Jeep Grand Cherokee Vs. Jeep Gladiator | Quadra-Drive II vs Quadra-Trac II

The western loop continues! Welcome to Moab and Fins and Things. In this video we see how the Jeep Grand Cherokee Quadra-Drive and Quadra-Trac systems compare in the real world on some very challenging trails. We also how the Jeep Grand Cherokee compares to the Jeep Gladiator off Road. And Lastly I almost get crushed by an out of control Jeep.
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[@maximsantacruz3941]

imo the gladiator at the top shouldve given wayyyy more clearance, who ever parked it there should be mindful of that. Its misleading by being parked there.

[@PreparedOverlander]

I currently take my 2005 Grand Cherokee Limited with QDII system, and a 2022 Gladiator Rubicon. I have taken these to the exact same places, the WK does have a bit wheel spin until the computer figures it out compared to my JT.

[@zaccorpseman7366]

The solid rear axles on the WKs are sweet, sad that the IFS limited their performance big time. Even with many aftermarket upgrades those shocks are still stiff as a rock

[@jmayak01]

I recently bought a 2020 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. (Coming from a lifted '16 Cherokee Trailhawk.) Both have their strongpoints. I'm loving your videos! Keep up the good work.

[@Introverted_Outlander]

Having owned the 2018 grand Cherokee Limited, our 2020 Trailhawk I can tell you that the standard all wheel drive system tends to kick the rear end around sliding it sideways on the trail. Where is trailhawk doesn’t do that, it can take a little bit to get used to that rear end starts moving around.

[@zaccorpseman7366]

Can relate, noticed that when driving in snow.

[@dennisl6198]

I really object to the portrayal of QT2 as being so much worse than QD2 in the way it was portrayed here. This was all about the driver being hesitant and not being willing to just try, try again with a different line. if you make it up, you make it up. Yeah, we know QD2 is completely automatic and awesome. But QT2 is capable when you give it a chance. I have QT2 in a WK2 and I would simply have backed up a bit, taken a different line, and kept on going. all of this winching and silliness was simply not necessary. take a different line, trust your spotter, and you'll do great.

[@ProdigalOverland]

Thanks for the feedback. We have seen the same behavior of the Quadra Trac system in multiple drivers. In different areas. For the most part the system will get through it. But for sure you have to work harder. The driver’s skill or lack there of, is a factor in performance. Thanks for watching and commenting! Really appreciate it

[@dusty_fenders]

Meet us out there next year and you’re more than welcome to drive Lucy and show me how it’s done, my friend. 🫶🏼 I’m open to all feedback to make my adventures better and not take up so much time on obstacles. 🫶🏼 I appreciate and respect your candidness.

[@GrandExploration]

It was definitely the driver. She wasn’t too confident. I’ve climbed up some pretty crazy rocks with QT2. You could tell she doesn’t have a feel for the vehicle, the obstacle or the QT2 system

[@GrandExploration]

Not to bash her. She’s doing great.

[@lincolnmaserati4288]

@@GrandExplorationrealistically you can do these trails with qt1 just need the right mods and tires on the truck + the proper driver “mod”.

[@joncunningham6575]

Awesome video, so much fun!

[@dimitrisnaoum2717]

I whould be interesting to see also a wk1 with qd2 in this project cause it has solid rear axle. Axles is the big advandage of gladiators in this test and selectable lockers. But solid axles is A huge thing! I enjoy your videos! ❤❤

[@codysturgill6653]

Love seeing Dan seeing how well his stuff handles first hand out there! I’ll have to get my 21 trail hawk and my brother 07 overland with front and rear elsd out there and see how much difference it makes

[@dusty_fenders]

What a trip. Learned so much from everyone who went. It was interesting (and frustrating) to see how much easier the other WK2’s cruises right over obstacles 😂but, trusting Brad’s (Jeff’s and Daniel’s) guidance was simple…driving with 2 feet…hahaha, I may as well thrown a clutch in there for a little added excitement 😂. I was a bit hesitant due to witnessing a vehicle bounce all over creation and back on a different obstacle, we still had 2 weeks to go on the Western Loop and a 1700 mile drive back to Georgia. I appreciate the patience, encouragement, experience, and knowledge everyone who was there. Not many female drivers even attempt this lifestyle, so I’m pretty used to naysayer’s feedback and let it roll right off my back. 🫶🏼

[@vict1036]

Did you ever engage 4lo and use rock mode?

[@laurenkresge5336]

You did amazing! Looking forward to wheeling with you.

[@matthewlinke3974]

I have the Qt2 system and for sand and mud it’s great ! But I find the same thing in the more technical stuff , constantly trying different lines and multiple attempts, we still get it done but it’s just a lot harder then it needs to be 😅

[@ProdigalOverland]

Yes, exactly. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@michaelperry355]

2005 to 2010 Quadradrive 2 systems are much better than previous or since.

[@jimForgottenHinterland]

I have been on a number of trail rides with other people. There is always some person who parks right at the top or bottom of an obstacle, just like you did when Evan came close to you. I know you think you were far enough off to the side but you were in the way. What happened was your fault, not Evan's. Looking at the video, you could have moved to that wide area, another 50 feet down the trail just beyond the bush to do your drone footage. I learned long ago that when you think you have given enough room, double it. Always, and I mean always give enough run-out for the obstacle. This is one of the reasons I stopped going on group trail rides, stuff like this and too many chiefs. You and your truck should have been nowhere near that area.

[@ProdigalOverland]

This was the 4th time we had done this obstacle. And the third time we had led a group of vehicles up it. Never had anything close to this happen before. The trail goes toward the left and when we walk it before doing it. Everyone sees that and has a game plan before attempting it. For the most part people are able to remember and execute that plan. That being said I certainly had not accounted for where I’d want to be if an out of control vehicle come up the trail. If you look closer at the video Evan actually turns toward me once he sees my truck. He had to turn off the trail to get to me. Being further down would have been safer. Hindsight is 20-20. For sure in the future I’ll be further away.

[@wizwizwizbang]

I agree with you Jim, not a clever place to stop when someone can only see sky! And it's up to you to watch out for vehicles on the track and not have your back to them!

[@lincolnmaserati4288]

@@ProdigalOverlandbut let’s not forget you said in the video this was his first time doing the obstacle? Let’s get real Brad you should’ve parked you car further up and walked down. Feeling lazy in this one?

[@MrJeepCanada]

Great video! I have a question you mentioned the 2-inch lift on your Gladiator is there a big difference in height with the standard suspension on your Gladiator? I want to add a 2-inch lift on my Wrangler JLU Rubicon. Thanks for taking the time to make this great content.

[@ProdigalOverland]

I have the Mopar 2 inch lift and I think for the Gladiator it is a must to get a least a couple more inches due to the longer wheel base. We did take hit wheeling completely stock and I have a few dents on my exhaust system that would be there if I had just lifted it first.

[@TheCybercrash]

Great video which shows the substancial differences between QD2 and QT2. I'm glad I've got a QD2 System on my 2018 Overland. Can I ask you a question, which could be a great video also. I want to do a diff oil change in the back. I know if I use the standard 75W-85 I need the mopar friction modifier in my LSD in the back. But what if I buy any 75W-85 Oil, which tells me that it has some friction modifier in it. Is this ok to use or do I need to go the mopar friction modifier + standard 75W-85 route?

[@laurenkresge5336]

That obstacle always seems to create some sort of issue. Its really the first climb on the trail that all you see is sky which is very intimidating.

[@MSchumacherfan]

What’s your opinion of the Commander with the Quadra drive II ?

[@marksjolin6828]

Would have loved to have seen a WJ with Quadra-Drive as part of the test just to see how it compares 😊

[@ProdigalOverland]

You and me both!

[@YanikGrignon]

Do you have experience with Gladiators with the LSD? Here both are Rubicons, not sure if they were using their lockers or not. Without the lockers they are basically open diffs too right?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Without the lockers my understanding is it is an open differential with the brake Management for traction. Similar to the Quadra Trac.

[@electricwaves2659]

Hi you are very experienced the traction control systems and best person to ask! I have a 2012 WK2 v6 qt2. I barely cuts cookies on the beach and snow because it wheel brakes and ruins it “5spd trans could be a lot of it”. Trading it in this week for a 2018 High Altitude v8 qt2. Am I still going to be bummed with the traction control with qt2? Or should I hold out for qd2??

[@ProdigalOverland]

you'll still be bummed, hold out for the qd2

[@fadelibrahim7663]

the overland has the same specs as the trailhawk? i mean it has a lsd rear diff , and locks when on low?

[@ProdigalOverland]

Yes it did have the rear lsd

[@Rushdie01]

Are you guys on low range? I found Quadra track enough with wheels on the air to keep moving if I’m low range.

[@ProdigalOverland]

Yes she was. Usually the system does fine with one wheel losing traction. But most of what I showed in this video were two wheels without traction.

[@MrKozanitis]

@Rushdie01, hi, I am the “airborne guy” (lol) in the white TH here. Depends on the geographic and weather conditions and obstacles ; some times, each one of us chooses independently, listening, of course, to the suggestions of the leader and the other participants, whether to use low or high drive (latter, usually with Rock mode), hill descent in auto or manual (i.e. paddle shifters) and what terrain mode. In this Western Loop adventure, where we off-roaded numerous trails of varying difficulty, in CO, UT and AZ, each one of us, used each and all modes one time or another.

[@vict1036]

The guy in the white trailhawk, looks like he learned how to drive from you though. In your older videos it seemed like everytime you were going up an obstacle, it looked like you would floor it. It seemed like you had no pedal control, just like the guy in the trailhawk.

[@markh.956]

It seems like the narrator was quite biased. Next in this series see how much better the 2WD version performs off road compared to the QTII

[@Luigi-pk8mk]

well, IMO, Jeep has a marketing problem, if you had a previous WK (2005-2010) like I do with QD-II, what they offer now, is not as good, not bad but could be so much better. I wanted a newer Jeep Grand Cherokee because my '07 Hemi with QD-II is 17 years old, still in good shape though with only 125,000 on the clock. QD-II has been great on the beach and driving through many northeast snowstorms. What I found looking at many used WK-2s was: you want a WK-2 with a V8, you can find: Trailhawk, that at least gives you one limited slip but you have to take air suspension which I don't want due to cost of repairs when it gets older Limited, nice because it has standard suspension but no LS at all and these with V8s are very rare Overland, High Altitude, etc, all make you take the air suspension, but no LS on the great majority of them. message from me (Jeep owner more than a quarter of a century, bought 3 from the same dealer) to Jeep, brake intervention, is no substitute for an LS in fact on the beach it will get you stuck, most people have to turn it off. We don't need dual sunroofs, 5 cameras, etc, etc, we need the basics of 4x4 driving. That means, at least one LS! Brake intervention is for on-road driving, off road, as one can see in this vid, it is not nearly as effective as an LS. Guess I'll keep the old '07 lol.

[@keeneneverette7178]

Evan got airborne 😂 almost took you up out of here

[@MrKozanitis]

Impressions fool you! I was in full control the entire time…regardless of what Brad thought at the time! LOL LOL BTW, Bryan had the V8 5.7 lit engine, I think…I have the V6 3.6 lit engine and stock tires; which, BTW, perform a lot better than people (unjustly) give then (or don’t) credit for. FYI, this was my ninth trip with with Brad; the tenth was in Sedona, AZ, the continuation of Western Loop!

[@joanantonin]

​@@MrKozanitis Hi Evan. Greetings from Barcelona. I have the same car as you, with the same stock tires. I'm considering changing them to KO2's and even upsize to 265/65R18. But I'm afraid I will lose on-road performance and quietness as the GY Wrangler was the tire chosen by Jeep for the Trailhawk or by LR for the new Defender. I would appreciate a lot your opinion about that.

[@MrKozanitis]

@joanantonin39, Thanks for your comment with which I agree. My next set of tires will be a Mickey Thompson Baja 265/65r18. I have researched quite a bit, especially vs the KO2’s and for the weather and geographic conditions (I live in Atlanta, Georgia) they are imo more appropriate. In Greece where I spent six months of the year, May-October, every year I wear stock OME tires, Goodyear Wranglers Kevlar 265/60r18, which suit my stock ‘16 JGC Overland Trail Rated and the local geographic and weather conditions just fine.

[@joanantonin]

@@MrKozanitis Thanks a lot for your comments!

[@WK2_Offroader]

FYI, I'm "Bryan" (Brian) the black GC in this video and I have 265/65R18 Goodyear Wranglers. With the Quadra-Lift suspension they rub in the "park" (low) position but not at normal height or higher. They are noticeably noisier than passenger-type tires but I've really gotten used to it and don't even notice it anymore, either in town or on the Interstate. Your spare tire needs to be the same outside diameter (OD), but it doesn't necessarily have to be the same width, so research a skinnier tire with the same OD if you want your rear load-floor to sit all the way down. Otherwise you can do like I do and have the exact same size tire for a spare, your rear floor just sits propped up 3/4" or so. @@joanantonin

[@BrandonSimmons-do6jq]

You guys should bring an SR5 on these runs to see how they do against those Jeeps

[@GrandExploration]

You said Brian’s wk2 was a 2016. That body style looks older. More like a 2012 or so

[@ProdigalOverland]

It may be. It’s the one that was out for like a year or two.

[@GrandExploration]

Love your vids by the way. You were one of the reasons I started my grand exploration channel. Daniel is coming out my way next week to WA. We got a Jeep run out here on the 11th.

[@WK2_Offroader]

...and you're right, it's a 2013 🙂@@GrandExploration

[@GrandExploration]

@@WK2_Offroader looks great 👍🏽

[@4WDisLife]

It’s cringy to watch that white Jeep Cherokee bouncing up like that

[@iliangrekov]

And you have a fault when the white GC was flying, what are you doing there? There is no visibility from below, you had to stop 20m away at safe distance. Imagine his car broke and cannot stop

[@ericochoa4271]

Dang those cherokees really struggled. Body on frame for the win.

[@HAPPYFUNTIMEx2]

Body on frame had nothing to do with it. independent suspension on all 4 corners is the problem. A WJ GC would not have struggled and even done better than the glads with some aftermarket lockers.