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Our Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Upgrade Journey Begins

Chris Hamilton . September 15, 2025 . Features . Chris Hamilton
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Customizing Our Everyday American Hero

When you get your hands on a stock Jeep Gladiator, it doesn’t take long before the itch hits and you want to make it your own. That’s exactly why we kicked off this first part of our multi-issue build series for Street Trucks magazine. We set out to transform our 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon into a rig that looks tough, drives great, and handles the trails and the streets without breaking a sweat.

We teamed up with Skyjacker to install its 2.5-inch dual-rate long-travel coil spring lift kit, paired up with Black MAX shocks. This isn’t your basic lift kit; it’s a performance-focused setup designed to deliver a better ride, more flex, and a stance that looks the part. To make sure everything stayed lined up after the lift, we added Skyjacker’s adjustable front track bar, which is a must-have when you’re messing with suspension geometry.

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Before bolting everything up, we measured all four corners so we could see exactly how much height we gained. Once the install was done and the Jeep hit the ground, we were pumped. The added clearance, the new wheel and tire combo, and the tough stance completely transformed the look and feel of the Gladiator.

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The best part? Hitting the road afterward. The ride is solid, the steering feels tight, and the extra height is right on the money. It’s not too tall and doesn’t have too much squat—the stance is just right for daily driving and weekend adventures. We couldn’t be happier with how the first stage came together, and this is just the beginning.

We are only focusing on the front in this issue, and next issue we will finish up the rear and unveil the wheels and tires we chose for this truck. Also, over the next few issues, we will bolt on even more goodies, including bumpers from Attica 4×4, a Honcho visor, Wilwood brakes, Rigid lights, and a few extra surprises we’re not spilling just yet. This Gladiator is only going to get wilder from here.

This truck currently has a set of 285/70/17 tires, and while it can probably clear a 35-inch tire right out of the gate, the front needs to be higher, and more clearance above the tire is important in our mind.
Skyjacker’s 2.5-inch front and 1-inch rear dual rate long travel coil spring lift kit with Black MAX shocks gives your Gladiator a perfect mix of flex, ride comfort, and articulation—all are engineered to handle on- and off-road action with confidence.
Skyjacker Black MAX twin-tube shocks use foam-cell tech for consistent performance across temperatures, giving you maximum control, durability, and flexible mounting options on any terrain.
The Skyjacker adjustable front track bar centers your Jeep’s front axle after lifting, improving steering control, reducing axle shift, and keeping everything tracking straight on or off the trail.
Front and rear adjustable lower control arms keep your driveline angles and alignment dialed in, using beefy DOM tubing with OEM-style bushings and Rock Jock Johnny Joints for over 30 degrees of flex and superior off-road articulation.
We are installing this lift kit in our garage using nothing but floor jacks and basic tools most of us have in our toolbox.
The fenders of our Gladiators sit exactly 39.5 inches from the ground with the stock suspension and wheels installed.
If you haven’t been told in the past, do not install a lift kit with the weight of the vehicle on a floor jack. Always use jack stands on both sides of the truck.
Also, be sure to block the rear wheels so there is no chance of the truck rolling while you’re under it
The first part was to unbolt the skid plate under the front bumper.
The next part to come off was the factory sway bar end links.

We could then unbolt the factory front track bar and remove it completely.
The front shocks could now be removed from both sides.
We also needed to unbolt the brake line bracket to gain some extra length in the suspension drop.

Before we disconnected the front driveshaft, we marked the current location so it will go back together exactly the way it came apart. We used a bungee cable to hang the driveshaft instead of fully removing it from the Jeep.

We needed to unclip the differential electrical plugs and vent hose to allow it to drop down far enough to remove the springs.

Hitting the road afterward. The ride is solid, the steering feels tight, and the extra height is right on the money.

The factory springs were then easily removed and set aside.
Before installing the new front springs, we needed to make sure the factory rubber spring damper was put back and properly in place.
With the spring damper in place, we could slide the new Skyjacker spring in place.
Next on the list was to replace the stock lower control arms with these new Skyjacker arms. We left them loose until the truck was sitting on its own weight.
Before reinstalling the electrical connectors and driveshaft, we bolted in these new, longer sway bar end links from Skyjacker.

SOURCE

Skyjacker Suspensions
318-388-0816
https://skyjacker.com 

Want to read Part 2? Click here

 

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