So, is the tailgate of the Gladiator NOT metal?

[uplandgunner]

Sure, it's aluminum, it's lighter and doesn't rust. It may dent easier and difficult if not impossible to straighten without replacement. But in the long run, it's fuckin Jeep, if it doesn't get banged up then you just bought it for show and tell.

I bought mine to use and all that aluminum means as it gets its dents and scratches from use, it isn't going to rust . It's lighter which makes for better wheelin and better MPG's. At least is not like Ford touting their aluminum boxes being tough. Everyone with one knows how easily they get beat to shit.

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[Plumbob]

If you have road salt from snow it will eat holes in aluminum, no rust just holes

 

[NC_Overland]

Hood, fenders, windshield frame, tailgate are aluminum, which costs more in material. Tailgate access panels, bed including outer sides, body tub are steel. You can check for yourself with a small magnet. It was mostly about saving weight and fuel mileage.

The fenders are aluminum? I always thought they are plastic.

 

[whiteglad]

Jeep didn't call me and tell me, but it is easy to inspect and deduce. . .the fuel filler door has a parting line and cast-in boss where it attaches to the plastic inner/hinge assembly. It is not attracted to a magnet, hence plastic. Open your door and inspect the edge and inside of the front fender. It has a thin flange with a bolt through it for mounting, too thin to be a reasonably priced plastic. The outer fender skin also has bracing attached to the inside of it, with no evidence of glue. Non-magnetic again, therefore aluminum.

 

[LostWoods]

The fenders are aluminum? I always thought they are plastic.

Jeep didn't call me and tell me, but it is easy to inspect and deduce. . .the fuel filler door has a parting line and cast-in boss where it attaches to the plastic inner/hinge assembly. It is not attracted to a magnet, hence plastic. Open your door and inspect the edge and inside of the front fender. It has a thin flange with a bolt through it for mounting, too thin to be a reasonably priced plastic. The outer fender skin also has bracing attached to the inside of it, with no evidence of glue. Non-magnetic again, therefore aluminum.

I think one of you is thinking the composite outer fenders and the other the inner fender panel that attaches to the tub...

 

[NC_Overland]

I think one of you is thinking the composite outer fenders and the other the inner fender panel that attaches to the tub...

Exactly. No way the stock, outer fender is aluminum, but I didn’t think about the inner fenders when I posted that.

 

[whiteglad]

Yeah, we got caught up in the term "fender" where I was referring to the vertical panel that is always painted body color. It seems there was not enough differentiation from the obviously plastic, usually unpainted black, fender flares, or whatever they should be called.

 

[Incommando]

Yeah, we got caught up in the term "fender" where I was referring to the vertical panel that is always painted body color. It seems there was not enough differentiation from the obviously plastic, usually unpainted black, fender flares, or whatever they should be called.

“Flenders”

 

[SgtMajTomahawk]

I always laugh a little when people complain about vehicles being made out of aluminum. As an aircraft mechanic aluminum and composites are pretty much all you ever see. It's pretty strong when build right. It has it's drawbacks for sure, but saving weight is a good thing. Of course the first thing we do is add hundreds of pounds in weight to our vehicles when we buy them.lol

What's funny to me is when they make the jump from steel to aluminum you would think the MPG would improve. lol

 

[whiteglad]

In the case of the Gladiator, most of the aluminum is shared with the JL Unlimited. The aluminum tailgate may help offset the weight of the steel bed vs. the longer cab of the JLU. The longer, stiffened frame must add some weight also. We were told it is high strength steel which improves performance vs. weight (and is a reason why you should not have bubba weld stuff like rock sliders to the frame--it is a special, hardened steel). Overall, Jeep went to some seemingly extreme measures to improve mpg while keeping the traditional look.

 

[whiteglad]

My Glad max tow shipping weight is 4457 lb. vs. my JKU Rubion Recon shipping weight of 4315.

 

[Klutch]

Sure, it's aluminum, it's lighter and doesn't rust. It may dent easier and difficult if not impossible to straighten without replacement. But in the long run, it's fuckin Jeep, if it doesn't get banged up then you just bought it for show and tell.

I bought mine to use and all that aluminum means as it gets its dents and scratches from use, it isn't going to rust . It's lighter which makes for better wheelin and better MPG's. At least is not like Ford touting their aluminum boxes being tough. Everyone with one knows how easily they get beat to shit.

Did you learn this from the Chevrolet commercial where some dunderhead throws his tool box from a third floor into his truck? The translation is, "Crap, Ford beat us again with their aluminum bed, so let's make a fake commercial to make them look bad." An aluminum bed has some disadvantages, but by no means to they get "beat to shit". Oh, that is unless you like to throw your tool box into the bed from a third floor.

Likely, the engineers wanted an aluminum bed on the Gladiator, but the bean counters said it would cost too much. So, all they got was an aluminum tailgate. I expect in a few years the Gladiator will have an aluminum bed (and so will Chevy pickups.)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No, it’s not metal. Not much is steel on a Gladiator body. Lots of aluminum though

Love it.
ALUMINUM IS metal.

Maybe you mean it's not STEEL.
Steel is made with (contains) iron, so is ferrous, (attracted to magnets to make it simple).
Aluminum is non-ferrous.
Ferrous metals contain iron, non-ferrous metals do not.

Copper is metal, nickel is metal, aluminum is metal, zinc is metal, mercury is metal, lead is metal, as are silver, gold, tin, cadmium, chrome, titanium, cobalt, platinum.............

Also, don't underestimate aluminum for strength - ever fly?
Bumpers have been made of aluminum on many cars for decades. My SX4 has aluminum bumpers - my son was rear-ended while he was driving his SX4 and the car that hit him - pretty much destroyed, Crumpled up nicely. He had no damage other than some trim was knocked off his bumper. Aluminum bumper I might add.
I'd seen trailer hitches on aluminum bumpers. Have one on a rack by my shop I took off a car I salvaged parts from. Not twisted or bent in any way. (the car totally rotted away but the bumpers were still nice)

 

[Klutch]

Pretty sure the hood is aluminum. My Gladiator got bombed by a hail storm from hell last week. The hood looks like the surface of the moon.

 

[anavrinIV]

What's funny to me is when they make the jump from steel to aluminum you would think the MPG would improve. lol

18-19mpg in my JTR at 4500lbs vs 13mpg in my old TJR at 3300lbs. Improvement is improvement one way or another

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