Starting out

[calicorks]

Im new to off-roading and will be getting a Gladiator Rubicon Punk’n in a year or less. In the meantime I’ve been researching locations to go off road for a beginner. Also, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and learning all I can until I get my truck. (Soo excited)

I’ve been told many things about lifts too. I’m thinking a 2 inch lift with 35 tires. Yet, I don’t want to hurt my towing. What would you guys recommend for me while I wait?

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[Matstock4]

Im new to off-roading and will be getting a Gladiator Rubicon Punk’n in a year or less. In the meantime I’ve been researching locations to go off road for a beginner. Also, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and learning all I can until I get my truck. (Soo excited)

I’ve been told many things about lifts too. I’m thinking a 2 inch lift with 35 tires. Yet, I don’t want to hurt my towing. What would you guys recommend for me while I wait?

I wouldn't worry about upgrading tires and a lift if you're new to offroading. The Rubicon will be vastly more capable than a beginner's skill set. If you get better and into the scene there will be ample opportunity to upgrade later. Enjoy the ride!

 

[futzin']

What will you tow and how much will it weigh? A lift and larger tires will not help towing. Be careful talking about towing, the purists do NOT like it! They think of the JT more like a Scrambler than a truck. Just kidding, guys … tongue in cheek.

Try to do some off roading with a friend, or rent a Wrangler maybe. Take a 4wheeler or UTV off roading perhaps.

I took my 4wheeler on a short ride over the weekend, had a blast.

 

[Gobi Wan K]

Im new to off-roading and will be getting a Gladiator Rubicon Punk’n in a year or less. In the meantime I’ve been researching locations to go off road for a beginner. Also, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and learning all I can until I get my truck. (Soo excited)

I’ve been told many things about lifts too. I’m thinking a 2 inch lift with 35 tires. Yet, I don’t want to hurt my towing. What would you guys recommend for me while I wait?

Your profile says Las Vegas. If that is where you are there are one or 2 companies that do off road trips in modified Rubicons. It isn't exactly cheap, maybe 4 or 6 hundred for about a half day or a little longer. But you will get to experience mild to moderate trails and hopefully have some good guides that can give you some good tips and pointers. Your Gladiator will be a different animal with it's long wheel base though. Check online and around for local 4x4 or Jeep groups and see if you can show up to their meets and make some friends. You can probably finagle a ride with someone on one of the club outings. There are a lot of know it alls in the Jeep and 4x4 scene so don't hitch your wagon to any one person as a beginner but rather get a variety of tips and knowledge from many sources. Believe me, I know-it-all!

 

[5JeepsAz]

Find dirt road. Have fun! It's worked since the beginning....

 

[calicorks]

What will you tow and how much will it weigh? A lift and larger tires will not help towing. Be careful talking about towing, the purists do NOT like it! They think of the JT more like a Scrambler than a truck. Just kidding, guys … tongue in cheek.

Try to do some off roading with a friend, or rent a Wrangler maybe. Take a 4wheeler or UTV off roading perhaps.

I took my 4wheeler on a short ride over the weekend, had a blast.

Nothing too big. A couple Jet skis, or a camper trailer. UTVs are awesome!

Lol as far as the purists on here I’ve come across a few and I know what you mean.

 

[futzin']

Campers get heavy quick. I have a 25' travel trailer that I don't think I'd want to tow much with a JT. Something in the 15 - 19' range would be fine, maybe a 21 or 23.

 

[Mark Doiron]

Im new to off-roading and will be getting a Gladiator Rubicon Punk’n in a year or less. In the meantime I’ve been researching locations to go off road for a beginner. Also, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and learning all I can until I get my truck. (Soo excited)

I’ve been told many things about lifts too. I’m thinking a 2 inch lift with 35 tires. Yet, I don’t want to hurt my towing. What would you guys recommend for me while I wait?

Alright, this is officially my first post on this forum. But, while I'm new to the forum, I'm not new to off-roading. I agree with above advice about a Rubi being way more than a beginner can fully use. No need to rush the modifications, though you may want to look into recovery needs (such as a winch, and maybe a better bumper to support that).

However, the first question that always enters my mind when someone says they are new to off-roading and what mods do they need is, "How do you intend to use your new rig?" There are many possibilities, ranging from mud bogging to rock crawling to overlanding. Perhaps you're not really sure, yet. Which is just one more reason to hold off on too many mods. Or, perhaps your choice of videos has influenced your decision. Certainly from Las Vegas you have some great overlanding opportunities, if that attracts your attention.

That's a scene with which I'm pretty familiar. I'm not sure what you're currently driving, but if it's high clearance you could experience some nice, easy roads in Death Valley. Even if it's 2WD, do so during dry weather and you shouldn't have any problem. Titus Canyon and the road from Ubehebe Crater to the Racetrack come immediately to mind (avoid via Lippincott Pass with 2WD or even 4WD without a transfer case).

Anyway, good luck with taking delivery of your Gladiator. I was just talking with my dealer about ordering the Gobi color yesterday. Still not showing open up for orders on their system. Real soon now, though, I hope.

 

[calicorks]

Alright, this is officially my first post on this forum. But, while I'm new to the forum, I'm not new to off-roading. I agree with above advice about a Rubi being way more than a beginner can fully use. No need to rush the modifications, though you may want to look into recovery needs (such as a winch, and maybe a better bumper to support that).

However, the first question that always enters my mind when someone says they are new to off-roading and what mods do they need is, "How do you intend to use your new rig?" There are many possibilities, ranging from mud bogging to rock crawling to overlanding. Perhaps you're not really sure, yet. Which is just one more reason to hold off on too many mods. Or, perhaps your choice of videos has influenced your decision. Certainly from Las Vegas you have some great overlanding opportunities, if that attracts your attention.

That's a scene with which I'm pretty familiar. I'm not sure what you're currently driving, but if it's high clearance you could experience some nice, easy roads in Death Valley. Even if it's 2WD, do so during dry weather and you shouldn't have any problem. Titus Canyon and the road from Ubehebe Crater to the Racetrack come immediately to mind (avoid via Lippincott Pass with 2WD or even 4WD without a transfer case).

Anyway, good luck with taking delivery of your Gladiator. I was just talking with my dealer about ordering the Gobi color yesterday. Still not showing open up for orders on their system. Real soon now, though, I hope.

As far as how I’m going to use my rig is towing, Overlanding/camping and possibly rock crawling.

I do not have a vehicle that can go off-roading at the moment. I’ll look further into the trails and see what they have to offer.

Thanks for the advice, and these are things I need to think about.

 

[Phljeeper]

Another thing to note is that you can put 35s on the Rubicon stock without a lift and it doesn’t appear to rub anywhere even disconnected. I am towing a 4500lb travel trailer with 35s and a Rubicon and it does well. It quite like my Grand Cherokee 5.7 but still impressive for a big truck, big tires and a V6.

 

[Bobzdar]

Im new to off-roading and will be getting a Gladiator Rubicon Punk’n in a year or less. In the meantime I’ve been researching locations to go off road for a beginner. Also, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and learning all I can until I get my truck. (Soo excited)

I’ve been told many things about lifts too. I’m thinking a 2 inch lift with 35 tires. Yet, I don’t want to hurt my towing. What would you guys recommend for me while I wait?

Don't lift it and get new tires - a stock Rubicon will have more capability than a beginner will really be able to use and you don't want to band-aid it with big tires and a lift - you won't actually learn how to drive off road if you go with a super built rig and just run everything over. Stick with a stock Rubi and learn how to drive, when you need lockers, when you don't, then figure out where your issues are and lift/go bigger tires if you find you're always high centering or something. I've been off-roading for 20+ years and a stock rubi with a winch and some good driving will get me pretty much anywhere I can think to go. The winch usually comes out when there's mud, which I hate, but unavoidable on the east coast.

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