BlueAF Gladiator Build

[97TJGUZZY]

Also figured out my floor mat conundrum. The floor mats had a hole in the bottom that just leaked anything in your floor at onto the carpet. Didn’t make sense. So a quick google showed that there is a perforated part of the carpet that you cut/pull out and then pull the drain plug from the floor. Then the mat snaps into the floor in place of the plug and the plug goes into the mat. Now to drain water from the floor mat you just pull the plug, pretty cool.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

So, we got to try out towing with the truck for the first time this weekend. Was averaging 26.5 mpg with empty truck now around town and we hooked up to the camper for a trip up to Pisgah. Towed the camper with two bikes, cooler full and some tubes and normal camping stuff. Went up the saluda grade and into Brevard to Davidson River Campground. My brake controller is now in NJ on its long 2 week journey to me from Missouri, so it hadn’t arrived. I will say that this thing stops the camper without brakes like the Jk did with brakes. Overall average after towing for the weekend including a climb up 276 to the parkway was 22.5 mpg, the JK on a similar trip without bikes was getting about 13.
Overall extremely pleased with the power and drivability of this thing.

 

[Dewitt10jku]

What mph are you running?

 

[97TJGUZZY]

What mph are you running?

On the interstate I had the cruise set at 65 for most of it.

 

[jimbo92]

Thats super impressive

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Bumper and winch came in, gotta go pick them and some rock rails up so we can get this thing setup before Daniel Boone.



also, a few pics from camping this weekend

first open spot at the NOC was next to this mojave.



excuse the blurry pics, I somehow cracked the lense on my phone case. New one came in while we were gone on the trip.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Warn bumper has landed

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Got the sliders, lift, bumper and winch on this weekend.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

I’ll get better pics soon, the sun wasn’t in a prime location.

 

[Weldin Rod]

I’ll get better pics soon, the sun wasn’t in a prime location.

Did you do a leveling kit?

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Did you do a leveling kit?

yeah, did the 1.5" teraflex kit. Found a used one on fb marketplace for $60. I wasn't planning to do much more than a .5"-1" spacer up front but the front was bottoming out too much before the bumper and winch and i figured it would only get worse, so i went ahead and put in the full 1.5", but left out the bump stop extensions.

After doing the lift I think i see what the difference is. The gladiator they are doing the lift on in the install instructions has normal bump stops in it like jeeps have always had. But mine has these little tiny dinky bump stops in it that are only like an inch in diameter and an inch long. I'll have to get some pictures and post it.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Good times with the BlueAFJT on the Daniel Boon Backcountry Byway this weekend. The truck performed amazing for what it is. Only damage was one ripped off mudflap. I may look into some belly skids in the future as there is a lot of real estate under it that can drag on rocks and ruts.

Only had to winch once when we were going down a really rutted out hill with a 2' drop off into a mud hole, just bellied out and couldnt move.

 

[Weldin Rod]

So this is making me miss mine. Glad your using off road. Do you plan to do a lift and tires?

 

[97TJGUZZY]

So this is making me miss mine. Glad your using off road. Do you plan to do a lift and tires?

the leveling kit I added made up for the winch, I’m planning on keeping it on 285s till they wear out then maybe going 35s. It performs well for what it is and gets 28 mpg.

 

[Ghost]

In for updates on that diesel. Looks like a nice rig. I debated between one of these and my current F250. I knew I wanted to tow two jeep eventually so the F250 won.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

yeah man, i'm loving it so far.

Also, I wanted to add the pictures of this are incredible to show the difference.
This is the side that had the mudflap:


This is the side that the mudflap ripped off:

 

[97TJGUZZY]

picked up a bed cover from @Weldin Rod for the truck, but i found out after January 2020 they dont have the threaded nuts in the bed for the bed covers. Time for some nutserts. I picked up two pair of m6 bolts from Ace last night, but they dont thread into the rear holes near the tailgate. All of the install instructions i have read call these 4 bolts out as M6. I have seen that the Trail rails are M6 also. I guess i need to ride over to Ace with the truck and see what fits. I know there are two thread options for M6 bolts, but i figured it was the more common thread, must be the finer one.

 

[LBarr2002]

I have a thread checker and nutsert tools with an assortment of nutserts, including m6. Let me know if you need to borrow anything.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

I have a thread checker and nutsert tools with an assortment of nutserts, including m6. Let me know if you need to borrow anything.

Thanks larry, I have a nursery tool also now. I’m going to try a few bolts from ace today and see if anything works.

pifor good measure

 

[97TJGUZZY]

Had some more fun on a few trails in Virginia this past weekend.