LIT

When he moved from Colorado to California, Robert Marquez was amazed to find a wealth of off-road action within easy reach of his new home—and he knew exactly the 4x4 he wanted to explore it all.

Before the move, Robert’s ’16 Jeep Wrangler had 35-inch tires and enough off-road modifications to get him through his favorite Colorado trails and keep up with his friends. As he planned his move to the Los Angeles area for work, Robert didn’t expect to be as close as he was to 4x4 trails. It wasn’t long before his Dodge Challenger Scat Pack got the boot and he found himself looking toward Jeep’s resurrection of the Gladiator nameplate.

He knew he wanted a Jeep and the addition of the pickup bed behind the cab only further solidified Robert’s decision when opting for the ’20 Jeep Gladiator Overland. Planning out modifications to the Gladiator included stepping up in tire size, upgrading the truck’s armor, adding a bed rack and tent for more comfort in camp, and LED light in unique places. Read on for more on how Robert Marquez and Reyna Guzman outfitted their Jeep Gladiator Overland for the backwoods.

<| According to Robert, Black Rhino wheels aesthetically complement the Gladiator’s Gobi paintjob and they are a perfect home for the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W tires. The Wildpeaks inspire confidence no matter what on- or off-road surface the Gladiator finds itself upon. <\ Robert has no complaints about fitting 37-inch Falken all-terrains inside the fenders with the Mopar 2-inch lift kit and Fox shocks and he is continually impressed by how well the Gladiator articulates its suspension over and through obstacles. One lesson Robert learned from his previous Jeep: invest in disconnecting front sway bar links!

/> Having a king-size mattress is crucial for Robert, Reyna, and pet Oliver. Their Smittybilt Overlander XL tent has plenty of room for the two campers and their dog to stretch out at the end of the day. <| One night, Robert and Reyna were trying to locate a friend’s camp in the dark while coming in from the trail and they found themselves drawn to the strings of LED lights strung about their friend’s camp. Ever since, they knew they wanted a set of their own. Now, you can often find Robert and Reyna relaxing around their portable propane fire pit with their awning dazzled by twinkling LED lights.

/> At first glance, you might not notice that the Gladiator has a 50-inch LED lightbar. Robert was tired of the whistling that abovethe-windshield lightbars can generate in the wind, so he found a solution. The Quadratec Stealth lightbar sits behind the windshield and still improves visibility in low-light situations. No external lightbar also means there’s plenty of room for Robert’s Rugged Ridge snorkel.

AT A GLANCE

GENERAL

Vehicle: ’20 Jeep Gladiator Overland Owner: Robert Marquez Stomping grounds: Moreno Valley, California Build time: 10 months DRIVETRAIN

Engine: 3.6L Pentastar V-6 Transmission: 850RE 8-spd auto Transfer case: NV241 Command-Trac 2-spd Low range ratio: 2.72:1 Max crawl ratio: 62.5:1 Front axle/differential: Dana 44, Nitro Gear & Axle 4.88 gears/open Rear axle/differential: Dana 44, Nitro Gear & Axle 4.88 gears/open SUSPENSION

Front: Mopar 2-in lift w/Fox 2.5 shocks and coils Rear: Mopar 2-in lift w/Fox 2.5 shocks and coils TIRES/WHEELS

Tires: 37x12.50R17LT Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Wheels: Black Rhino steel MISCELLANEOUS

Steering: MetalCloak steering damper, tie rod, drag link, track bar Lighting: Quadratec Stealth LED lightbar, LED camp string lights Armor: Quadratec aluminum stubby front bumper, Poison Spyder Rocker Knocker rocksliders, MetalCloak steel skidplates, rear hitch skidplate, Rancho diff skid Cool stuff: Smittybilt Overlander XL tent, JcrOffroad bed rack, Coleman cooler, portable propane fire pit, Quadratec Q-Performance 10,000-lb-capacity winch, Pro Eagle off-road jack, Rugged Ridge snorkel, 1.5-in TeraFlex body lift FW /> Though he hasn’t yet found a rear bumper he likes, Robert keeps his hitch from dragging on obstacles with a purpose-built hitch skidplate that fits into the receiver.