Topher’s straight axle Gladiator

[Topher Builds]

I picked up a lightly used 10.3 gladiator in a trade a couple months ago and made the decision to steal the ar45p’s for a class 1 build and swapped the axial 10.3 straight axles onto the gladiator.

Stuck with the stock 90mm shocks and went with a class 1 tire and I love the look. May scale this one out a bit.

It does pretty well climbing, for not having any weight added, but the long wheelbase helps with that a good bit, as long as it doesn’t get hung up with the length and small tires it’s no slouch.

On the note of weight, the scx10ii SSD brass knuckles mounted up just fine, however the 10.3 universal dimension is different enough that there just wasn’t enough room to fit the hex pin through when it was all together. Maybe 2 mm short if that. I should have swapped the vs410 universals in to see if the knuckles would work with those but for whatever reason I didn’t think of it, and the vs410 is now gone. Not really in a rush to add weight here so I probably won’t bother for a while.

link="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by topher Builds (@topherbuilds)

[Topher Builds]

Part of moving on from the VS410 netted me a very cool trailer that I immediately hooked up to the gladiator.

The trailer is from Jeff Sterret and it is slick! The rear folds down for easy access but spring tensioners keep it up right. Also has a shock laid down to give some suspension to the wheels. Fits my gspeed and Sherpa rigs perfectly.

When towing the dig seemed to have a harder time staying locked in place so I removed that and now it’s just a single speed with no dig. Considered a 3 gear swap down the road but since this truck is taking a trail rig/tow pig route I’ll stick with the stock transmission.

Wanting to get some trail footage of this combo soon, maybe this weekend.

link="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by topher Builds (@topherbuilds)

[twade984]

Very nice, that trailer looks high quality.

Assuming those are class 1 tires? Really like the overall stance, ride height and tire choice on this thing!

[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by twade984

Very nice, that trailer looks high quality.

Assuming those are class 1 tires? Really like the overall stance, ride height and tire choice on this thing!

Yessir. Both the tires on the truck and the trailer here are class 1 km3’s. I got new wheels and some class 0 bfg’s on the trailer now and they look sharp.

[addiemonster]

Stocks shocks, smaller tires and straight axles are really the ticket to a great looking JL/JT, I think. Awesome project so far!

[Topher Builds]

Finally got this one out for a proper shakedown and got a video together. After spending some time with this it has climbed up the list of my favorite rigs to wheel. With the small tires and long wheelbase it’s a different experience and challenge. There were some lines where it just simply wasn’t nimble enough to get through or would get hung up and then others where it would go up without breaking a sweat. Made for a lot of good fun.

Running a Holmes hobbies torque master expert 27t with the Holmes brxl and it did great, seems like a nice fit for this truck.

Originally Posted by addiemonster

Stocks shocks, smaller tires and straight axles are really the ticket to a great looking JL/JT, I think. Awesome project so far!

Thanks Addie! I appreciate it.

[Den72]

WOW, not sure what impressed me more, the capability of the truck or the capability of the driver!!!

Good Job!

[twade984]

Anything new on this beauty?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk