Wachuko's Mojave Build Thread

[wachuko]

Figured I would start my own and stop hi-jacking other threads with questions.

New Gladiator (and Jeep) owner and member.

Purchased on November 11, 2022 new from the lot as it was an impulse buy...

2022 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
3.6L V6 engine
Color: Sting Ray
Options:
Leather Seats
LED Lights
8-Speed Automatic Transmission
Gorilla Glass Windshield
Black Freedom Hard Top

I missed out on having the factory tow package and auxiliary switches like I wanted...but again, impulse buy.

At least, as part of the deal, they installed the factory hitch ( I know I am missing out on the better alternator, additional cooling, and switches but oh well... ), gave me the mud flaps, and all-weather mats.

Always wanted a Jeep... wanted a Wrangler but needed the bed for house stuff and not having to pull a trailer. I come from having a Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison diesel... after trading that in for my wife's car, I could not be without a truck... lasted only 5 months without one...

Mods so far:

1. Roll-N-Lock M-Series XT Retractable Truck Bed Cover (496M-XT)
2. BOLT hood lock
3. Shorty radio antenna
4. Pull handles
5. Mopar lockable fuel cap
6. Hood struts
7. Midland MXT275 GMRS radio and its antenna
8. Front/Rear Dash Camera
9. NOCO GENIUS5, 5-Amp Automatic Smart Charger/Tender - with all the threads of these vehicles not charging the batteries if not driven for hours and suffering from it... did not wanted to take a chance. I already have my other vehicles with battery tenders, so just adding one more.
10. Bulletpoint RubiGrid Dash Mount Platform 2 Phone Holders + Action Camera Mount Bundle - yeah, got tired of placing the phone in the center... I need it higher. Company from Ohio, so even better...
11. Go-Rhino XRS Cross Bars - Bed Rail Kit for Full/Mid Sized Trucks W/Tonneau Cover T-Tracks and side rail accessory kit.
12. Sunrider for Hardtop
13. Oracle rear bumper LED reverse lights with harness.
14. MP Concepts forged aluminum front bumper
15. N-Fab (RKR) rock rails, to go with the four N-Fab steps that I already had...

The main use is as my daily driver and eventually I want to go camping with it... so more of an overland vehicle than a hard core rock climber...

Some additional future mods:

1. A tent to place over the rack. Would love to have the iKamper Skycamp 3.0 Mini...I like the ease of use and footprint (to fit on the bed rack) but the price is holding me back... might need to look for something less expensive. In the meantime, I am using all my motorcycle camping gear... old school is fine for now.
2. Install kitchen and cooler setup that will carry over from my previous truck
3. Additional LED lights. For example, for the hood lights: Rigid SR 20 midnight edition in the 6 inch with Go-Rhino 730060T mounts.
4. Proper recovery gear
5. Mopar front facing camera
6. Mopar Auxiliary switches - I like the factory look
7. 35" pizza cutter tires... Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T T255 /85 R17 121Q E1 BSW
8. Rock Hard front and rear lower control arm and rear shock skid plates
9. Skid plate for oil pan and transmission. Still looking for options.
10. If I need one... looking at a half-roof rack from EVO Manufacturing.
11. Mopar high output (850 watts) fan - Bought it. I just need to see when I do the install. Looks like a few things need to be removed to be able to do this swap...
12. Turn signals on the side mirrors with a puddle light as well... Arrived and just waiting to install them
13. XRS Rhino Quick Release Tent Brackets

The depth on the bed is challenging for storing some of the stuff I had. I will need to see what can be fitted and what will need to be chopped down to fit...

I have been wanting a Jeep for decades... this is a dream come true for me... wohooo!!

Recent photos as of Feb 13, 2023

Sponsored

 

[wachuko]

Photos...

Roll-N-Lock tonneau cover

Mopar Mudflaps

Inexpensive grab handles - I think that I will replace the front ones with Mopar handles... I like how those mount over these...

Shorty antenna - I just did not like the looks of the stock one...

Mopar all-weather mats... wished the letters were orange... but oh well...

Midland GMRS antenna

Hood shocks - I really like this mod

Lockable fuel cap. Just for peace of mind

BOLT Hood lock. Another mod just for peace of mind. I did not wanted to modify the grill. Works perfectly just like that...

Phone holder. This sucker is well built

Pig-tail for battery tender. With all the threads on battery issues, I was not taking a chance

 

[Not2Late]

Figured I would start my own and stop hi-jacking other threads with questions.

New Gladiator (and Jeep) owner and member.

Purchased on November 11, 2022 new from the lot as it was an impulse buy...

2022 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
3.6L V6 engine
Color: Sting Ray
Options:
Leather Seats
LED Lights
8-Speed Automatic Transmission
Gorilla Glass Windshield
Black Freedom Hard Top

I missed out on having the factory tow package and auxiliary switches like I wanted...but again, impulse buy.

At least, as part of the deal, they installed the factory hitch ( I know I am missing out on the better alternator, additional cooling, and switches but oh well... ), gave me the mud flaps, and all-weather mats.

Always wanted a Jeep... wanted a Wrangler but needed the bed for house stuff and not having to pull a trailer. I come from having a Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison diesel... after trading that in for my wife's car, I could not be without a truck... lasted only 5 months without one...

Mods so far have been minimal...
1. Roll-N-Lock retractable tonneau cover
2. BOLT hood lock
3. Shorty radio antenna
4. Pull handles
5. Mopar lockable fuel cap
6. Hood struts
7. Midland MXT275 GMRS radio and its antenna
8. Front/Rear Dash Camera
9. NOCO GENIUS5, 5-Amp Automatic Smart Charger/Tender - with all the threads of these vehicles not charging the batteries if not driven for hours and suffering from it... did not wanted to take a chance. I already have my other vehicles with battery tenders, so just adding one more.
10. Bulletpoint RubiGrid Dash Mount Platform 2 Phone Holders + Action Camera Mount Bundle - yeah, got tired of placing the phone in the center... I need it higher. Company from Ohio, so even better...

The main use is as my daily driver and eventually I want to go camping with it... so more of an overland vehicle than a hard core rock climber...

Some additional future mods:

1. I will get a low profile bed rack
2. A tent to place over the rack
3. Install kitchen and cooler setup that will carry over from my previous truck
4. Additional lights
5. Factory looking front metal bumper to be able to install a winch. I wanted an AEV front bumper, but I just can't justify the cost... so going with one of those aftermarket factory knock-offs...
6. Some additional recovery gear
7. Modifying some used N-Fab steps that I have to install on the stock rock rail
8. Sunrider for Hardtop
9. Front facing camera
10. Z Automotive Tazer JL/JT Mini programmer
11. Mopar Auxiliary switches - I like their factory look
12. A mount for my phone
13. ...oh! and 35" pizza cutter tires...

The depth on the bed is challenging for storing some of the stuff I had. I will need to see what can be fitted and what will need to be chopped down to fit...

I do hope I do not regret going Mojave instead of Rubicon... we will see... What I do not regret is getting it... I have been wanting a Jeep for decades... this is a dream come true for me... wohooo!!

Congratulations on your new Mojave. I've got one too; and I don't think you will regret not getting the rubicon - unless you a boulder crawler. And if that was the case, the JL's shorter wheelbase would have been better for that anyway. I've been able to do a ton with my Mojave. Used to have a JK (non-rubicon) and I learned with the right tires, a little lift, and some driver experience, the Jeep platform is super cable without lockers. Besides, the Mojave has a rear locker - good enough to get you out of most situations if needed!

Rejoice in the knowlegde that most of life is impulsive followed by a brief period of reflection coming up with justifications for what we did

 

[wachuko]

And the challenge that I have now with the fridge... man... my previous truck was a diesel chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison. So I had everything measured so it would fit that...

I had a tri-fold tonneau cover on that one and did not like it because it would force me to go with a tall bed rack.

So this time around I went with a retractable unit. I did not do my homework when buying this tonneau cover... It robs precious height from the bed...

Fridge/Cooler needs 17-1/4" to fit

I only have 17" inside with the tonneau cover closed.

So even if I modify the lip on the front, I still do not get the clearance needed...

 

[wachuko]

Congratulations on your new Mojave. I've got one too; and I don't think you will regret not getting the rubicon - unless you a boulder crawler. And if that was the case, the JL's shorter wheelbase would have been better for that anyway. I've been able to do a ton with my Mojave. Used to have a JK (non-rubicon) and I learned with the right tires, a little lift, and some driver experience, the Jeep platform is super cable without lockers. Besides, the Mojave has a rear locker - good enough to get you out of most situations if needed!

Rejoice in the knowlegde that most of life is impulsive followed by a brief period of reflection coming up with justifications for what we did

Thank you for the reassurance!!

 

[Marman]

Looks great. I just picked up my Mojave Thanksgiving week, looks like we are headed in the same direction with mods.

One thing though, I had the same GMRS antenna mount on my JL, when I pulled it off to trade in, it pulled the paint right off the plastic cowl piece. Going a different way this time.

 

[redfish]

Get you a bottle of 303 and wipe down everything black twice a month
https://www.amazon.com/303-30382-Pr...4d-a70e-ac8b4aa7f894&pd_rd_i=B0185PU38A&psc=1

 

[wachuko]

Get you a bottle of 303 and wipe down everything black twice a month
https://www.amazon.com/303-30382-Pr...4d-a70e-ac8b4aa7f894&pd_rd_i=B0185PU38A&psc=1

Will do. Thank you!!

 

[whiteglad]

If you need just a bit more height in the bed, get some thick foam weatherstripping and put the adhesive side against the bed rails before mounting the tonneau cover.

 

[TheOpa]

And the challenge that I have now with the fridge... man... my previous truck was a diesel chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison. So I had everything measured so it would fit that...

I had a tri-fold tonneau cover on that one and did not like it because it would force me to go with a tall bed rack.

So this time around I went with a retractable unit. I did not do my homework when buying this tonneau cover... It robs precious height from the bed...

Fridge/Cooler needs 17-1/4" to fit

I only have 17" inside with the tonneau cover closed.

So even if I modify the lip on the front, I still do not get the clearance needed...

First, congrats on the new Jeep and best of luck with it!

This may be a dumb question, but does your fridge have leveling feet or something on the bottom that you can remove? That’s pretty painful to be just 1/4” away from a fit.

 

[wachuko]

First, congrats on the new Jeep and best of luck with it!

This may be a dumb question, but does your fridge have leveling feet or something on the bottom that you can remove? That’s pretty painful to be just 1/4” away from a fit.

I was just looking at that... it does have some rubber feet... and maybe if I align those with the slots on the bed that could maybe do it. I would just need to cut the width of the cooler on that flap in the front of the cover (easy to do).

If it fits, I will just need to make sure that having the cooler sitting on the bottom instead of the rubber feet would not be an issue.

 

[wachuko]

A few more photos... both arms for the phones now in place... one more mount in the middle for whatever I might need it for...

Oracle reverse lights should be here today... getting everything ready for the install... Original reflectors removed.

 

[wachuko]

Done!

 

[ScooterInTX]

What did you end up doing for the front/rear dash cam? Looking at options for that.

 

[wachuko]

What did you end up doing for the front/rear dash cam? Looking at options for that.

I took advantage of BlackFriday sale and got an inexpensive dashcam... this one...

4K Dashcam

Heading out on vacation so I have not had a chance to use it... Gladiator has been park this week and next... I can report when I get back.

Sponsored