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

[HouseOfWolves]

Bumper installed! Just waiting on the winch to arrive.

First impressions are good on this Rugged Ridge Venator. I do wish the lower “skid” did provide as much protection as the factory skid as they can’t be used together.
It covers the sway bar disconnect, but not by much.

It’s not the kinda armor for tackling the hard stuff, but at a pretty reasonable 80ish lb weight, and the real heavy metal around the winch and hooks, it seems plenty sturdy.

I’m 200 lbs, and was lifting myself off the ground by pressing down on the wings. It has minimal flex and no distortion so I’m pleased with it’s general sturdyness.

Install was fairly smooth. But the nutserts for the factory skid plate remained and required some “coaxing” with a hammer to get it all in. Otherwise it was really smooth to do it all. Instead of being 150+ lbs of a single piece, the trade off here is that it is a bit of a jigsaw. Not particularly difficult, but paying attention will give good results.

The finish is really nice, but has flaked on a few of the non visible areas.

All in all, it’s a neat bumper. Almost makes me wish they had a “signature series” of it that took those extra few minutes and steps in the making to get it OEM fit and finish. To their credit, this is pretty impressive a design to flat pack a winch bumper that is both capable and looks like a factory concept piece all for half the mopar one?


Also, anyone in WA need some take off bits? I’ll put a classified together later once I clean it up.

nasty AF. Nicely done.

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[TheHops]

I messed around with it in some deep snow in my backyard on a pretty high incline trying to see what it had. I ended up burning my clutch a little and coming and Inch from hitting a tree but I ended up getting an awesome pic afterwords.

Sorry if it was covered--but are those the Smittybilt Atlas hinge steps? How do they fit/do you like them?

 

[Gator Pit]

Rubicicon takeoffs, going to do the rock krawler 1.5" budget boost as well but I couldn’t resist putting them on before it gets here.

 

[mx5red]

Did a hidden winch mount (plan on hiding hook behind a front license plate). Thanks to ideas on this forum, especially a pic I found from @Moregone
Still have some cleaning up to do, think I will raise the solenoid a little and rewire above the frame, as well as figure out a cleaner option for the winch hook.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...winch-install-on-maximus-3-winch-plate.41121/

 

[Tufelhundin]

New steps

Nice!

also, love the name of the jeep. Great song -ARS

 

[Delhux]

Bumper installed! Just waiting on the winch to arrive.

First impressions are good on this Rugged Ridge Venator. I do wish the lower “skid” did provide as much protection as the factory skid as they can’t be used together.
It covers the sway bar disconnect, but not by much.

It’s not the kinda armor for tackling the hard stuff, but at a pretty reasonable 80ish lb weight, and the real heavy metal around the winch and hooks, it seems plenty sturdy.

I’m 200 lbs, and was lifting myself off the ground by pressing down on the wings. It has minimal flex and no distortion so I’m pleased with it’s general sturdyness.

Install was fairly smooth. But the nutserts for the factory skid plate remained and required some “coaxing” with a hammer to get it all in. Otherwise it was really smooth to do it all. Instead of being 150+ lbs of a single piece, the trade off here is that it is a bit of a jigsaw. Not particularly difficult, but paying attention will give good results.

The finish is really nice, but has flaked on a few of the non visible areas.

All in all, it’s a neat bumper. Almost makes me wish they had a “signature series” of it that took those extra few minutes and steps in the making to get it OEM fit and finish. To their credit, this is pretty impressive a design to flat pack a winch bumper that is both capable and looks like a factory concept piece all for half the mopar one?


Also, anyone in WA need some take off bits? I’ll put a classified together later once I clean it up.

How did the fog light mounts feel? I’ve heard they seem sort of flimsy, or like the fog lights could fall out without additional reinforcement.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

How did the fog light mounts feel? I’ve heard they seem sort of flimsy, or like the fog lights could fall out without additional reinforcement.

The mounts are fine. It wiggles some, but not in a bad way. The surrounds tho are really held on like a mousetrap. Its juuuust on there and probably less than 1/8”. I spent a goof bit flexing on the bumper and aligning it and getting it set juuust right. But now it seems in. But yeah, I’d have liked a more positive engagement. Will take it off, show some pics, and steal an idea or two ive seen on here to put some tape or something on it to make sure it stays.

It’s the one piece of plastic on the thing, but sadly it does give it a feel of the cheap.

I do Really, really like it so far. There’s definitely some rough edges on it, but I’d rather have it and tinker with it, than not have it at all. It’s that cool.

 

[trust]

Finished wiring the LASFIT switches. Quality is really good, fitment is like a 9.8/10 as the silver trim just barely sticks out compared to the aux kit but i'm overly picky like that. (**The fitment is like that most likely bc I chopped it up to add in the oem sway bar button so no fault on LASFITs part) Lockers are wired into the canbus system so they can't be activated unless in 4L and fronts cant be engaged unless rears are first. Overall great product so far, only thing I can't comment on is longevity.

I like it, I'm installing my r I ght side only set now. Wish they had come with non specific switch labels though, mine say Spot, Side, etc

 

[mazeppa]

Looks great, to clean up the look on that carpet snap on the center console I took apart the one on the carpet one and used the top have as a cover. I highlighted it in the photo.

I'm a copycat.

 

[Veloruche]

I'm a copycat.

I think it cleans up the look.

 

[mazeppa]

I think it cleans up the look.

The installed flooring around the carpet snap on passenger side wasn't as flat as the driver side, so I used a heat gun to bend the snap a little so it would fit flush with the flooring. Glad I didn't dispose of the carpet yet before removing the snaps and reusing them as you suggested.

 

[Kirk_Dirksen]

Last night I installed the Rubicon Express 2” spacer lift along with a set of Mopar steelies and BFG KO2s 35x12.5. I was a little nervous how the 7.5” wheels would look in a 12.5” wide tire but I think it looks really clean.

So happy with how it came out! (Shout out to @AzRob for helping source the steelies!)

 

[SnazzGlad]

Bumper installed! Just waiting on the winch to arrive.

First impressions are good on this Rugged Ridge Venator. I do wish the lower “skid” did provide as much protection as the factory skid as they can’t be used together.
It covers the sway bar disconnect, but not by much.

It’s not the kinda armor for tackling the hard stuff, but at a pretty reasonable 80ish lb weight, and the real heavy metal around the winch and hooks, it seems plenty sturdy.

I’m 200 lbs, and was lifting myself off the ground by pressing down on the wings. It has minimal flex and no distortion so I’m pleased with it’s general sturdyness.

Install was fairly smooth. But the nutserts for the factory skid plate remained and required some “coaxing” with a hammer to get it all in. Otherwise it was really smooth to do it all. Instead of being 150+ lbs of a single piece, the trade off here is that it is a bit of a jigsaw. Not particularly difficult, but paying attention will give good results.

The finish is really nice, but has flaked on a few of the non visible areas.

All in all, it’s a neat bumper. Almost makes me wish they had a “signature series” of it that took those extra few minutes and steps in the making to get it OEM fit and finish. To their credit, this is pretty impressive a design to flat pack a winch bumper that is both capable and looks like a factory concept piece all for half the mopar one?


Also, anyone in WA need some take off bits? I’ll put a classified together later once I clean it up.

Damn that bumper looks great! I got to stay off this page for a month it’s getting expensive!

 

[Delhux]

The mounts are fine. It wiggles some, but not in a bad way. The surrounds tho are really held on like a mousetrap. Its juuuust on there and probably less than 1/8”. I spent a goof bit flexing on the bumper and aligning it and getting it set juuust right. But now it seems in. But yeah, I’d have liked a more positive engagement. Will take it off, show some pics, and steal an idea or two ive seen on here to put some tape or something on it to make sure it stays.

It’s the one piece of plastic on the thing, but sadly it does give it a feel of the cheap.

I do Really, really like it so far. There’s definitely some rough edges on it, but I’d rather have it and tinker with it, than not have it at all. It’s that cool.

The Venator is defintely my favorite looking aftermarket front bumper.

Would you say it’s possible to remove the skid plate without removing the bumper if you don’t need it and want to save weight?

Or even install the front without the skid at all...

Or is it not possible?

 

[AzRob]

So happy with how it came out! (Shout out to @AzRob for helping source the steelies!)

Awesome!!!

Looks great, I was wondering how it was going to turn out. I think after seeing yours others might go the same route.

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