2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Suspension Flex Test: How Far Will It Drive Up The RTI Ramp?
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- Опубліковано 21 жов 2024
- In the video I drive a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon up an RTI (Ramp Travel Index) ramp to measure how much its suspension will articulate or flex in a simulated off-road frame-twist situation. Because it's a Rubicon, it will earn two scores: one with its front stabilizer bar in the connected position meant for street driving, and the other with its stabilizer bar (aka sway bar) disconnected to maximize articulation in low-speed rock crawling situations. All Jeep Rubicons come with such a pushbutton stabilizer bar disconnect device, and from the driver's seat it certainly is very effective. But how much does it really help? How much suspension flex is to be gained when you push the button? We find out in this video.
Traction is critically important when driving off-road, and the best defense against getting stuck is having all four wheels on the ground at all time. Sure, a hiked up wheel makes a great social media photo, but it's a sign that there isn't enough suspension flex for the terrain. It usually means someone's about to get stuck. Locking differentials and tricky electronic aids can sometimes get you through, but having all four wheels on the ground will still give you maximum traction and control.
Why am I doing this? I love this stuff. I'm a former suspension development engineer that spent most of my career developing off-road focused trucks and SUVs. Later, I somehow found my way into auto journalism, and for several years I created a popular photo feature called a Suspension Walkaround for Inside Line, a now-defunct offshoot of Edmunds.com (no relation). Today I have resumed writing these features under the name Suspension Deep Dive for Autoblog. I'm also doing video versions here on this channel.
But I'm also known for a series of RTI blog posts and Instagram shots featuring numerous off-road vehicles posing on this very RTI ramp. I didn't know where to buy such a ramp when I first got interested in doing this, so I designed one myself, bought all the metal, cut it to size, and had a friend of a friend weld it together. My previous employer was tired of it being in the way, so it's now with me at home, where I'm starting to re-build my database with new vehicles. I'll be keeping track of everything I measure and will be calling my database the Flex Index.
I never seemed to have the time, the equipment, or the confidence to get in front of the camera, but I got over that by hosting at least 80 professionally-produced videos over the last three years on the Edmunds.com You Tube channel. If you like it, tell your friends, click subscribe, share links, give it a like and check out the other videos on my channel, which is simply called Dan Edmunds. And I take requests. I can't promise that I can get my hands on every new off-road oriented truck or SUV, but the odds are good. And the more views I get, the more horsepower I'll have when requesting off-road vehicles to examine.
I LOVE these type of videos of you testing out the suspension flex. Please continue to do these I beg you!
Looking forward to see you analyze the 2021 Bronco!
When I see this silly IFS climb this high on a ramp at the SAME axle width.. guess what? Thats impossible.
I love everything about this channel until maths pops up.
Great Channel ! You take the mistery out of suspension geometry design.
I'd love to see a Humvee up on the ramp!
I would, too, but I'm not sure it's big enough for an H1!
from what I've read, humvees only go up to 8" wheel travel theres a company out there who does make upgraded kits for them
The Spam banner brings back memories! You need a pointer for your scale so you don’t have to eyeball the wheel center.
Birds chattering in the background best thing
Dan Edmunds great video! love your stuff, keep it going!!
Hi Dan, I love your flex index tests! I own a 2016 Land Cruiser, so I was naturally happy that it performs well (and would expect no less of an LC). Can you test an Infiniti QX80 please? This is a Nissan Patrol fancied up (as is the case with the Lexus LX570 being a fancied-up LC). I’ve always understood the Patrol to be about as capable as the LC, so I’d be interested to see how it fares on your test. Also interesting would be Land Rover’s new Defender. Thank you Dan. PS: My 6 year-old son is a car fanatic, and he likes your mathematical approach to things, so that is really cool for a young kid to learn. Thanks for that too.
Thanks a ton. I love hearing from people who see the value of the math involved. The Defender will be in my hands in early 2021. As for the QX80, I haven't had luck getting one, but I'm still trying.
That looks fun. You almost ran out of ramp on the second run. What mechanism do they use to disconnect the sway bar?
I'll show that closer up in an upcoming Suspension Walkaround video. But there's a sliding collar near the middle of the bar, moved by an actuator.
@@DanEdmunds will you still be doing a gladiator suspension walk around?
Wow, what a difference
Right?
I don’t know if I will do my gladiator like this but thanks for showing this
It still comes down to picking the correct line or cheating with a spotter!
Uh, no. There's more to it than just line or spotter. Try taking a stock Subaru against a Rubicon, then you will find out it is all about tires, gearing, flex etc.
Does the Rubicon manual have a hill hold assist so it won’t roll back? I still see new Tacomas roll back off road and it’s sad Toyota couldn’t make the truck more capable.
Would be cool to see one with mopar 2 inches lift 😁
Why does any of this matter? The Jeep has a lower RTI than the 2020 Land Cruiser you tested and yet it’s gone almost a foot higher on the ramp. In the real world that would translate to climbing an obstacle or not. So while the LC might flex more in terms of calculation, it doesn’t seem as capable as this Jeep. So why would anyone care about these numbers?
Interesting question, as far as I know a stock Wrangler has an RTI over 700...
Thats just because the Gladiator has a longer wheelbase
So 28.5 inches of suspension travel on stock rubicon, impressive
It would be cool if you tested droop also. Do a decline ramp until the car tilts
It works both ways on a ramp. The right front and left rear are at full droop, even while the left front and right rear are fully compressed.
So if you increase your tire size, you can't climb flex as much? What about lifting it, will that affect its ability to climb without scrubbing? Sorry for stupid questions, I'm new to this.
I'll get into that. Tire size isn't an issue, generally. Wheel offset, to the extent that it alters the track width, can be, though. Stiffer springs can limit how easily the suspension compresses and can restrict flex. There's a lot that goes into it.
Love the videos mate, can't say I'd buy a Jeep as at least here (Aus) they have a horrific reputation for reliability but for a stock vehicle that articulation is really impressive. Does that button disconnect the rear sway bar as well? The rear didn't look to be flexing much more at all. Would love to see how an 80 series would compare (although since there's not nice button the dash for them you'd have to get the tools out).
Thanks. It's just the front. Rear remains connected.
@@DanEdmunds Is there a reason for this? Obviously the front becomes much more capable but I would still have thought there's some flex left in the rear that the bar would be inhibiting. Is it a case of the improvement not being worth the additional cost and hassle? On Australian delivered Nissan Patrols the early ones actually had a cable actuated release for the rear sway bar- The KDSS in the 200 series and 150 Series does a similar thing I believe.
They have the same reputation here as well.
You need to do the power wagon!
Jeep Gladiator: Flex but ＯＫ
Why is the wheelbase important? Why isn't the track width important?
The track width does influence the score, but it is baked into the measurement. A wider track in an A-B test will allow more climb, and I have actually measured that when I put different wheels on my JK during its build. If you think about the front axle angle limit being fixed for a given suspension, a wider spread will put that left-front tire higher and that would represent more lift and a higher drive up the ramp. But wheelbase is central to the score. Imagine a car with a 1-mile wheelbase -- 3 feet of lift wouldn't be hard, nor would it be much use. But if a vehicle had an 8-foot wheelbase, 3 feet of lift would be extremely impressive and useful on the trail. RTI is basically climb divided by wheelbase. A perfect score of 1,000 happens when the rear tire touches the 20-degree ramp.
@@DanEdmunds I know they have been using RTI for years, but if you consider that there are two types of obstacles off road, you need more than just wheel base and vertical travel. The first type of obstacle is something like a tall boulder on a flat surface, performance for this would be best measured with the corner travel index, since the angles dont matter, its all about putting the tire on top of the obstacle.
The second obstacle type is just being crossed up, for example a v shaped ditch. Ideally to measure this performance you would want just measure the cross up angle. if you have a ditch that you could vary the angle that would make getting the number easy. if you can only get the wheelbase, trackwidth, and the vertical wheel travel you can do some trig and get the angle. get ready, its kind of a doosy, lol:
crossoverangle=atan(verticaltravel/(trackwidth*sqrt(1-(trackwidth^2)/(trackwidth^2+wheelbase^2))))
Alternatively you could divide the vertical travel by the wheel base, then by the trackwidth to get a number to make comparisons.
For example the JT you have there would have a cross up angle of 26.1 degrees, with 28.5in vertical travel 137 wheelbase and 64.5in track width.
A JK would have a 24.1 cross up angle, with 20.5 vertical travel, 95.4in wheelbase, and also 61.9in track width.
I admit its a bit complicated, but it gives a more complete picture.
@@davidfarmer No v-ditches in my driveway, though. I think the vertical travel in that equation would have to be straight down to the ground, not on a line perpendicular to my 20-degree ramp. I could measure hub height to ground on the ramp and on back of flat ground and use the difference as vertical travel. And in cases where the front and rear track widths aren't equal (a common thing), I'd have to use the average, I think.
Have you tested the wrangler Rubicon
Not yet. I'm still trying to get my hands on a JLUR
@@DanEdmunds alright mate
You have to take the.car to the maximum then only there is some point
Please test the sequoia!
I'm trying to get my hands on one, but have not had success so far. It is on the list, though.
I take 21.5 inches and divide sin 20 i get 23.5501...what am i missing?
you get 62.9
you've got your calculator set to radians. change it to degrees.
Neighborhood looks like SGV...
that long wheel base tho.
Yes. Nice truck, but that wheelbase is about a foot longer than Tacoma, Colorado, Ranger. This truck has many things going for it, but wheelbase and breakover angle aren't among them.
❤👍