Attempting DIFFICULT Trails in a Stock Jeep Gladiator | Smiley Rock Trail

We just bought a brand new, 2020 Jeep Gladiator JT Rubicon and wanted to test it out and see how capable it is off road. So we took it to Smiley Rock Trail in northern Arizona.
The trail begins in Jerome, Arizona which was once known as “The Wickedest Town in America”. Originally established as a copper mining town that was booming in the 1900's through 1920's, it was a rowdy Wild West town full of gambling, gunfights, alcohol, drugs, and prostitutes. It is a now a revived ghost town with strong influences from its past days as a Wild West town merging together with more modern eclectic and artsy vibe.
As you hop onto the start of Smiley Rock Trail, you’ll pass popular tourist attraction sites such as historic Gold King Mine and Ghost Town. Continue on the relatively flat but scenic route for about 16 miles until you reach Martin Canyon. This canyon is why the trail is rated as “Difficult” - boulder fields litter the narrow canyon making tire placement and high clearance vital to avoiding underbody damage.
Overall, the stock Gladiator Rubicon did great off roading and drove away with only a few scrapes underneath.
funtreks.com/off-road-trails/...
azoffroading.com/arizona-trai...
www.retreadtrails.com/blog/sm...

[@Jeepin35]

The truck looks great love the white! Just got done wheeling smiley rock a few days ago cant believe it made it through stock! More wheeling videos of your guys builds would be great!

[@frederickmcmillan3329]

Great video, my wife wants the gladiator so this really helps. I can't wait to see the build. Keep making those videos.

[@nickhanlin8614]

This channel is going to be so awesome. Already loving the content

[@albertocorrea2117]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 thank you for this I cant buy one yet so I'm just watching people off road their gladiators for now, until I collect enough pennies and trade in my jeep.

[@JKsouthwest]

Great job guys! Looking forward to checking this area out later this fall, maybe we can swing by and visit!

[@karmicforce01]

I’m impressed you guys tackled Smiley Rock with a stock JT. The more I see of this Jeep on the trails, the more impressed I am about its abilities.

[@ihatesleep]

Love it! Also have a white rubicon gladiator. Excited to see more videos 👍🏻

[@campNcrawlR]

Nice video. I haven't lifted my JT yet, but just upgraded to 37s (Ridge Graps) on JKU wheels. Can't wait to get offroad and start figuring out what other changes I need for articulation. I've got a video showing the upgrade and giving my thoughts so far. Keep yours coming!

[@Mykey_C]

Great first look at your new rig

[@muledeerism]

I love your videos , I own the new gravity Led spots for my 4x4 , can’t wait to get my next pair

[@dasautovw702]

Gladiator looks epic in the elements!! Sweet video 🙌

[@markcalvert2675]

TX Mojito doesn't it though.. damn..

[@danielheyboer]

Thanks for showing what the stock Gladiator can do. We haven’t gotten ours yet because I’m waiting for the Gator color but it’s coming.

[@henrysanchez4810]

Like the placement of those KC lights.

[@travelclimb]

Love these videos! If you guys can make a vid on a guide to lights for your Jeep that would he awesome. Like general guide showing some demo jeeps on X lights for overlanding or Y lights for this purpose etc

[@ivanchavez9483]

Awesome!

[@peacockpanther]

WoW, awesome job ...y'all did very well 👍👍👍👉🤙🤙

[@chuckw6099]

I wheeled Smiley Rock years ago with my '10 JKU Sport. I had Sahara rims and tires that I had bought as take offs. The trail can be done with some great spotting on some parts. I sure could have used more lights at the time since we ended up at the end of the trail at night. FYI, I did have the factory limited slip diff in the rear and you would be surprised at the trails I have conquered with that. Happy Jeeping!!

[@henrysanchez4810]

Awesome jeep!

[@johnomahony7364]

Awesome video bro...i cringed when u went over that boulder lol. Congrats on the truck..im jealous.

[@Jeff-wu6wn]

The procomp xtreme mud tires have never let me down

[@KABLAS]

That Gladiator is a great truck to off-road

[@Jeep.Generation]

Great video. Can't wait to see your build take place on this Gladiator! Get some 37s KM3 tires, some method beadlocks, Poison Spyder bumper with a Zeon Winch, it'll look sweet. I'll even come up and install the beadlocks for you, it'll gives me an excuse to drive back up to visit you all. 😎

[@Jeep.Generation]

@@kchilites :)

[@stacysid2]

don't forget the lower ring gear for those 37's

[@Flamewave]

Might want to take a look at the new Geolandar X-AT when it comes out, should be perfect for these kind of trails. I think Wilco Offroad has a bed-mounted spare carrier for the Gladiator already, might be cool to move the spare there and mount an air compressor under the bed.

[@nickbahnsen6634]

Great video!! I live in phx area!! Az has sone great 4x4 trails!!

[@TheMountainProject]

Gotta love Arizona! 🤘🏽

[@AndrewTurner251]

Great video, not everyone likes them but I have been enjoying my Nitto Ridge Grappler Tire’s they work well for me.

[@PhatboyHD88]

Milestar Patagonia, 37” , in my humble opinion best MT tires out there right now.. the new Nitto’s are pretty good also..

[@DOBIEG66]

Very nice

[@joshakaoger69]

Hercules tires are awesome they already come with warranty 🙋

[@Oh_that_1_dude]

Air down next time buddy, you’ll get better traction... if you don’t have any way of airing up, let me know. I’ll talk to Steve over at Powertank for ya 🙌🏽 Good video 👍🏽

[@stacysid2]

I would be conservative if it was my jeep. 35" KM3's and a warn winch more heavy duty rocker guards and additional under body armour, A truck cap and call it done.

[@earlbond007]

I'd like to see Evo off-road lift with race compound sticky km2s

[@abouttime5000]

Did you do any tire deflation ?

[@AlanTrades]

I missed it but did you Air down at all?

[@gravis00]

Let some air out bro!!

[@samuelolivares6671]

KC HiLiTES I’m on the fence trading in my f150 platinum for a rubicon gladiator. Are they worth it?? The price is kinda high for a midsize. But love off-roading.

[@bobbyt6360]

Would have been a good idea to air down. 😎

[@armourbl]

Why didn't you air down?

[@markgosser9578]

You can’t find a better stock mid size truck on the market to keep up with the gladiator, closest would be Chevy Colorado.

[@Night-Owl-]

Milestar Patagonias or nitto mud grapplers.

[@ineffably_described]

Air down first? No? Obviously not. Some of your wheel spin was certainly unnecessary. Still a great job and cool vid!

[@jcmjcm2412]

I am a newbie, just got a 2021 Gladiator Rubicon, from 37psi to what would you air down to for a trail similar to this one? 28psi?

[@ineffably_described]

@@jcmjcm2412 I would go down to 20 to start. You can go lower if you need more traction

[@chrisecker9341]

Would be cool to see a roll bar on the bed with LED KC lights

[@mcoffroadinaz4075]

Cooper STT Pros. 37's with a RK 3.5 and you'll be happy. Do it right, once.

[@capt.stubing5604]

2-3” Lift and BFG 37 KM3s should do it.

[@billrozier6894]

I see I need lights and much better tires

[@JeeperSteve2011]

KM3’s!

[@peterc8979]

Hope Jeep dumps the lousy Fox shocks on the Mojave. Mine creaking badly up front. On back order from China since December.

[@ien2023]

Hell no that is stock with those wheels. I was looking at sport models online that is suppose to start $34k but dealers are adding crap that it's all at $45k.

[@krasnaludek298]

To your question on tires: Not a fan of Nitto or the Asian brand tires overall. BF Goodrich (French), Good Year, Cooper, General, ProComp, or Interco are all better choices for off highway. My top choices are BFG KM3 or if you need an all-around performer that does well in snow, then Good Year Duratrac.

[@leahdannals5216]

The led lights good

[@reviewswithdouglas]

Milestar Patagonia MT for your tires and Metalcloak gamechanger suspension lift

[@hartman4922]

Great video. Keep that Rubi stock man.Way capable man. I vote Nitto Trail Grapplers 35X11.50/17

[@doc2398]

The sport model is stock, not a rubicon.

[@nikboldvin9223]

Nice trail , I was there on my Prius .

[@outdoorski6735]

I'll find a way to get a gladiator rubicon

[@iamblaineful]

Milestar 38’s if you are going to lift it, they are affordable for the typical wheeler and have great street manners for a daily. Love the truck but they need big tires and 4” of lift to look right in my mind.

[@enesex]

lol I had no idea KC Highlights was still in business. Figured maybe if this was 1994....and the lights were going on a YJ with a Xenon Body Kit

[@andrewmoore4662]

Model # for the KCs please?

[@andrewmoore4662]

@@kchilites Thanks for super fast reply! #100 on the hilites site looks a little different though - looks like Slimlite 6 inch. Can you give me the URL to the product page for what's on the Jeep in your video?

[@amanster724]

Sorry not here for the Jeep but the adventure you are taking it on.

[@joshwpatton]

Milestar Patagonia 38's!!

[@EoWKen]

Can you link to that song you used for the video? Love it!

[@hxrepeat]

Good video..( if can, also send one with no music- stock)

[@bquade70]

Head out to lake Havasu for some good off roading to lake Alamo and surrounding.... Hit me up! I drive a RAM hemi 1500-

[@goodtogodoug]

NITTO 40'S

[@hectorramirez9353]

Where are old school kcs?

[@MrMe1280]

Nothing. I like see what a stock jt can do. Anything can be a great off roader if you throw enough mobile at it.. but how well did FCA do with the oem design.

[@darinmatthews426]

This guy struck me as a clown right off the bat when he called the end caps “the wings” then he started taking out a bolt that doesn’t even hold them on. Looked like a fun trail though.

[@abouttime5000]

My Panamera could tackle this trail easy, what’s the big deal ? Hahaha...just kidding. I have a Rubi-Glad as well so I was interested in seeing how this performed without after market lifting.

[@pauljordan3064]

Difficult? Really?

[@KenSiefert]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnKXc3uDh7Selck

[@joedabill99]

There are far more difficult lines that crisscross the main trail.

[@pauljordan3064]

@@kchilites Didn't say you wrote the book! Just questioning the rating and what I saw

[@pauljordan3064]

@@kchilites What matters is if you had a good time. No need to be so defensive.

[@dilligaf78]

Rubicon is NOT stock. Sport or Sport S are stock!

[@carsonbrandt2087]

Why is that?

[@joedabill99]

Rubicon is a stock trim level from the factory.

[@rodwood693]

I think the term, stock, means no aftermarket upgrades.

[@rickjames5998]

this video makes me cringe

[@martybrasher]

35” Super Swampers lol