Would Jeep ever off a 3/4 Ton Gladiator?

[Mightytalldude]

As a pickup. With some overlanding focus. Could Jeep offer a heavy duty Gladiator?

Not a full size truck. A midsized truck with a slightly beefier frame/ axles to support a lot more load. So a camper and gear and people could be in the truck legally.

HD Gladiator with dana 60/80 axles. A high tq v8. And a 3000 lbs load rating i think would be a seller

I dont think trailering would help a lot but maybe get to 9500 lbs so a full sized travel.trailer or a car hauler could be pulled easy

Also would avoid cafe fuel targets.

Jeep actually has built such a vehicle. It's called a Ram truck.

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[MudderNuker]

Maybe a RAM RHO with a Jeep grill.

 

[Gladi8r_22]

Basically your talking about the 2022 Sema show Tonka Gladiator & it has a Cummins.

https://www.motortrend.com/events/cummins-diesel-jeep-gladiator-sema-show-2022/

 

[ScottBeach]

The ram is a good truck. But it's hard to get the roof off.

 

[ScottBeach]

I hadn't seen this Tonka before. Wow! Exactly what I am talking about. 2500 rated frame but a jeep.

 

[biodiesel]

The Kaiser Jeep was a 1+1⁄4-ton with a removable top. It was based on the civilian Jeep Gladiator.

 

[Bbannongmu]

No

 

[MCMXLI]

A 3/4 ton Gladiator would require moving to a different platform (front and rear). Can't just bolt the back half of an HD onto a Wrangler and calling it a day.

Given the hard points in the chassis/firewall of the HD Ram platform, I doubt it could even be styled to look like a Jeep. Or at least not look like an abomination.

 

[MudderNuker]

The ram is a good truck. But it's hard to get the roof off.

An angle grinder will take care of that in no time.

 

[vicsvx]

I mean you could just...

 

[Tuggernuts]

Yep, the old J20 and I owned one. Wi t h the exception of the 401 it was bomb proof.

 

[GoHack]

If anything, besides offering a stronger frame, is that of a needed longer bed.
By keeping the same wheelbase, they could go w/an extended cab which would at least give you around a 6-foot bed, while w/a regular cab, maybe closer to 8 feet.

I certainly would have liked and hoped that Jeep would have come out with an Extended cab w/a 6-foot bed.

 

[disenhower]

Came across the Jeep Dominator Concept art. Even though it's AI...I'm 100% for it. Something like this is almost perfection!

 

[BlackRuby23]

My question is why? To me, the purpose of a Gladiator is not towing and hauling, it's maximizing off-road capabilities with the added bonus of being able to throw some toys and gear in a small pickup box when you need to.

As you move into 2500/3500/4500/5500 series trucks, the off-road prowess and comfort gets worse and worse. When you are adding GVWR, you are adding stiffness to the suspension, and weight to the overall vehicle. This is moving in the exact opposite direction of off-road utility/capability.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. I have a Ram 3500 4x4 diesel dually to tow and haul. It does that fantastically. I can take it off road - it's surprisingly adept - but it does not shine. What would be the point of turning a Gladiator into that at the expense of what it does so well already, which includes a soft ride off-road?

 

[montechie]

A midsize with a high payload package would be interesting. A current LC70 tows about the same as a JT, but has a ~2900lbs payload. Who knows how Australia qualifies payload vs the US though, and my 05' LJ has more creature comforts (ie weight) than a LC70.

I don't see it happening with the JT, but maybe a new Ram Dakota. I would think even a 2000lbs payload Tradesman Dakota could sell well for urban/mining fleet sales. Of course like the Power wagon, once you made it a Laramie the payload would be ~1500lbs again.

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