Gladiator wheels on a JLU

[JT1]

The deeper the wheel the farther away the center is from the mount if that makes sense. The wheel is resting on the lugs and tire on rubber bumpers but the center of the wheel is 1/2 off the mount. It won't go back far enough to sit flush.

the first time you mount them, you have to use the lug nuts to smash the tire into the bumpers..
OR take those bumpers off and trim them shorter.

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[MKC JL]

I considered triming the stops but theres no way tightening the lugs is going to pull it in that far at the top. Maybe I'm making a bigger deal of it than it is.

I would just prefer that the center of the wheel was flush like it's supposed to be especially with the tire weight.

 

[JT1]

I considered triming the stops but theres no way tightening the lugs is going to pull it in that far at the top. Maybe I'm making a bigger deal of it than it is.

I would just prefer that the center of the wheel was flush like it's supposed to be especially with the tire weight.

Do factory Wrangler Rubicons have smaller tire bumpers or a different spare tire mount?

 

[MKC JL]

Nope..same as a Sport. It's definately the Gladiator wheel. My matching one will be here Friday & I can revisit the issue without a tire mounted to see exactly whats going on.

Had I gone with Wrangler Rubicon wheels it would be a non issue but I had these & like them. I've just never run into this before but I've only swapped Wrangler wheels never threw a Gladiator in the mix.

 

[zw470]

JT Rubicon steel spares are 17x7.5 +44.45 just like almost every other JL/JT wheel. Mojave steel spares are 17x7.5 +37.17 like the normal Mojave wheels.

 

[MKC JL]

We all agree that the off set 44.45 but in my case the steel wheel will not mount flush like a JL wheel. Can you force it on sure but it doesn't make it correct.

BoiledDogs has a post on here about the same thing and someone posted that the Rubicon carrier was longer (not sure) or to cut the rubber bumpers to get the wheel to set back flush.

In the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal just posted my experience & fix.

 

[MKC JL]

Just an update. As was stated the wheels are the same size and do fit the mount without a tire mounted. It appears the tire wouldn't let the wheel sit back flush with the mount.

I fixed it by switching tires.

 

[6th Floor Mule]

Just an update. As was stated the wheels are the same size and do fit the mount without a tire mounted. It appears the tire wouldn't let the wheel sit back flush with the mount.

I fixed it by switching tires.

I’m guessing the problem is ultimately related to the Sport carrier’s limitations. Looking at the not so subtle size difference between the seemingly similar Sport and Sahara camera covers, I can see where swaps between models could turn problematic. As a side note, I ran the same 285/70/17 JT Rubi setup with a steel spare on my Sahara without issue.

 

[MKC JL]

Actually the camera cover was ok. I've done this swap several times in the past & have never had an issue and 99.9% of people will never have a problem!!

Just my luck LOL!

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