I just purchased a new gladiator, and I can tell you that of all the videos I’ve seen, and there are many of them that yours are very informative and come from a practical place.
Lifting the JT makes a huge difference when offroading. When my Overland was stock my belly was scraping everything especially air downed with the stock 32s. I ended up going with a Rock Krawler 4.5 Pro-x lift and 39s. Surprisingly with it being high it rides alot better than stock on and off road. Even on the highway it rides smooth and feels planted.
How are the axles holding up? I wanna go 37s but I hear a bunch of folks saying the 44s won’t survive And a lot are saying the new gen 44s are way stouter then people are giving them credit for
@@steve-0891 they are holding up great. I know a fair amount of people running 35s upto 40s on stock axles and have had no problems and they wheel them. Granted none of us are full throttling through rocks and trying to destroy them. Lol check me out on Instagram TheGhostJT I typically tag my crew of JTs I roll with. If the axles do grenade I'll post it.
I just ordered my JKS lift today while at the Toledo Jeep Fest, I got a great show special. I'm glad to see you're happy with the lift, that helps reassure me that I made a good choice vs the Mopar 2". Thanks for the videos, you do a great job👍👍
I have a '21 JT-R Diesel, 6" MetalCloak/Evo lift. I run 37x12.5 on 17x9 with a 3.5" backspace. The tires do stick out past the fenders, but tuck under the Rubicon fender at full flex both front and rear. So you can have a fairly aggressive look without having to worry about whether they will tuck under the fenders. No need to run 5.25" or 4.5" backspace unless you like that narrow aesthetic. I live an hour from the Rubicon Trailhead at Loon Lake and we run up there often. The damn forest fires have really put a damnper on this season of wheeling in that area.
Thanks for the detailed review! picked up our, new to us, 2020 JTU last week, partly because it better fits our mission, which includes flat towing her with our dirt bikes in the bed, but also because of the dissatisfaction with how our JKU Rubicon's handling on road went down after a 3" lift and various other mods like track bars, shocks, 35" tires, etc. She became an incredible crawler, but drivability on the pavement JKU on the road. I know she'll not even come close to the JKU off road, but your review gives me hope that I might be able to get her up a little higher with a 3" lift and 37" wheels and still maintain good on pavement drivability!
I have an 08 Jk with 3.5 lift and 37's. Been running Barrett/Rubicon/ slickrock since 09. Get out and use that Grocery getter!! FYI all rims have backspace and steel rims are best for rocks, a little more weight but they won't Crack when slammed by rocks.
It hasn’t been a problem with my setup. The kit only runs 1.5 inch rear lift springs. This may be an issue with a longer travel setup, but not something I’ve experienced.
Ali, great video. I think you got the setup I’m looking for. Is this the J-venture kit and you added the fixed length control arms? This lift seems perfect and I want the stiffer ride.
My rubicon is on 37s with 2 in mopar and 1in spacer in front and .75 in rear. Adjustable lca and front track bar,and rear track bar bracket. I'm running 6.5 caster. 5 is too low to me.
Following your build due to interest in building a gladiator myself with 37s. PLEASE tell me you loosened ALL 16 control arm bolts and re-torqued them on level ground. (Preferably with 1/2 tank of fuel and driver in the seat)
Thank you. The hooks are part of my Arcus bumper from Rugged Ridge. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oS7pwYxhjb8.htmlsi=9PWjUSxfvehUW9VJ
I have a sport a non max tow. Could I run those wheels with 37s and a 3.5 inch lift? Would it clear everything? I want to run the higher back spaces wheels but I don’t have the wider track axles.
I think it’s likely you’ll rub the control arms with this same wheel and tire package. JKS recommends 4.5 to 5 inches of backspacing for non-rubicon models.
Great video! Whats the deal with the axles on 37s? Ive got 37s on mine, and i keep hearing jk guys say 37s will break shit constantly? Is that true given the gladiator has the ram 1500 style anxels?
These axles are better than the JK 44s. I’ve never had an issue with these axles on 37‘s under my Gladiator or my Wrangler. The ball joints aren’t great and the front axle disconnect can be problematic. However, you can put some Dynatrac ball joints in and replace the stock axle shafts with RCV performance ones (one piece) and you have a pretty solid front axle.
Great looking rig. Now I’m tied between Clayton Overland 2.5 , 2.5 JKS J konnect and 2.5 RK adventure series, any feedback or experience behind the other 2 setups my man?
Thank you. All of those are good, reputable companies. I don't have much experience with Clayton, but I have used RK stuff in the past. I like the Rock Krawler rear f-link setup, but I don't know how their springs ride compared to JKS. I've had JKS on this and my JK. I like how the JKS springs ride and have been happy with the overall quality of the kit.
thank you so much for a honest and comprehensive review of this lift! This is the lift I want to go with on my Gladiator. I believe I will go with 35s as mine is my daily driver. thoughts and opinions on this please? Thank you
Thanks for the feedback. If you have a Rubicon, the 35s might look a little small, but that's more of a personal preference. I like how the 37's look and perform off-road. However, moving up to a 37 also resulted in me regearing the differentials to get power and overdrive gears back.
I'm really enjoying my 3-inch JKS kit. I don't know if they offer diesel specific front springs and shocks at the moment however. Given the diesel is heavier, the springs will likely be spec'd just for that. I would check with JKS and if they don't have anything I would try EVO Mfg. I know EVO has a diesel Gladiator in their fleet, but it's on coilovers, not just a standard coil and spring. Nothing is wrong with that, it's just going to up the price over a more conventional kit.
Thanks. The rear springs are on the soft side and make the Jeep sit fairly level. If you are towing frequently, I would recommend a HD rear spring. I’m not sure if that’s something JKS offers.
What’s the total height of your gladiator after the 3” lift and 37’s? If I’m calculating correctly it should be 6’8”? I’m asking because my underground parking clearance is 6’8”. This combo would allow myself to squeeze in.
It’s been a while since the Jeep has been setup like this, but I can tell you that it fit under my 7ft garage door with room to spare. In fact, it now has 40 inch tall tires and still fits under my 7ft door with plenty of clearance.
Hey Ali, how has this kit held up since install? I’m deciding between this and another kit, and just curious about longevity. Thanks for the great vid!
I got. 2021 gladiator Rubicon I want the JKS. Do I need to get upper and lower control arms for the front and back or just the front I don't want to have any problems with this truck.
Wonder how this lift would work on a diesel? The diesel is much heavier in the front. I’d like to install this kit on my diesel, but I’m wondering if it would bottom out frequently.
Question. Did you have to regear your gladiator after this 3 inch lift and also, did you have to replace the ball joints? Or is the ball joints OK because of the negative all set you have on your tires kept it more in factory spec. Thanks.
I have not replacement the ball joints. The high amount of backspacing helps to preserve the front end components for sure. I did end up re-gearing with 4.88 differential gears.
I got a 2021 Rubicon gladiator just orded the 3" jks qith adjustable control arms the lower fronts what do you recommend setting them at 35" tires 18" rims Rubicon bumper wirh a badland 12000 pd winch.
I would take it to an alignment shop and get them to set the caster to 6 degrees. I think you’ll find that keeps the steering nice and light and makes the Jeep very drivable on the highway. If it feels too sensitive, you can go down a bit with the caster, but I would imagine you’d be the happiest with that. If you’re looking for a measurement, you just need to have the lowers roughly a half inch longer than stock when you install them. That’ll get you close.
@@DrivingLine today is November 19 2023 at 5:46pm about 5 minutes ago this bastard government have people making noise like a lions. I guess to get my attention but I am not giving them the attention they want. When these lies doesn't work what new lies will they have next week. If the father was a man he would knock on the door and find out. When you love lies from the government you will never challenge the lies. I don't know what new information they going to give you tomorrow and next week it will all be lies. You only get your information through (videos no action in real life) you think these Twinkle Toes federal governments don't know I'm being lying on. THESE damn MAMZER have to fabricate to make themselves look good. Add on they told them to make noise when I cut on my kitchen lights
That’s correct. The instructions say 34 inches. However, that does not account for a winch or winch bumper. It’s still best to start with that measurement and then you can adjust in or out if you need to. I believe mine was about an 1/8th of an inch shy of 34 inches to be centered.
I would get them so you can dial in the caster. I believe if you don't opt for lowers you end up getting caster bolts, but don't quote me on that. I got fixed lowers that were longer here. I ended up getting adjustable ones. If I had it to do again, I would have opted for the adjustable arms when I did the lift.
Do you have any rubbing issues with that tire at full lock when you are climbing rocks? I have 35" BFG KO2's with a Metalcloak 3.5" GameChanger and see a bit of rubbing but I am on stock wheels. I think I heard you mention backspacing but the won't help all that much either. Reason I ask is that I want to move to the Nitto's in 37". Thanks!
The tires have rubbed the control arms before, but it rarely happens. If you are running stock wheels, I would recommend adding a set of wheel spacers to combat your rubbing issue (assuming you don't want to get a new set of wheels.)
I've narrowed it down to this lift or Clayton's 2.5. I was leaning towards the 2.5 to put less stress on the shaft. If I will almost never take it off roading. Will this lift still be ok on the shaft and rest of the suspension? It's daily driver. Street 99.9% of the time.
I’m not familiar with the details of the Clayton setup, but I can tell you that I’ve been extremely happy with this kit. I’ve driven this Jeep cross country twice, wheeled all over Moab, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. The Jeep is now on Dynatrac 60s and 40s, but I am still running the same springs, shocks, and front track bar. I did upgrade to the adjustable control arms, but that was strictly so I could dial in my axle placement.
@@DrivingLine That's awesome!! I guess i shouldn't have any issues if most of my driving is city. I was just worried that maybe 3in was pushing it with no rear adjustable track bar or rear control arms.
This kit requires very little maintenance since it doesn’t have the adjustable control arms. I’ve since upgraded to all adjustable JKS control arms which does require a little bit more work. I’ve had to replace a few of the control arm bushings over the past year. Otherwise, pretty low maintenance overall.
The Jeep is now a bit different, so I can't get you that exact number. I can tell you that it fits under a 7ft garage door with 37's (and now on 40's) with room to spare.
When I ordered my kit a couple of years ago, JKS only offered this system. At that time, it stated that Rubicon's would only gain 3 inches of lift, but the other models would get 3.5 inches. It looks like they now offer a 3 and 3.5 inch version. So, you should get the full 3.5 inches of lift with the only exception being if it is equipped with the diesel engine.
It would. These Jeeps benefit from taller lifts due to the wheelbase, but if you don’t mind hitting the frame and skids a little more often on the trail, you can get away with a low lift height.
No. I pulled it out. The added lift wasn’t necessary. I would not recommend leaving it in primarily because the front end you be too high. If you did want to combine the two, you’ll want to opt for fully adjustable control arms so you can properly dial in the axle placement and caster settings.
With the bigger tires loaded down with gear does the 6-cylinder underpowered when your trail riding or would you recommend spending the extra money and buying a diesel version
I think the V-6 power is fine. I know the diesel has more torque, but my experience with the emissions equipment on the later-model diesels hasn't been a positive one. So, I tend to avoid diesel. With the right gearset for the tire size, the V-6 works well on road and off.
After all the upgrades would you still get the Rubicon or would you go with a lower model to save on cost. Love the set up definitely going with 37s if I go with gladiator over the Bronco. Thanks Mike
@@michaellyden9839 lower models have Dana 30s (or 35s? Too lazy to look) , no lockers, and no electronic disco sway bars. If you off-road, 37s on a lower model will grenade the axles. And good luck rock crawling 37s without lockers. If you’re doing high speed off-roading or like to reallyyy hammer down while rock crawling.. rubicon axles may grenade with 37s. So get a base model and use the money saved for Dana 60s and better lockers.
@@suchgr8hieghts saying you're too lazy to look just allows you to spew misinformation. All JTs have Dana 44s, and the Sport Max Tow, Mojave, and Rubicon all have the heavy duty wide track axles that are more or less identical except for the rear locker in the Mojave and front and rear lockers in the Rubicon. With careful driving, 37s work fine on the JT axles.
شما به راحتی می توانید یک لاستیک به ارتفاع 35 اینچ بدون بالابر روی گلادیاتور روبیکون اجرا کنید. Nitto Tire به تازگی با 38 اینچ Ridge Grappler و Trail Grappler به بازار آمد که برای گلادیاتور عالی خواهد بود ، اما برای پاکسازی آنها به چند اینچ بالابر نیاز خواهید داشت.
@@DrivingLine ممنون،یه سوال دیگه دارم،نمیخوام کمک فنرهای ماشین تعویض کنم میتونم از ۲.۵ اینج lift kit استفاده کنم بدون کمک فنرهای روبیکان عوض کنم و لاستیک ۳۸ بندازم
@@GotYo6 I prefer the look of the 37s, but I've seen a few Gladiator Rubicon's with similar lift and 35s and it doesn't look to odd. I think with the right aftermarket wheel, it wouldn't look bad. It's also important to get a true-to-size 35.
@@Ali_Mansour_Editor good for you. A lot of people did and goes through a lot to fixed it. It's a solid front axel and I, own one, and it's completely different from IFS on pavement. Just admit it if you do, alot of us did and we admitted it. It not the end of the world to admit. May be your's is in a stock form, but when we modified.. You know... We have an issue called death wobble and we also knew how to fix it.. Cheers bru
@@laloolhouvum1634 My friend. I don't think you realize that I'm the guy in this video talking about how I modified my Gladiator. So, no. I'm not talking about stock Jeeps. I should clarify. I do in fact know what death wobble is. I've been writing articles about how to prevent and fix it for over 15 years. I've owned dozens of solid-axle vehicles and indeed have experienced death wobble before. What I can tell you is that my JL (which was on 35s, then 37s) and my Gladiators (both on 37s) have never death wobbled.
Bro Ali, now I got your point. You're right you should clarify at the first place. Your current JL on 37s never death wobbled, you said. Can you tell me why she doesn't wobbled. May be I, can learn from your experience and next time when I opt for front solid axel.. I, won't face the problem again.
@@laloolhouvum1634 In my experience, loose hardware is typically to blame. I’ve seen worn tires, bad ball joints, wheel bearings, and even track bar mounts all create issues. I never did anything particularly special to my JL to make it not wobble. Having wheels with a high numerical backspacing definitely helped keep the scrub radius down, which made it drive better and reduced wear on the front end components.
I ran 37s with the stock 4.10 gears for a while. You can do it, but you won’t see 8th gear often and will have a noticeable drop in performance. I ended up going with 4.88 gears. If you look on the channel, you’ll see my video where I compare 5.13 gears to 4.88.
I did. It’s been a couple of years since I ordered the kit. The only two options I remember having to add on were the Fox shocks and lower control arms.
@@DrivingLine Thank you so much for replying. One last question. Are you still running the jks lift and still happy? Or added anything you would recommend? Have a 2021 rubicon with 35s
