Should I go Rubicon or Mojave?

[Tuggernuts]

Both are great but for me the choice was Mojave. The best stock suspension I've ever had in a vehicle. I added the AEV spacer lift and 35"s. Sometime this year I'll add 4.88s and eventually 37"s. If this truck can't get me where I want to go I don't want to go there.

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[joeym7]

Me and my buddy last weekend in California:



Him JL Rubicon me JT Mojave. He was going as fast as he felt comfortable.

Video is from a Hero 10 with max Hypersmooth. The road wasn't smooth but damn GoPros are rad.

Pretty much "confirms" what the Moterweek article I posted way back in this thread stipulated on that kind of surface....

(As a side note, you also poopoed the notion that these trucks are "underpowered", as soon as you hit that padel it took off with all the power it needed and then some for what it is designed for. And also showed that speed in the dirt has a lot to do with supention and not just the engine. A lot of "information" in that very short vid).

Nice job!
-Joe

BTW, after that are you two guys still friends?

 

[Trickster]

I'm not a frequent vehicle buyer and I thought a factory order was way too borgoisé, but I will likely never buy another vehicle any other way.
Pros:
Deep discounts.
Exactly what you want.
Nothing you don't want.
Cons:
6-12 week wait.

Bourgeois, another word here I had to look up in the dictionary.
I learn so much here.?

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Bourgeois, another word here I had to look up in the dictionary.
I learn so much here.?

Jeepsters are a cultured lot!
(And by culture I mean the kind found growing in a petri dish!)

 

[kb5zcr]

Howdy,
Im new here and dont have JT yet (currently in my 16 Saraha), but I do have an honest question for those here on the forum.

If I bought a Rubicon JT and wanted the smooth ride of the Mojave, is it more involved than putting the same shocks on and the hydraulic bump stops?
Perhaps there is also a spring change needed, I just dont know.

This question is really only abt the smoother ride of the Mojave, and not the other differences between the models.

Thanks for your input.

Tim

 

[Gvsukids]

Howdy,
Im new here and dont have JT yet (currently in my 16 Saraha), but I do have an honest question for those here on the forum.

If I bought a Rubicon JT and wanted the smooth ride of the Mojave, is it more involved than putting the same shocks on and the hydraulic bump stops?
Perhaps there is also a spring change needed, I just dont know.

This question is really only abt the smoother ride of the Mojave, and not the other differences between the models.

Thanks for your input.

Tim

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...y-rubicon-to-ride-like-mojave-possible.33675/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/mojave-shocks-on-a-rubicon.36484/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/mojave-shocks-on-sport-rubicon.40359/

Another member built a Mojave from a Rubicon. https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...adding-lockers-and-swaybar-to-a-mojave.29421/

 

[RobbertCole]

No it not that simple. Here you have a newcomer asking some straight forward questions.
Rubicon and Mojave are very closely priced.
So he is asking for owners opinions on pro vs cons.

Responses like yours can come off a bit shitty.
If you don’t like the thread….move on.
Chill dude.?

oh, it is.

you can go right on the website and Jeep will tell you which each one is designed for.

unless you're like the poster you below that likes the Mojave for the "orange accents" there are obvious advantages of each truck specifically depending on which terrain you intend to use them on.

it *is* that simple.

OP can take 10 minutes, look at these pages https://www.jeep.com/gladiator/capability.html https://www.jeep.com/gladiator/mojave.html , and he should be able to figure it out for himself.

dirt and rocks, or sand and dunes.

they even have pictures for non readers.

 

[Gvsukids]

OP can take 10 minutes, look at these pages https://www.jeep.com/gladiator/capability.html https://www.jeep.com/gladiator/mojave.html , and he should be able to figure it out for himself.

But I thought we used other people's opinions to shape our thoughts and ideas...

 

[RobbertCole]

But I thought we used other people's opinions to shape our thoughts and ideas...

do what ever you want. I'm giving the strait real world correct answer.

tell him to use a Mojave Rock rock crawling with out crawl ratios, non disconnect sway bars or front locker or maybe go over heat the shocks and twist the frame of a Rubicon out in the dunes.

I don't care.

 

[Volksparts]

Me and my buddy last weekend in California:



Him JL Rubicon me JT Mojave. He was going as fast as he felt comfortable.

Video is from a Hero 10 with max Hypersmooth. The road wasn't smooth but damn GoPros are rad.

I go to superstition a couple times a year in my JK and Tacoma and love it there. Still haven't taken my Rubicon but looking forward to it. Man, makes me wish I had the Mojave now. When I bought the Rubi it was mainly a coin toss but figured I could always swap my suspension. On my taco I'm running the OME Bp-51 suspension with bypass shocks similar to the mojave setup and love suspensions like it. I'm planning to eventually go with Falcons though.
Thanks for sharing the video though. Maybe I will see you out on the trail.

 

[Wyofuy069]

Pretty much "confirms" what the Moterweek article I posted way back in this thread stipulated on that kind of surface....

(As a side note, you also poopoed the notion that these trucks are "underpowered", as soon as you hit that padel it took off with all the power it needed and then some for what it is designed for. And also showed that speed in the dirt has a lot to do with supention and not just the engine. A lot of "information" in that very short vid).

Nice job!
-Joe

BTW, after that are you two guys still friends?

Great video editing and quality. A Mojave can easily get over 70 mph on a good deal of that terrain. I’ve had mine over 80 mph on dirt and it is very composed.

 

[NachoRuby]

Me and my buddy last weekend in California:



Him JL Rubicon me JT Mojave. He was going as fast as he felt comfortable.

Video is from a Hero 10 with max Hypersmooth. The road wasn't smooth but damn GoPros are rad.

Beautiful footage. I can't imagine having that much open space to just drive on as fast as I wanted. "Off-road" in my region means dodging trees, going over rocks and obstacles, with no room to ever go that fast, and with too many rocks, trees, puddles and dropoffs to attempt it. Mostly, it's slowly picking lines to avoid hangups, and to fit between the trees. I believe the posted speed limits on trails here are about 15 mph, and there are very few instances where you'd be able to go even that fast. Usually, top speed is about 6-10 mph, and much lower over obstacles.

This helps me to understand the usage case for needing to go fast off-road, because for us East Coast folks, that kind of speed offroad is just unimaginable. I never considered what I do here crawling, but compared to this desert run, it absolutely is. Interesting. Our long wheelbase is actually an asset where you wheel. I'd imagine a JTR would handle it much better than the JLR, just due to the wheelbase, but this certainly shows the usage case for the Mojave's suspension setup.

But this is largely the disconnect between West Coast folks talking about needing the Mojave for Fast wheeling, and East Coast folks wondering how in the world you'd ever need or be able to go fast off road. Two totally different worlds.

 

[Gvsukids]

do what ever you want. I'm giving the strait real world correct answer.

tell him to use a Mojave Rock rock crawling with out crawl ratios, non disconnect sway bars or front locker or maybe go over heat the shocks and twist the frame of a Rubicon out in the dunes.

I don't care.

Appreciate the answer. Maybe I should have concluded my sarcastic remark with a ?

 

[SnazGlad]

So many good responses here for the JTM and the JTR. I'd long been a Rubicon only Jeep buyer. Saw the Mojave briefly on the lot, didn't bother driving it. Again, I'm a multiple "Rubicon only" Wrangler buyer over the years.

On any given week I can be between two states in various seasons of snow, mud, heavy rain, rock slides on small two lane roads going from the desert floor to 6k feet above to the mountain place.
So, I need a set up that can just handle all that.
Therefore, I ordered a loaded up Rubicon JT.

I read a few articles after placing that order about the JTM. They got me curious enough about a JTM. Again, lots of freeway driving too between states. Would it really ride that much better than a JTR?

So, I found a dealership that had a JTM and a JTR in stock and drove about two hours to it. Luckily, the dealership is next to a freeway, city streets and an off road area with lots of ruts, rocks, steep inclines/declines.

I took the JTR out first. Love it. Streets to freeway, to then offload. The newer sales guy is bouncing all around as I'm in 4x4 going through deep ruts, slippery dirt, some water/mud areas, dirt pot hole areas etc.

We then get the JTM and I do the same route. I hit the exact same ruts, off road areas and he says to me, "Wow, why is this one so much smoother?" I laughed as again, he was a newer sales person...who obviously hadn't done his homework. I filled him in.

I then got home, called my dealership and asked if they could put in a JTM order for me as well. They did. This gave me three months to think about both.

On their arrivals, the dealership owners calls me and says each is yours to come play with as you like, make your decision, totally up to you. I went with the Mojave. Felt big time like I was cheating on all my faithful Rubis over the years.

I've had the JTM in heavy snow, mud, desert sand. Does great. And, the freeway ride and riding around the crappy city streets with all the pot holes, it is a much better ride than the Rubicon.

As others have stated, if you don't plan a huge lift, to be swapping out suspension etc, the JTM is really a nice rig as it comes.

I do like the thicker steering wheel and more bolstered seats better for me. I'm 6'2" about 210.

What to watch out for on either JTM OR JTR, the 2021 models had some rear axle leaking issues. Mine did, it was fixed under warranty. Parts arrive at a snail's pace during current times of course.

You've already researched your towing capacity so you should be fine with either in that regard.

Oh, the other option I did go for that I think is well worth it is the Selec Trac full time 4x4 system. In the past, again being in snow one minute, then on a freeway, then into rain, then crossing a state line into a dry area for many miles, I had forgotten more than once to take it out of 4hi, which you need to do with the other system. The full time 4x4 option gives me the option to put it in that, be lazy and not forget to have to shift out of it when back on dry terrain.

So, there's all that to add to your contemplating JTM or JTR.

If you go with the JTM, there is a Jeep Gladiator Mojave Facebook group you might look up. Always a ton of good posts/info on it about mods, parts, lifts tires, wheel sizes, other questions etc.

Hope all the above helps.

 

[Mvitch]

My 2¢: They are similar enough in price and function that it doesn't matter, unless you want/need the electro sway bar disconnect and front lockers. On an automatic, a Rubicon will tow slightly more, but it doesn't matter, your trailer is well below the tow limits of any gladiator at 3000 lbs. The Mojave should ride a little nicer due to the front shocks, but if you liked the ride of the Rubicon, that doesn't really matter either.
Get the one that's available, unless there's something about the Mojave that's just calling your name, and you want to wait or travel for it. I doubt you'll regret it either way. It's not like choosing Mustang vs Camaro. They are pretty similar. All Gladiators are. Same engines. Same transmissions. Same slow jeep (unless you want diesel, then you have only one choice).

In my “humble” opinion the Mojave rides and hwy drives heads above the Rubicon. Tires make a big difference on both. I’ve got stock Mojave 17’s, but put Nexon A/T’s on them. Great tires and quieter than the stock A/Ts

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