What makes the Rubi look so much more badass?

[eternus]

I actually noticed this over on the Jeep sub-reddit recently, but figure it applies right on through to the Gladiator. Someone posted their new Mojito green Sahara and it just looked kinda "meh" compared to the Mojito green Rubicon's I've seen. I got to thinking about the Gladiators as well... the Rubicon definitely looks more badass and I'm trying to figure out if it's one thing, or a combination.

• High Clearance Fenders?
• Domed/Vented Hood?
• More Aggressive Tires?
• More Styled Wheels?
• The Decal?

I didn't include the bumper since they don't all have that, and the Rubicon I saw most recently had the stock plastic bumper and it still looked awesome.

My goal now is to find a Sport that's added the high clearance fenders (and probably more aggressive tires), one with only the new hood, and one with ONLY more aggressive tires. (c:

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[JJStasen]

The hood graphic!

 

[homerun]

I am going with the tires and hood. The high fenders, slight lift, and wheels are subtle and not super noticeable to non Jeep nerds. Aggressive tires make any 4x4 look mean, and the vented hood does really stand out.

Just my thoughts, interested in what others think.

 

[eternus]

The good news is, buying Rubicon High Clearance Flares in the JPP catalog is only $545 for the black... hopefully that will remain the same for the Gladiator parts.

Poking around a bit, I came across this picture:

Between the aggressive tires, the lift and the fenders... definitely beefy.

 

[jeepinjon]

I think that it is the wider axles and more aggressive tires.

From the side the tires do look smaller and less aggressive on the JT/JL than they did on the JK in my opinion due to the highline flares. At the same time I appreciate the flares since it accommodates a 35" tire off the lot.

 

[dano0726]

I have to admit -- since I swapped out some Rubi takeoffs onto my Sport S = night & day difference!!!

 

[eternus]

I have to admit -- since I swapped out some Rubi takeoffs onto my Sport S = night & day difference!!!

Yes, having a 2.5" lift and 33" Duratracs makes my Sport S plenty bad ass. I'll start with better tires in the Gladiator and see what needs upgrading from there. (c:

 

[RedTRex]

I think that it is the wider axles and more aggressive tires.

From the side the tires do look smaller and less aggressive on the JT/JL than they did on the JK in my opinion due to the highline flares. At the same time I appreciate the flares since it accommodates a 35" tire off the lot.

I agree with you

 

[lrtexasman]

I actually noticed this over on the Jeep sub-reddit recently, but figure it applies right on through to the Gladiator. Someone posted their new Mojito green Sahara and it just looked kinda "meh" compared to the Mojito green Rubicon's I've seen. I got to thinking about the Gladiators as well... the Rubicon definitely looks more badass and I'm trying to figure out if it's one thing, or a combination.

• High Clearance Fenders?
• Domed/Vented Hood?
• More Aggressive Tires?
• More Styled Wheels?
• The Decal?

I didn't include the bumper since they don't all have that, and the Rubicon I saw most recently had the stock plastic bumper and it still looked awesome.

My goal now is to find a Sport that's added the high clearance fenders (and probably more aggressive tires), one with only the new hood, and one with ONLY more aggressive tires. (c:

Yea not a fan of the overlander. The color matched fenders and street tires make it look odd to me. At least going with 33” is really going to improve the appearances of the JT.

 

[Renegade]

No, no, y’all are all wrong. It’s definitely the red dash...

 

[steffen707]

i think black fenders and black top make it look more utilitarian = badass. Big tires and high fenders don't hurt either.

 

[ThirtyOne]

It is a combination of things. Just adding the tires to my JLU Sport S made a huge difference. But the hood, slight lift, and higher flares also contribute.

I'm convinced more than half of Rubicon buyers buy it just for the look.

 

[Jeep_VB]

I think it is definitely the RUBICON sticker on the hood.

 

[Moabite]

The first thing I did when I got my Scrambler home in 1982 was remove "Scrambler" from the hood. I'll do the same with the Rubicon's hood lettering. The original Rubicon lettering was ok, but the newer style is too bold, large, and the red outline is just plain ugly. If you get my Scrambler's hood in just the right light, you can still see a faint image of the original decal. It probably sat in the sunshine on the dealer's lot for a while, and the 80's era paint faded slightly where not covered by the lettering.

 

[Karnivoolfan]

It looks cringey to me. If I did get a Rubicon. I would be sure to make sure the factory knew to not put those stupid decals on the hood. I don't want any reference to the Rubicon on it. Just the off road equipment.

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