Jeep Gladiator Overland Build: Suspension and Mechanical Upgrades

[@HourlessLife]

We're driving around the world and community is really important (and necessary) for us! Unlike most people, we can't just call up a local friend and say, "Hey you wanna grab a coffee?" We're essentially out here by ourselves. So we ask you to join our small but growing community that helps us navigate life as friends. If you would be willing to invite us to the equivalent of a cup of coffee once a month, we invite you to join our Patreon here: www.patreon.com/hourlesslife We'd love to get to know you and to have you as part of our special community that helps us get around the world. ~ Eric + Brittany + Caspian | Hourless life

[@kb9liq]

My birthday is July 22. That would have made a great BD gift!

[@HourlessLife]

Haha. Yeah it would make an any occasion great gift. 😃 ~ Eric

[@travelingwithjoe216]

She’s beautiful! Your dedication, research, and hard work is truly paying off and I’m looking forward to watching your travels!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks so much. For whatever strange reason, even as a sailor who has always been on ships that we referred to as "she", our Jeeps have always been "he" lol. ~ Eric

[@travelingwithjoe216]

@@HourlessLife My apologies to Dauntless…he’s a rugged beast! 😂👍

[@HourlessLife]

Haha. He's held up Joe. We're in Ecuador now. You still with us on the channel? ~ Eric

[@travelingwithjoe216]

@@HourlessLife Absolutely, here and on Instagram.

[@janhbhugo5085]

Dauntless looks great ! We'll done

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks JanHB! We’re pretty happy with it! ~ Eric

[@brentp556]

I'm interested in the suspension setup that you chose. Starting with a Mopar lift, then changing out springs, then adding airbags seems a lot more complicated than just choosing a simple spring/shock setup that is built for the weight/lift you require. Airbags work well when the rear weight is changing such as towing or using a slide in camper, but in your case it should be fairly consistent. They're also adding a potential failure point to your vehicle. I don't intend this comment to be negative, I am in the process of figuring out my own upcoming build for international travel, and love hearing different peoples opinions. I really have enjoyed you're build series, and look forward to following your trip in the upcoming years

[@HourlessLife]

Hey Brent! Not at all negative. The solutions for the JT (Gladiator for those reading who may not understand the reference) aren’t plentiful. We needed to keep the rake and stance for our “press tour.” But I agree with you. We will be switching out the TeraFlex 3.5” rear coil springs for the new Dobinson Rear Coil springs specifically designed for the JT and a static weight of 1103 lbs. They just didn’t have them yet. Those will be changed out on Thursday when we get into Austin right before our next event on Friday. Great observation! Thanks for being part of our journey. ~ Eric

[@4dustyroads44]

That jeep looks absolutely awesome! So glad I found your channel and I look forward to following you on all future adventures! Incredible job narrating and explaining everything!

[@HourlessLife]

Hey SoCal, thanks! That is really kind of you to say. Glad you found our channel and I look forward to your future comments and getting to know you virtually. On the off chance you plan to be at Overland Expo Mountain West or Overland Expo West this year, make sure you stop by and meet us and we'll give you a tour in person of DAUNTLESS. ~ Eric

[@abeach5420]

Savage this beast is. Keep yaz all safe n' sound on your journeys abroad.

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you a one! So much more to come. Hope you'll join us virtually on the journey. ~ Eric

[@brianjkimball]

Love seeing the adventure you guys are on! You were the very first full timers that we met when we got on the road! Amazing journey that you’re on!!

[@HourlessLife]

Hey Brian! Hope you guys are well. Thanks for tuning in here on yet another platform haha! ~ Eric

[@zachzeilinger4019]

What a transformation. Looks like Dauntless is ready for anything that comes at it. Best of luck on the adventure!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Zach. Appreciate it and hope you'll stick around to be part of our journey. ~ Eric

[@allinkedupalways4163]

Honestly I would like to see your everyday style videos what you do how you live

[@HourlessLife]

Those are coming once we cross the border south into Mexico in early October. Right now we are working on an overlanding 101 series as we’ve had a lot of questions from the community. But as part of that series we’ll be doing “A day in the life” video which basically shows what a typical day looks like for us. Thanks for being part of our journey. ~ Eric

[@matthewayala7479]

Wow! DAUNTLESS looks amazing! You guys are gonna a have soooo much fun! Happy trails and be safe!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Matthew. I had this vision in mind for DAUNTLESS and somehow I always saw him like this. I know that through the build series a ton of questions came up, but I feel like since I knew the direction it was heading that it would all reveal itself in the end, and honestly my vision wasn't too far off from where we ended up. It feels good. Appreciate the kind comment. ~ Eric

[@txcab7538]

Awesome! Glad to see it all come together. I’ve never done any over landing but am super excited to follow your adventures!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Caleb! It is still surreal that it has come together so quickly, Appreciate you joining us virtually on our journey. ~ Eric

[@ncjeepguy6855]

Saw your post on Jeep Gladiator forum! I love what you guys are doing and cannot wait to watch your stories and how everything works on your Gladiator! Stay safe out there!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks! So glad to have finally taken the plunge to post in the forum. I've been reading it for years. ~ Eric

[@hoosierangler210]

What an absolute unit. I love it!!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Matt! We're really happy with the build, but more importantly where it has and will take us. Hope you've had a chance to watch some of our Mexico series. THIS is what overlanding is really about, ~ Eric

[@wise9022]

So Siick. Let the adventures begin. 👍🏼🙌🏼

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Wise. Glad you stuck with us through the build. Our next series is an overlanding 101 type series Q&A about overlanding in general. Got any questions? ~ Eric

[@leightonoc]

Excellent choice on the tires and size. I just put on my second set of the same tires. Got 60,000 miles out of the first and they wore very well. They handled off-road stuff amazingly! Quiet on the highway and excellent mileage.

[@HourlessLife]

Right on Leighton! Excellent report and so glad to hear this. We've been happy with them on pavement, but we just finished the build and haven't taken DAUNTLESS off road yet since the new tires have been put on. ~ Eric

[@leightonoc]

@@HourlessLife I’ve been meaning to ask you, do you plan on ferrying around the Darien Gap?

[@HourlessLife]

We did and we have two videos about the Darien Gap shipping we did on our channel now. ~ Eric

[@joeortiz30]

Love it brother, I have a 2020 Gladiator sport and would like to get that set up! I just got me wife the 393 and would like to go overlanding!

[@HourlessLife]

Right on Joe! Congrats to you guys. Happy to be a resource for you if questions come up! ~ Eric

[@Billrovid]

I think you did a great job with what you have…. The winch doesn’t look centered but I’m guessing it will work fine…. I do think you’ll have issues with the small tires. But all in all great job and the beauty is you can alway change what doesn’t work for you. Have fun on your trip ill be doing something similar but just in the states… Live your best life you only get one shot at it……. Happy trails

[@HourlessLife]

Hi Bill. the spool of the winch is centered, this was something that was dialed in and measured at Just Jeeps. I'm curious what issues you think we'll have with the small tires. I'm also curious what tires you would run on a global journey? Thank you for the kind words about our upcoming journey. I'm sure there will be things that come up that don't work out how we hoped and as you said, the beauty is that it is just stuff and replaceable. ~ Eric

[@Billrovid]

@@HourlessLife well on dirt roads you’ll be in great shape. If you are going to do any moderate off-roading your going to hang up on the diff and hammer that bumper coming off obstacles. As mall of a difference 37 mitigate a lot of those issues. I understand availability is an issue but if you brought 2 spares and were able to source another if needed down the road I’d feel better about it.

[@leightonoc]

@@HourlessLife You’ll be absolutely fine with the 33’s !!!

[@HourlessLife]

So we've done every terrain you can think of on these BFG KO2 34 10.50s. So far all is well. Tons of river crossings, mud, dirt, off road, pavement etc. We've made it down to Ecuador so far. Just a follow up in case you were curious. ~ Eric

[@vanhealing9489]

Wow! What a beast Dauntless has become. Safe + happy travels.

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you so much Van Healing! Appreciate the encouragement,. Hope you'll stick with us for the journey, ~ Eric

[@denniswood5554]

Great video, love the build. We are glad to be a small part of it.

[@HourlessLife]

Dennis, we are so thankful to have TeraFlex as one of our sponsors on this journey. Can't wait to get the Falcons on DAUNTLESS! ~ Eric

[@therottinzombie]

man she looks great

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Anthony. Appreciate that. Hope you'll join us virtually on our journey. ~ Eric

[@vinuezaer]

Excellent all out build. I just added items I bought on Craigslist from Rubicon versions to my Sport S max tow. Suspension was $300 (with the shocks and front steel skid plate) Wheels and tires for $800 ( I then sold the 33" tires for 500 and added 35x10.5s) Side protection rails for $200 ( you still need those to protect the sides from rocks and to cover the ugly spot welds from the factory) . Anything that isn't difficult to remove ( lights specially) needs to be placed with unusual size bolts or nuts when you get into Mexico and further south. Don't ask how I know. Looking forward to seeing what the future brings. Subscribed.

[@HourlessLife]

Right on Vinny. Thanks for subscribing to the channel and for the kind words on our build. ~ Eric

[@joshuacollins7318]

Man been watching y'all since I seen y'all on Mavericks channel and can't get enough!!!!!

[@HourlessLife]

Right on Joshua. Glad you've been enjoying the series. Our next series is kind of an AMA (Ask Me Anything) about overlanding. Do you have any questions that have come up in your mind about overlanding? ~ Eric

[@joshuacollins7318]

@@HourlessLife not yet but if I do I will definitely ask thanks Eric

[@HourlessLife]

Hope you are enjoying the journey videos as much as the build ones. This is where its at. This is what the build was all about. We're in Ecuador now. ~ Eric

[@robl6044]

Wow the JT is looking awesome nice job guys

[@HourlessLife]

Appreciate that Rob. We're really happy with the way it turned out. ~ Eric

[@piyushdogofmygod3531]

Love from INDIA 🇮🇳❤️

[@HourlessLife]

Right back at ya currently from the United States. ~ Eric

[@CatHugs]

I'm SO excited for all three of you ❤️🙌🏻

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks so much Cat. You've been with us for quite some time now and a frequent commenter. We appreciate you! ~ Eric

[@CatHugs]

Hourless Life Thank you so much Eric. I really am looking forward to everything you show us. It's going to be a truly amazing journey.

[@HourlessLife]

Hope all is well and that you are still enjoying the journey. ~ Eric

[@blackpearlvoyager4174]

I see you went with the Sport S Max Tow package. Smart move my friend 👍 I chose the same, it's lighter, has a higher towing capacity, has a higher GVWR etc etc. The 4:10 gears are nice for upsizing your tires and the axles are the same that come on the Rubicon minus the lockers. I personally have never had a need for lockers in the years that I have been driving off-road including Rock crawling. Good luck on your build it's going to be very nice. Cheers!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you! Yes, for overlanding we believe that the Sport S with the Max Tow package is the way to go. We have used lockers while overlanding in the interior of Mexico, but we could have made the climb we used the lockers for in other ways. Lockers just made it a lot easier. Thanks for the kind words on our build. We can't wait to start the global journey. ~ Eric

[@blackpearlvoyager4174]

@@HourlessLife so considering you don't have lockers is your plan to add them? I know I have been strongly considering a front locker for my Gladiator but it will be the Eaton tru trac. I'm not interested in air or electric due to points of failure. The Eaton tru trac only engages when you need it then is more like an open diff when you don't. Something to consider. Have fun. We'll be watching!

[@HourlessLife]

In hindsight this is one change we should have. Lockers still yet may be in our future. ~ Eric

[@whitleyrobertson7070]

What an incredible vehicle, can’t wait to see it in action!

[@dominica2765]

Very clean look sexy God bless your journey and your family

[@HourlessLife]

Whitley you are speaking our language. It is one thing to have a nice shiny vehicle. It is next level to use it for what it is intended for. Stand by...that part is coming and we couldn't be more excited. At the end of the day, as much as we like DAUNTLESS, he's just stuff. It's really all about the journey. ~ Eric

[@HourlessLife]

@@dominica2765 Thank you for the kind words about the build. Appreciate the blessings for the fam too. Hope you'll stick around for the journey. That is where the real adventure starts. ~ Eric

[@JKTrail]

Love the build. I'm thinking Dan G. could have used your input on a canopy. Can't say I'm a fan of the way he has set up his JT.

[@HourlessLife]

Hello K Richards. So Dan G is a good friend of ours. He actually had a lot of input on our build. Each journey demands something different and as such each build is unique to the traveler/s. Dan is an incredibly experienced overlander and we have relied on his advice quite a bit in our own journey. He also bounces questions off of us from time to time. But it is usually us asking him the questions. Having said that, we are REALLY happy with the way DAUNTLESS turned out and he has been serving us well so far on this global overland journey. So glad to have you on the channel. ~ Eric

[@JKTrail]

@@HourlessLife We have watched Dan for years and have picked up a lot of good tips from him, just doin't think the soft top is serving him well, but it checked some other boxes for him. We do like his kitchen slide! Thanks for the reply, must keep you busy; Safe travels

[@therealdeal67]

Awesome build, it was definitely worth the wait. Now the adventure of a lifetime awaits. Always stay safe and take care.😊👍🙏

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Franklin! Quite a change huh? We're so excited about the journey that awaits. ~ Eric

[@therealdeal67]

Hey Eric I was wondering do you have an OB11 code scanner to carry along on y'all's journey. By the way I was in the Navy back in my day, so we have a little in common.

[@HourlessLife]

We do have a scanner of sorts. But not a full blown shop level one. Hope all is well. ~ Eric

[@brianwadsworth5752]

Awesome build guys! This should serve you well on your adventures!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Brian! Appreciate the kind words. ~ Eric

[@hughwolfe1176]

Looking forward to seeing your adventures abroad.

[@HourlessLife]

Us too! Haha. The build has been a fun challenge, but the real journey is just a few short months away. ~ Eric

[@amoritz767]

I saw you in Northwest Hills this last weekend and the gladiator was looking sweet! Awesome build!

[@HourlessLife]

Photo or it didn't happen. ~ Eric

[@ericjacobson8917]

Fabulous!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Eric. Appreciate that. ~ Eric

[@Steve.-]

What a beast dauntless is! You guys did an awesome job!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Steve! We're really excited about the way it turned out. If by chance you'll be heading to Overland Expo Mountain West or Overland Expo West this year, we'll have DAUNTLESS there. ~ Eric

[@Bobwa2008]

Looks sweet

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Robert. It's been good to us so far, but we have a LONG journey ahead. We'll see how it goes. Check back with me in a few years on this. ~ Eric

[@Christopher-martin39]

very awesome build the turn out is very cool

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Chris. So glad to finally be able to show it to our community. ~ Eric

[@Christopher-martin39]

@@HourlessLife welcome can’t wait for the upcoming videos

[@HourlessLife]

Hopefully you've been enjoying the videos of the journey. That is what the build was all about. ~ Eric

[@boyodigdoyo]

i am crying man, i want this kind of life for so long,

[@HourlessLife]

Pursue your dreams. Take practical action that moves you in the direction of fulfilling them. Even if it is a small move every day to get there. Every little move you make in their direction is one step closer to realizing them! ~ Eric

[@jamesgriffin5620]

Found your channel through the Overland Journal Podcast. Keep looks great. I’ll definitely be following along your adventures as I depart on some of my own 🤘🏻 safe travels from 🇨🇦

[@HourlessLife]

Right on James! Brittany is Canadian by birth, did you know that? It was crazy humbling to sit across the table from Scott during that interview. He's such a wealth of knowledge and experience. ~ Eric

[@jimsteen7648]

Sweet!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks so much Jim. Overall we've been happy with DAUNTLESS so far. Currently in Nicaragua. Hope you get a chance to see some of our other videos. ~ Eric

[@unlikemonkey]

My wife and I have two small boys and plan to "overland" travel with them. Can you talk about what you do to travel with a small child? Such as schooling, day to day life that happens when they are not happy sitting for hours in a vehicle, etc.

[@HourlessLife]

Great question. We'll add this to our Overlanding 101 series for sure. Thanks for asking! ~ Eric

[@induction7895]

Can't wait for the travel to begin. I can imagine how difficult it will be to travel international with your own car, shoot videos and produce films but I can also see what an amazing experience that would be! I wish you guys all the best. And do visit Nepal :D

[@HourlessLife]

We were just talking about Nepal the other day. Though it would be many years away for us, our hope is definitely to visit someday. I think the biggest challenge will be the internet connectivity. It takes quite a bit to upload, process and download files that size. So we'll be limited by what we can find in the way of internet. But we'll do our best. Mostly we're just looking forward to the experience! ~ Eric

[@johndorrer3894]

Awesome job. Looking forward to the journey 😊

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you John. We are too. Hope you'll join us virtually. ~ Eric

[@AndyLong]

So cool 😎 Have fun!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Andy, We agree and we plan to. Hope you'll join us virtually on the journey. ~ Eric

[@krifenbark]

Oh man! It's beautiful!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Karl. We can't wait to get it dirty though! ~ Eric

[@hussainallawati1]

Beautiful built. Very neat and I'm sure she will serve the purpose. You didn't show bus the switch board for all the lights and air compressor, and your GPS navigation. Would loved to see that as well. Hussain.

[@HourlessLife]

Hey Hussain, wow you are right! Great question. So we opted for the Auxiliary switch panel that comes with the Gladiator as an option. It has only 4 switches, but that is enough for our purposes on the front of DAUNTLESS. The air compressor is on switch 1, the pod lights on switch 2, the main 10" light bar on switch 3, and switch 4 is currently open. We may use those for rock lights in the future. Hope that helps. ~ Eric

[@buffalolizard]

The Alucab Camper looks really nice. It will interesting to see how you utilize it for a family of three. I noticed that you did not include running boards. Any plans for that?

[@HourlessLife]

When you say running boards, I'm assuming you are referring to rock sliders or something to protect the side of DAUNTLESS? I debated that, but the reality is that we aren't rock crawling this rig and anything I can do to keep weight off definitely plays a factor in my decision on whether to add a piece of gear or not. I opted against them. As far as family of three, we have a Day in the Life video that we did that shows you how we use it as a family. Check that out! ~ Eric

[@somboynju]

Fantastic build! I am still in the process of deciding to build up from the Sport rim like you or just go directly to Rubicon. Sport has about 300 lbs extra payload than Rubicon. However, Rubicon has upgraded suspension, tires and other stuffs. By switching tires, wheels, sway bar, differential cover etc, how much weight did you save by building up? What's your favorite feature available on Rubicon that you missed after building up, if there is any?

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks. For overlanding it is all about payload capacity. The extra lbs are well worth the trade off. As far as my favorite thing that I miss? The electronic sway bar disconnect. So easy. ~ E

[@laloolhouvum1634]

You guys should've go for 35s. Couple of years back it may be hard to find in some countries, but now it available everywhere, even our block tyre repair shop stock up a pile of them since last year and they're selling it like hot cakes.

[@HourlessLife]

They may be available where you are, but globally they aren't readily sourced. In addition the smaller tires gives us better gas mileage, allows us to fit easier into transoceanic shipping containers, are easier to source, weigh less, etc. For our type of journey it is just a better fit. ~ Eric

[@laloolhouvum1634]

Ok. If it works for your type of travelling it doesn't matter. In fact it's better, cause you know exactly what work best for you guys.. Good luck on your next trip. Stay safe.

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks! We've made it down to Ecuador so far. Hope you are still with us on the journey. ~ Eric

[@sgtmac21]

Dauntless looks great! Any plans for Rock Sliders? How long before the Journey begins? Chips and Dip are ready for the show! LOL

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks so much. No plans for rock sliders. We aren't planning on rock crawling. We're driving around the world. Less weight is always the first choice. We have to consider weight vs. how much we'll actually use any mod we're adding. That could change in the future, but I don't see it happening. But we're ready for the chips and dip and the upcoming shows. ~ Eric

[@sgtmac21]

Sounds great and I'm sure that you're on point with everything you're doing to Dauntless. I was just wondering about that.

[@HourlessLife]

We've made it down to Ecuador and haven't had a need for those rock sliders yet. Though we almost did once. That will be in an upcoming video about the Tatacoa desert in Colombia. ~ Eric

[@fcodeaco]

Be aware when it’s time to go to Australia that wheels and tires can’t stick out off the fenders it’s ilegal there. Awsome set up !!

[@HourlessLife]

No plans to take DAUNTLESS into Australia. Their import laws are too stringent. Also our tires and wheels are inside the fenders. But we hope to either borrow, buy, steal, rent, or be sponsored with a vehicle for our final continent which will be Australia. ~ Eric

[@SteveVickAK]

So glad I found you. I plan to leave for my trip in a year. Great advice on the 2” inch lift and tires. Ever thought of that. Also would love more info on beefing up the suspension to increase payload. Do you just add airbags? Or did you do anything else. I want to increase to 1500 Ib payload capacity. Any tips or links to videos would be helpful. Thanks so much.

[@HourlessLife]

Hi Steve, so you can't really increase payload on a vehicle. This is why you need to start with the platform with the highest payload that suits your needs if you intend to full-time overland, or overland for an extended period of time. You can do a lot to the suspension, but the payload capacity doesn't change. Choose your gear wisely and make sure you have water, food, shelter, warmth, and sleep covered. With that you can go anywhere in the world. Everything beyond that is nice to have and makes the journey more comfortable. But those five things must be covered. ~ Eric

[@erianjudd4785]

I love this I wanna do the same someday

[@HourlessLife]

You should Erian! What's holding you back? ~ Eric

[@dogotek2]

Nice 👍

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks Tony! Appreciate it. ~ Eric

[@ThePinkpurse]

I just got the Alu-Cab RTT installed on my Jeep Wrangler- I was wondering where you mounted your antenna- I find the roof rack I put the RTT on, along with the RTT, interferes with the Sirius XM radio

[@HourlessLife]

If it is a JKU then your XM antenna is inside the rollbar above the drivers side rear passenger seat. We had ours relocated with an external antenna on top of one of our Rigid Industries pod lights on the drivers side of the vehicle so it always had a clear view of the sky. Hope that helps! ~ Eric

[@mariegonzalez4533]

Amazing

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Marie! Appreciate you watching. ~ Eric

[@Plarson427]

Thank for the video! Any idea on the Air Lift part number by chance?

[@HourlessLife]

Plarson off the top of my head it is the 60921 but double check it is a universal 1000lb bag. ~ Eric

[@Plarson427]

@@HourlessLife thank you!

[@mvman4122]

Can a stock Gladiator Mojave handle the Alu-Cab camper and interior Goose flooring and cabinets? I don’t really want to modify this already great ride. I’d buy an off grid small trailer instead

[@HourlessLife]

Hey Mark, great question. So if I'm not mistaken, the 2021 Mojave has a 1200 lb payload capacity. As such it would not do as well with our setup as the Sport S with the Max Tow package which has a 1565 lb payload (with the auto transmission) 1700 lb (with the standard transmission). While payload capacity cannot be increased, suspension and components can be adjusted to handle weight to some degree. The Mojave has a standard 365 lb deficit. As is, we had to modify our suspension for our build. Currently we can carry 230 lbs more than we have when we sit on the scales fully loaded. So we're good. But with the Mojave you'd have to do some serious adjusting. All that said, if you don't have to have an integrated unit and are open to a trailer, you might go that route. Hope that helps. ~ Eric

[@markwyckoff5288]

I'm not a big fan of the gladiator, but it seems to be a great option for what you're about to do. And it looks amazing! Curious if you did anything with axles or gears.

[@HourlessLife]

Everyone has to choose their own platform. He's really well built for what we plan to do. We have the Max Tow package, so the gears are 4.10 even though it is a sport. And we aren't doing any rock crawling, so no upgrades to the axles. Thanks for the compliment though on how he looks. Coming from someone who isn't a fan of Gladiators, that says a bit. ~ Eric

[@betweenthepines4000]

Serious question as I currently have an overland trailer with an RTT and 270 awning. It gas a slide out kitchen and fridge. Some storage and slide out sink. Curious why the decision was to go with the Alu Cab over say an overland trailer? Easy answer is probably less moving parts and less to travel with. How do you find storage? Is it a struggle? We have a almost 5 year old and two older teens (they can camp in a tent now which they barely come as is). Im leaning toward the Alu Cab but my Gladiator is also my Daily driver. The draw is the quality, ease of set up, the ability to stand up (cant in my rtt) and no towing! Drawbacks, less storage, no ability to carry firewood (or use outside hitch carrier) and if you need to run to town you need to basically pack everything up. I noticed on the Alu Cab a slide out kitchen is pretty much out of the question. Curious on your thoughts?

[@HourlessLife]

Hello BetweenThePines! Wish I knew your name. Sorry for the delay in response, just got back into some internet coverage here in Panama. So I have a LOT of thoughts on this. First off congrats to you and your family on your own adventures. Families who adventure are our kind of people. For what it is worth, I encourage you to join our Patreon if you are doing up a build, I'd be happy to have you bounce ideas off me there, and with the limited internet coverage here in Central America, we always check our Patreon message first and respond there much more rapidly. No pressure, but we'd love it if you would. Ok, now onto your questions. We went with the Alu-Cab (no trailer) for so many reasons. 1. Extremely well built, deploys and stows very quickly. Tent 15 seconds, awning 30 seconds for deployment. Tent 1 minute, awning 1 minute stowing. For us a huge consideration was deployment and stowage time. As full-time overlanders we often set up and break down parts of our camp multiple times per day. I'm not a fan of spending a ton of money on a trailer ($20,000k + well equipped with gear) and then leaving it unattended somewhere in the middle of a remote area while I head out on trails or off to town. Less so in foreign countries. Also they are tagged separately, so crossing international borders would require additional Temporary Import Permits, and to be frank, many of the areas where we travel would not be conducive to pulling a trailer behind us. As it stands we've hopped more than one curb in old colonial towns where I squeaked our Gladiator by inches away from stands and other vehicles. For the record, our Gladiator is also our daily drive haha. Super happy with the way it handles with the modifications we've made. We're about to release a complete walk around video on October 9th which will be our 1 year mark of having left the USA. I think you'll find that video really insightful based on your questions here. Storage and payload is always a concern when it comes to Jeep builds. This is my second Jeep overland build. While a challenge it is definitely not insurmountable. Especially if you aren't full-timing, that makes it even easier as you don't have to pack for 4 seasons and all terrain conditions. When you know specifically where you are heading, you can manage your load out based on the trip. My biggest recommendation is to stop buying camping gear, and start buying backpacking gear. If a hiker can carry it on their back up a mountain and survive, then your Jeep is capable of carrying a lot more. Though backpacking gear is typically more expensive, it also is always smaller, lighter, and typically more durable. No towing is a HUGE benefit IMO and worth the trade off that a trailer provides. Also as you mentioned, you can full stand in our Alu-Cab Canopy Camper and the three of us sit comfortably inside based on our interior build when the bed platform is raised. We did a 60% rear seat delete on the passenger side and have our fridge there on a slideout. Many really important reasons for this. But again you'll see all that in our upcoming video. I'll provide the reasons for that decision in detail. As far as carrying firewood, you certainly could using the Blue Ridge Overland Gear XL Tire Bag. We've done it. It expands enough and can handle the weight. In order to do so you'd need the optional spare tire accessory for the back of the Alu-Cab and you'd need a spare tire mounted there. Because we have the Max Tow package on our JT, we also have a hitch that we could use, but have never had a need to. I think I've addressed all of your questions. Feel free to ask for more info if I wasn't clear enough. If you decide to join me on Patreon, I check that regularly and have plenty of thoughts I could share on specific gear choices or provide you feedback. You are also welcome to reply here, Hope that helps! Best on your journey. ~ Eric

[@ivan1wolf]

Why the nylon rope winch instead of the steel cable that was there? Advantage/Disadvantage? Oh and sweet build!

[@HourlessLife]

Wow I just typed a really long reply and somehow managed to accidentally delete it. Ok, so the nickel version is that the WARN Spydura Nightline is generally superior. It is lighter, floats, doesn't conduct energy, reflects light at night, is safer, won't kink, won't freeze, won't rust, etc. Steel cable is more durable, better against rocks and is less expensive. Hope that helps in your decision making. Also, thanks for the kind words about the build. ~ Eric

[@janhbhugo5085]

Not sure if you have a video about what your total cost was on the build +/- ? Iam retired and am looking into doing something similar ! Just ballpark I know that costs vary based on what eccesories you want !

[@HourlessLife]

Jan, we don’t have a cost video and we are gear sponsored by 27 different companies for this global journey. So our costs would not be reflective of retail costs. But if you were building our Jeep DAUNTLESS via retail costs we guesstimate that it would be around $120-135K. Keep in mind we don’t own any other home. So this is our investment for shelter. We probably have around $90K into the build? But that is a rough guess. ~ Eric

[@commonsense-grs]

A few questions, what engine are you running in Dauntless and what is the GVM now. The standard Gladiator doesn't have a great GVM and by the way, it looks fantastic. I hope you are planning to come to Australia and where I live in the best location, Exmouth Ningaloo Reef, check it out and to get a really good feel what this area has to offer, checkout Young Bloods (YBS) on KZbin. If you are planning to come to Australia, give yourself a lot of time, no a massive amount of time, enjoy your adventure.

[@HourlessLife]

Hi George! So we are really happy with the way DAUNTLESS turned out. We are 730lbs over payload but have the suspension to mitigate that as best as we are able. As a matter of fact our suspension is designed to carry 230lbs more than we have. We definitely plan to visit Australia, but it will be the last continent we visit on this journey. We really look forward to it. Appreciate you being part of our community and hope you’ll continue to follow the adventure. ~ Eric

[@commonsense-grs]

@@HourlessLife now that's good, leaving the best for last, enjoy.

[@SoloHiker1]

Looks great, what is the weight?

[@HourlessLife]

Fully loaded with gear, water, fuel, and ourselves we are 730lbs over payload. While payload can't ever be truly increased, suspension can be designed for the specific weight of a vehicle. After the making of this video we sent both our drive and steering axle weights to Dobinsons Suspension and they designed a system for DAUNTLESS based on his actual and final weights. They sent us what we needed and we had it installed (didn't capture it on video) But we now have the suspension to mitigate the excess of payload as best as we are able. As a matter of fact our suspension system is designed to carry 230lbs more than we carry when fully loaded. I put DAUNTLESS through his paces off road to test the system out and we're really happy with it. I've even three-wheeled him intentionally just to see how he rides. We would have loved to stay under payload, and Lord knows we did our very best. But we're also a family of 3 that has to be prepared for all 4 seasons and carry everything we need for our global journey. So all in all I think we did really well on the build. ~ Eric

[@Jedhar]

What an amazing experience, I wish you all the best on your journey!! How do you do it with the payload with all that mods? All that looks really heavy.

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Jorge. We started with the highest payload we could get in a Gladiator that was an automatic, and with a spreadsheet that reflected that weight. Once we are able, we'll get everything loaded and fill all the tanks and go get DAUNTLESS weighed. ~ Eric

[@blackpearlvoyager4174]

@@HourlessLife I just weighed mine recently with the full loadout water fuel passengers everything and came in at a whopping 6700 lb which is 450 lb heavier than the GVWR! They don't refer to us as overloaders for nothing! Yours is going to be a might heavier but I see that you have found ways around that. Good luck on your build. Cheers!

[@HourlessLife]

Thanks! The build has worked out great so far. We've made it down to Ecuador. Have you been watching the vids? ~ Eric

[@kathycordaro9544]

Just wow!!! Question, does it take getting used those lights mounted in front of the windshield? Blind spots?

[@HourlessLife]

From the drivers and passenger seats you hardly notice them, I mean they are there, but they really don't block anything from the angle that you are in when inside the vehicle. ~ Eric

[@ROUTES_SAUVAGES]

That’s a beast!! I have the Mopar 2.0 and I’ve been thinking about changing the rear springs because it sag a little bit! Do you have a link of the Teraflex that you put on the back? And do I need to change some other parts or I can just switch to rear springs and that it?! Thanks!

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Steven! I would definitely consider the 3.5" TeraFlex Dual Rate Coil springs in addition to the Airlift 60921 air bags. Again, full transparency we are sponsored by TeraFlex. But having said that, if you've seen the end of this video, you can see clearly how there is no sag. Here is the link for the coil springs you asked for: teraflex.com/shop_items/jt-3-5-lift-rear-coil-spring-pair?vehicle=JT ~ Eric

[@ROUTES_SAUVAGES]

@@HourlessLife Thanks!! I don’t think I need the air bag for my setup! But for the springs do I need to change some other parts or I can just switch the rear springs and that’s it?!

[@HourlessLife]

@@ROUTES_SAUVAGES with the 2" MOPAR lift you shouldn't have to change anything else if you aren't using the air bags. We also have the TeraFlex bump stops which are better than the MOPAR ones, but again it isn't a requirement for the springs. Hope that helps. ~ Eric

[@blackpearlvoyager4174]

@@ROUTES_SAUVAGES you might also want to consider the hellwig anti-sway bar that he installed. I installed one too because things were getting a little top heavy. Made a world of difference. If you'd like to watch an install video by an older guy in shorts and bare feet check mine out at Black Pearl Voyager on KZbin 😆

[@leightonoc]

@@HourlessLife I have a 2015 Wrangler and have been running airlift 1000 airbags for a couple years because of all the gear, tent and rack. I installed the 2 1/2 Skyjacker lift couple weeks ago. The thing is still sagging. Looks like I got to put bags back into the new springs.

[@martinweber202]

Do you have a beginning weight and the ending weight of the Jeep? Plus do you have a complete list of installs and how much did this whole build cost? thanks cant wait to start my own build

[@HourlessLife]

Great questions Martin. So we do have a beginning weight. And we have a spreadsheet that has been tracking most of what we've added. So we have an estimate. In the not too distant future we want to get fully loaded including tanks, groceries, gear, and ourselves and go get weighed. We do plan to create a build sheet for DAUNTLESS that will have every mod we've made and all the stock details. We've been so busy that we haven't been able to do that. But it will happen. We'll post it on our website at hourlesslife.com when it is all put together though. Until then, if we can be a resource for you, or if you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. ~ Eric

[@x305xlazy]

I love your build. Can’t wait to see the upcoming videos. Question I have a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I like to install a light bar on it but I can’t find a company that sell the mounting brackets for my jeep. Do you know any company that might sell the mounting brackets? Thank you 😊

[@HourlessLife]

Hello Josue. XJs are great trail runners! What size and brand light bar are you trying to install? ~ Eric

[@x305xlazy]

@@HourlessLife I’m looking at a 40in light bar.

[@HourlessLife]

So sorry. KZbin is just now giving me your reply. Did you get your light figured out? ~ Eric

[@reddirtoverland]

I have the same problem with rear sag. Do you have part numbers for the air lift bags you used? The normal kit for the gladiator is not for lifted vehicles. I almost went with the alu-cab camper but chose the AT Overland Summit that I just got installed this week.

[@HourlessLife]

We used the Airlift 60921. It is a universal 1000 lb airbag. Hope that helps! ~ Eric

[@ZacharyC]

Are you guys coming to Canada too?

[@HourlessLife]

Currently we don't have plans to go into Canada anytime soon. But with the Delta Variant on the virus and the regulations that various countries are making, who knows. Of course we have our plans to head south, but we can't control what other countries will allow us to do or not to do. We'll know more in early October I'm sure. But our plan remains to head south. ~ Eric

[@prodigy3xtc389]

South tx the best

[@HourlessLife]

Brittany grew up in South Texas. We prefer the Texas Hill Country, but we have had some great memories and experiences here too. Either way we'll be back here in South Texas from time to time as Brittany's folks live here still. ~ Eric

[@ALRUYA23]

Wow 🥳🤟🏼

[@HourlessLife]

Pretty much how we feel. This rig is still so new to us. Whenever we park it somewhere and head back to it, we still can't believe that we're the ones who get to take it on this adventure. ~ Eric

[@Jeep79]

Is that sport edition bro ? Nice rig

[@HourlessLife]

It is. It is the Sport S with the Max Tow package in automatic. If you watch the first video in the series we explain why. Thanks on the love on the rig. ~ Eric

[@Jeep79]

I really like the set up on you rig like you mentioned in your video about the guy from Australia the road chose me to do overland no need massive tires and heavy lift need something reliable and good that’s all my jt is new 3 months old I’m putting 2 inch lift I like the bf ko2 very good and don’t loose the fuel mileage I will continue following you guys videos thx for sharing bless good luck

[@maxmoser412]

Any particular reason you didn't just go with a front bumper/light/winch setup that was already proven or designed to work together with no cutting/modifying?

[@HourlessLife]

We went with the RockHard 4x4 because of its size, weight, lowered winch plate, fog light openings, and bracket for the 10" light bar. Do you know of another aluminum full length front bumper that weighs less than 38 lbs that has a lowered winch plate, a mount for a 10" light bar, and holes for fog lights? I wasn't aware of any that were lighter and more proven. RockHard 4x4 is definitely a proven brand overall. They are also a WARN distributor. However this specific winch the 9.5XP needed some modification to make it all work together. ~ Eric

[@shawnu22]

Can I ask how you made the decision to mount the 270 awning on the passenger side? I see a lot of them on the drivers side but always wondered why they do that.

[@HourlessLife]

Great question Shawnu. So the Alu-Cab Shadow Awn is offered for both the drivers and passenger side. For us our entire build started with where Caspian would sit. We wanted him sitting behind the driver so that the person in the front passenger seat could minister to him while we are driving. This way they can pass things back and forth etc. This then led to removing the 60% seat on the passenger rear side. Which then led to our National Luna fridge being placed there. That was what determined which side we'd use as our living (clean area. See our Camp Kitchen video for an explanation on that concept) once we decided that our passenger side would be our living area, that is what determined that our awning would be on that side of the vehicle. Long answer, but that was the process behind it. Also in order to facilitate our layout usability we had to have the team at Juniper Overland reverse the door on the rear of the Alu-Cab Canopy Camper. Every piece of this build has been intentionally done based on years of experience. Hope that helps and feel free to follow up with any other questions. Glad to have you as part of our community. ~ Eric

[@shawnu22]

@@HourlessLife Thank you for the explanation. I was also thinking of the fridge location, a Dometic 55 would fit behind the drivers seat on the 40% side and would then dictate my awning and door. Enjoying the build and adventure, all the best to you!

[@Auxbeam]

Great video! Kindly want to know do you need any lighting to help you driving , we're looking for sponsorship：）

[@HourlessLife]

Thank you Auxbeam LED Lighting for reaching out to us. We are sponsored by Rigid Industries for our lighting needs, but appreciate the consideration. Respectfully, ~ Eric

[@Auxbeam]

@@HourlessLife Hi appreciated for taking time for reply! But we got more than just lighting, check FB PM

[@HourlessLife]

Appreciate you and so sorry for the delay in reply. KZbin is just now showing us this. We're in Ecuador now. This has been an amazing journey so far. ~ Eric

[@earlhamil731]

I’ve heard the mopar lift doesn’t include steering stabilizer and adjustable panhard rod to recenter the rear. Did you do these things as well

[@HourlessLife]

DAUNTLESS was built and examined at four different shops in four different states before we took him south of the border. We put him through a ton of real world testing on various terrains before heading south. We did add a Helwig Rear Sway bar, but I'm pretty sure that's it. He's been performing great. No roll, and no steering issues whatsoever with our build. ~ Eric

[@earlhamil731]

Just mentioning what I’ve seen elsewhere

[@saras4181]

Is there room beside the fridge for your son to sit?

[@HourlessLife]

Not really. We kind of force him to squeeze between the fridge and a bunch of gear and hope he doesn't grow much. Just kidding! Yes, he has a full seat that a full grown adult could sit comfortably in for the entire journey, He can also see out of the windshield, and both side rear windows. ~ Eric

[@terrymarlowjr.7883]

Rock sliders?

[@HourlessLife]

We've considered it, however everything is a trade off. We aren't building DAUNTLESS to rock crawl. We have to always temper weight with frequency of use. So while it is a possibility in the future, rock sliders are not part of our current build intentionally. ~ Eric

[@earlhamil731]

What’s the big black pad on the hood?

[@HourlessLife]

That is the VSS solar system from Cascadia 4x4. A solar panel that charges the cranking battery under the hood. ~ Eric

[@earlhamil731]

Thought that might be the case. I’ve seen it on several sprinters

[@genbtc]

why did you go with a jeep build instead of tacoma /w alu cab canopy camper?

[@HourlessLife]

Solid axles, familiarity with the platform, and personal preference. There is nothing wrong with a Toyota build with the Canopy Camper. But from my experience, I was more comfortable with the Jeep. ~ Eric

[@genbtc]

@@HourlessLife cool thanks! Awesome build 👏🏼

[@HourlessLife]

Appreciate that. The Jeep has been performing well so far. We've made it to Ecuador. ~ Eric

[@jam23r1]

What is that pad on the hood?

[@HourlessLife]

Hi JM, that is the Cascadia4x4 VSS (Vehicle Solar System) for the Jeep Gladiator. An 80W solar panel that is constantly feeding our batteries under the hood. ~ Eric

[@DJ-nn6vg]

Just need a Mr. Fusion and roads aren’t required.

[@HourlessLife]

Haha DJ. We need a Flex Capacitor. ~ Eric

[@paulpatterson2962]

Were are the ROCK Rails?

[@HourlessLife]

As a former rock crawling enthusiast I understand your question. But as an overlander it is all about weight vs times we'd use it. In DAUNTLESS we aren't trying to conquer challenging trails, we are hoping to drive around the world. I may regret the decision to not add them, but I don't think I will. At the end of the day it is all cost vs benefit. For us it simply isn't there when it comes to the weight that they'd add. I may change my mind down the road, but we'll see. ~ Eric

[@macbeliever]

What’s the weight of your rig?

[@HourlessLife]

DAUNTLESS currently weighs in at 7263 lbs. This weight includes our family members in the vehicle, and fully loaded out with groceries and drinking water. This weight does not include added weight from our external 17 gallon Long Range America fuel tank or our 13 gallon Alu-Cab water tank which we don't normally keep full. If both of those were completely full and we were carrying everything we currently have on board, we'd be at 7480 lbs. This original weight was done when we were carrying extra items that we normally won't be carrying and some swag boxes for Overland Expo coming up. So the truth is we don't really have a fully accurate weight just yet. But we went ahead and got an initial weight so that we could get a ballpark idea of where we were at. We take weight very seriously and have upgraded the vehicle to compensate for the added weight. It will be interesting to see our final weight before we cross south of the border into Mexico. I"m sure it will be different, I'm guessing that we'll be somewhere around 7200 lbs when all is said and done, but until we get it on the scale after our events we won't really know. ~ Eric

[@randyeveryday]

🔥🔥🔥

[@HourlessLife]

Right? We're pretty happy with the way it turned out. Thanks for being part of our community. ~ Eric

[@ryoc2138]

Good luck with the Teraflex shocks. I have had them for about 6 months now and they are complete garbage. Biggest waste of $1700 ever.

[@HourlessLife]

Cory, man I’m so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with them. I’ve been running them on our North American build for years and abused the heck out of them and they’ve been fantastic for me. So while I believe you, I was definitely surprised by your comment. Have you reached out to them? Not just for me, but others who I know who have had any issues with their products that have reached out have had a good experience with their team. If you haven’t, I’d definitely encourage you to. Again so sorry man. I’m sure that is frustrating for you. ~ Eric

[@ryoc2138]

@@HourlessLife yeah I have. Their CS is a big reason why I bought them. In a bout 9 or 10 calls, they said they would ride very smooth on road. Yet, after I installed them, Teraflex changed their statement and said they are actually stiff on the road. Then they refused to take them back. I've called numerous times since then and they usually just blame my tires. I've changed tires since the first call and these shocks still ride worse than a Toyota. I'm looking to just get rid of them and get Fox shocks.

[@j.r.1426]

Great build

[@HourlessLife]

Appreciate that J.R. thanks for checking it out. ~ Eric