My New Jeep Gladiator - Australian Expedition Build
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ส.ค. 2024
- I've got a new Jeep that I'm about to start building into a house on wheels to explore all the wild and remote corners around Australia. Join me as I discuss why I chose the model I did, and plans for the future!
Support my work on Patreon & get exclusive details on my upcoming expedition:
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/ theroadchoseme
The Camera Gear I use:
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Stay in touch:
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❱ Instagram - / theroadchoseme
❱ Facebook - / theroadchoseme
Books I've published about my expeditions around the world:
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❱ The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
375 pages of misadventures, stories, characters, politics and more from driving all the way around Africa!
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❱ 999 Days Around Africa: The Road Chose Me
75 page full-color photography book from each of the 35 countries I visited in Africa
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❱ The Road Chose Me Volume 1: Two years and 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina
265 pages of adventure, inspiration and antics from driving the length of the Pan-American highway
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❱ Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa: Myths, Misconceptions and Misnomers
Everything you need to know to undertake your own Overland Expedition in West Africa
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❱ Work Less to Live Your Dreams: A practical guide to saving money and living your dreams
The tips, tricks, ideas and perspectives I've learned to save the money I need to live the life I want
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#Overland #JeepGladiator #Australia - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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I'm also stoke with my new Wrangler Rubicon 2 doors, getting ready to discover Australia. 🙂
Happy trails, can't wait to follow you around . Thanks for all you share.
More to come!
Single thumb down after one minute must be your local Toyota dealer.
Hi Dan, One bit of advice on the lockers / smart bar set up. Something I just learned from a hard outing with my Power Wagon (which has essentially the same system). The things in common were that the outing was really hot and a lot of water crossings on the track. Lots of heat under the hood. I suspect you will find these conditions in Australia. Make sure all the connectors of that system have a good dollop of dielectric grease. There should be 1 connector under the hood, 1 on the smart bar and 1 each on each diff. If the system starts acting glitchy and randomly coming on or off, or staying on or off, check these connectors. They are good connectors, with rubber seals built in, but I found that the heat under the hood dried up the grease on the one connector under there, allowing water with fine silt in it to get in the connector. I came to the conclusion that the heat was a factor, because the ones down low, which you would think get the most exposure, still had a healthy amount of grease. The one under the hood was dry as the Sahara and was filled with dust, even though the moisture cooked off. Bring a tube of dielectric grease with you. I've experiences this type of shorting on relays too, so the grease is good for those as well.
Edit to my original commentary. My Smartbar module has since fried. For those who don't know, the controls for the lockers go through the Smartbar, so when it goes they go (yeah, dumb, especially when they decide lock on unexpectedly on the road). When I removed the main connector to the module, water poured out with them smell of burn electronics. The electronics and connector was totally fried. I have determined that the wires entering the connector are not sufficiently waterproofed. The module has been removed and is now a paperweight. Lucky for me there is a person in the Ram Power Wagon forum who makes a module that mounts in the cab, utilizes factory control buttons and a Smartbar actuator and wire harness he provides. OE lockers and OE smartbar are all controlled from the controller safely in the cab. I helped him pilot it on my truck. Gave him measurements for the wiring harness as well as installation photos for instructions based on my pilot. The benefit is besides waterproofing is that it circumvents OE nannies. I can turn on / off lockers and Smartbar whenever I want. 2WD, 4HI & LO, at any speed. Perhaps in later models they have remedied this problem, but I would have a look at where the wires enter the main connector to the Smartbar module and ensure those are well sealed with something like "liquid electric tape" which plays nice with electrical components.
You are a very wise man, your advise is always welcome because you’ve been there. I too like my low range transfer case because it allows me to drive slower for all the reasons you mentioned plus giving the vehicle some mechanical sympathy!!
Finally a decent Jeep channel.
I love my jeep gladiator rubicon! I mostly use it for truck stuff here in the bush north of Fairbanks. A daily driver worthy of the Alaskan country.
Consider potting your locker position sensors before you head out. The sensors are unobtanium right now - Jeep is literally replacing axles under warranty. The issue is oil gets into the sensors and shorts them - check out the forums and youtube, lots of information on it. Cheers.
A dash of prevention being worth a pound of cure, eh? :)
@@pferris3591 When the failed parts are not sold by dana individually, even to dealers, hell yea ;)
I still remember your first post on Imgur/Reddit, every one was doubting and some calling you crazy. I have followed you for then, only complaint, your TH-cam videos of Africa are very short.
Haha, I remember a post of his on Expedition Portal probably around the same time, that's how I found him. Definitely some doubters. Good stuff ever since.
That's where I found him as well! Been following his progress ever since.
Thanks for sticking with me!
@@TheRoadChoseMe Will this Gladiator be you long term overlanding vehicle or just an one time Australia only(no importing it to Canada) touring vehicle. Will you be using 285/70r17 tyres for your build? Just out of curiosity can a 35x12.50r17 KM3 legally be put on your 17x7.5 wheels in Austalia as the tyre is only a 295/75r17?
@@TheRoadChoseMe I'm excited for you. I take delivery of my Gladiator Rubicon tomorrow. Had a Tacoma with winch, snorkel etc... but just to add 33s had to lift 3 inches. When I looked at what my Tacoma was worth and what I can get with a Gladiator it was a no brainer. Cloth seats (saved $1,700 there) Manual transmission (another $2,000) led lighting group. Metal winch capable bumper, stock 33s... would have saved money starting with the Rubicon. Looking forward to your build and I agree with your reliability. These pentastar engines are great. My father currently has a Rubicon he sent to Dominican Republic and loves it and takes it on many adventures.
Bravo Dan! Your enthusiasm, determination, expertise, and passion are highly infectious. Happy trails!
So glad I found this Dan, been following your articles in the Jeep Action Mag. Only after I got the latest edition did I think of looking for a Blog / Vlog. Now I've got some serious catching up to do :-) I'm ex S'African and an avid Jeeper. I really enjoyed your Africa trip. Looking forward following all your adventures. I just sold my 2D Blue 2009 JK Wrangler and have just recently picked up a Sarge Green 2021 4D Night Eagle. My build is just starting.....CU on the trails sometime I hope - Kev
Awesome Kev, welcome aboard!
The heated seats are heavenly. I didn’t want them but now that I’ve had them on two jku’s I sure won’t go without again! I even use them outside of winter for my stiff back.
Excellent color choice! Looks nice.
I really like how so much of the vehicle is ready to go so you can focus on the living situation. It’s cool watching an experienced traveler like you. You know what really makes or breaks a trip.
"Chomping at the bit" for this one👍🏻💥🤝🏻
Ive honestly been excited for this video ever since I saw it on your patreon page
Coming from Africa I really enjoyed watching your Africa trip. Now living in Qld I'll be following your channel and perhaps the same routes you take!
Can’t wait to see the build!!!
I would kill for troop carriers to come to the U.S.!
Yes, please Toyota. Name your troop carrier price. I’ll pay it.
I am so happy and excited for you !!!
Wow - AWESOME...!!
Looks like an amazing machine. Can’t wait to see how you build it out.
Great choice. I can’t wait to see what you do to build it up.
Great choice, looking forward to your build
What a smart grand choice. Congratulations!
Congrats on finally getting into your Jeep Dan ! Enjoy it and be safe ! 🙏🌲🇨🇦
adventure time! looking forward to your trip
Looks lovely. Cheers. 🍻
I'm super excited! I am hoping to go on more adventures soon
So happy for you I hope you enjoy your trip
Looking forward to your future journeys.
Nice vehicle! I'm excited to watch the transformation to a home on wheels!
As a fellow Gladiator Rubicon owner in Oz, and avid off roader and camper, I’m really looking forward to following your build! Awesome stuff!!
Welcome aboard!
Always so stoked for Dan
Beautiful Jeep and a great choice! I’ve had my white Gladiator Rubicon for a year and a half and have had no problems at all. I’ve taken it off-road multiple times and it’s amazingly capable. Really looking forward to your build and your adventure!
Looking forward to following this. Represent!
Long wheel base - Excellent
I'm so glad to hear about the increased payload. I'm a huge Jeep fan and was a bit disappointed with the original numbers. I can't wait to follow your build.
Ah man ! You must be soo excited!
Great video again! under-watched!
Looking forward to your build. I drive a Gladiator as well and love it so far!
Dan, good on you and what an exciting proposition you are heading up. I’m excited to see how long it takes to circumnavigate the continent. Happy Trails!
I've been very impressed with the 2021 Jeep Talk Show Gladiator, I'm sure you're going to love this one.
Congratulations on the new ride. It looks great. It will be a power house once you are done with it!
Great Jeep gladiator rubicon, I owned the same model in red, you can’t get better than this👍💪👌🥇✌️🇳🇱❤️🇨🇦🇦🇺
Congratulations on your purchase Dan!
Great colour too. Our new RAV4 is also white. I like the colour. It stays looking clean longer. But more importantly, especially in Australia. The car stays so much cooler inside in the hot sun compared to our previous black one.
I’m guessing you will change the tires to some AT to make it more economical. Some camping lights. Add a bar to the factory bumper to protect the front from kangaroos. A winch. And then all the stuff to make it comfortable to live out of.
Doesn’t need a lift or bigger tires. Plenty capable enough.
Very excited for this series 🤩
I never thought I would be so excited for someone else's truck build! 🤣 I can't wait to see what you turn it into!
nice rig, looking forward to see how you add where you'll be sleeping, next video is going to be very interesting!
Just bought one of this and after reading some forums was having seconds thoughts about not choosing the mojave. Thanks for the video, knowing your expertise, your points reaffirmed that i chose the right package.
We're really impressed with our gladiator. The overlanding build is nowhere near finished yet.
As for the heated seats, I actually do like them. Especially now it's winter. It's a great feature to have when finishing nightshift or going to work early mornings. Lol
can't wait about the build man.
Really awesome vehicle! Looking forward to your videos about the technical systems.
Yesterday I finally went to the government vehicle check station to get my paper work correct for my 1965 Unimog. I went empty on the scales and 3443kg (with an empty insulated box. So I have 1307kg payload. But my goal is around 4 ton.
So I can finally start with building the camper and building the Solar setup. And build in my 130L watertank. Some fun projects to build! 😁
Congrats on the new Rig !!! Best of Luck with the build and tour of AUS
I am really interested in seeing what you do with it. From the day the Gladiator was announced I thought it would be a great overlander / rocklander platform. From my experience, Jeeps, especially the Wrangler based platform has been really reliable and extremely capable. I think I can only come up with 2 easily fixable things that went wrong with the TJ I owned over 11 yrs that weren't normal wear and tear items or from some abuse or error on my part. Good luck with it Dan.
I’ve had my 19 JL rubi and it’s been faultless to date. White too with luxury pack and electrical upgrade..They’re an awesome vehicle and the Gladiator looks like an even better platform to build on. Steve 🇦🇺
Congrats! I went with a 2021 Tacoma TRD Off Road a couple months ago!
Excellent comments. I agree with comfort over lift. I have a 2 door JL, here in Sydney and I Love My Jeep!. Mind you my headlights are more line candelight :)
The front camera is a really nice addition!
Sounds like it. With my ancient ford and Toyota pickups with the low, sloping down hoods, I didn't need a front camera. With the 3rd gen Tacoma, a forward looking camera is looking better all the time.
Nice!
Congrats mate! Looks so nice!
I hope Jeep gave that to you with all the publicity you give them!
Good color choice. White will be cooler in the hot sun
THAT IS SWEEEET!!
Awesome. Ursa Minor planned on building a top for it but I believe it was delayed to focus on the bronco. Maybe you can get them to build one. Excited to see the buildout.
Yep awesome stock 4wd
So with the modularity of the gladiator I kinda wish someone would make a roof/ bed shell that removed the back window so you have a pass through that was secured from weather and bugs.
Ursa Minor are working on it!
Awesome! Awesome!
This is going to be a great build!!👌👌
But Sandy is going to be Jealous!🧐
Truck U showed a kit from Baxter Performance for the Gladiator that
prevents the engine oil drain back issue. 30 minutes after shut off all
the engine oil drains back to the crankcase, even the filter is bone
dry. Every start up is a dry start.
Spectacular. Greetings handsome. 🚜👍😎❤🥰
Looking forward to seeing more videos, I have the same in black,l love the lockable storage under the back seats.
.. haha, funny you should mention that.. I just ripped mine out!
@@TheRoadChoseMe I am interested to see what you do with the space.
Looking forward to this. I like your style of videos and it’ll make a change to see a Gladiator in an Aus series rather than a Land Cruiser 70 series. Your next trip has to be around the GCC (Oman, UAE, Saudi, etc)!
cant wait to see what you do next....as long as you have no plans for a trailer or tray it should work ok...but i'd still take my xj over a glad any day...ITS COMING...
Please look into potting/sealing your axle lock sensors. It’s a known issue on Rubis. I did it to my 21’ JLR. Do a quick search for it on the JLwranglerforums for more info.
Looks like a great choice but then I’m a Jeep guy, having had 3 different ones continuously over the past 50 years ! 😁
Congrats on getting the Gladiator , Dan . Will be very interested to see the build mod's you do. We have just had delivery of our Willys, I know its not a Gladiator but I'm sure we will be-able to adapt them to the Willys.
PS am currently reading Volume 2 .
Sounds great!
Super jealous of Australia’s Rubicon payload capacity.
Glad you stayed with Jeep.
Manual or auto?
Great vehicle but whenever I see a Jeep Gladiator I can't help but think of Bill Murray and his Groundhog.
ohhhh, maybe that's a good name for it!
I always find the foreign market rubicons kind of odd looking. The bumper and fenders kind of throw me off compared to what we get here in the US.
Congrats on the purchase though! I can guarantee that it will be a capable beast. Just got done with a 6000 mile trip towing our overland camper from Atlanta to Moab. Fantastic time and did 10 badge of honor trails during our trip!
If you can get the gladiator down there we should be able to get the landcruser troppy up here in the USA 😩
Great Jeep Gladiator Rubicon! I also reviewed the Jeep Gladiator in my channel! And I must say for Australia and North America, it makes A LOT of sense getting a Jeep Gladiator: unquestionable off road capability, if that high price isn't of any concern. Great fun, ability to remove to roof and doors!
However for Europe, getting a Jeep Gladiator seems pointless since offroading has diminished each year, Europe has also take strong environmental initiatives.
The price of the Gladiator was high, but it is a niche, it bears strong identity!
Right away something look different about your Gladiator, then it hit me: The US Rubicons come with the factory highline fenders.
Yeh in export countries like Australia, there are usually restrictions on oversized tires. So not many people will get away with putting on 37s etc. So I understand why Jeep wouldn't bother with them to save money/standardise offerings here for Spares support etc.
There's a few differences. High line fenders as you said. Only 32"tyres from factory. CV joints up front instead of uni joints. No power point in the tub. Still love our gladiator though.
@@akar2755 I was under the impression 37's are not oversized for a lifted Rubicon
@@JoshuaKane. I mean oversized in the legal sense, e.g. in AU you can't have tires stick out of the side fenders, and there's actually a certain % over the factory width you are allowed to go before requiring engineering certification (due to dubious concerns over the impact tire size can have on safety and stability control systems)
Jeep is second to none. I think rubicon trim has been around for 15 years now
Brand new! Getting fancy! I imagine you're hoping to recover most of that $76k when you sell. I also imagine you're getting lots of armor for the front for that inevitable kangaroo crash.
That bullbar's a must. I remember years ago we used to call them roo bars.
I'm super stoked for you!
Spotless,..........for now.
Am I safe in assuming it's right hand drive? Very nice rig. After all the lockdowns, you must feel like a big kid on Christmas morning. Cheers.
Yep, it's fully Australian-spec, RHD
Looks cool as but boy it needs a bullbar haha. Big ol' square grille
On the way!
cooling and fording would be my biggest concerns . and i hope it is not the manual .
You didn’t say whether it was petrol or diesel, but the missing snorkel suggests petrol. I own a GQ Patrol and JK Wrangler. I wouldn’t put either of them on Australian roads without a bullbar. Having spent nearly two decades living in remote Queensland my bullbar has saved me from disaster more than once. The next novated lease I get will be a Rubicon Gladiator.
Petrol, 3.6 auto
Troopy can take twice the payload and it diesel
I got to meet you and buy your book when you were in toledo ohio.
Awesome Kenny, thanks for the support!
😎👍
Was the thumbnail for this video taken out near Lake Gillear just out of Warrnambool? Looks super similar if not!
is there a difference in road noise between the gladiator and the wrangler? Did your ursa minor roof tent reduce any road noise in the wrangler?
Lol I like your long term fans. I guess I am one of those "fanboys" lol from Overland forum. You and I chatted about west Africa Liberia etc. As I just finished Russia, and former Soviet countries; you'll probably coming/planing here next. Lol, I am planning on using a JT when I return to Canada and I wish I could get that payload there!! Wow! 989 is more likely. But perhaps Jeep might grease a few political palms and oh wait...that's here not in Canada. Lol. Best of luck and...Is it a diesel?
Hey Dan. How long ahead did you have to order it to get it on time once you planned to arrive in 🇦🇺
Which engine does it have? (Gas? Diesel? Turbo?)
You had said the smaller footprint of the basic jeep worked with container travel. What is the plan for this larger vehicle ? Keep it in Australia ?
The steering wheel is on the right, and I can't import it into Canada until it's 15 years old. It's extremely likely I'll never take it out of Australia.
Also, it will fit in a 20 foot container no problem at all, so it's no different to ship than my tiny 2-door wrangler was.
Dan, i don’t think you mentioned in your vid, did you stick with Manual, did you make the switch to an Auto?
Are you going to take it to Canada? Or you're back in Australia for good?
What engine does it have?