Jeep Gladiator is a competent truck that has been on sale since 2019. It is manufactured by Jeep, which is a subsidiary of Chrysler Group. Chrysler group is also known as Stellantis North America. Jeep Gladiator has been a good vehicle offering in terms of sales generated, and people’s interest in the Gladiator shows a bit of a fan following. All of this in just two years.
The parts and accessories market for Jeep Gladiator is vibrant. There are a plethora of options available for Jeep Gladiator when it comes to parts. There are two leading suppliers; Third-party manufacturers who manufacture aftermarket Jeep Gladiator parts, and there are the same suppliers who supply parts to Jeep.Â
Both of the types of manufacturers of auto parts can be categorized as below:
- OEMÂ
- Aftermarket
We will now look at both and explore the parts and accessories available for Jeep Gladiator.Â
OEM
OEM is short for Original Equipment Manufacturers. These are auto parts makers who are the suppliers of parts to automakers. Automakers share CAD designs, 3D samples, and specification data with OEMs. OEMs then manufacture parts strictly following the designs and specs provided to them.
Parts manufactured by OEMs are called OEM parts. These can not be termed as Original Products. The parts installed on a vehicle when it leaves the showroom are the ones that can be called original products. Usually, OEM parts are preferred to maintain the stock condition of a vehicle.
For OEM parts, there are hardly any fitment issues. The main reason for such high precision is that the manufacturing process is in sync with the specs provided by the automaker to the OEM parts manufacturer. OEM parts for Jeep Gladiator can be a bit costly. But that is the price one should pay if one wants to retain a stock shape of a car.
One thing to be careful about is the availability of counterfeit parts. A lot of online marketplaces are filled with counterfeit gear. It has to be avoided at all costs.
Aftermarket
Aftermarket parts are made by 3rd party manufacturers and usually serve two purposes. These are either used for appearance enhancement. Or they can be used for performance improvement. Usually, OEM parts offer a substantial level of aesthetics and performance. However, if more performance is needed or you want your vehicle to appear a certain way.
On the other hand, aftermarket parts can do just fine if you are looking for cheaper alternatives to OEM parts.
In A Nutshell
In short, the answer to which type of parts one should buy depends on the need. There are car owners who just don’t want the stock form of the car to be compromised. These car owners don’t want to settle for less and are okay with spending more OEM parts. They would just not want any fitment issues, and budget isn’t a concern.
Then there are car owners who love modifications. Modifications bring a sense of personalization to a vehicle. Things like off-roading modifications and appearance modifications bring a sense of personalization to the vehicle. The budget can be low or high depending on the expected outcome.
Regular Maintenance And Normal Wear And Tear Items
Every car needs some regular maintenance, and usually, it starts with keeping your car clean. We will take a look at some car washing and cleanliness details now.
Cleaning And Detailing
Keeping your car clean should be your routine. It is as simple as that. There are more than one ways to do that. Either people visit a car wash and get their cars done. Or like us, they would prefer to clean their cars in more detail. Both the interior and exterior should be in pristine condition, is what we follow.
One can visit a car wash for regular exterior washing and get the job done. It is particularly helpful when one’s in a time crunch. But given that Jeep Gladiator is a highly capable off-roader, a simple car wash would rarely suffice. In our opinion, one needs to spend more time cleaning the Jeep Gladiator than just a simple car wash.
Two Bucket Method
A two bucket method is pretty popular these days. It is a very simple technique that maintains the car paint for an extended period. One bucket is filled with clean soapy water. The second one has clean water and a dirt guard at the bottom. We will explain the methodology behind this.
Once you rinse a wash mitt in soapy water and apply the foam to the car’s surface, it collects dust particles from the car’s surface. After 3-4 passes of a wash mitt, you take it to the second bucket to rinse it off. It loosens the dust particles from the mitt and lets it sit under the dirt guard at the bottom of the bucket.
This method is used to prevent scratches and swirls. All of the dirt and grime is left in the 2nd bucket, and you have a clean wash mitt to continue applying foam to the car’s surface. Once the entire vehicle is foamed, it can be rinsed off with water. A good practice here is to start from the vehicle’s roof and progress to the lower parts of the body.
Gravity pulls all the dirt downwards, leaving less room for dust particles to scratch and swirl the lower parts of the body.
Wax And Polish
Once the car is washed, dry it thoroughly with either a clean microfiber towel or a blower. For wax to fully bond with the car’s surface, it has to be dry and free from moisture. For regular waxing and polishing at home, there are many options available. Turtle Wax is a trendy name in car waxes and polishes. Here is a link.
Jeep Gladiators are great off-roaders, and people love taking them off-road. It causes a substantial amount of paint damage. Dirt and mud cause a lot of scratches and swirls on the painted surfaces of Jeep Gladiator. It can be easily dealt with by keeping the vehicles clean and waxed. It also adds UV protection, and the paint can last longer.Â
One way to maintain a rust-free body for the Jeep Gladiator is to use WD-40, known for its various qualities, like lubrication, protection, removing moisture, etc. This multi-purpose aerosol spray does a great job of protecting the vehicle’s underside. You can find these on Amazon.com from this link.
Buying a used Jeep Gladiator
If you are in the market for a used Jeep Gladiator in the market, the first thing to look at is how clean the previous owner has kept it. Usually, a clean car translates to a well-maintained car. Owners who are careful about keeping their cars clean also make sure they are well maintained.
Always see if the car’s appearance is good or not. If a car is not clean, chances are it is also not very well maintained. Carsforsale.com has some in excellent shape. Here is the link to find out more.
Engine oilÂ
Engine oil is the most essential lubricant for any engine. It is designed to keep the engine parts running friction-free and also helps accumulate metal residue. The residue over time weakens the ability of the engine oil to keep the engine running smoothly. Therefore, it is mandatory to change the engine oil at regular intervals.
For Jeep Gladiator, the manufacturer suggests an engine oil change every 4000 miles. The 3.6-liter engine takes 5 quarts of engine oil. Jeep suggests API Certified SAE 0W-20 Engine Oil grade for use in Jeep Gladiator. According to the owner’s manual for Jeep Gladiator, the manufacturer suggests either Mopar, Pennzoil or Shell Helix.
These are readily available from your local auto parts store and online. Amazon.com has a lot of these on sale at very reasonable prices. Here is a link from where you can buy one. For the 3.0-liter diesel, variant Jeep suggests 5W-40 grade synthetic diesel engine oil. It takes 9 quarts of engine oil. Here is a link to buy these from Amazon.com.
Lubricants
In addition to engine oil, a car needs quite a few different types of lubricants. One thing that defines a car’s life is the regular changing of lubricants. As the Jeep Gladiator is an SUV, if you don’t change the lubricants at regular intervals, you might start hearing rattles and squeaks from around the vehicle.
The lubricants that need regular checks are gearbox oil, brake fluids, coolants, and others. Let us discuss these in a little more detail.
Coolant
Coolants are known for maintaining temperatures of around 85 degrees celsius and are used to fill the car’s radiator. Blended with some water or used in concentrated form, the key function of a coolant is to keep the engine running at an ideal temperature. Jeep suggests using OAT coolant for the Jeep Gladiator.Â
The OAT contains only organic corrosion inhibitors such as carboxylates and triazole. These inhibitors give the coolant a longer life, and the car keeps running under optimal temperature for more extended periods. You can buy these from this link.
Air filters
Air filters are designed to prevent dust from entering the engine. Air filters need to be either cleaned or, if necessary, replaced in regular intervals. Air filters are also responsible for allowing only clean air mixed with fuel. If these aren’t taken care of, it can result in bad fuel consumption and weird noises. It is good to buy only OEM air filters for Jeep Gladiator.
OEM Air FilterÂ
The best bet for optimal engine performance is to always buy an OEM air filter. Mopar usually supplies these to the Chrysler group. These are priced very reasonably and are available on Mopar’s online store for $ 19.66. You can follow this link to learn more about it or make a purchase.
Better than OEM/ K&N Filter
If getting higher performance than stock form is the objective, you can also opt for aftermarket air filter systems. These have worked well for Jeep Gladiator, as seen by some Youtube videos. A prevalent name in aftermarket air filter systems is K&N. They make cold air intakes that replace the standard air filters.
These cold air intake systems work well with Jeep Gladiator’s 3.6-liter engine and have achieved a decent performance boost. These are available on Amazon.com and start at $ 329.99. You can look at these at this link and buy one if you want.
High-Performance Air Filters
Some high-performance air filters are also available for Jeep Gladiator. A very well-known brand is aFe that makes these and offers impressive performance numbers. Installing these can add up to 24 horsepower more to Jeep Gladiator’s performance graph. These are available directly from their website. Here is a link if you would like more details or want to buy these.
Fuel
There are various fuel types available today. They are categorized mainly based on their octane rating. A general rule is to go for the higher octane grades to get better performance and fuel consumption as standard Jeep suggests using a minimum octane rating of 87 for the Jeep Gladiator.
However, if you use fuels with a minimum octane rating of 89, that would undoubtedly add to the engine’s performance and enhance the engine’s overall life.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Brake fluid acts as a transmission system for brake force to be distributed to all wheels. The brake fluid that Jeep suggests for use in Jeep Gladiator is Mopar DOT 3 brake fluid. These are available on Amazon.com and other online retailers as well. Here is the link for Amazon.com if you want to buy.
Brake Pads
As per the owner’s manual for Jeep Gladiator, it is good to check the condition of brake pads simultaneous to the oil change. The brake pads for an SUV take a lot of stress. Sometimes SUVs are driven with a trailer at the back. It causes the brake pads to work more than usual.
When the brake pads are worn out, the braking force gets reduced significantly. If the brake operation feels spongy or the car makes any noises from the braking rotors, chances are the brake pads need replacement. The OEM brake pads for Jeep Gladiator are available on Mopar’s website. Here is the link to learn more.
You can visit online for aftermarket brake pads for Jeep Gladiator as many options will work with Jeep Gladiator. On Autozone.com you can find these easily. Here is the link to buy these.
One thing to bear in mind is that the aftermarket parts can have fitment issues, so it is good to do some research before making a purchase decision.
Brake Rotors
Jeep Gladiator comes with 12.9-inch discs up front and 13.6 at the rear. Because the Jeep Gladiator is designed for off-roading and trailer towing, the brake rotors can wear out sooner than for other cars. Jeep doesn’t specify any particular brand for brake rotors of the Jeep Gladiator.
Given this situation, aftermarket brake rotors will do just fine for the Jeep Gladiator. It is probably due to bad brake rotors when you start feeling that the braking system is working less than desired. A symptom of this will be the shaking of the vehicle under braking. If this is the case, it is time to swap them out for new ones.
A good practice is to change the brake pads whenever you change the brake rotors. Power Stop is an aftermarket manufacturer of brake rotors. They sell these on Amazon.com for Jeep Gladiator. Here is a link where you can get more information.
Suspension
Making alterations to suspension for SUVs is nothing new. Many SUV owners make changes to their suspension setups to get more off-roading potential. In addition to performance enhancements, sometimes suspension work becomes necessary due to various indications regarding less than ideal performance of the suspension setup.
When the steering becomes less responsive, or there are noises from the suspension, it is about time to get suspension work done. Car owners usually get the suspension work done using OEM parts. These are available mostly at your local auto parts store.Â
If the suspension is just fine, but you still need to raise your vehicle’s ride height, there are many aftermarket options to choose from. Fox and Bilstein are some of the most sought-after brands in the suspension parts area. They offer different sets of suspension parts for better ride quality.
Bumpers
The bumpers on any car take the most amount of scratches and dents over a vehicle’s life. It happens with all drivers, from novices to pros. For Jeep Gladiator, the bumpers are available all over the place.
They are at times installed with fog lights as well. These are available on Amazon.com and can also be bought locally from your nearby auto parts store.
Buyers mostly prefer the aftermarket options since those also come with receiver hitches at times.
Related: The Best Jeep Gladiator Rear Bumpers
Offroading Modifications And Towing AccessoriesÂ
Leveling kits
Leveling kits are a great option if you want to raise the ride height of your Jeep Gladiator. Using leveling kits can increase the vehicle’s height by 2.5 inches. These are essentially spacers installed at the front and rear of the vehicle that offers a good bargain.
The leveling kits offer two benefits. One is better ground clearance since they lift the vehicle by a decent amount. Two, they make a car appear more aggressive. Some added benefits are that you will be able to put bigger tires on your Jeep Gladiator. Overall, a leveling kit can bring many benefits to your car’s ride quality.Â
Alloy USA makes some nice ones. These are available on Amazon.com for Jeep Gladiator. Please use this link to view more details and buy these to save you some time.
Lift kits
As the name suggests, the lift kits are meant to lift the vehicle’s ride height. They might not be as effective as a Coilover suspension setup, but they can still help raise the vehicle’s height by up to 4 inches. The lift kits are not offered as an OEM part. These are mostly manufactured by 3rd party manufacturers, also known as aftermarket.
The lift kits for Jeep Gladiator are available both at your local auto parts store or online. Amazon.com has quite a few of these listed for Jeep Gladiator. We have seen some of them, and here is a link to one of those we suggest you buy.
Receiver hitch and Hitch
Jeep Gladiator doesn’t come with a receiver hitch as standard. Jeep, however, has two options that will solve this. One of them is called Trailer-Tow Package. This package costs $ 545.00 and includes a Class IV trailer receiver hitch. It is designed for medium-weight towing like recreational bike transport or lighter towing tasks.
For those out there who would prefer to carry heavier loads while towing, the other package that Jeep has as an option is called a Max Tow Package with a 4.10 Axle Ratio. These are designed to add quite a few options like better brakes and reduced axle ratio that allows for low-rev engine running and so on.
This package will cost you up to $ 1195.00, which is expensive because it is an OEM solution. There are aftermarket receiver hitches available for Jeep Gladiator as well. Curt is a well-known name in this market. They sell these on Amazon.com, and here is the link for you to buy one.
Aftermarket rear bumper
The Jeep Gladiator, by default, does not have a receiver hitch. One way to solve this is to go for an aftermarket rear bumper preinstalled with a hitch receiver. There are a lot of these available at local auto parts stores or online. Amazon.com has a lot of these for sale at reasonable prices.
We would like to mention that Wolfstrom is a renowned name in this market and ensures high quality in their products. We have taken a look at these, and they look very promising. You can follow this link to find out more about them.
Skid plates
Skid plates are designed to protect the underside of a vehicle. While offroading, it is very easy to run into objects that will harm your vehicle like stones, rocks, hidden logs, and all of these can make repairs expensive. Skid plates are a great way to keep this from happening and save you and your Jeep Gladiator a lot of time and money.
DV8 offers a perfect solution to this. Once installed, you can offroad your vehicle with peace of mind. These are available on Amazon.com at this link.
Tires
Having the right tires can change the ride quality of the vehicle. It is one area where one can simply not afford to go wrong; More so when talking about SUVs and trucks. For Jeep Gladiator, the factory-fitted tires are 245/75-17 tire size. These are all-season tires that would be good for light offroading.
But when it comes to purists, they love to play with the tire sizes and types. Tirerack.com has a lot of options for Jeep Gladiator. These start from $ 120.91 and go all the way to $ 291.05 at the most expensive end. Here is the link where you can check these out.
Recovery gear
Before going offroad, preparation is vital. One of the things to prepare for is when things could go wrong, and you are stuck. You need to make sure you have all the gear necessary to pull you out of trouble. Here is a link to find all kinds of required equipment for such situations.
Rock Sliders And Steps
Rock climbing can cause very easy damage to the underside of the vehicle. The sides take the most beating from the rock pushed back by tires. An excellent way to save your vehicle is to install rock sliders and steps. Here is a link for you to buy one.
Winch
For offroading enthusiasts leaving home without a winch is a handshake with all kinds of problems. A winch can help you get unstuck and let you explore all sorts of verticals offroading has to offer. For all such emergencies, having a winch at your disposal makes things transition from difficult to easy. Here is a link to know more about them.
Appearance Modifications
There are countless options available in the appearance modifications area for pretty much every vehicle out there. We will look at some of the lighting options that are both aesthetic and functional.
Lighting Modifications
Fog Lights
Jeep Gladiator comes with fog lights as standard equipment on all models. Fog lights serve a particular purpose. These are not meant for high visibility in foggy conditions. When there is fog, any light beam thrown at it will result in a milky cloud of fog, making it more difficult to see. Fog lights are designed to make nearby objects more visible.
If you like to look at some of the available aftermarket options, then Amazon.com has got you covered. Here is a link where you can find these.
HIDs
The Jeep Gladiator comes preinstalled with LED headlights. These would be sufficient for most people. But if you are looking for something even more powerful, then HIDs will work best for you. Here is a link where you can find these.
Bar Lamps/LED Light Bars
Lately, bar lamps and LED light bars have gained popularity. These are very useful as they increase evening/night visibility while offroading a breeze. LED light bars are roof-mountable and also front bumper mountable. These come in various lengths and offer different visibility prowess.
Some of these are as long as 52 inches. Since these are aftermarket parts, the prices are also very reasonable. These are available on Amazon.com for Jeep Gladiator. To buy these lights, please visit this link.
Trunk Light/Hatch Work Lights
Working on your Jeep Gladiator or camping outdoors demands better lighting, which can be achieved by going for a trunk or hatch work lights. These are available plentiful online and at your local auto parts store. Here is a link to find more details about them.
FAQs
Question: Are Jeep Gladiator Parts Expensive
Answer: Jeep Gladiator was introduced in 2019 and has been around for a few years. The prices of parts heavily depend on if you are looking for something manufactured by OEMs or aftermarket manufacturers.
OEM parts will be expensive since the production of Jeep Gladiator hasn’t been for a very long time. However, if you consider something manufactured by an aftermarket supplier, it is affordable. In short, it depends on the parts you are looking for.
Question: Are Jeep Gladiator Expensive To Maintain
Answer: Although there is insufficient data pertaining to the maintenance costs of a Jeep Gladiator, it will be safe to assume that since it is an SUV, the maintenance costs will be on the higher side. Usually, SUVs can cost anywhere from $ 500 to-750 annually. It means that SUVs are more expensive to maintain compared to sedans.
We can safely say that the annual maintenance cost for a Jeep Gladiator will be towards the higher end of the afore-mentioned range for SUVs.
Question: Which Jeep Gladiator Is The Best
Answer: Jeep Gladiator is offered in 10 variants. They go from the very basic Sport model, which starts at $ 34,645.00 and goes all the way to the most expensive $ 52,455.00 High Altitude variant.
It becomes tough to let go of any option when choosing an off-road vehicle. It is more like the FOMO (fear of missing out) type situation. Every option seems necessary to have. But then again, not everyone has close to 50 grand lying around to be shelled out on a truck.
Final Thoughts
So finally, we have arrived at a point where we have gained substantial knowledge about the parts for Jeep Gladiator. On one side, we have OEM parts that are perfect when it comes to fitment and performance. On the other hand, we also have aftermarket options that work equally well and help one save a tonne of money.
We can divide this into two parts. There are car owners who don’t mind spending extra money. They want their cars to be in a condition that is closest to stock. These owners always prefer OEM parts over aftermarket parts since that is the only way to stay close to the stock condition of a car.
Then we have performance modifications lovers and those who love personalizing their cars. For these car owners, aftermarket parts are the answer. They would put money on decorating their cars while trying to extract the last one horsepower the automaker left untapped.
To conclude, it will be safe to say that whether you should go for OEM parts or aftermarket parts depends entirely on your objective and your budget. Stay OEM if you want to stay stock. Go for aftermarket parts if you want to explore more. It is as simple as that.
References
- Jeep Gladiator Wikipedia
- Turtle Wax – Wax and Car Care kit
- Jeep Gladiator Owner’s Manual
- Engine oil for Jeep Gladiator
- Car and Driver Jeep Gladiator
- Leveling kits for Jeep Gladiator
- Tirerack.com tires for Jeep Gladiator
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