Crashnburn80's Supercharged Gladiator Mojave Build

The goal of this build is to create a high performance overland oriented truck designed to excel at both on and off road while executed clean enough it could seem to have been built by the factory. It is the same objective as my Supercharged Tacoma.

I will fill this out significantly more as time allows, but realized I needed to start documenting.

Warning! TLDR The engine blew, the truck had constant bugs/failures, I had to pay for full engine replacement out of pocket. I'd never again buy a modern Jeep, it is a dumpster fire under FCA/Stellatis.

2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave 8spd in Sting Grey
Vehicle custom order date: 8/20/2020
Vehicle delivery date: 10/6/2020

The Gladiator Mojave is designed and built for high speed off road.

Delivery day


On 35s, but awaiting 37s


2" AEV lift on 37s


Enemy #1: Weight
In many off road vehicle builds adding significant weight is a common mistake, especially if used as a daily driver. Weight is bad for all aspects of vehicle performance and should be scrutinized in every mod, especially rotational weight. This build will focus on minimizing weight gain for maximum performance while balancing that with off road durability.

Magnuson Supercharger
Magnuson's latest Generation 440hp Supercharger was ordered on Christmas day of 2020 and I installed myself in May of 2021. See the progress starting in post #178. The unit is rated at 440hp and 380 lb ft. The ZF 8HP50 transmission is rated to hold 368 lb ft. I'd feel better about that if these were German ZF units, but FCA licensed the ability to make them domestically themselves instead.
AFE Magnum Flow Pro5R filter, more flow for the SC, using the largest filter possible in the OEM box.

Electronics
Zautomotive Tazer JL lite. Alter stock vehicle functions, disable stop/start, fix tire size/gear ratios and more.

Lighting
Headlights: JW Speaker heated J3 headlights
Fogs: Diode Dynamics SS3 Max selective yellow

Suspension
Fox Factory Race Series 2.0 ATS steering stabilizer

Major purchased mods awaiting install:

• AEV 2" lift, will maintain all the Mojave suspension components
• Clayton F&R adjustable trackbars, with unique rear bar designed to clear a 37" spare
• Vision Flow 351 17x8 +30 bronze 24lb wheels (0.4lb lighter than stock)
• Artec high clearance full aluminum belly skid system, Gains 3/4" over stock, adds extra protection and weighs just slightly more than stock.
• 2022 Ford Raptor OEM 37x12.5r17 BFG KO2 C-load tires, 1.8lbs heavier than stock 33s. <-Waiting on these to arrive to install everything above.

Once the above products are installed the truck will be regeared from 4.10 to 4.56 and will likely add Dana 44 Advantek chromoly rear shafts.

 

First mod was to ditch the small stock 285/70/R17 C-load Wildpeaks and upgrade to 35s. The JT Rubicon and Mojave will both fit 35s all round including the spare without rubbing or mods.

The Wildpeaks were a heavy tire for being C-load in their size at 63lbs. Toyo's latest ATIII just released a brand new 35x11.5r17 C-load size coming in at a remarkable 63lbs, meaning net zero weight gain. I ordered some of the first ones available before most tire shops had access to them.

With Toyo ATIII 35x11.5r17s



35" spare


The sidewall is a bit less aggressive on the Toyo's vs the KO2s and they produce more highway hum, but the weight savings and the unique size seem worth it thus far.

To correct the speedo for the tire size, and disable the annoying start stop as well as tune some other functions like disabling the license plate lights while in reverse to eliminate camera glare, I installed a Zautomotive Tazer Mini. Very easy to use once getting past the razor sheet metal hand destroying install.

The truck is equipped with the LED lighting package, mainly because that was required for the forward trail camera. The forward LED lights are terrible and given the worst rating possible by IIHS.

I purchased some JW Speaker Evo J3 heated LED headlights to replace the factory LED headlights. These have an incredible 4600k color temp vs the factory 6000k, and have lens heaters that automatically come on under 40 degrees to prevent icing.

OEM LED left vs JW Speaker J3 heated right


I didn't start the install till 2 days before leaving for Eastern WA where temps will be in the low 20s and it is supposed to snow every day with 5' accumulation expected in the passes. The JW Speaker headlights are 7" vs the stock 9" size, requiring 9"->7" assembly adapters. JW Speaker has adapters available at a significant premium, but Morimoto offered a kit for less than half price, so I purchase date Morimoto kit. The Morimoto kit does not include the correct harnesses to connect JW Speaker lights to the JTs OEM wiring. Ugh, fail. I've now overnighted the JW Speaker adapters with the needed harnesses from Summit Racing. (Summit always has awesome shipping).

For the fogs I'll install my selective yellow Diode Dynamics SS3 Pros while I wait for the latest yellow optic for the SS3 Max.

I purchased Mopar aux light bumper mounts to mount a set of KC Pro6 driving lights, although after test fitting the KCs are too deep and contact the grill.

 

In..

I love reading your write ups. Thank you for the work you put in to them.

 

Jeep? Jeep? JEEP!?

 

440hp, 8spd, solid axles, designed for high speed desert jumping, removable top and doors. If Toyota built it I would have bought it. If it blows up, it is just money.

 

You were always the master.

I love that one of your first mods was to correct the lighting. You are TW's resident Lighting expert and we all love you for that.

I can't believe I'm following a jeep thread and excited for it.



Factory supercharged?

Ver nice!

Not a v8 is it?

I am excited to follow your build I did eye the Gladiators as they were coming out (and the Bronco) but I'mma hang on to my Tacoma, it's paid off and I really like that about it.

 

I'll be watching this one. Not a fan of modern jeeps. (sooo many rockers falling off from the 3.8.. eek) but curious to see how you manage to make it yours, and how it is reliability wise for ya!

 

Not thrilled on the JW J3s tested low beam lighting performance numbers. We'll see how real world testing goes, but I need heated lights this weekend so decided to proceed with the install. They do have some great features like dedicated cornering off road lights built into the headlamp assembly. Trying to branch out and test/explore more LED offerings.

Supercharger is not a factory option. Magnuson was Toyota's OEM supercharger supplier/tuner, as well as other OEMs. So I've gone with Magnuson again for the JT, but Jeep did not offer any such factory option. It looks completely OEM, but is still aftermarket.

Not a V8, it is the tried and true 3.6 v6. Just like my 4.0 Tacoma, the engine is a pretty dated but proven design, lending itself to great boost gains.

That was JK. I'll be most concerned with shredding the transmission.

 

@Anderson

 

This will be the only Jeep in the world I will keep tabs on... till you sell it.

 

Once our local monthly meets resume again, I fully intend to indoctrinate it to the Taco family.

 

with my limited experience with the jeep community.. taco community is much less toxic.. UNLESS you go to the turd gen section. (yes, i said it)

 

There is a reason I posted my Gladiator build in my Taco community, and not in a different one.

 

As a former TJ owner(215K reliable miles), I'm in. Jeep lost me when the JK/new owners came out. I completely understand, but I will always think of/want a Wrangler to be a 2 door, utilitarian looking/riding, metal grilled, non-painted hardtop vehicle And to be completely honest, if the JT came with a 6ft bed......I would consider it.

 

TJs were the best. My TJ saw more extreme duty than anything I'd put my Toyotas or Gladiator thought. I did like the TJ Brute, but now with a kid I need 4 doors and a bed.

 

I only know one guy with a Jeep... he’s cool

 

The Brute was insane. And I completely understand the need for a 4 door. I bought a 4 door Tacoma...…….I just prefer Wranglers to be 2 door Not taking away anything from the 4 door.....just personal preference. I will say, I'm glad Jeep finally offered a diesel.

 

D4D Tacoma Diesel when?


TOYOTA

I'd buy a third gen if they put the damn D4D in it.

Or better yet, the 1VD.

With a manual trans (that isn't the RA series) please.

 

Funny, I just bought a JT Rubicon. I plan on a magnussen as well. I was tagged here to this thread. I’m going to follow. I also have already started on the design process for a flatbed for the JT. I know, I know, my Tacoma flatbed hasn’t even launched yet...

 

Swapped the forward lighting out today.

OEM LEDs left, vs JW Speaker J3 + Diode Dynamics SS3 Pros right


Spending time outside in 40 degree weather trying to aim the lights (immensely frustrating using the 9"->7" adapters) caused the heated headlights to activate.

OEM LED left, vs heated JW Speaker right


While I was originally underwhelmed by the J3s performance numbers, comparing them mounted to the OEM LEDs was interesting. The OEM LEDs have more uplight above the cut off (glare) and the hot spot is a fair amount below the cut off, which isn't ideal. The J3s by comparison had less uplight (glare) and the hot spot was right at the cut off to get the lighting punch right where it is most effective. The J3s also have the e-code style sharp cut off that angles up and to the right. Taking a quick drive with both, the J3s did seem to provide a noticeable improvement over the OEM LEDs despite their peak candela being lower. Add the 4600k color temp vs 6000k for the OEM, plus heated lens and I am liking the J3s more than I initially thought. Still need to do some real world driving though.

Very short range wall shot for pattern style comparison


I like the look of having all the chrome lights removed. The 9"->7" headlight adapters match the Jeep headlight surrounds nearly perfectly and do not look aftermarket or even out of place.


The Morimoto 9"->7" adapters do appear to be blatant copies of the JW Speaker adapters. They look great, but the aiming is less than ideal as the adjusting them up/down also simultaneously adjusts them side-to-side. You cannot make the vertical adjustment independently which is a major flaw. I think my driver side headlight is aimed to far to the passenger side, but using the adjusters to bring it back toward the driver side then screws up the vertical adjustment.

I also experimented with the J3s off road lighting mode, and side shooting cornering lights available via bluetooth. In off road mode you can crank up the light output intensity far higher than 'standard' street levels. Some fun features, but I wish there was an easier way to activate the features without using a phone. Also annoying is that each lights settings must be controlled on your phone independently, so if you want the cornering light on you must select left headlight, toggle it on then go back out and select right headlight and toggle it on. Definitely seems like there is room for improvement here. And of course it wouldn't be complete without a party mode.

The things I've always disliked about LED vehicle lighting is color temp and lack of heat. But with the J3s 4600k color temp and heated lens, plus the Diode Dynamics SS3 Pros in selective yellow (which run very hot!) I'm pretty optimistic with this setup. Looking forward to seeing how it performs in heavy snow as we head across the mountains tomorrow to the snowy side of the state.