Can’t go wrong with a Jeep Cherokee for a beater trail rig. Cheap to buy, cheap to build and capital. Room for the whole family

Same thing. Decided to get a second that will be built to be trailered. Went with a 2008 2door JK.

I know the prices are stupid high but a side by side might be best out there. TJ, XJ or 2 door JK would be cool too. Or just move out to Colorado and have endless amounts of trails perfectly suited to the Gladiator without needing so much speed and revs. In the winter head to Moab! Moving here has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Last year I bought a 1996 cherokee xj for 3800 bucks and it came with a ford 9 inch rear axle and a Dana 44 front. It was rough but I used bedliner to cover the bad paint job and a bunch of other things done to it but I found mine on fb market place. I live in southeast ks and I have set the jeep up for overlanding but this jeep was set up for rock crawling.

I was in the same spot. I felt your pain...

My brother took me for a spin in his Polaris sidexside a couple months ago. It was very impressive and fun. Maybe someone could give you some seat time and see how you like it?

Have you thought about going to a side by side? The gladiator can easily pull one. Tons of mods available

Ever thought about buying a side by side to go wheeling in to get your fix?

Get yourself a beater. Like a solid front axles yota 85 good year. You put 37's on them no problem. Parts and aftermarket parts are abundant.

What I have found is, if you’re going to have a jeep you plan on off-roading. You have to have a totally separate, daily driver. Your daily driver cannot be your toy.

Definitely a fan of the XJ. Great wheeler for cheap and abundant. I would consider selling you my Cherry Crush (I'm local in your area).

The XJ. I absolutely love my XJ. Can fit the family and have space in the back. It’s got the classic 4.0 and is way cheaper to modify.

I have a Gladiator to get me to the trailhead and then I unload my Husqvarna TX 300 2 stroke dirt bike. That's the ultimate trail rig. You haven't lived until you've road mountain singletrack.

I think you need a TJ. you're used to the coil spring suspension. built or stock. either way is a good option. my only requirement if it were for myself would be that it had to have the 4.0L. you could also try an XJ or even a ZJ or early WK if the need for removable doors and top wasn't a priority.

I just bought a 2000 xj. I have 2 young kids and ofter expensive hobbies. "Harleys and KTM's" . I wheeled with a 03 TJ for years got rid of it then just recently got a 2k xj. I can fit both car seats, dog, wife and gear. Most on top of the jeep but I can run 70mph no problem. Parts are everywhere and sorda cheap.

Got a Gladiator Rubi for truck things and overlanding 22,5" lift and 35s and a really built 2 door JK for offroad..and a Audi A4 avant as a winter DD and a BMW 120d Cab as a summer DD.... All Jeeps are crazy expencive in Sweden, a TJ is 15000usd and a XJ about 8000.... So maybe a ZJ to beat up at the trail?

Easy, TJ. Building it up is easy and cheap (relatively) due to aftermarket. It's a 2 door. Given your past Jeeps, it's a new experience. Opens up opportunities. Easier to tow too. If you felt comfortable with JK, go 2 door JK. They're in abundance. Problem is finding one stock and at fair initial price. Looking forward to seeing what you get.

JK, TJ, or XJ. My first choice, if budget is a concern, would be an XJ followed by a TJ. Both are vary reliable and parts are still easy to find and supported by aftermarket dealers.

Tj base jeep, build it up on 35/37s. Your gladiator will pull it no problem with the 16-foot trailer. I think you could find a trailer and a tj that won't break the bank if you shop around.

What rims are you running on that JT Rubicon Gladiator? They look awesome! I have a 21 Wrangler Rubicon and am currently doing my research on rims/tires and a 2.5-3.5 inch lift.

XJ is the best budget 4x4 ever made as far as I’m concerned. If really want a wrangler Tj is a great option.

DAM! Go Easy on that skinny pedal. Keep the Gladiator, Add the winch, a shovel & some Tracks. I have gone through the same cycles with previous rigs that you have and now have the JT Rubio as well. We will never be satisfied…. So let’s just admit it now.

Get yourself an old pre 85' Toyota! Can give those little trucks a hell of a beating before they give out.

Keep it in the family… go Jeep.. maybe a v8 cj7? Stretch it on one tons… leaf springs will keep it cheap and easy to fix.. less maintenance without electronics and comfort features.. makes me miss my YJ for thrashing.. no mud for my JKU

What are you using to pull this new rig? Only ask because that might help to determine what you purchase. (Tow capacity) I have watched your channel for years and I suggest you go heavy on the axles whatever you buy. Needs to put up with some abuse.

Just buy a rock buggy and trailer it behind the Gladiator.

Get a tj or and xj, i would say get something to build so your not getting other guys issues. Tj will have more box options, xj you will likely have to do some projects your self if your wanting quality. The motors are solid, and everywhere. Parts are well your still by jeep parts but its not new jeep part expensive. Both are rather light so you got some wieght to play with. And its not a big buy so you dont have to be as scared to run it. Oh ya and build for both are all over and range from light to extreme.

Crawl up hill don't go Pedal to the metal, if not ATV Quad with a Roll Cage lol

Sounds like a buggy would work best for you.

side by side

2 door JL

Bro just get a Tj that's in good shape no rust, slap some axles nice big axles on there and go send that shit however you'd like, you ain't shooting that motor anytime soon.

Get an old 2 door jeep and send it!

Wait, this isn't an overlanding channel?! Better half says I can either have a nice a Jeep or an off road Jeep, but based on what I like to do, they arent the same Jeep. She's kinda right, but we have a gladiator for wheeling and an xj to crawl already. We still wheel the Gladiator and it is better than an old stockish PoS to wheel, but like dirty Harry says, 'a man's got to know his limitations.' That goes for Jeeps too I think. Shit isnt gettjng any cheaper and you're going too break stuff in an old or new vehicle, you'll just have the additional expenses of an older vehicle on top of the stuff you are already paying for when it breaks wheeling.

When you say wheeling it I am thinking 4wd low, climbing up some hills, getting to some places that other people might not be able to. Then you cut to you full throttle spinning up muddy hill climbs. I think the issue here is the type of wheeling you do is for lightweight caged vehicles not daily drivers. A lot of those shots wouldn't have been bad had it not been for the mud. I would say you just need to stay away from mud.

buy a minivan for your daily and make your toy(gladiator) as light as possible, weight kills. its not the answer we want...

TJ

Solution to problem : get a new wife - haha sorry!!

Obviously I wouldn’t “off-road” with my daily. For starters. And overlanding doesn’t break vehicles, which you obviously aren’t doing...

suzuki vitara

built xj or 80s toyota ez

Or go with a Cherokee

Go to Moqb and take a course on how to use your jeep, you press too hard on the gas

Just make more money. Easy. Give the wife a little every time you go to the rock park.

KISS - keep it simply silly. You're experience on the trail is the JK platform. Its a big and tall vehicle compared to the previous models (TJ, YJ) Wranglers. The seating position is relatively low to the door window and windshield compared to a TJ. To me, that's a tall vehicle. The floor isn't like that of a TJ/YJ where its a tub (high rockers). The coils are outside up front, and inside in the back on the wide frame. So articulation configuration has effects from the front to the back and visa-versa. TJ's coils are similar, but they are wider on the rear so the articulation is different. You've driven my TJ home once from SMORR. You've seen me wheel a stockish YJ for 10yrs, you saw me that day wheeling a stock Sahara TJ at KanRocks, and you've seen me wheel that SE TJ ever since I met you. There are dozens of areas of any vehicle that needs to be addressed from a stock form to a mod form to perform on 90-95% of your wheeling trails. You have to come up with something that will fit the family and trail needs for 90%. The other 10% you can decide to get through or go around or not try at all. That blue TJ has been the way its been mechanically since 05. I've updated to RCVs to surpass the choice to alloys, then to RCVs. My SE blue TJ has the 2.5l, auto, tcase all stock. Has the stock trans skid and I just upgraded the fuel tank skid to an aftermarket. I had a stock fuel skid that I doubled on the bottom and corners since 08. It finally took itself out on the 3 front mounts. See my pics in my FB albums. Still has stock rear ds with the 2" spacer lift. It does have articulating short arms, longer travel shocks, front XJ D30R (I'm on my 3rd cause of the RCVs), RCVs, geared and locked with a matching 8.8 that has stock shafts and no issues since 06 when it was installed! It does what I like, sometimes what I challenge myself, and keeps going, sometimes. Not much has broken since how it is, other than shearing the RCV in the locker at the taper point. Both my kids learn to wheel in that TJ. Its been to Moab, Black Hills, many places in CO, AR, KS, MO. Figure out the vehicle seating and carrying capability. Chose a vehicle that fits that requirement. Look over the history of typical breaking areas and reinforce/upgrade those areas. Go biggest tire you can afford for the given diffs to be in it, ie 35s on my D30R/8.8 combo. Gear it and basic lock it (lunchboxes go long ways for cost here. Still have the Lockright in my 8.8 since 06!) for those tires. Wheel it, look for typical recovery and protection areas and upgrade as you go. Simple, reliable, parts plentiful at parts store, nothing specially fabbed that requires replacement to get home. Hell, next time you see me in any one of my TJ, lets go for a ride and let you drive offroad.

I don't think I can help you, I don't have much off road experience. You sure don't want it to effect your marriage. If it helps, tell your wife we really appreciate watching you go crazy. ( I don't think I helped at all, good luck)