So why do I have $11K list of parts I want?

[InvertedLogic]

Looks like you're trying to build a competition rock crawler out of something that's not designed to do that. Coilovers, 38s, and beadlocks, and it'll still get outwheeled by an YJ/TJ and someone that doesn't care about it.

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[Bowerss2]

If you drove two Gladiators, one with coil overs and one with equally good aftermarket shocks I guarantee you’d never know the difference from the driver’s seat. Well, at least not for years until you’ve driven hundreds of miles off road and pushed your Gladiator hard doing it.

You’re like a guy wanting to be a pilot never having flown a plane, buying an acrobatic airplane.

Either you have too much money or you’re dreaming (nothing wrong with either of those). Drive your JEEP off road stock for a while and then decide what you need. It sure ain’t coilovers!

Agree x100. Especially the part about staying stock for a while to see what is limiting you. Coil overs are trick but its a bit like buying a new corvette and deciding what it needs is a turbo and methanol injection.

 

[RidinDirty]

If you're prioritizing your spending then you could probably hold off on the skid plate system and the inner fenders, etc.

While a skid plate system is nice, it's expensive and depending on the wheeling you're going to be doing (and how often) you just might not need it.

Eating an elephant is usually best one a bite at a time

Still debating the whole skid plate thing in AZ with heat retention. For now mainly a road rig so I have time to ponder this.

 

[Troybilt]

If you drove two Gladiators, one with coil overs and one with equally good aftermarket shocks I guarantee you’d never know the difference from the driver’s seat. Well, at least not for years until you’ve driven hundreds of miles off road and pushed your Gladiator hard doing it.

You’re like a guy wanting to be a pilot never having flown a plane, buying an acrobatic airplane.

Either you have too much money or you’re dreaming (nothing wrong with either of those). Drive your JEEP off road stock for a while and then decide what you need. It sure ain’t coilovers!

I can assure you that I do not fall under the category of people with too much money. Sure not enough brains but not a hole lot of cash laying around. I am a laborer with the back, neck and knees to prove it.

I appreciate your take on the coilovers and I can bet that you are correct. You are also right that I am no pilot. Im just a guy with a plane sitting in his garage that does not know what to do with it.

I have been in this position before. Some years back I got into wildlife photography. I had no clue what I was doing so I glued on to the best wildlife photographer in my area. For a short time I used average cheap gear. My photos where soft, and my keeper rate was very low so I decide to save up every dime I could put together and buy some top notch gear. I still had soft photos and a low keeper rate but now I had no excuses. It was all me.

I feel this way about off roading. I suck at it but I have an excuse. My gear is mostly average. If I step up my gear I run out of excuses as to why I suck. Then all I need to do is latch on to people that will teach me the basics. Then spend most of my free time practicing, learning, and advancing my skills.

Worked out for me in photography. Not sure why it would not do so also in the off road world?

https://troynemitz.smugmug.com

 

[Troybilt]

Looks like you're trying to build a competition rock crawler out of something that's not designed to do that. Coilovers, 38s, and beadlocks, and it'll still get outwheeled by an YJ/TJ and someone that doesn't care about it.

Im not trying to build a competition anything. Looking for a daily driver that I can trail as much as posable. I want to take the wife lady all over the country riding trails and seeing thing most people don't get the chance too.

38's and a 3" lift is not out of the normal for a Daily driver JL/JT.

 

[jtimbrook]

If you drove two Gladiators, one with coil overs and one with equally good aftermarket shocks I guarantee you’d never know the difference from the driver’s seat. Well, at least not for years until you’ve driven hundreds of miles off road and pushed your Gladiator hard doing it.

You’re like a guy wanting to be a pilot never having flown a plane, buying an acrobatic airplane.

Either you have too much money or you’re dreaming (nothing wrong with either of those). Drive your JEEP off road stock for a while and then decide what you need. It sure ain’t coilovers!

Not going to lie there is a significant difference in drive quality between a factory set up, quality shocks, and a properly valved and sprung coil over system. If I had the disposable income and easy accessibility to SoCal and King’s testing lab I’d go right back to a King coil over system like I had on my ’12, but alas money does not grow on trees... yet.

I do agree though, you’re definitely better off learning the vehicle first before going all in. Like other guys have said skid plates could be overkill and all you‘re doing is adding potentially unnecessary weight. A good spotter makes a world of difference And a very clean underbelly. Comp bead locks are great if you’re turning it into a trailer queen but again they’re adding a substantial amount of unsprung weight and even a Dana 44 has it’s limits especially with those 38’s for a total of 120-130lbs per corner and that’s from speaking from 1st hand experience and having to pick up chromoly shafts after shredding my stock axle shafts.

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