What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[ShadowsPapa]

I cringe when I see videos of owners who say "and the factory fenders can be easily ripped off the plastic retaining clips!" Ok, yeah, let me know which fails more often ... sheet metal or plastic clip.

I'd rather have those fender flares pop off easily than destroyed by a simple small tree or bush or getting too close to something. Clips - something Jeep owners probably should carry with them next to the tow straps and other stuff. Maybe, just thinking out loud - or rather in print, no, actually in hyper-text on a web page, electrons......... oh, you get what I mean.

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[Minty JL]

Isn’t it sad that a cardboard box will dent a body?

Well to my credit it was the weight of the full case of wine. At the end of the day it's a truck and Jeep.......so what ever.

 

[Janster]

I cringe when I see videos of owners who say "and the factory fenders can be easily ripped off the plastic retaining clips!" Ok, yeah, let me know which fails more often ... sheet metal or plastic clip.

Funny…. We installed vent lights and had to remove the fender to get to the wiring.
All the videos I’ve watched, folks just giving the fender a good tug and it popped off. Sure…it looked so easy!!

NOT IN MY CASE……. (2024) - Pull pull tug tug, no budge!!!
I’m laying on the floor reaching up with needle nose pliers squeezing the clip from the inside, while my husband is pulling from the outside.
No clips were broken.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Well to my credit it was the weight of the full case of wine. At the end of the day it's a truck and Jeep.......so what ever.

Your address? I'll help you make that box lighter............

 

[bill61]

I installed the Fender Extensions. I’ll have to see how the cheap Amazon clips hold up compared to the stock clips (see picture below). I might buy the Mopar clips at $100 for 100 if they don’t hold up.
I cut one V at 17” from the bottom of the rear extension to allow them to match the fender bend.

 

[van_tri]

I installed the Fender Extensions. I’ll have to see how the cheap Amazon clips hold up compared to the stock clips (see picture below). I might buy the Mopar clips at $100 for 100 if they don’t hold up.
I cut one V at 17” from the bottom of the rear extension to allow them to match the fender bend.

I got the Amazon high fender extensions and didn't need to notch them.

 

[wcberry]

I got the Amazon high fender extensions and didn't need to notch them.

Some of did this, got two sets of the fronts and install the fronts on the rear too. Fronts are wider than the OEM rears. Required a notch to attach to the rear.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/xtreme-recon-fender-extension-instsalled.61424/

 

[bill61]

These were Mopar for the Recon. They work nicely with a simple notch. And all four were for the front as two were one part number and the other two were another part number.

 

[bill61]

I cringe when I see videos of owners who say "and the factory fenders can be easily ripped off the plastic retaining clips!" Ok, yeah, let me know which fails more often ... sheet metal or plastic clip.

Here are the Mopar factory clips (top) and the Amazon clips recommended in a couple videos I saw. I can now kind of understand why they want basically $1 a clip for the Mopar. The factory clips look like they would hold much better as they are a two stage clip.

 

[Averagehuman]

Thanks

Installed
YETI XD™ 2018-2024+ JL/JT Sector Shaft Brace With Frame Side Track Bar Reinforcement Bracket - STEEL STEERING BOX

All in all, install wasn't horrible but the instructions called for use of a washer on top of the new sector shaft nut but on my 2023 HA, it absolutely would not work with that washer, so I took it off but had to do the job twice becasue I installed it with the washer first. Had heard others have this happen too but thought that might be older vehicles with the aluminum boxes. I have a steel box and the washer is not needed/will not allow you to get the bearing in the correct position to secure it to the brace. Took me twice as long due to this.

Noticable difference in steering stiffness after install. My steering wasn't bad but I had gotten this last summer/Fall and didnt install it unttil today as a preventative thing. Steering is noticeably tighter and less correction needed when driving. Would recommend it if it helps preserve the steering components lifespan. Running 35's for 12k miles now so I am sure this will assist the steering box somehwat.

Thanks For the info about the washer

 

[drewcnit]

And just like that my grille is on FIRE!

Distinction Applied - Aftermarket 2024+ Grille on a 2022 Sport S, fits perfect, need to source 1 push pin for the weatherstipping that was too borked to reuse. Otherwise flawless.

 

[MoparToYou]

And just like that my grille is on FIRE!

Distinction Applied - Aftermarket 2024+ Grille on a 2022 Sport S, fits perfect, need to source 1 push pin for the weatherstipping that was too borked to reuse. Otherwise flawless.

Nicely done. What front bumper is that?

 

[drewcnit]

Nicely done. What front bumper is that?

Motobilt's Gladius - https://motobilt.com/products/gladius-frame-chop-bumper-with-bull-bar-for-jk-jl-fits-standard-winch

It's a tight fit, with the frame chop and winch and Baja Design lights, but I was still able to use the old @Northridge4x4 trick and slide the grille behind it and fasten it in place.


Northridge 4x4 Grille Mod for Easy Access.

 

[Billkowski]

Added a hood decal

 

[ThrillSeekr]

Busy few days -

Started with the @DesertDoesIt seat jackers. I'm short.

Followed by @Diode Dynamics Amber Max Pro fog lamps. (crazy bright!)

Followed by some KC Gravity Pro's on the A-Pillar.

Followed by building my antenna farm utilizing the factory mounts in the bed. HAM is one of my hobbies. Haven't installed the radios themselves yet. Waiting on a few more pieces, so probably a next weekend sort of thing...

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