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

[JCappy]

When I went to check the model number last night Amazon has a $30 coupon for them right now. So you can catch a deal it its still going.

Yea I saw that. Thanks for the heads up.

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[bill61]

Great to hear. I currently have some from Rough Country but continue to have issues. Two have gotten moisture in them and another had the DRL light partially go out. They have a 3 year warranty and Rough Country has been good about replacing them but I may have to get something different when the warranty runs out. I like the DRL function and have seen the Auxbeam in the past so they may be a good option.

I hate the fake warranty BS. They charge you a lot (based on their costs) then give you a warranty that they hope their product will reach.
Meanwhile you end up sending in parts for warranty exchange so often you get tired of the work of removing and installing so you move on to another manufacturer that you hope makes a quality product that will last.

 

[JCappy]

I hate the fake warranty BS. They charge you a lot (based on their costs) then give you a warranty that they hope their product will reach.
Meanwhile you end up sending in parts for warranty exchange so often you get tired of the work of removing and installing so you move on to another manufacturer that you hope makes a quality product that will last.

When the first developed moisture, I asked if this was common and they told me NO. They sent a new set and shipping label to return the bad set. When the DRL went bad they did the same thing. Then when the replacement developed moisture again (that they said wasn't common) they just sent a replacement set and didn't ask for the bad set back. They also shortened the length of the wire from the light that now plugs in on the outside of the grill instead of behind the grill. Not a fan of that. I asked them about the change and they were not aware they had made a change. They were supposed to check stock and see if this was a one off or if all had been changed but I never heard back from them after asking multiple times. Not a fan of the shorter wire and where it plugs into the harness which also changed but was able to make it work without replacing the complete harness. Even with free replacement, it's a pain in the ass to keep having to pull off the grill to replace the lights. Love the look and output but still tired of replacing them.

 

[GlennBeck]

Wheres the underbelly pics?

Here's the Quadratec skid plates and the underside frame mounting points of the White Knuckle Sliders.

 

[professorkx]

Thanks for the review. Much appreciated. I’m really glad to hear you can get the body off. I don’t know when (yet) I’d need to, but would be mad if I couldn’t. What lift did you choose?

Wild Fire 9000 pound XLT 4 post lift. I’m tall, and I wanted a lift that allowed me to walk underneath when all the way up. The 6’10” room under the lift also allows me to pull a lifted jeep under the lift…this is not possible with shorter lifts. We have had a couple of hail storms come through the area, so I pull the corvette on the lift, pull a jeep under the lift, which allows me to use the 4 bays at the house for the rest of our rigs and the tractor.

I also have a second floor in part of my shop, so toss a piece of plywood on the front of the lift and use the lift to move larger items into/out of the second floor storage.

With the extra height under the lift, I can use straps to suspend a body once unbolted from the frame and then roll the frame out of the shop with the tractor. Body removal is easier with a 2 post, but possible with the right 4 post with extra room under the lift. It also works to put roof racks on jeeps, just strap the rack to the underside of a lowered lift, raise the lift, pull jeep under lift and set the rack in place.

As I noted in my post, I added two air/hydraulic jacks that roll along the inside rails that were a game changer. The jacks were expensive, but I have never lamented the cost as the jacks make a lot of work so much easier. For example, I can lift the rear of a a Jeep with one jack and use the second jack to remove an axle (I built a couple of cradles out of pipe that use the jack pad holes on the extending arms).

One thing that is harder with a 4 post lift is removing and installing large heavy tires, as the tire must be lifted onto the lift before it’s wiggled on to the axle…yes it was a pain. To solve this, I built a little tire forklift using one of the shipping brackets from the lift, added casters so it rolled under the wild fire lift that is set at about 6 inches off the ground and the lift mechanism for the tire forklift is a tongue jack. The forks are just 1” square tubing. Crank handle on the tongue jack was replaced with a big nut so I can use a drill to lift a tire with the tire forklift. With a little creativity, a guy can come up with a tool to solve almost any problem.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Wild Fire 9000 pound XLT 4 post lift. I’m tall, and I wanted a lift that allowed me to walk underneath when all the way up. The 6’10” room under the lift also allows me to pull a lifted jeep under the lift…this is not possible with shorter lifts. We have had a couple of hail storms come through the area, so I pull the corvette on the lift, pull a jeep under the lift, which allows me to use the 4 bays at the house for the rest of our rigs and the tractor.

I also have a second floor in part of my shop, so toss a piece of plywood on the front of the lift and use the lift to move larger items into/out of the second floor storage.

With the extra height under the lift, I can use straps to suspend a body once unbolted from the frame and then roll the frame out of the shop with the tractor. Body removal is easier with a 2 post, but possible with the right 4 post with extra room under the lift. It also works to put roof racks on jeeps, just strap the rack to the underside of a lowered lift, raise the lift, pull jeep under lift and set the rack in place.

As I noted in my post, I added two air/hydraulic jacks that roll along the inside rails that were a game changer. The jacks were expensive, but I have never lamented the cost as the jacks make a lot of work so much easier. For example, I can lift the rear of a a Jeep with one jack and use the second jack to remove an axle (I built a couple of cradles out of pipe that use the jack pad holes on the extending arms).

One thing that is harder with a 4 post lift is removing and installing large heavy tires, as the tire must be lifted onto the lift before it’s wiggled on to the axle…yes it was a pain. To solve this, I built a little tire forklift using one of the shipping brackets from the lift, added casters so it rolled under the wild fire lift that is set at about 6 inches off the ground and the lift mechanism for the tire forklift is a tongue jack. The forks are just 1” square tubing. Crank handle on the tongue jack was replaced with a big nut so I can use a drill to lift a tire with the tire forklift. With a little creativity, a guy can come up with a tool to solve almost any problem.

Thanks very much. I didn’t think about the tire removal problem, but as you said. Solutions exist. My garage isn’t very tall at 10’, so I won’t be walking under it, but I’d love to sit on a stool under it, which I think is very possible. I found an extra long and extra wide one from atlas that has short posts at like 8’ that I’m considering. It includes casters to move the lift, and with two trolley jacks, comes in around $6k.

 

[professorkx]

Thanks very much. I didn’t think about the tire removal problem, but as you said. Solutions exist. My garage isn’t very tall at 10’, so I won’t be walking under it, but I’d love to sit on a stool under it, which I think is very possible. I found an extra long and extra wide one from atlas that has short posts at like 8’ that I’m considering. It includes casters to move the lift, and with two trolley jacks, comes in around $6k.

That lift will do the trick. I actually sit under my lift in a chair as much as I stand under the lift, so totally possible to have sitting under the lift as the normal solution. with the height restrictions in your shop, I would slide the rolling chair under the lift and steep over the front or rear cross bar to the chair, then start rolling around.

If I’m going to sit, I make sure I have all my tools sitting on a ramp so I don’t have to get in and out of the lift….usually requires extra tools that I might need, but no big deal.

 

[WILDHOBO]

That lift will do the trick. I actually sit under my lift in a chair as much as I stand under the lift, so totally possible to have sitting under the lift as the normal solution. with the height restrictions in your shop, I would slide the rolling chair under the lift and steep over the front or rear cross bar to the chair, then start rolling around.

If I’m going to sit, I make sure I have all my tools sitting on a ramp so I don’t have to get in and out of the lift….usually requires extra tools that I might need, but no big deal.

Good suggestion. Thanks. I’m in the early stages of planning. Meaning I need to clean up and organize the garage after moving recently. Then I can really see when I could put it, and what the measurements would be.

 

[professorkx]

Good suggestion. Thanks. I’m in the early stages of planning. Meaning I need to clean up and organize the garage after moving recently. Then I can really see when I could put it, and what the measurements would be.

One last note: The ramps were too long to be able to close the shop door with them installed, and they are a pain to removed all the time, so I cut them in half and added hinges so the are half the length and just stay in place all the time. I only fold them flat when driving the corvette or other low car onto the lift, as Jeeps will crawl over the ramp when it’s folded.

Stare at any problem long enough and a solution will likely emerge…

 

[WILDHOBO]

One last note: The ramps were too long to be able to close the shop door with them installed, and they are a pain to removed all the time, so I cut them in half and added hinges so the are half the length and just stay in place all the time. I only fold them flat when driving the corvette or other low car onto the lift, as Jeeps will crawl over the ramp when it’s folded.

Stare at any problem long enough and a solution will likely emerge…

Good move. I like it. With mine, I’ll need to get it further into the garage to get between a beam and a duct chase. So the ramps will be way into the garage. But I still like the idea of folding them to be less in the way. If I get one, I think it’ll be the jeeps normal parking spot. But I probably don’t need ramps at all for it.

 

[BaneKotaKeena]

Installed these sidesteps from Amazon a couple days ago.

Need to take some better pics outside (been raining) but overall I like them a lot. Easy to install, just time consuming with preparing the brackets and removing the OEM rails. They were really well packaged too. Hopefully they hold up to the elements.

 

[Stan H]

How long did that switch mount take to come in from time of order?

I have one on order through them for the same thing and they just have a boiler plate "3-5 weeks" estimate. Seems their customer service kind of sucks also if you inquire.

I'd say with very little effort a plate from a puce of aluminum could be made in short order .

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'd say with very little effort a plate from a puce of aluminum could be made in short order .

I always keep a whole box of scraps of aluminum and steel stock, bits salvaged from this or that, and made my own brackets. Took maybe 10 or 15 minutes to make the mount I used on my 2020's switch. I could even powder coat if I wanted - I'm thinking of getting a powder to match the Mojito! color and doing the brackets I made for my electric and snow plow stuff.
There's a bolt point at the fender, and between the battery and air box to use for such brackets.

 

[Hootbro]

I'd say with very little effort a plate from a puce of aluminum could be made in short order .

True, but i want it to look somewhat professionally made and not look like a inner city kindergartener arts and crafts ashtray they made for a dad they never knew. That is my level of metal working skills.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is my level of metal working skills.

You just keep dashing the image I had of you............. stop!

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