One of the most hyped vehicles of 2020 is, without a doubt, the Jeep Gladiator. Thankfully, the new Gladiator has lived up to every bit of the hype. Jeep has done a great job of merging a pickup bed with a JL chassis. And, you can still blow the doors off of it and go topless just like you can with a Wrangler. The Gladiator is great for those looking for the utility of a truck and the capability of Wrangler in one awesome package.
The Gladiator isn’t perfect, though. Its one flaw is that it is simply too low from the factory. The Jeep’s long wheelbase of 137.3-inches (10 inches longer than a Double Cab short-bed Tacoma) compounds the problem. Most of the drama on the Internet revolves around the overhang of the bed. We had more issues with dragging the Gladiator’s belly off-road during our time with it. While most vehicles are relatively low from the factory now, the Gladiator smacked its skid plates more often than others.
Thankfully, gaining some much-needed altitude with the Gladiator is easy. There are lots of lift kits showing up every day for Jeep’s new truck. Putting one in place will make room for bigger tires and help keep the Gladiator’s belly from getting rubbed. A lift should almost be deemed mandatory for any Gladiator hitting the dirt.
One of the latest Gladiator suspension systems is from Rubicon Express. It lifts the Gladiator Rubicon 2.5 inches and other models 3.5 inches. Both can fit up to 37-inch tires providing both the ground clearance and improved break over angle that the Gladiator desperately needs. Let’s take a look at the latest kit from Rubicon Express.
The Rubicon Express suspension system provides 2.5 inches of lift for Rubicons and 3.5 inches of lift for non-Rubicons. It will clear 37-inch tires on all Gladiators, but the bump stops will need to be relocated on the non-Rubicons to keep the tires from rubbing.
The lift kit comes in a few different ways. It can be had without any shocks or with Rubicon Express’ twin-tube shocks. Fox shocks are also available as an option. All kits bolt on without any driveshaft, exhaust, or brake line modifications needed.
Also included with the system is the Rubicon Express forged track bar. Built from 1.250-inch induction hardened 5140 alloy steel, it is extremely beefy.
A rear track bar bracket comes with the system. It keeps the track bar at the proper angle to ensure the Gladiator handles and steers properly.
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