John's Punk'n Orange Jeep Gladiator Built to Tackle Anything

The Jeep Gladiator is a superb 4x4 truck that can excel at just about any type of off-roading. The Gladiator builds upon the Wrangler’s legendary capability and takes it to the truck world, unlocking infinite possibilities for adventure. Whether you want to outfit your Gladiator to be the ultimate long-range overlander, weekend warrior, or hardcore rock crawler, Northridge4x4 has what you need to bring your Gladiator to its full potential. John has built his 2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport Max Tow to take his truck’s out-of-the-box capability to the next level by upgrading it with Northridge4x4’s vast catalog of Jeep Gladiator parts.

Suspension & Steering

John has outfitted his lifted suspension to perform exceptionally out on the rocks but still drive like stock while on the highway. His Gladiator is equipped with Bilstein B8 8100 Series Shock absorbers, which give his truck the comfort and capability he needs while out on the trail. Featuring piggyback reservoirs with a high oil volume capacity, these shocks are resistant to fade, which translates to consistent comfort and performance over rough terrain for prolonged periods of time. The Bilsteins he picked out are built for 2-4.5 inch lifted Jeeps, enabling maximum articulation out on the trail with his lift kit.

The next suspension component featured on his rig is a simple to install, yet incredibly effective modification. John opted for EVO Manufacturing's Front Overland Control Arm Drop Brackets. These brackets offer significant ride quality and suspension improvements. As you lift your Jeep, the control arms change from their stock flat angle to harsher angles. These harsh angles are associated with bump steer, front end dive while braking, and decreased steering feel. Drop brackets allow the control arms to return closer to the stock flat angles, alleviating many steering-related issues associated with lifted Jeeps while improving steering precision.

Wheels and Tires

Equipping your Jeep Gladiator with larger tires is one of the best ways to increase off-road capability. John chose to add 37x12.5R17 Nitto Ridge Grapplers to his truck to give him additional ground clearance and traction while on the trail. The Ridge Grappler utilizes a revolutionary hybrid tread pattern design, meaning it’s a mix between mud terrain and all-terrain tire design. This translates to excellent traction over any terrain while maintaining a comfortable and quiet ride on the highway. Its deep sidewalls allow excellent biting edges to crawl your way up any kind of low traction obstacle. The 37x12.5R17 Ridge Grappler is the perfect choice for those who want maximum off-road capability, while still having excellent road manners. It also should go without saying that 37-inch tires are a perfect pairing to the Jeep Gladiator and give it the off-road look it deserves.

To fit his 37-inch tires to his truck, John chose to run the Method Race Wheels 702 Series Wheel 17x8.5 5x5 in Bronze. Featuring the industry-leading Bead Grip technology, these wheels allow John to air his tires down to very low PSI without worrying about the wheels debeading. This is an incredible feature as airing down is necessary to add extra traction and comfort while off-roading. Regular wheels do not allow for low PSI without the risk of the wheel and tire separating from each other, which is not a fun trail repair to say the least. Coated in a durable bronze powder coat, these wheels pair incredibly well with his Punk'n Orange Gladiator.

Armor

John often finds himself on rough and rocky terrain, thus he has equipped his Gladiator with armor to protect his truck from harm. The Jeep Gladiator has a long wheelbase, so it greatly benefits from skid plates as it often drags its underside on obstacles. The underside of the Jeep Gladiator is incredibly important to protect as it houses vital and expensive components such as the transmission, transfer case, and gas tank. John opted for Artec Industries Full Bellypan Skid Plate to protect the underside components on his Gladiator. This system protects virtually every component that is vulnerable to damage on the trail and is constructed out of 1/4 inch thick aluminum. The aluminum is a much lighter weight system than steel as it only adds 10 extra pounds compared to the OEM skids, which saves precious payload capacity and helps keep the Gladiator’s acceleration peppy on and off the trail.

The sides of the Jeep Gladiator are vulnerable to damage from obstacles on the trail, particularly rocks. Wheeling without rock sliders would leave you unprotected from dents, gouges, and scrapes to the side body panels and doors of the Gladiator. Wanting to protect his investment and save himself from visits to the body shop, John installed Rock Hard 4x4’s Patriot Series Tube Slider Rocker Guards. Rock Hard 4x4 manufactures some of the sturdiest rock sliders on the market to protect your Jeep or 4x4 from suffering body damage. The Tube Sliders feature an angled-up welded-on tube that helps deflect obstacles away from the body panels, and the tube also doubles as a step to get into your Gladiator.

Exterior 

John has modified the exterior of his Jeep Gladiator to enhance its rugged style while adding to the truck's legendary capability. To give his Gladiator a cleaner and cooler source of air to the engine, he opted for the Rugged Ridge AmFib Low Mount Snorkel. While they do assist with deep water crossings, snorkels are also great for those who wheel through dusty environments, as the snorkel draws in cleaner air from higher up than the grille is able to. The Rugged Ridge AmFib Low Mount Snorkel seamlessly integrates into the Gladiator’s style, without the need for cutting or drilling.

To add extra capability on the trail as well as enhance his Gladiator’s design, John added Quake LED's Slim DRL Fender Chop Kit. This kit is perfect for those who want to add extra off-road capability, as it adds extra fender clearance for large tires. With this kit, you add low-profile fender lights and turn signals. The Quake LED Slim DRL Fender Chop gives John's Gladiator an unmistakably rugged appearance while assisting him in fitting his 37-inch tires.

Drivetrain

After equipping his Gladiator with larger tires, John installed a Dana 44 Front Advantek Ring and Pinion Gear Set with a 4.88 ratio. These upgraded differential gears are essential for those running larger tires who want to restore power and performance. Regearing your axles allows your Jeep to operate closer to its optimal RPM range, which can improve fuel efficiency and provide better torque while off-road. For those running larger tires on stock gearing and feeling like their truck is sluggish both on and off-road, along with experiencing a drop in MPG, regearing is the perfect solution to regain power and performance.

Communication

Staying connected with your buddies on the trail enhances the off-road experience. It not only keeps the group socially engaged but also ensures cohesiveness as you navigate the terrain. Communication is crucial in emergencies, such as when someone needs recovery or a spotter. Traveling without a way to stay in touch can be frustrating at best and dangerous at worst. John equipped his Gladiator with a Midland MXT115 Micromobile GMRS 2-Way Radio, which provides exceptional range, 15 high-power GMRS channels, 142 privacy codes, silent operation, and includes a mounting bracket.

The Jeep Gladiator has proven itself as a versatile off-road truck, perfect for hardcore rock crawling, long overlanding journeys, daily driving, or a mix of everything. It's the ideal rig for epic adventures. John has maximized his Gladiator's capabilities with a range of high-quality modifications from Northridge4x4. He enhanced suspension performance and ride height with a lift kit supported by Bilstein B8 8100 Series Shock Absorbers. He armored his rig with Rock Hard 4x4's robust Patriot Series Tube Slider Rocker Guards and Artec's Full Bellypan Skid Plate to prevent damage. To add rugged style and functionality, he installed Quake LED's Slim DRL Fender Chop Kit and Rugged Ridge's AmFib Low Mount Snorkel. For power and performance, he regeared his Gladiator with a Dana 44 Front Advantek 4.88 Ring and Pinion Gear Set. Finally, he equipped a Midland MXT115 Micromobile GMRS 2-Way Radio Kit to easily stay in contact with his adventure buddies. 

Outfitting your Gladiator can feel overwhelming due to the limitless options available. However, Northridge4x4 simplifies the process with a curated assortment of top-quality Gladiator parts and accessories. Whether you aim to enhance capability, convenience, comfort, or rugged style, Northridge4x4 has exactly what you need to build your perfect Gladiator. Leave us a comment below, what do you think of Johns Gladiator build? How would you build your perfect off-road rig?

The Adventure Begins Where the Road Ends