Bushmaster5K
New member
2020 JTR V6 auto, Alu-cab. 63k miles no issues.
Gladiator - Good/Bad?
- Thread starter D45
- Start date
3.6L V6
285 hp @ 6400 rpm
260 tq @ 440p rpm
3.0L V6 Diesel
260hp @ 3600 rpm
442 tq @ 1400 rpm
Does the diesel get any drivetrain upgrades from the factory with handle the added weight and power?
What is the factory gearing options for the Gladiator?
RubiconGeoff
Adventurer
All diesels get 3.73, but the motor doesn't care until you go to 40" tires. Mine still cruises down the highway on 37's in 8th gear pulling a 19' travel trailer. The frame has some minor reinforcements and the steering knuckles are iron instead of aluminum. The ECU reduces power in the lower gears and between shifts to help preserve the drivetrain.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
The transmission is also built a bit stronger, all diesels get the "HD" wider axles and the springs are different to accommodate the extra engine weight.
-Dan
DRAX
Active member
^^ Yup. The EcoDiesel in the Gladiator gets the ZF 8HP75 and the 3.6 gets the FCA/Stellantis-built 850RE which is the same design as the ZF 8HP50 only it's made by FCA and not ZF.
8HP75 = rated for up to 750 N⋅m (520lb-ft) of input torque.
850RE = rated for up to 500 N⋅m (370lb-ft) of input torque.
8HP75 = rated for up to 750 N⋅m (520lb-ft) of input torque.
850RE = rated for up to 500 N⋅m (370lb-ft) of input torque.
Todd780
OverCamper
alanymarce
Well-known member
Haven't driven one, however the longer wheelbase results in a reduced breakover angle I understand. Also I’d prefer either a longer LWB vehicle (i.e, no tray, just the cabin) so that there’s more room inside, or a 2 seater cabin with a longer tray so that I could set up a bed in the tray.
I have been driving Jeeps since the 60s, CJs,Tjs,Ljs,Jls and now a
Gladiator. It’s the best of the lot and by far the most versatile for my uses.
awasik1216
Member
I have a 2022 Gladiator Rubicon -Gas engine, and honestly at first I was nervous I had made a wrong decision in choosing to sell my 2020 chevy 2500 diesel. However, the longer I drive it and experience its capabilities the more I love it. I told my husband I would never be a "jeep person" ..... I've had to eat those words.
I've always been a friendly anti-Jeeper since first getting into Suzuki Samurais in the late 90s ("It's not a 'cute Jeep', lady!"). Except for a short stint in an F150, I've mostly had Toyotas. A little '94 pickup (classic), an '08 Tacoma which I should have never "upgraded" into a '16 Tacoma that I didn't keep long, and finally a '18 Tundra. After finding myself truckless for a while having sold off my ARBified Tundra for mid-pandemic financial goals, I ended up purchasing a new Gladiator Rubicon this year. And I'll be damned if I don't kind of love the thing. I'm not leaving a trail of ducks as a I drive around town, but I'm at least a quitely admitted closet Jeep guy now. It's just....fun. Perfect? Not quite. Very, very, good? Sure. Definitely good enough that the signal of any imperfections gets lost in the noise of all the fun.
We made a swan dive into the shallowest end of the overlanding pool this summer and had a blast driving it up through NM, CO, and UT and doing some mild trails near Taos, Ouray, and in Moab. It was certainly capable of doing more than I was willing to push, being a brand new vehicle I had no interest in risking tearing up or even getting stuck while traveling alone. Ironically, on my first Jeep trip we did get to strap out a stuck 4Runner (street tires in a mud hole, there's just no getting around that).
The last leg of the trip was an 11hr jaunt back to OK from our last stop in CO, and it wasn't really any more miserable than any other 11 hour drive that involved a whole lot of Kansas. We got decent gas mileage, had good range, and could be on rocky trail in the mountains and on the highway at 70+ mph comfortably in the same vehicle on the same day with nothing more than a change in tire pressure. Could I say the same for a TRD Tacoma or other 4x4 midsize trucks? Sure. Same for the 4Runner/Bronco, although obviously they compare more directly to the Wrangler. However you group them, the Jeep definitely makes the most concessions in terms of highway/street comfort of that group, but it also has a different floor/ceiling for stock capabilities, and a different decision tree for modification planning. Do you prefer to run mostly stock? Well, quality OEM 33" all terrain tires, front and rear lockers, impressive (perhaps too impressive - it does put the "crawl" in rock crawl) low range, removable top and doors - all stock!? Enjoy! Do you like to to add a little personal flavor? You can fit a 35 easily, and a 37 with pretty minimal off the shelf parts. And if you eventually want to take it crazy - well the Jeep aftermarket will support you in all manner of insanity. You can take a stroll down the tacky aisle with the crap magnet turned on and find any manner of customization if that's your thing.
I think the most hotly debated point is the powertrain. I got the 3.6/auto. The 8 speed transmission, I found to be pretty outstanding in the mountains, both on the trail and on the highway. It did its thing quite well, finding the right gear, and holding it, to keep the engine fairly happy. I used the manual selection on some of the steeper trails and found it handy in a few spots, particularly in some steep but not really technically challenging tight downhill switchbacks that didn't require 4wd. Now, about that 3.6L engine... it's grown on me at lot. On paper, I was worried it would be sort of like the 3.5L in the Tacoma when they dropped the 4.0L for 2016 -- the wrong mix of horsepower and torque in the wrong RPM ranges. I haven't found that to be the case. I know having lots of gearing is helping, but it's well matched to the vehicle. At trail speeds, the gearing means its in a happier part of is power band and it responds quickly to a jab of the throttle. On the highway, aerodynamics aren't your friend if you're pushing, but if you're cruising it does pretty well on fuel mileage. Do I wish it had both 392 power and Ecodiesel torque, and Prius economy? Sure, but the laws of physics haven't been repealed. Still - I think you have to look at it as a whole, and as a system, I think the total package ends up being much greater than the sum of the parts.
We made a swan dive into the shallowest end of the overlanding pool this summer and had a blast driving it up through NM, CO, and UT and doing some mild trails near Taos, Ouray, and in Moab. It was certainly capable of doing more than I was willing to push, being a brand new vehicle I had no interest in risking tearing up or even getting stuck while traveling alone. Ironically, on my first Jeep trip we did get to strap out a stuck 4Runner (street tires in a mud hole, there's just no getting around that).
The last leg of the trip was an 11hr jaunt back to OK from our last stop in CO, and it wasn't really any more miserable than any other 11 hour drive that involved a whole lot of Kansas. We got decent gas mileage, had good range, and could be on rocky trail in the mountains and on the highway at 70+ mph comfortably in the same vehicle on the same day with nothing more than a change in tire pressure. Could I say the same for a TRD Tacoma or other 4x4 midsize trucks? Sure. Same for the 4Runner/Bronco, although obviously they compare more directly to the Wrangler. However you group them, the Jeep definitely makes the most concessions in terms of highway/street comfort of that group, but it also has a different floor/ceiling for stock capabilities, and a different decision tree for modification planning. Do you prefer to run mostly stock? Well, quality OEM 33" all terrain tires, front and rear lockers, impressive (perhaps too impressive - it does put the "crawl" in rock crawl) low range, removable top and doors - all stock!? Enjoy! Do you like to to add a little personal flavor? You can fit a 35 easily, and a 37 with pretty minimal off the shelf parts. And if you eventually want to take it crazy - well the Jeep aftermarket will support you in all manner of insanity. You can take a stroll down the tacky aisle with the crap magnet turned on and find any manner of customization if that's your thing.
I think the most hotly debated point is the powertrain. I got the 3.6/auto. The 8 speed transmission, I found to be pretty outstanding in the mountains, both on the trail and on the highway. It did its thing quite well, finding the right gear, and holding it, to keep the engine fairly happy. I used the manual selection on some of the steeper trails and found it handy in a few spots, particularly in some steep but not really technically challenging tight downhill switchbacks that didn't require 4wd. Now, about that 3.6L engine... it's grown on me at lot. On paper, I was worried it would be sort of like the 3.5L in the Tacoma when they dropped the 4.0L for 2016 -- the wrong mix of horsepower and torque in the wrong RPM ranges. I haven't found that to be the case. I know having lots of gearing is helping, but it's well matched to the vehicle. At trail speeds, the gearing means its in a happier part of is power band and it responds quickly to a jab of the throttle. On the highway, aerodynamics aren't your friend if you're pushing, but if you're cruising it does pretty well on fuel mileage. Do I wish it had both 392 power and Ecodiesel torque, and Prius economy? Sure, but the laws of physics haven't been repealed. Still - I think you have to look at it as a whole, and as a system, I think the total package ends up being much greater than the sum of the parts.
briscoelab
New member
We have a '20 LE with the 3.6 and have actually found it to be really good for trips. It doesn't have the most power, but it more than adequate... even with a decent load. The 8speed auto really helps it out a lot... some much better than the combo in the Taco (the 5 speed 4.0L setup in the 4runner is much better than the poor tacoma).
The 3.6 and the gladiator does everything pretty well. The 3.6 is a mature platform at this point. Parts are everywhere if you need it worked on. Everything can and does break.
Ours is setup with an RSI smart cap, 35" KO2, winch, etc, 2" lift. We sometimes run a RTT, but have more and more gone back to ground tents so we can leave them setup and basecamp more. We have taken it all over the US, hauling gear and bikes (road, mountain, cyclocross) to remote places and just regular family trips.
We just added another gladiator to our collection though. Another Rubicon, but with the 3.0 diesel instead. The torque and fuel milage is in another league. Still planning the build out though. We might put a GCF platform camper on this one. Time will tell
But I really think a small trailer, like a Patriot Camper or Turtleback would suit us better.
The 3.6 and the gladiator does everything pretty well. The 3.6 is a mature platform at this point. Parts are everywhere if you need it worked on. Everything can and does break.
Ours is setup with an RSI smart cap, 35" KO2, winch, etc, 2" lift. We sometimes run a RTT, but have more and more gone back to ground tents so we can leave them setup and basecamp more. We have taken it all over the US, hauling gear and bikes (road, mountain, cyclocross) to remote places and just regular family trips.
We just added another gladiator to our collection though. Another Rubicon, but with the 3.0 diesel instead. The torque and fuel milage is in another league. Still planning the build out though. We might put a GCF platform camper on this one. Time will tell
But I really think a small trailer, like a Patriot Camper or Turtleback would suit us better.
billiebob
Well-known member
Whoa.....
Everytime I get into a Toyota I hit my head on the a-pillar....
Drive a Toyota, drive a Wrangler, the Wrangler wins everytime on comfort and driveability.
The Jeep is way more reliable than anything Toyota
and Jeep wins the "What a feeling thing" too.
Toyota is mostly hype and marketing.
