AEV Gladiator Rubicon

[Flyin6]

Sorry Boss, ran across this and I had too……


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Never apologize for your artwork Shawn

Inexcusable!
Both you and Shawn are fired
But, Shawn has a "get outta gettin fired again card"
Which means
He remains seated
Whereas
You are fired! or banned, or sanctioned, or something like that ;-)

[Flyin6]

I've been driving all over creation today, stopping by the shop where the 5.13 Yukon gears get installed starting on Monday. There is more pep in it I think. Here's another thing. The mileage computer always seemed to settle in around 16.5 give or take. But after all the driving today, which consumed about half a tank of fuel, it is sitting at 18.5. That is meaningless at the moment but the top-up in a day or so will tell the real numbers. Wouldn't it be nice if the mileage actually increases? According to Ripp, the biggest torque numbers occur down low in the revs where the vehicle stays during normal driving.

Next item, as I close in on the suspension system I will ultimately install, the offerings from Rock Krawler have come into focus. The thing that is unique to them is that they add a triangulation bracket to the rear control arms which eliminates the rear track bar. That is cool because the track bars can bind with the control arms since they run in different planes. Speaking with Bob Cochran at Rock Krawler, he states the ride is much better. And all the tail wagging is a thing of the past when doing things like crossing RR tracks. They have a 3.0" and a 4.5" system. Either will require I install a new driveshaft.

Tate, does Randy's offer front drive shafts for the lifted JLs and JTs?

[wyorunner]

Sorry Boss, ran across this and I had too……


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This is hilarious! Especially down here, locals build em tall because it looks cool, nothing more. Even the 2wd rigs get 6-8” lifts. Not my cup o tea, but comical all the same. So this image fits very very well!

[EL TATE]

I've been driving all over creation today, stopping by the shop where the 5.13 Yukon gears get installed starting on Monday. There is more pep in it I think. Here's another thing. The mileage computer always seemed to settle in around 16.5 give or take. But after all the driving today, which consumed about half a tank of fuel, it is sitting at 18.5. That is meaningless at the moment but the top-up in a day or so will tell the real numbers. Wouldn't it be nice if the mileage actually increases? According to Ripp, the biggest torque numbers occur down low in the revs where the vehicle stays during normal driving.

Next item, as I close in on the suspension system I will ultimately install, the offerings from Rock Krawler have come into focus. The thing that is unique to them is that they add a triangulation bracket to the rear control arms which eliminates the rear track bar. That is cool because the track bars can bind with the control arms since they run in different planes. Speaking with Bob Cochran at Rock Krawler, he states the ride is much better. And all the tail wagging is a thing of the past when doing things like crossing RR tracks. They have a 3.0" and a 4.5" system. Either will require I install a new driveshaft.

Tate, does Randy's offer front drive shafts for the lifted JLs and JTs?

I have front but no rear. built by JE Reel for us. YDS055 2018+ JL RUBICON & JT GLADIATOR (GAS) FRONT DRIVESHAFT, 1350 HD, 2DR & 4DR, A/T oversized u/joint comes with yokes. fits up to 4.5" of lift.

[JR]

You left out that Lowes probably has a nice thick mulch bed someplace or enough bags to make his own,,,,,,,,

[Flyin6]

I've been driving all over creation today, stopping by the shop where the 5.13 Yukon gears get installed starting on Monday. There is more pep in it I think. Here's another thing. The mileage computer always seemed to settle in around 16.5 give or take. But after all the driving today, which consumed about half a tank of fuel, it is sitting at 18.5. That is meaningless at the moment but the top-up in a day or so will tell the real numbers. Wouldn't it be nice if the mileage actually increases? According to Ripp, the biggest torque numbers occur down low in the revs where the vehicle stays during normal driving.

Next item, as I close in on the suspension system I will ultimately install, the offerings from Rock Krawler have come into focus. The thing that is unique to them is that they add a triangulation bracket to the rear control arms which eliminates the rear track bar. That is cool because the track bars can bind with the control arms since they run in different planes. Speaking with Bob Cochran at Rock Krawler, he states the ride is much better. And all the tail wagging is a thing of the past when doing things like crossing RR tracks. They have a 3.0" and a 4.5" system. Either will require I install a new driveshaft.

Tate, does Randy's offer front drive shafts for the lifted JLs and JTs?

I have front but no rear. built by JE Reel for us. YDS055 2018+ JL RUBICON & JT GLADIATOR (GAS) FRONT DRIVESHAFT, 1350 HD, 2DR & 4DR, A/T oversized u/joint comes with yokes. fits up to 4.5" of lift.

Got it, thanks

[Bob Smith]

So before you cut the hood for the snorkel, shoe horn a HP Chevy motor/tranny in there and set up as large as possible wheels and tires and you won’t even need the snorkel. Once you get all that in there, make up a hitch and you can pull that fancy home built trailer and not have to setup a camper or tent on top. It’s a jeep, might as well build the baddest around.

[JR]

LS,LS,LS !!!

LT,LT,LT !!!
FIFY

[Flyin6]

So before you cut the hood for the snorkel, shoe horn a HP Chevy motor/tranny in there and set up as large as possible wheels and tires and you won’t even need the snorkel. Once you get all that in there, make up a hitch and you can pull that fancy home built trailer and not have to setup a camper or tent on top. It’s a jeep, might as well build the baddest around.

I do like the way you think!

So, ya, me knowin' me, I'd say some other much bigger motor is in the future if I keep it a few years.
But
I'm gonna try and pull that camper I built with the JT.
Yep, and I'm making the prep for that starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we drop it off at High-Lift, a local Jeep modification company to get Randy's 5.13 gears installed.
With those new cogs, it should have all the power I'll need to pull a sub-4K camper
But, then again, we'll see!

[JR]

6.2, 6L90, its only money.

[Flyin6]

6.2, 6L90, its only money.

If I do it, 5.3 or 6.2 LT with a 10-speed!

[Bigdave_185]

Now I might have missed but wasn’t this jeep OEM could have had a diesel ten speed?

Pull that motor out of the useless driveway savor and put it in the jeep!!


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[Flyin6]

Now I might have missed but wasn’t this jeep OEM could have had a diesel ten speed?

Pull that motor out of the useless driveway savor and put it in the jeep!!


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Jes the Jeep could have been a diesel 8-speed
but
Costs 6K more
and
the 3.0 eco diesel is proving to be very unreliable. So much so that Jeep is thinking of pulling it as an offering.
Tons of warranty claims on this motor
Now to be fair, the warranty issues are mostly related to things that faulty emissions or fuel injection are creating from what I can see.
A couple/few years from now, I might consider installing either the 6.4 Hemi or a chevy 5.3 or 6.2 LT motor. LT chevies differ from LS in that they have a direct injection into the combustion chamber as the diesel does. Much better motor in all ways than the Mopar.
Ya, I would like one of those. Double the HP and torque and mid 20's mileage in a package that is smooth and reliable.
Chevy for the win!

[TexasRedNeck]

Drive what you have and be happy.  Take that money and buy you a full auto HK33


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[JR]

Drive what you have and be happy.  Take that money and buy you a full auto HK33

Plus another 20K

[Flyin6]

Well as of this morning, the JT is in the shop at High-Lift off-road in Cincinnati. They are a premier off-road shop in the area and do everything from adding air to your tires to dropping a Hemi into the frame rails.

After the 5.13 gear install, I'll be looking toward the suspension system. I am getting close to executing that decision. I have three very good companies, Metal Cloak, Rock Krawler, and Clayton to pick from. I have now had conversations with each of the manufacturers. I can say they all present as really nice folks, and each sells some great products. This morning I spoke with Adam, part owner of Clayton Off-Road. He is a great guy who is full of knowledge and represents his company well. I would say they are top contenders for my little suspension selection process.

Hopefully, I will be able to make that selection in the coming days and get that happening.

For now, we wait out the gear swap using Randy's Worldwide Yukon gears supplied by none other than our own Tate Hudson.

[Flyin6]

Drive what you have and be happy.  Take that money and buy you a full auto HK33


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Solid advice
But
Remember who you're giving that advice to ;-)

[Flyin6]

Just back from the visit to High Lift Off Road where I caught the sales manager, Rob waiting to talk Jeep stuff

[Flyin6]

The showroom of that shop is a fun place to be:

[Flyin6]

Tate's employer is well represented:

[Flyin6]

The reason I was there was twofold. First I wanted to see if there was any progress on my jeep gear change. I did not expect there would be much of anything going on since I arrived like 2.5 hours after they opened up on a Monday.

But to my surprise, my truck was already nearly ripped down to bare axles!

[Flyin6]

They had just bugged out for lunch so the front diff was still installed:

[Flyin6]

I imagine by the time of this writing; the front is torn down and reassembly has begun.

Rob explained he was shooting for a Wednesday to Thursday completion and delivery back to me. He said they put 50 miles minimum on the gears with three hot-to-cold heat cycles and that takes time

[Flyin6]

We ventured into this room

Which just happened to have four as in 4, Hemi conversions going on. Three of them were with the 900HP demon engine and one with the 6.4 Hemi 500 hp engine.

Each of them had this super cool fender trim modification. You see, the stock jeep has plastic fenders with another plastic fender lower half and fender liner which also becomes the engine shroud. The Rubicon has special fenders which are raised two inches over the sport, willy's, Mojave and other trim levels. The Ruby is intended to be a focused hard-core off-roader. Now, this trim mod cuts away the inner fender liner yielding a bunch more tire clearance then utilizes an aftermarket kit to re-support the fender. You must then purchase someone's inner fender liner to protect the engine.

I really like that particular mod and think I am a candidate for it. Here are some pics of the modded front and rear fenders:

[Flyin6]

And here is a slick one with an aftermarket topper. This topper comes broken down into four parts in two big boxes that you assemble at home. It is made from thin stainless steel. Not what I am looking for, but still pretty cool:

You can see the cool fender trim mod on this one too.

[Flyin6]

Parting shot of the Burb swimmin' in pure Jeep waters. The Chevy felt out of place, but still drew some attention.

[JR]

Let the Fluid Change begin!

[Nate]

Stroke the check

[Flyin6]

Stroke the check

You related to Tex?

[wyorunner]

Stroke the check

Wise words from a senior enlisted!

Don Edit:
There, I FIFY
(Who likes to watch the chief spend his money)

[Flyin6]

Today I made the decision on which suspension system to install on this virgin overlander.

I poured over everything I could find about Metal Cloak, Rock Crawler, and Clayton off-road.

Although I liked all three, at the end I went with Clayton Off-Road. You just can't find anyone with anything negative to say about their suspension. I think that the Metal Cloak will droop out a bit further, and Rock Crawler eliminates the rear track bar, but for me, the Clayton suspension featuring its nearly indestructible construction is tops. The vid in the link is of an otherwise rather stock Rubicon Gladiator on a day ride into the George Washington national forest. I think you can agree, this Clayton suspension is just a robust, tough, great running suspension.

https://youtu.be/4ZbOX_poL5k

[Flyin6]

In preparation for the addition of a super-flexy front suspension, I ordered a 1350 standard U-joint, front drive shaft.

It includes a transfer case yoke to convert that from that CV joint business it currently has from the factory

(I'm thinking I may replace the stock two-piece rear driveshaft with a single piece with the double Cardan as well.)

[EL TATE]

Tater nuggets of wisdom here.

the new JL/JT design gears, (2018+) have been engineered for less parasitic drag for the ever popular EPA requirements. what does this mean to you? Glad you asked; the break in procedure that has stood the test of time for decades needs to be tweaked for larger tires, as the contact pattern on the new design gears is very focused, i.e. smaller, with more pressure.

INITIAL BREAK IN DRIVE:
- in town speeds, no hwy 15-20 min w/ a 30 min cool down period.
- repeat 2-3 times
(highlift is doing this for you)

INITIAL FREEWAY DRIVE:
- general hwy speeds OK, no more than 15 miles at a time with 20-30 min cool down in between for the 1st 45 miles.
- if you can't hold your meat hooks on the diff housing for more than 2-3 seconds it's too hot, wait longer

REMAINDER OF 500 MILE BREAK IN:
-continue to drive normally, no heavy acceleration or braking or towing for 500 miles total.
-CHANGE YOUR DIFF FLUID!!!
- Synthetics are OK at this time if you follow that crowd

INITIAL TOWING BREAK IN:
- follow steps 1 and 2
- after 45 miles on hwy are complete, you may resume normal abusive, i mean, normal driving patterns.

fluid change/maintenance intervals should be followed as prescribed in the owners manual, but i recommend following the fleet or HD version if they show one. typically shorter mileage between fluid changes.

the new gear cut and larger and larger tires have been creating a "towing" scenario on unloaded vehicles and demands greater attention to the process.

thank you for taking the time to read yukon tech tips with Tate.

[Flyin6]

Thanks, Tate for that

So, I just returned from the shop with the new 5.13s installed. Rob and Matt up there were very informative. They had me sign a warranty paper, saying, "This is for Tate!" I guess our favorite gear guy is well-known.

The mechanic who installed the gears did the first two heat cycles on the gears, and last night Rob took the Jeep home with him. So the first part is done. And I saw the patterns, and they were very good. Centered an a bit to the outside, I think... Anyway, the tech, Matt said they came in perfectly, and he does a ton of Yukon gears. Not many of the 5.13s though. They want feedback on how the JT performs with them.

Driving home on the highway, I was in a traffic jam that was creeping along at 30ish. I did have to go up a long hill at 50. That was likely the hardest I pushed it. Once out of the literal Ohio River valley, it was a 62-mph cruise home for 15 more minutes. The whole commute was 32 miles. Then I parked it and am currently letting it cool all the way down to ambient.

I do not have much of an initial driving impression other than to say:
1. The gears are absolutely silent. The AEV 4.56 gears made a little bit of noise, these are quiet.
2. Only using maybe 1/3-1/2 throttle, it feels peppier if that is any indication at all.
3. I filled up near the shop and started a fuel check, resetting the computer. It is currently sitting at 16.5. Normal is right there at 16.4.
4. I checked what gear the transmission was in several times. I think for the first time ever I saw "8" while on an incline!

In other news, the new front driveshaft from Adams in Las Vegas has shipped.

[EL TATE]

Great to hear! And while several of our items have definitely humbled us, (Phil's hubs, cough cough), we are the only aftermarket manufacturer that builds the gears for JL/JT to factory specs. And if it makes anyone feel any better, we are actively moving as much production OUT of China as possible. South Korea, the Philippines, India, and yes, the US. It will take a while to get this cancer cut out, but it's happening.

[Flyin6]

Great to hear! And while several of our items have definitely humbled us, (Phil's hubs, cough cough), we are the only aftermarket manufacturer that builds the gears for JL/JT to factory specs. And if it makes anyone feel any better, we are actively moving as much production OUT of China as possible. South Korea, the Philippines, India, and yes, the US. It will take a while to get this cancer cut out, but it's happening.

Thats big for a US company.
and
We here will continue to support Randy's!

Oh and I think I need a quote on the front and rear diff covers. Unfortunately, Shawn is not making them for these new (Non-Dana 44) Rubicon axles.

[Flyin6]

Nightly update for those who may be following.

Driveshaft is inbound.

3.5" Clayton Lift kit set to be shipped first of the week.

I made a decision on which shock I was going to run. I like the Billsteins 5100s but they are pretty much top of the entry-level shock department. Although I think I would be very happy with a longer set of those for the new lift, I think I ought to get mostly done with the suspension all at once. So instead of staying entry level, I am upgrading to something short of the 2.5" or 3" bypass shocks which run #1200 ea or more. For around $2K, these Falcon shocks have 2.25" bodies, remote gas reservoirs, are rebuildable, and are adjustable.

The added cylinder is the reservoir for the Nitrogen which also has its own piston that keeps the gas and hydraulic oil separated so foaming can never take place. The knob has two settings: Soft and hard. The knob then provides a wide range within the main selection to fine-tune it in 10 more steps.

[Bigdave_185]

Just thought but does Tate’s new icon company do shocks that are replicas of the falcon shock. Better look

https://www.iconvehicledynamics.com/accessory/17706/icon%2Daccessories%2D20%2Dup%2Djt%2D15%2Drear%2D25%2Dvs%2Dpb%2Dcdev%2Dpair/

Tate?

I may have missed something


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[Flyin6]

This afternoon I drove some more and got several more cycles on the new ring and pinion to break them in. So far, it seems like this gear ratio feels just right. The trip computer is continuing to record 16.6 average mileage.

Later I got after installing the Misch seat extenders for the driver's seat. That Jeep seat is way too close to the steering wheel and anyone who is six feet tall or better is just smashed in there. Misch off-road makes steel brackets that bolt to the Jeep floor pan which extends the aft travel of the seat 6". In addition to that, the device slightly raises and tilts the seat aft. I noticed better forward visibility right away.

[Flyin6]

Just thought but does Tate’s new icon company do shocks that are replicas of the falcon shock. Better look

https://www.iconvehicledynamics.com/accessory/17706/icon%2Daccessories%2D20%2Dup%2Djt%2D15%2Drear%2D25%2Dvs%2Dpb%2Dcdev%2Dpair/

Tate?

I may have missed something


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They are good, but only for 2.5" lift. They have nothing for the 3.5" lift, and Clayton told me their lift was really 4".

Yes, Icon are good, but, no, they do not fit.

[Flyin6]

Here's the stock arrangement before I start:

Call it 12.5" from the dash to the front of the seat cushion

[Flyin6]

Step 1 is to unbolt the stock seat and remove it.

Then I prepped the Misch adapters and taped the carriage bolts to the extenders:

[Flyin6]

And installed them

[Flyin6]

Reinstalling the stock seat is not hard, just busy since the alignment of the bolts is approximate. But with some shoving and heaving the seat fell into its new cradle.

Measuring the seat showed that placing it all the way forward was nearly where it had been all the way back. The new aft position offers 18.5" clearance, a full 6" more room for your knobby knees..

[Flyin6]

All the way back is too far, but aft maybe 3" from where it was affords me a comfortable seating arrangement.

Shown with door open and closed

[Flyin6]

Unfortunately, the rear seat passenger is going to suffer. That seat now only has 6" total legroom. The opposite 70% seat is going to be removed soon to make room for the canines.

All in all, this is a terrific modification. It really gets to the spirit of customizing the Jeep to fit you and make it your comfortable go-anywhere vehicle. I am liking it more all the time.

[Bigdave_185]

Ah the dogs don’t need floor space anyway!!

What about gun mounts for this rig?


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[Flyin6]

Ah the dogs don’t need floor space anyway!!

What about gun mounts for this rig?


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Pistol, but long gun mounts in that camper I never used but is lookin' like I'm gonna!

Tate was talking about a second iteration of gear break-in for towing. Guess what I'm going to use to tow?

The dog/rear seat thing works out like this: With the long seat folded it takes up so much room there is very little room for the dog to do anything but stand. I'll add 18" of space by removing it.

[Flyin6]

I said I was going to reduce weight on my Jeep

I will use the following table to try to track incremental changes I am making

5,520    Starting weight inc me
5,260    Vehicle only
            -3 Removal of winch plates from the bumper, est.
           +59 Badland 12k winch
           -50 Removal of stock rock sliders
           +60 Electric running boards
           +0 Ring and pinion swap
           - 3 Removal of rear under-seat bin
           -1  Air tube sound chamber removal
5,330  + 8 Seat track extenders               est. weight

Ordered the Mopar trailer brake controller.

[Flyin6]

Nothing much to report tonight because I was busy with the garage project. I really needed to improve that work area prior to installing this new lift/suspension.

On that count, I have inbound tracking on all of the Clayton off-road suspension stuff. It shows arrival Wednesday or Thursday. I have to pick up the pace on this minor garage remodel.