@@justin________7477 it is the dead of winter and I’m still very pleased with it. Not ideal for a pass thru, was -18F the other morning. I will put it back to use when it warms up 😎
@@TheLawnEngineer Cool, thanks for that info. Now I just need to watch for a soft to come up for sale or break down and buy from Jeep once spring comes.
I have a Gladiator Rubicon with a soft top. Chief complaint is road noise, but I'd definitely get the soft top for versatility if I had it to do over again.
Watching this video helped me decide that I would rather get a hard top than the soft top. I can see all those pieces weathering over time and causing trouble. What I would really like is roof rack that would allow me to secure the two front roof panels for storage when removing just the two front roof panels. Perhaps there is an aftermarket rack that allows that.
I’m glad I could provide the information you were looking for. My goal is to provide information and my experience and stay away from telling people what to do. I have not come across a rack for the roof panels but it seems like that should exist.
I have 2020 Sport S with soft top ,I actually love the soft top ,I don't like the looks of hard tops at all,Why buy a Jeep if you get a hard top,And if anyone is wanting to know I have this thing is seven different states with absolutely no problems at all ,I just ordered a new Rubicon exactly looking like my Sport S the only difference is it will be a Rebuicon and I ordered it with a soft top,I only hope I love the Rubicon as much as the sport s. I don't want mine lifted and I don't want big tires,I don't like that look but that's my opinion.
I see this video is about two years old and if you still have a gladiator you should do like I did and get one of those bed extenders that go into your hitch. I use mine all the time for longer pieces of 2 x 4, 4x4, 4x6 etc..
Great to hear you are enjoying your bed extender. I don’t have the Gladiator anymore but I would open up the soft top and rest long items on the cross bar, works very well too.
Awesome rig, I had the eco diesel in a Ram. I had a tune from green diesel engineering and loved it but I couldn’t resist the manual trans for the gladiator.
@@zeroorez5022 it held up really well but I parked in a heated garage. I did end up selling Why I Sold My Jeep Gladiator th-cam.com/video/eYivQgoFY7A/w-d-xo.html
You don’t have to cut the soft top to get into it as you just demonstrated. Hopefully people know that so they don’t ruin your soft top unnecessary. I have an ‘05 Wrangler with a soft top, I keep the driver side door unlocked for that reason.
At 4:00 that looks like the same way Chrysler holds the leather on items like the side of the seat and the bottom of the headrest in our Town & Country. Which is not encouraging. The leather keeps coming off our seat. Hope it does better on the Gladiator. I'm really curious how the dual-top group modifies this, because, doesn't the hard top get rid of the lower channel that is used for the soft top?
So far, all of the attachment points are holding up well on the top. Our Pacifica has problems with one head rest like you are referring too, it drives me crazy….just when I think I have it secured, sproing it pops apart 🤪
The Mojave is a very capable mid size pick up truck. It doesn't compare to a full size truck, and it shouldn't. I use mine to tow my 5000lb travel trailer and have zero issues. If you need full size truck capabilities then yes, the Gladiator is not for you. But its just as good if not better than every other mid size truck on the market.
Nice video, I would have enjoyed if you have folded the rear seat to show the ''extended bed'' without the head support on the rear seat. How a plywood or drywall 4x8 will look if you close the tail gate. The bed is 5ft and the rear seat room is supposed to be 38 in, so you should be able to fit 8ft plywood by only by removing the rear window without opening the rooftop. Did the rear crossmember of the cab are the same spacing than the box wide. I am curious about it because on the ''plywood test'' for the gladiator they just go with the open tail gate. I don't want to change truck but mine is falling apart and I will miss my 8ft bed so it's nice to see other alternatives.
I’m thinking about ordering the exact same Gladiator you have .. I love black on white! Do you happen to have the led headlights and fogs? That’s a must for me.
I measured and it looks like it could squeak in there. However, there is a setup in the bed to allow for carrying 4x8 sheets. There are slots to put a couple boards to get above the wheel wells and the tailgate has an intermediate position to support on that end. I’ll see if I can get a video of that.
@@TheLawnEngineer oh you have the base base. That's so cool. I want one of those. Everybody has Rubicons and Mojave and I want a base model for a true blank canvas. I'll just buy the used takeoffs from Rubicon owners because they inevitably upgrade.
@@Konformation07 Yes, it's the Willys Sport. Base model plus wheels/tires, rock rails, limited slip, floor mats. I paid $36k for mine out the door, that was before all the supply issues but I still had to order it.
Not at all, I was driving around in -19F this winter and I was toasty. The hard top may make a slight difference on warm up but I doubt it’s even measurable. I believe there is a Best Top(aftermarket soft top maker) video that busts the myth of interior temperature difference.
Have you made a follow up video after having it for a year? I'm doing research into soft tops to replace my hard top and am curious as to how this soft top held up.
Wanted to know if you wash it by hand or take it through a car wash? And if you have taken it through the wash was there any damage or problems? Thank you
@@TheLawnEngineer Thanks a lot for the information. I just bought a 22 Willy’s with a soft top and was wondering about that. I Live in upstate New York and it snows a lot so I have to keep it clean somehow and hand washing in the winter is not an option
@@kjc63b you’re welcome. Yes, winter is a battle to keep vehicles clean. I’m thinking about adding a hose in my heated garage we will see how that goes.
I run a soft top on my Jeep Jl It’s awesome. How are those tires? I was thinking of getting a set. Are the sensitive to road crown or imperfections in road? Are they smooth riding? How’s the steering in that JT?
I only have 5,500 miles on the truck but so far the tires have been great. They track well and highway no matter the crown or grooving. They are LT rated so the sidewall is a little stiff but I wouldn't say the ride is harsh. The steering has been great so far, but again low miles. I know others have complained about it being loose but I am not experiencing that.
It’s the original top from Jeep. Only Gladiator’s with hard tops were available at local dealerships so I ordered I ordered my Gladiator. It took about 1.5 months to get it but The process went well.
I’m the same. Plus I have a very fast method of getting the hard top off anyways with a pulley system in my garage. The night before I’m going out to the beach the next day, I strip mine naked in about 15 minutes so all I have to do the next day around 10am is pull out of the garage and go.
It’s not available on a crew cab half ton, which is 90% of the trucks on the road and on dealer lots. Anyway, not one truck is right for everyone, get what you like and what works for you.
What’s up my friend. I have the same truck as you but with two small issues and wanted to see if you had similar problems. Number 1. Just like clock work at 65 mph or higher, I get this somewhat loud ringing sound from the front end. As soon as the speed lowers, the ringing goes away. Number 2. In the morning, after the truck has been sitting over night, when coming to a stop and taking off from a stop, I hear and feel this weird clinch or rubbing noise. Almost if the springs were clunking when they compress and decompress. Thank you brother.
Thanks for checking in! Number 1, I have not experienced anything like this but since its vehicle speed dependent is sound like something with the front axle. Number 2, I have experienced a groan twice and it seems to come from front drivers side, I though it was something in steering. The feeling/noise was very slight, but I'm leaning towards steering as that is the most common complaint with the Gladiator...loose steering.
Wow! Never thought about using a soft top for pass-through. That’s huge. Thanks for sharing.🌻
You’re welcome 👍
That's a great point. I kind of want a soft top now on my Willys Sport, and that's another great reason to get it I think.
@@justin________7477 it is the dead of winter and I’m still very pleased with it. Not ideal for a pass thru, was -18F the other morning. I will put it back to use when it warms up 😎
@@TheLawnEngineer Cool, thanks for that info. Now I just need to watch for a soft to come up for sale or break down and buy from Jeep once spring comes.
That how I found that video, looking for the ''extended bed'' of the Gladiator
I have had a gladiator since 1 year ago. I didn't know these tricks! Awesomed information. I will try it
Glad it was helpful!
This makes me so much more comfortable to go look at the soft top rubicon now I been eyeing but was scared to get cus I wanted hard top. Thank you
Glad I could help. Happy Jeep shopping.
fold down the windshield and you could easily haul 20 foot boards
That would be a major flex, roll out of the lumber yard with 20 footers. 😎
Brilliant!
Very well filmed and a ton of great information. Good job!
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it 👍
well done and very helpful from real user and addressing issues with no bias. thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great in depth video, helped me to decide to buy soft top!
Awesome! I'm glad it helped you make your decision.
I have a Gladiator Rubicon with a soft top. Chief complaint is road noise, but I'd definitely get the soft top for versatility if I had it to do over again.
Yes, as with everything in life there is a trade off but I’m with you. The versatility of the soft top is worth it 👍
Watching this video helped me decide that I would rather get a hard top than the soft top. I can see all those pieces weathering over time and causing trouble. What I would really like is roof rack that would allow me to secure the two front roof panels for storage when removing just the two front roof panels. Perhaps there is an aftermarket rack that allows that.
I’m glad I could provide the information you were looking for. My goal is to provide information and my experience and stay away from telling people what to do.
I have not come across a rack for the roof panels but it seems like that should exist.
Sweet makes me feel better about my choice of going with the soft top!
I’m glad you found some value in the video 👍
I just got one in green and I love it
Awesome, the Sarge green does look great 👍
I have 2020 Sport S with soft top ,I actually love the soft top ,I don't like the looks of hard tops at all,Why buy a Jeep if you get a hard top,And if anyone is wanting to know I have this thing is seven different states with absolutely no problems at all ,I just ordered a new Rubicon exactly looking like my Sport S the only difference is it will be a Rebuicon and I ordered it with a soft top,I only hope I love the Rubicon as much as the sport s. I don't want mine lifted and I don't want big tires,I don't like that look but that's my opinion.
Glad to hear you like your soft top too! Good thing we are still buying them, so they keep offering them into the future.
@DevilDog53 I agree, the panels are very easy to take on/off. If you have room for them it’s a great option.
I see this video is about two years old and if you still have a gladiator you should do like I did and get one of those bed extenders that go into your hitch. I use mine all the time for longer pieces of 2 x 4, 4x4, 4x6 etc..
Great to hear you are enjoying your bed extender. I don’t have the Gladiator anymore but I would open up the soft top and rest long items on the cross bar, works very well too.
Very good & thorough review , Thanks !
You’re welcome, glad you liked the video.
All the info I need. I just bought a jeep gladiator ecodiesel soft top, I live in northern Canada -32 c standard temp here so I think I;ll be fine!
Awesome rig, I had the eco diesel in a Ram. I had a tune from green diesel engineering and loved it but I couldn’t resist the manual trans for the gladiator.
How is that soft top holding up? My 2 door JL let some snow in the cab during a blizzard a few years ago.
@@zeroorez5022 No leaks so far. Cross my fingers!
@@tungol00 Awesome! Just placed my order for a 2023 rubi premium soft top!
@@zeroorez5022 it held up really well but I parked in a heated garage.
I did end up selling
Why I Sold My Jeep Gladiator
th-cam.com/video/eYivQgoFY7A/w-d-xo.html
Order the dual door group. Looks awesome with half doors on!
I'll have to look into that.
Great job on the video man, love it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent review, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
You don’t have to cut the soft top to get into it as you just demonstrated. Hopefully people know that so they don’t ruin your soft top unnecessary. I have an ‘05 Wrangler with a soft top, I keep the driver side door unlocked for that reason.
Good point! Better to lose a charging cord or something instead of a ruined top and losing a silly cord.
At 4:00 that looks like the same way Chrysler holds the leather on items like the side of the seat and the bottom of the headrest in our Town & Country.
Which is not encouraging. The leather keeps coming off our seat. Hope it does better on the Gladiator.
I'm really curious how the dual-top group modifies this, because, doesn't the hard top get rid of the lower channel that is used for the soft top?
So far, all of the attachment points are holding up well on the top. Our Pacifica has problems with one head rest like you are referring too, it drives me crazy….just when I think I have it secured, sproing it pops apart 🤪
Great video!
Thank you.
Awesome video!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks for the great info!!!
You're welcome.
The Mojave is a very capable mid size pick up truck. It doesn't compare to a full size truck, and it shouldn't. I use mine to tow my 5000lb travel trailer and have zero issues. If you need full size truck capabilities then yes, the Gladiator is not for you. But its just as good if not better than every other mid size truck on the market.
Well said, thanks for the comment.
what about sway on highway
No sway on the highway, tracks quite well even with the mud terrains
Nice video, I would have enjoyed if you have folded the rear seat to show the ''extended bed'' without the head support on the rear seat. How a plywood or drywall 4x8 will look if you close the tail gate. The bed is 5ft and the rear seat room is supposed to be 38 in, so you should be able to fit 8ft plywood by only by removing the rear window without opening the rooftop. Did the rear crossmember of the cab are the same spacing than the box wide. I am curious about it because on the ''plywood test'' for the gladiator they just go with the open tail gate.
I don't want to change truck but mine is falling apart and I will miss my 8ft bed so it's nice to see other alternatives.
There is a provision in the bed to carry plywood without sticking it into the cab. I’ll work on a video.
I’m thinking about ordering the exact same Gladiator you have .. I love black on white! Do you happen to have the led headlights and fogs? That’s a must for me.
I do not have the led lights but it’s easy to convert, I’ll make a video 👍
Yes soft top is so much easier and it makes it a real convertible
👍
Thank you.
You're welcome! Thanks for checking in.
Nice. Diesel or gas?
Gas with manual transmission. I loved the truck but I recently sold it. Check out the latest video on my channel to see why.
can you pass a 4x8 sheet of plywood through the rear window area?
I measured and it looks like it could squeak in there. However, there is a setup in the bed to allow for carrying 4x8 sheets. There are slots to put a couple boards to get above the wheel wells and the tailgate has an intermediate position to support on that end.
I’ll see if I can get a video of that.
@@TheLawnEngineer awesome, thanks!
Great video. Do you regret going manual at all?
Not at all. On the rare occasion that the wife wants to drive it she doesn’t. In some cases that’s bad but overall great 😊
Does your truck have a manual transmission and does it also have manual windows?
Yes, manual transmission and manual windows
@@TheLawnEngineer oh you have the base base. That's so cool. I want one of those. Everybody has Rubicons and Mojave and I want a base model for a true blank canvas. I'll just buy the used takeoffs from Rubicon owners because they inevitably upgrade.
@@Konformation07 Yes, it's the Willys Sport. Base model plus wheels/tires, rock rails, limited slip, floor mats. I paid $36k for mine out the door, that was before all the supply issues but I still had to order it.
Did you buy the premium soft top upgrade?
No, its the standard soft top.
Do you find it hard for the cab to warm up? Like do you think it would take significantly less time to warm up with hard top? Great Video by the way.
Not at all, I was driving around in -19F this winter and I was toasty. The hard top may make a slight difference on warm up but I doubt it’s even measurable. I believe there is a Best Top(aftermarket soft top maker) video that busts the myth of interior temperature difference.
I have the exact same gladiator, there is no issue in Michigan winters (outside of the rear window defrost). It’s warm and comfortable inside.
*Update* I purchased the soft top Willys with no regrets at all. Thank you guys.
@@taylorrhea593 awesome, glad you like it!
Have you made a follow up video after having it for a year? I'm doing research into soft tops to replace my hard top and am curious as to how this soft top held up.
Yes I did, no issues with the vehicle at all.
Why I Sold My Jeep Gladiator
th-cam.com/video/eYivQgoFY7A/w-d-xo.html
So the thief doesn’t need to cut through your back window, they can simply just take it off haha
I would rather have them take it off vs slash it 🤣
Wanted to know if you wash it by hand or take it through a car wash? And if you have taken it through the wash was there any damage or problems? Thank you
I take it through a car wash, no damage caused. Check out this video: th-cam.com/video/gWmqtCWZ_q8/w-d-xo.html
@@TheLawnEngineer Thanks a lot for the information. I just bought a 22 Willy’s with a soft top and was wondering about that. I Live in upstate New York and it snows a lot so I have to keep it clean somehow and hand washing in the winter is not an option
@@kjc63b you’re welcome. Yes, winter is a battle to keep vehicles clean. I’m thinking about adding a hose in my heated garage we will see how that goes.
I run a soft top on my Jeep Jl
It’s awesome. How are those tires? I was thinking of getting a set. Are the sensitive to road crown or imperfections in road?
Are they smooth riding? How’s the steering in that JT?
I only have 5,500 miles on the truck but so far the tires have been great. They track well and highway no matter the crown or grooving. They are LT rated so the sidewall is a little stiff but I wouldn't say the ride is harsh.
The steering has been great so far, but again low miles. I know others have complained about it being loose but I am not experiencing that.
@DevilDog53 great information. I had to check mine and it indeed had a steel box 👍
Can you drive 60MPH + with the soft top open without any issues?
Absolutely, no issues
Yes!
I bought a soft top before and will never do that again. To much noise
Fair enough. If you want a quiet vehicle, a soft top is not for you.
where did you get the soft top?
It’s the original top from Jeep. Only Gladiator’s with hard tops were available at local dealerships so I ordered I ordered my Gladiator. It took about 1.5 months to get it but The process went well.
Like ur jacket ....Dude
Thanks...I guess
I will call it: Flappy
I like your style
Boom!
Pow!
Nope ..Hardtop is so much quieter on road trips. For that open air feeling ,I have a bestop sunrider top. Just unlatch and flip back.
I'm glad you like your hard top.
I’m the same. Plus I have a very fast method of getting the hard top off anyways with a pulley system in my garage. The night before I’m going out to the beach the next day, I strip mine naked in about 15 minutes so all I have to do the next day around 10am is pull out of the garage and go.
It’s not difficult to get an 8 foot bed .
It’s not available on a crew cab half ton, which is 90% of the trucks on the road and on dealer lots.
Anyway, not one truck is right for everyone, get what you like and what works for you.
Can you bend the backseat?
Yes, the bottoms can flip up or the back can flip down.
It's quieter than a Ford escape 2023
I wouldn’t know but don’t doubt that 🤣
What’s up my friend. I have the same truck as you but with two small issues and wanted to see if you had similar problems.
Number 1. Just like clock work at 65 mph or higher, I get this somewhat loud ringing sound from the front end. As soon as the speed lowers, the ringing goes away.
Number 2. In the morning, after the truck has been sitting over night, when coming to a stop and taking off from a stop, I hear and feel this weird clinch or rubbing noise. Almost if the springs were clunking when they compress and decompress.
Thank you brother.
Thanks for checking in!
Number 1, I have not experienced anything like this but since its vehicle speed dependent is sound like something with the front axle.
Number 2, I have experienced a groan twice and it seems to come from front drivers side, I though it was something in steering. The feeling/noise was very slight, but I'm leaning towards steering as that is the most common complaint with the Gladiator...loose steering.
Looks so easy to brake in 🤧
Yea , if that’s a concern, probably not a good fit for you.
Dude just get a truck 🤣🤣🤣
But then I couldn’t drive up Mount Vesuvius with a load of lumber 😎
No thanks, too noisy, hot, dust inside interior, and looks horrendous. Im over the soft top thing.
I guess that is why the hard top exists 👍
ugh that softtop location is ugly.
Have a great day
Terrible design
Well, thanks for checking in.
Great video!
Thank you