "seat jackers", liked the angle, but didn't liked the "raised" feeling I got.

Made a little jig, spaced the holes by 1 inch. Hold it up against the slider and mark the holes. 0.5 inches from top edge to first hole, 0.5 inches to ink line, 0.5 inches to second hole.

Drill the holes.

Drill out to 5/16.

Line up the tape with the holes and then cut along the ink line.
Then I removed the lower portion of the leg. Deburred everything. Bent the points on the lower portion out slightly.

Placed the lower potion over the upper, aligned the holes I drilled, add a 5/16 bolt, reinstall the lower bolt into the floor. Slowly tighten both bolts until everything is tight.

I love the angle and now I don't feel like I'm sitting too high.
Try at your own risk, I take no responsibility. But I love mine.

Along the way I added a phone mount.

Local pharmacy had it for $9, figured why not. We have one in the parts runner t work and they do OK. I've been looking at the OffRoam mount that hooks to the vent. Figured I would try this, if I like the position and whatnot, I could upgrade later. Like where it's at, may just keep this, may upgrade to the OffRoam. Who know for now.


This bring us up to date for now. I'll add more as I do more, but it will be a slow long term journey. I had my last Jeep over 25 years, plan to keep this one just as long or longer. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. Stay tuned.

 

[AHenry014]

Nice job on the DIY slammer. I might just copy you on that. I have the same thought on my jackers. I'm 5' 10" and initially felt that the seat was too high for me bottomed via the side lever. I added the jackers, which helped with comfort, but definitely makes the feeling of sitting to high even worse. The worst deal is having my eyeline dead even with the rearview mirror. I either have to duck to see below it or peer above it to see that direction. Seems both our opinions go against the mass opinion, and the selection chart on DDI. Not sure why that is other than people having a more leniency then either of us on this. I understand its a permanent modification, but one can always raise the seat to regain any feeling of being too low? amirite?

 

[Caraholic]

8/27/22
Niece's birthday.

Mine, my mom's, my youngest boy's, and my daughter's. Guess you could sy we're a Jeep family. I've even rubbed off on my inlaws, he has a 21JLU Sahara Diesel and she has a 2016 Grand Cherokee.

8/4/22

Hooked up to my still in progress convertion cargo/camp trailer.
Pulled fine, stopped ok. Headed to the Oregon Coast.


9/20/22

Got the RedArc trailer brake installed.
Hooked up to the Cargo trailer again, this time loaded with 3 dualsport motorcycles and headed to Southern Oregon. Took my 2 boys with to a group ride in Prospect.
Having the trailer brake controller and tow mirrors made the pull that much more relaxing.

Tow Mirrors...have to order 2 to get each side covered...
CIPA 11950 Clip-On Towing Mirror Black & Silver, 15.75 Inch https://a.co/d/242cNyy

Man that neighborhood looks like it’s around the corner from me….

 

[RudeJeepin]

Nice job on the DIY slammer. I might just copy you on that. I have the same thought on my jackers. I'm 5' 10" and initially felt that the seat was too high for me bottomed via the side lever. I added the jackers, which helped with comfort, but definitely makes the feeling of sitting to high even worse. The worst deal is having my eyeline dead even with the rearview mirror. I either have to duck to see below it or peer above it to see that direction. Seems both our opinions go against the mass opinion, and the selection chart on DDI. Not sure why that is other than people having a more leniency then either of us on this. I understand its a permanent modification, but one can always raise the seat to regain any feeling of being too low? amirite?

Yes, it's not easily reversible, guess a person could always buy new seat frames. I don't plan on selling mine anytime soon.
And yes, you can pump the seat up with the side lever if you feel it's too low.

 

[RudeJeepin]

2/10/23

De-pinned the battery on my Warn remote for the recal

Yesterday I got an email from Warn, they wanted my physical address. Jamie said they don't ship to PO boxes.
Will be looking for my new remote to show up soon.

 

[CJ99x]

2/12/23
DIY seat slammer.
Originally I did the "seat jackers", liked the angle, but didn't liked the "raised" feeling I got.

Made a little jig, spaced the holes by 1 inch. Hold it up against the slider and mark the holes. 0.5 inches from top edge to first hole, 0.5 inches to ink line, 0.5 inches to second hole.

Drill the holes.

Drill out to 5/16.

Line up the tape with the holes and then cut along the ink line.
Then I removed the lower portion of the leg. Deburred everything. Bent the points on the lower portion out slightly.

Placed the lower potion over the upper, aligned the holes I drilled, add a 5/16 bolt, reinstall the lower bolt into the floor. Slowly tighten both bolts until everything is tight.

I love the angle and now I don't feel like I'm sitting too high.
Try at your own risk, I take no responsibility. But I love mine.

Along the way I added a phone mount.

Local pharmacy had it for $9, figured why not. We have one in the parts runner t work and they do OK. I've been looking at the OffRoam mount that hooks to the vent. Figured I would try this, if I like the position and whatnot, I could upgrade later. Like where it's at, may just keep this, may upgrade to the OffRoam. Who know for now.


This bring us up to date for now. I'll add more as I do more, but it will be a slow long term journey. I had my last Jeep over 25 years, plan to keep this one just as long or longer. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. Stay tuned.

Am I missing something on your mod? Aren't you essentially doing the same thing as the seat slammers? What makes one feel lower than the other? Was thinking of ordering the slammers

 

[RudeJeepin]

Am I missing something on your mod? Aren't you essentially doing the same thing as the seat slammers? What makes one feel lower than the other? Was thinking of ordering the slammers

Originally I did a Seat Jacker, the one that is a spacer that goes under the front of the seat frame. That raises the front of the seat up. Like I previously stated, I liked the angle of the base cushion, but felt too close to the top and sound bar.
So then I did what I did, yes basically the same as the Seat Slammers, but for free, since I had the needed bolt in my misc bolt drawer. I also removed the front Jacker/spacers. This netted me a slight bit more angle than the spacer, since I dropped the rear 1inch and had previously only raised the front 3/4inch.
The Seat Slammer will feel similar to what I did, since they both lower the rear of the seat. If you read the original post I was comparing my DIY "Slammer" to my original DIY "Jacker."

 

[CJ99x]

Originally I did a Seat Jacker, the one that is a spacer that goes under the front of the seat frame. That raises the front of the seat up. Like I previously stated, I liked the angle of the base cushion, but felt too close to the top and sound bar.
So then I did what I did, yes basically the same as the Seat Slammers, but for free, since I had the needed bolt in my misc bolt drawer. I also removed the front Jacker/spacers. This netted me a slight bit more angle than the spacer, since I dropped the rear 1inch and had previously only raised the front 3/4inch.
The Seat Slammer will feel similar to what I did, since they both lower the rear of the seat. If you read the original post I was comparing my DIY "Slammer" to my original DIY "Jacker."

OK thqnks for the clarification. I am thinking of getting the slammers since my head knows my sport bar pretty well. Was just making sure I wasn't buying something that would not help

 

[RudeJeepin]

Received my "replacement" winch remote a few days ago.

The one on the left is the old wireless one. The one on the right is the replacement, it is designed to use the existing cord. There was also new instructions for the winch with the new "corded" remote in them. Plus a sheet picturing tossing old remote in garbage and replacing with new remote.
I sent an email questioning the lose of the wireless function and asked if anything was going to be done about it. We'll see, I'll update here if/when I hear anything.

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