Stumbled upon a 392 today.

[KevinC]

1 reason I have a Mojave and not a Rubicon is I have absolutely 0 use for a 4:1 low range.

Same with me. I had a 2020 JTR and 4L was useless in my off road environment.

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[CyberShanks]

I'm running a STAK 3-speed monster box in my TJ, it has 1:1, 3:1 and 5.44:1. Options is where it's at IMO.

Jim

 

[Jteakus]

To each their own but the only way I would want a 2.72:1 is if it was stacked in front of another 2.72:1

 

[bleda2002]

I've been wanting a V8 in my Gladiator so bad that I started to look at used 392 Wranglers. Ended up test driving one that had about 30k miles on it. I didn't like it. I was so disappointed. Like meeting your hero in real life and finding out they are a 5'3" asshole.

Plus the interior had a bit of PO odor of some kind as well.

I did the same thing. Found a gobi 392 with 30k miles, I liked the noise, but disappointing overall for me. I actually went through the whole process, got all the way to the finance guy and just couldn't sign the papers. Ended up getting back in the gladiator happily and haven't missed it since.

I do have a new project jku that I'm thinking of doing a junkyard V8 swap in though. Seems I can get it done for about 15k.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I do have a new project jku that I'm thinking of doing a junkyard V8 swap in though. Seems I can get it done for about 15k.

JK's are easy to swap, the CANBUS doesn't bugger any opportunity for swapping.

You could cut a JK into a Gladiator and V8 swap it three times for the price of a Gladiator and an AMW conversion lol

 

[ltdodge]

I did the same thing. Found a gobi 392 with 30k miles, I liked the noise, but disappointing overall for me. I actually went through the whole process, got all the way to the finance guy and just couldn't sign the papers. Ended up getting back in the gladiator happily and haven't missed it since.

I do have a new project jku that I'm thinking of doing a junkyard V8 swap in though. Seems I can get it done for about 15k.

what was it about the 392 you didn't like? that is a wrangler? if the gladiator had the 392 would you still be disappointed with the powertrain and output?

 

[Sweetums]

Took my truck in to get oil and rotation today and the small dealer I go to had a 392 in the showroom. Apparently, they traded for it for someone and that someone couldn’t get financing. So there it sits. For shits and giggles I had them run numbers on it with a trade in for my Mojave. They offered me 30K (2021 w/51000 miles). They took 3k off the price. Out the door I would owe 75ishK. My credit is outstanding and the best rate I could get was like 5%. So 72 months of payments at ~1300 per month. Insanity. If I didn’t have two kids in college… . I love the 392 and this was the color I would get

$1300/month is more than my mortgage payment. This is why the question about putting the V8 in the Gladiator is moot for most of us, $100,000+ for a midsize truck is insanity.

 

[bleda2002]

what was it about the 392 you didn't like? that is a wrangler? if the gladiator had the 392 would you still be disappointed with the powertrain and output?

The price implies that it's just night and day vs other options but it's not. Its not even faster 0-30 than a 4xe and it's only mildly quicker to 60 than a 4xe but for a shit ton more money that could be used to actually increase capability (I am not afraid of hybrids like others so it's a legit cross shop to me).

I guess for the money I just expected a lot more? It's a perfectly fine engine, but it's not 20-30k more satisfying. If they put a 392 in the gladiator and still charge 20-30k more it's probably a pass from me as it doesn't bring anywhere near that amount of performance gain over a regeared 3.6. I used to be in the camp that a 5.7 wasn't enough, but after driving the 392 I'd much rather have a 5.7 for 1/4 the price increase (5-7.5k) than the 392.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Took my truck in to get oil and rotation today and the small dealer I go to had a 392 in the showroom. Apparently, they traded for it for someone and that someone couldn’t get financing. So there it sits. For shits and giggles I had them run numbers on it with a trade in for my Mojave. They offered me 30K (2021 w/51000 miles). They took 3k off the price. Out the door I would owe 75ishK. My credit is outstanding and the best rate I could get was like 5%. So 72 months of payments at ~1300 per month. Insanity. If I didn’t have two kids in college… . I love the 392 and this was the color I would get

Just silly. So much money for an engine.

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