PuddleJumper
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- First Name
- Cortlund
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- Jan 17, 2024
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- Alexandria, Virginia
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- 23' JTM, 22' JTR, 22' F56S,
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Edit:
Too sum it all up. Im an idiot who saw the fake hood scoop and threw logic out the window. And now that same idiot wants a V8 cus lack of braincells. so basically any reason to buy a Mojave over any other trim level is pointless in my case. Except the awesome hood.
So, I'll start by saying i got a factory order for my 2023 hydro pearl blue mojave. I picked it up in august 23'. Now if your like me the main selling point of the mojave was its suspension package which was more desirable than the rubicon option. but then you want bigger tires and now you're basically about to replace the one thing you spent 50 plus k on and now have no front locker or swaybar disconnect. I think this is a huge disconnect for most, and one would assume that the mojave is more for the stock weekend warrior/daily driver. With the rubi being the actual offroad toy. But I'm here to give my two cents on why the Mojave is more than its suspension package and why its better than the rubicon depending on how you use it. So first, what's it got that the rubi don't other than the suspension? Easy, a reinforced framed, so u can literally jump it stock, with no consequences. Assuming you know what your doing. This why the Mojave cannot fit the 3.0 diesel and doesn't have the option. Its unique frame bracing gets in the way of emission realistate needed. What else? The front Dana M120 has steel knuckles instead of aluminum. I have far more faith in these taking abuse offroad, and its probably why Jeep put them in to begin with. But yeah thats basically it. (on a side note, i prefer the softer swaybar the mojave has a well) So why is it better than a rubicon? As stock for stock offroader, they just trade blows depending on the surface you are wheeling on. So here's the answer, Overlanding. The Mojave is better overlander, and a better work truck. Imo it highways much better but still has the chops to get you through 99% of trails. It also tows way better despite not being deisel. I imagine the deisel is great towing, in a straight line. With the same 4000lb camper, my Mojave tows much more comfortably and confidently than my Aunt's Rubicon. I've comfortably towed my wheeling buddy's 6500lb GX470. Its an absolute unit of a truck that fits those little niches that one may need on midsize pickup but the Rubicon just doesn't quite have it. Now onto Overlanding. I've put 15k on my truck in these past few month since i got it. I've kept it on the stock wildpeaks and ran her heavy. about 850lbs of gear, rtt included. My only qualm was that the stock spring on gladiators in general, only take about 200 lbs static before squatting is noticeable. So 850 looks like ass. Now much differently than the Toyota market, no one markets springs by additional load rating as well as lift. So finding a spring that just held more weight but didn't lift is basically impossible. Cus who uses their gladiator like an actual truck!? Just jack it 4 inches and run the widest tire possible to flex on the normies in the parking lot at work right? With this issue i just ended up getting Ironman4x4 600lbs additional load 2in lift springs just for the rear. And just like that the truck sat just like stock with 850 in the bed. But, I dont run 850 24/7 cus this my daily and im not camping in the parking lot at work. So now the truck has rake thats a little too noticeable. Should've left it stock and bottomed out every bump on trail? No that's not any better. For the record I dont need lift to fit 37s. As long as they are 37x12.5 and your running about +25mm offset. They fit great. (yeah sidenote, If you bought a gladiator with the Dana Widetrac axles, you dont need 0 or negative offset wheels to fit bigger tires unless that's your look. Thats the perk of widetrac axles) Anyway, back to the problem at hand, a lift kit that keeps the truck at stock ride height with or without 850lbs in the bed? But, there's more in my case. When the warranty is up i got a date with America's Most Wanted 4x4s for a 392 Hemi swap. Which requires a 2in lift to clear the new oil filter location. SMH, so, how does one keep the factory shocks and hydro bumps but add two inches? IMO, a 2in spacer lift in the front designed specifically for mojaves, but run the extra load spring i got in rear instead of spacers to deal with overland weight. Sucks that i probably be paying for a full kit only to use 75% of it. But hey thats what it'll take for me. But if your not overlanding, and you just want a slick looking Gladiator that does more that just park on that 6ft pile of old snow in the parking lot. Get a Mojave, slap on some 35x12.5 tires on your stock wheels and enjoy. Lets be honest, very few of us will ever use lockers. And if thats the case, having just the rear for a pinch is perfect. Just my two cents. Oh and if your wondering why no pictures. Cus I'm posting from work bored AF. And my work PC ain't got pics of my sweet ride, yet.
Too sum it all up. Im an idiot who saw the fake hood scoop and threw logic out the window. And now that same idiot wants a V8 cus lack of braincells. so basically any reason to buy a Mojave over any other trim level is pointless in my case. Except the awesome hood.
So, I'll start by saying i got a factory order for my 2023 hydro pearl blue mojave. I picked it up in august 23'. Now if your like me the main selling point of the mojave was its suspension package which was more desirable than the rubicon option. but then you want bigger tires and now you're basically about to replace the one thing you spent 50 plus k on and now have no front locker or swaybar disconnect. I think this is a huge disconnect for most, and one would assume that the mojave is more for the stock weekend warrior/daily driver. With the rubi being the actual offroad toy. But I'm here to give my two cents on why the Mojave is more than its suspension package and why its better than the rubicon depending on how you use it. So first, what's it got that the rubi don't other than the suspension? Easy, a reinforced framed, so u can literally jump it stock, with no consequences. Assuming you know what your doing. This why the Mojave cannot fit the 3.0 diesel and doesn't have the option. Its unique frame bracing gets in the way of emission realistate needed. What else? The front Dana M120 has steel knuckles instead of aluminum. I have far more faith in these taking abuse offroad, and its probably why Jeep put them in to begin with. But yeah thats basically it. (on a side note, i prefer the softer swaybar the mojave has a well) So why is it better than a rubicon? As stock for stock offroader, they just trade blows depending on the surface you are wheeling on. So here's the answer, Overlanding. The Mojave is better overlander, and a better work truck. Imo it highways much better but still has the chops to get you through 99% of trails. It also tows way better despite not being deisel. I imagine the deisel is great towing, in a straight line. With the same 4000lb camper, my Mojave tows much more comfortably and confidently than my Aunt's Rubicon. I've comfortably towed my wheeling buddy's 6500lb GX470. Its an absolute unit of a truck that fits those little niches that one may need on midsize pickup but the Rubicon just doesn't quite have it. Now onto Overlanding. I've put 15k on my truck in these past few month since i got it. I've kept it on the stock wildpeaks and ran her heavy. about 850lbs of gear, rtt included. My only qualm was that the stock spring on gladiators in general, only take about 200 lbs static before squatting is noticeable. So 850 looks like ass. Now much differently than the Toyota market, no one markets springs by additional load rating as well as lift. So finding a spring that just held more weight but didn't lift is basically impossible. Cus who uses their gladiator like an actual truck!? Just jack it 4 inches and run the widest tire possible to flex on the normies in the parking lot at work right? With this issue i just ended up getting Ironman4x4 600lbs additional load 2in lift springs just for the rear. And just like that the truck sat just like stock with 850 in the bed. But, I dont run 850 24/7 cus this my daily and im not camping in the parking lot at work. So now the truck has rake thats a little too noticeable. Should've left it stock and bottomed out every bump on trail? No that's not any better. For the record I dont need lift to fit 37s. As long as they are 37x12.5 and your running about +25mm offset. They fit great. (yeah sidenote, If you bought a gladiator with the Dana Widetrac axles, you dont need 0 or negative offset wheels to fit bigger tires unless that's your look. Thats the perk of widetrac axles) Anyway, back to the problem at hand, a lift kit that keeps the truck at stock ride height with or without 850lbs in the bed? But, there's more in my case. When the warranty is up i got a date with America's Most Wanted 4x4s for a 392 Hemi swap. Which requires a 2in lift to clear the new oil filter location. SMH, so, how does one keep the factory shocks and hydro bumps but add two inches? IMO, a 2in spacer lift in the front designed specifically for mojaves, but run the extra load spring i got in rear instead of spacers to deal with overland weight. Sucks that i probably be paying for a full kit only to use 75% of it. But hey thats what it'll take for me. But if your not overlanding, and you just want a slick looking Gladiator that does more that just park on that 6ft pile of old snow in the parking lot. Get a Mojave, slap on some 35x12.5 tires on your stock wheels and enjoy. Lets be honest, very few of us will ever use lockers. And if thats the case, having just the rear for a pinch is perfect. Just my two cents. Oh and if your wondering why no pictures. Cus I'm posting from work bored AF. And my work PC ain't got pics of my sweet ride, yet.
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