JLU Rubicon Suspension vs. Gladiator Rubicon Suspension

[8flat]

Sad but true. The 8 speed automatic definitely helps with towing, it used to be the other way around. I agree with you on how the engine is set up, not very much torque available down low. Funny that my twin turbo BMW M had 300 foot pounds available at 1500 rpm on up. I do miss having a straight 6 in a Jeep Wrangler, my XJ pulls like a tank compared to it. I guess Jeep is looking to satisfy the owners who bought a Jeep just to own a Jeep and not use it like a Jeep if that makes sense

Yeah you must be right. Although it just doesn't seem to fit the mindset the engineers had in almost literally every other aspect of the JL, they knocked it out of the park by keeping the mission in mind (off-road capability). So many people were worried it'd have IFS, etc. and FCA really stayed true to the mission except using an engine with no torque haha

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[Drsaekimdc]

I work at the plant here in Toledo where we build both the jl and the jt,give me a little time and I’ll find out the difference

any answers yet? TIA

 

[Kevin Mojito]

This may help you. JT are shorter.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Sad but true. The 8 speed automatic definitely helps with towing, it used to be the other way around. I agree with you on how the engine is set up, not very much torque available down low. Funny that my twin turbo BMW M had 300 foot pounds available at 1500 rpm on up. I do miss having a straight 6 in a Jeep Wrangler, my XJ pulls like a tank compared to it. I guess Jeep is looking to satisfy the owners who bought a Jeep just to own a Jeep and not use it like a Jeep if that makes sense

I think we all suffer from fond memory delusions of the straight 6. Everyone talks about how well they pulled, but the 9+ seconds 0-60 and ~17 second 1/4 mile times disagree. The jlur beats it by over a second to 60 and 2 seconds in the 1/4 with 1,000lbs more weight and much larger tires. I guess everyone has forgotten about not being able to maintain 65mph with the top off in a tj? Mountain grades ending in the slow lane with the hazards on because the 4.0 wouldn’t pull at altitude? The 4.0 was great for crawling, but it was a turd on the street in comparison.

 

[greenMarine]

I’ve pretty much had them in all flavors and sizes.

My Gladiator was a 2020 – sold it right after a 5,000-mile road trip pulling a small built camping trailer – it was approximately 2,000 lbs. – the reason I sold my 3.6 gas gladiator with MAX Tow and the 4.10’s was because I figured if I was going to get v8 fuel economy I might as well have the v8 – so I switched from a 3.6 v6 to a 6.4/ 392 Hemi in a single cab 4x4 Ram 2500.

This trip took place between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2020. Temperatures ranged from well below zero to above 80 degrees - The mpg on the Gladiator was 12-average on a road trip that took me from Dallas, TX to Los Angeles via Santa Fe, Moab, to Flag Staff, ultimately to Los Angeles. On the Return trip I went From L.A. to Cour de Lane Idaho, via Las Vegas. From Cour de Lane, I hit the outer realm of Yellow Stone, to Deadwood S.D., then back to Salt Lake City, down through Grand Junction Colorado, back through the mountains of New Mexico onto Dallas, Texas. It wasn’t the altitude or the torque that got me out of the JT. It was MPG…

I.M.O. The single cab 2500 chassis and engine combination with the 8-lug axles is what the Gladiator should have been; it should have shared very little with the JL wrangler. It should have been a RAM H.D. with the 6.4 – I’ve run that experiment… My opinion is, little more than my opinion – Jeep F.C.A. did what they did I am sure to appease many masters. But nevertheless, I’ve run the experiment.

For reference the RAM H.D. with 6.4 Hemi on the same size tires got 17 mpg and did great off road on trails I feel the Gladiator was suitable for in the same tire configuration.

Gears matter – I was running 285/75/17 on stock wheels with a leveling kit on my 2020 Gladiator, with the 4.10’s. I would have enjoyed 4.56’s but wouldn’t pay for that miniscule of a change. 5.13’s and the 8-speed with legit 35’s or 37’s would have been the cat’s ass. Not sure what that would have done to the unloaded MPG….

Later the Ram was running a Thuren kit which equated to approximately 4” of lift in the front and 1.5” in the rear. It looked funny on 285’s and later cleared 37s without issue.

The 2500 Ram H.D. was $5,000 less than the Gladiator – with a Hemi and 1-ton axles – (4x4) – its wheelbase is 1.5” longer than the gladiator. I’ve repeated the trip on two occasions with the Ram – and the MPG was slightly better than the Gladiator even with larger tires.

I put 37’s on the 6.4 hemi and the MPG went from 17 with the 285/75/17 to 10 - mpg with the 37’s so I pulled them and replaced them with 35/12.5/17 Toyo Open Country’s. Mpg is 13 on the 35’s. Weight was the only explanation I can find.

The HEMI needs gears, but no-one is yet making gears for the New Body Style H.D. Ram Axles -

I’ve always been about gears – big believer in them and I always go deep – meaning if I am going to pay to regear its 5.13’s or bust and only on one occasion did I run 4.88’s and that was on a TJ on 33’s…that quickly got 35’s and drivability returned. The other exception is when tons are in the rig and 40+ tires are on the menu – then we again go as deep as possible.

The 2001 TJ on 42’s 5.38’s and the 4.0L – the 4.0 on 60/14 – 5.38’s had a top speed of 45mph in Texas on a flat – was the first time I conceded that more H.P. and torque was needed and not just WANTED. The 4-speed atlas made up for it in a crawl configuration – but was a pig anywhere else.

I’ve never experienced altitude failure in my many regeared TJ’s rolling 35’s and 37’s nor did I have issues with my 3.8 or 3.6’s JK’s - all were regeared to appropriate numbers – I’ve had automatics in two of my Jeeps, that was the 2016 Rubicon and the 2020 Gladiator. (None of JK’s were unlimited – they were all 2-doors). I have a 2022 JL (2-door) on order and it will be getting 5.13’s added to the manual transmission asap and I’ll be running Yoko’s 285/75/17 – 5.13’s might be too low – for 285/75/17 – then again that just might encourage larger tires which is never a bad thing.

 

[AcesandEights]

@greenMarine Wondering why you didn't order the 2022 with 4.88, or did you?

 

[greenMarine]

@greenMarine Wondering why you didn't order the 2022 with 4.88, or did you?

The 4.88 package I believe is only an option on Rubicon's - certainly wasn’t an option the: JL, Sport, Sport S, Willy Sport and Willy’s which I considered. I ended up with a ‘plan’o’ Sport.

It’s really nice that jeep is offering the 4.88’s – that should be the standard ratio on the Rubicon, the 4.10’s on the others, and the ratios in the 3’s the optional ones.

As most Rubicon’s and others will be on tires significantly larger than 285/70/17’s soon after departing the lot – it is dumb, dumb, dumb, that Jeep doesn’t offer the ratios on other trim levels.

If Jeep offered 4.88’s from the Factory on a Sport I would have not hesitated to option that.

The SPORT JL (2-door) I ordered with the manual – was just under $36,000 with destination.

I’ll be tearing into the night I get it.

Over the course of the life and initial build – I won’t come close to spending on it, (with all my adds – what I would have spent on Rubicon) with 4.88’s – or 4:10’s…

 

[Zandcwhite]

The 4.88 package I believe is only an option on Rubicon's - certainly wasn’t an option the: JL, Sport, Sport S, Willy Sport and Willy’s which I considered. I ended up with a ‘plan’o’ Sport.

It’s really nice that jeep is offering the 4.88’s – that should be the standard ratio on the Rubicon, the 4.10’s on the others, and the ratios in the 3’s the optional ones.

As most Rubicon’s and others will be on tires significantly larger than 285/70/17’s soon after departing the lot – it is dumb, dumb, dumb, that Jeep doesn’t offer the ratios on other trim levels.

If Jeep offered 4.88’s from the Factory on a Sport I would have not hesitated to option that.

The SPORT JL (2-door) I ordered with the manual – was just under $36,000 with destination.

I’ll be tearing into the night I get it.

Over the course of the life and initial build – I won’t come close to spending on it, (with all my adds – what I would have spent on Rubicon) with 4.88’s – or 4:10’s…

Now that they’ve made power windows, the 8.4” uconnect, and alpine audio standard on the Rubicons, the price gap between a base sport and a base rubicon has gone up from ~$8-10k to $12k. You can still get a base Rubicon out the door with destination at around $43-44k if you buy from one of the dealers offering 5% under invoice. Personally I think that’s $6-7k well spent for the wider/stronger axles, lockers, t-case and sway bar disco even if you don’t consider the vastly improved audio and convenience features. The 4.88’s are an $895 option, also money well spent if you ask me. The regear with lockers alone will run you $3k+ just in parts and you’ll still have a Dana 30/35 combo that is marginal above 35’s. There’s a million ways to build a Jeep, but I still think the rubicon is the best value unless you are planning a full build with tons and an atlas tcase.

 

[AcesandEights]

You're right, it's specific to the Rubicon.

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