Stripper glitter

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

That under seat tray is factory then?

[Scoobienorth]

That under seat tray is factory then?

Ya that basket is stock at least on my trim level. It quickly unbolts if you want the flat floor for cargo. Some models also have storage behind the seat back as well. I’m dumb and forgot the seat back fold down so I haven’t checked mine. I’ve got the big stereo so I may not have much space back there. Optional is to have the sub woofer a detachable Bluetooth speaker that sits behind the seat. I didn’t get that though.

[Scoobienorth]

Man the traction control in the gladiator is really good. I was going on top of a crust of snow at 30 psi and bogged in a drift. Skid and front diff hung up. I messed around trying to crawl out with a gentle foot and felt the traction control cut in and then i floored it backing up. It would let one front tire spin then brake it hard and let the other one spin. Kept pulsing side to side until I was free and backing up barely, spinning enough to help but not enough to dig. I wouldn’t have gotten out without airing down or traction boards if it didn’t do that. It’s the first vehicle I’ve driven where the traction control almost always helps

[arse_sidewards]

Man the traction control in the gladiator is really good. I was going on top of a crust of snow at 30 psi and bogged in a drift. Skid and front diff hung up. I messed around trying to crawl out with a gentle foot and felt the traction control cut in and then i floored it backing up. It would let one front tire spin then brake it hard and let the other one spin. Kept pulsing side to side until I was free and backing up barely, spinning enough to help but not enough to dig. I wouldn’t have gotten out without airing down or traction boards if it didn’t do that. It’s the first vehicle I’ve driven where the traction control almost always helps

Most modern vehicles all try and do that. Some better than others.

[Scoobienorth]

Man the traction control in the gladiator is really good. I was going on top of a crust of snow at 30 psi and bogged in a drift. Skid and front diff hung up. I messed around trying to crawl out with a gentle foot and felt the traction control cut in and then i floored it backing up. It would let one front tire spin then brake it hard and let the other one spin. Kept pulsing side to side until I was free and backing up barely, spinning enough to help but not enough to dig. I wouldn’t have gotten out without airing down or traction boards if it didn’t do that. It’s the first vehicle I’ve driven where the traction control almost always helps

Most modern vehicles all try and do that. Some better than others.

Ya. Lots try, aside from Subaru I haven’t found many that get it right. Last year I drove a 19 JL and it was okay and definitely helped. This one seems to be a lot more aggressive though in a good way. It allows more wheel spin and grabs harder on the brakes. It is probably hard on the brakes though, but without lockers I’ll take it. It’s not a substitute for lockers. I’d really like a Selectable up front. When I flex hard the one front tire gives up the fight pretty early. Longer shocks and disconnect for the sway bar is coming as soon as I can which will help a bunch

[Scoobienorth]

Well took it out with my daughter and her friend who’s never been offroad before. Fairly mild run trying to be conservative. Made it to the big rock point on the beach, and tested it out. Sway bars hooked up still. They clear 37’s but barely. Got twisted up and carried a tire. The traction control is effective but sketchy. I nearly stained my boxers. It wasn’t climbing once the tires lifted on opposing corners, so feeling brave I gave a judicious application of throttle and the jeep launched forward carrying a tire went way further up than I planned. Then the front tire dropped, and when I unloaded the rear tire was at least 2 feet in air. I had visions of flopping but I had trust in being low and wide. I can see a front locker in time to gain control in wheel lifting situations first up though I really need sliders and coils and shocks to get wheel travel and ground clearance up.

[Scoobienorth]

Well first round of parts should be enroute, I much prefer shopping with local and small companies but with stuff being so hard to get and me being fussy I ordered through northridge. I managed I find enough stuff they had that I wanted to run to build my starter foundation setup. Icon coils and shocks, smooth body 2.0 shocks with 2.5/1.5 inches of lift based off a rubicon so I’ll see a lot more lift up front for sure. Terraflex front lower control arms and track bar up front and jks sway bar disconnects. I couldn’t find a kit that I liked everything in. The kits are either really pricey or had fancy joints in the arms that I don’t think will hold up to this mud and sit up here. Trying to keep it stockish but better performing. It might sit a little low for hardcore stuff but I think it’s a decent start

[Snowracer]

Im all for mixing stuff to get the best results, did the same with my daily and 10x better then buying a box kit

cant wait to see it with a little lift and the 37s

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Agreed, most of the "kits" are a horrible compromise on the components. That goes for anything. They just tend to be a good deal and easy way to at least have most of the parts you need.

[Scoobienorth]

It’s a good day. My missing in shipment shocks showed up today a couple days behind the rest of my parts. With a 4 day weekend for myself off I better have this stuff installed and tested out.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Nice.

Are variable rate coil springs all the rage now? Or is that something the stock JL/JT have so the aftermarket is just following the OEM?

[Scoobienorth]

Nice.

Are variable rate coil springs all the rage now? Or is that something the stock JL/JT have so the aftermarket is just following the OEM?

It seems to be a big trend. The gladiator lifts pretty much all have triple or quad rate rear, front there are still a few single rate springs, I believe terraflex might be, the icon fronts I have are progressive. Kinda why I wanted a match spring shock set from someone that can tune them right. The terraflex springs I seen in a jl 2 door were really rough riding and the shocks as awesome as they are, are hard to come by.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Nice.

Are variable rate coil springs all the rage now? Or is that something the stock JL/JT have so the aftermarket is just following the OEM?

It seems to be a big trend. The gladiator lifts pretty much all have triple or quad rate rear, front there are still a few single rate springs, I believe terraflex might be, the icon fronts I have are progressive. Kinda why I wanted a match spring shock set from someone that can tune them right. The terraflex springs I seen in a jl 2 door were really rough riding and the shocks as awesome as they are, are hard to come by.

Interesting. I had an XJ with variable rates and I thought it was a better setup overall, but it was really odd that it had them and nobody ever could determine where they came from. The might have been from a car even. I might have to look into how interchangeable JL/JT coils are and see if anything might work for my current XJ.

[Scoobienorth]

There’s the new stance. Little lower than I was hoping up front. Barely 3” maybe a little less. Being is supposed to lift a rubicon 2.5” and they are taller than mine and I’m lighter by a bit. I still need to put the track bar in and adjust the drag link to match but it’s close enough for now. 7 hours to get this far and it should have been 3-4 in my mind for all it. Didn’t go well at all. The rear springs are really long compared to stock. The stock ones fell out and the icon ones were long enough they were still below the differential tubes.

[Scoobienorth]

It rides a lot better. A bit more body roll, but it’s smooth on the street and way better in the dirt. The local lookout road is fairly rough. Stock at 30-40km/hour it was a handful and bottoming out. Ran it at 60+ and I cycled the suspension but never bottomed out, never even felt like I was pushing it. Easy to drive one handed cruise.