Stealth Rubicon Gladiator

[Rvalas]

locking front and rear

I live in a pretty upscale area. Cars get taken out of driveways and put onto shipping containers within hrs. These aren’t junkies looking for change.

regardless I like my vehicles as low key as possible. I realize Rubicon isn’t a super special trim but in my area the Wrangler Rubicons are dressed up and generally driven by rich kids. Gladiators are virtually non existent here and I just prefer to not stick out more than necessary.

Sorry to say but just the fact that Gladiators are so uncommon in a lot of areas you will be noticed and remembered.

Oh well good luck making your Gladiator boring.

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[Jack D.]

Yes I debated limited slip vs lockers.

limited slip won’t pull me out of a deep snow bank. I do some serious snow driving as I coordinate snow and ice management during storms for my business

 

[JasonB]

I’ll trade hoods and front fenders. I have a black Willys.

I’m sure a sporty user will gladly trade hoods

 

[OHJeeper]

Yes I debated limited slip vs lockers.

limited slip won’t pull me out of a deep snow bank. I do some serious snow driving as I coordinate snow and ice management during storms for my business

While you're at it, you may as well:

1) unstitch the seats that spells "Rubicon"
2) remove the red dash panels
3) remove the red stitching from the steering wheel

As far as the badging, my recommendation is a hair dryer unless you are proficient with a heat gun. It doesn't take much to get the adhesive to give once you get a mm or so peeled up, the rest comes off nicely. A heat gun runs the risk of bubbling paint...

In fact, if you're really steady you can use a razor blade to get a tiny piece of it, then peel the rest off (for each letter)

 

[Mac]

What are you driving now?

 

[Jack D.]

2015 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4 on Hakka r2 SUV (can’t run studded here). I have the bed loaded with patio stone for additional traction. Find this helps allot on pickups.

 

[f33d]

2015 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4 on Hakka r2 SUV (can’t run studded here). I have the bed loaded with patio stone for additional traction. Find this helps allot on pickups.

Any reason to not build out a diesel sport and add lockers front and rear to be super stealth.

 

[CJ5w4wdSmokyOnMyTail]

2 reasons.Theft and not a fan of look at me stuff on vehicles

Different how? something like TRD fake scoops? I can live with minor variances. not going to swap hoods.

I swapped out my Mojave hood for a base hood. Dealership can do it in under an hour. I'll bet someone on this forum would be willing to swap their Sport hood for your Rubi hood.

BTW, I also prefer the simpler, classic look and also de-stickered my Mojave.

 

[Hootbro]

Doing all that would take out the fun of ownership if me..

 

[BlackBessy]

OP specifically looking to debadge and change up from rubi wheel/tire package it seems. Reasonable for his situation or anyone elses IMO. If my High Altitude came with letter stretched across the hood, I'd certainly be taking them off and any other related badging alongside it (as I'm already doing). AND IF, OP purely got the Rubi for the swaybar disconnect features, fair enough... right? Jeep on with your preference. Honestly not even sure the original post was worthy of posting. Eyeball what you need to remove from the truck and move on.

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Only jeep people know what a Rubicon is, and jeep people will recognize all of that stuff, instantly. And they won't care.

Mojave owners seem to care by the way they studiously avoid eye contact, let alone wave. ?

 

[WILDHOBO]

So I will be picking up my Rubicon Gladiator in a couple of weeks. My goal is to not advertise its Rubiconness for various reasons. I bought this for dealing with snow so the first thing to go will be the telltale stock wheels/tires which I am replacing with 285/70-17 Michelin Defender LTX M/S on Tactic D Windows along with a set of Hakka R3 SUV's on the MOPAR Winter steelies. Also, I plan on removing the hood stickers (with a heat gun?). Are there any other obvious badges or signs ? I haven't actually ever seen this truck in Rubicon configuration in my area.

And the red tow hooks.

 

[AXISJT]

I would love to trade my hydro blue sport hood for a rubi or Mojave hood

 

[Sallaman]

Yes I debated limited slip vs lockers.

limited slip won’t pull me out of a deep snow bank. I do some serious snow driving as I coordinate snow and ice management during storms for my business

I am certainly not trying to talk you out of a rubicon because they are pretty damn cool but if the whole reason you are buying a rubi is for the more than occasional snow bank, the brake lock differential in all the models actually works really well once you figure out how to use it,

 

[Jack D.]

^^^ so my understanding is the differential on the non Rubicon models works automatically and in conjunction with the 4WD system so what would I need to figure out ?

I currently have LSD and 4x4 on my Tacoma and I’m not overly impressed with its ability to crawl out of difficult situations. I’ve had to rely on traction ramps and a shovel more than I would like.

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