Jeep Off-Road Fitment: Wrangler and Gladiator

Written & researched by Wren Ashby Truck Fitment Editor

Published Sep 29, 2026

At a Glance

Generations: JL, JT and the Older JK

Stellantis's specification sheets date the current Wrangler, the JL, to fall 2017 as a 2018 model, and list the Gladiator's introduction as 2019; NHTSA's recall records begin with the 2020 model-year Gladiator. Both are assembled at Toledo Supplier Park in Toledo, Ohio. The previous JK Wrangler overlapped the JL for one year: IIHS files its crash ratings for the 2007–2017 Wrangler and the 2018 Wrangler JK under the same generation. JK Wranglers used different axle and transfer-case combinations (Dana 30 or Dana 44 front axles with Command-Trac and Rock-Trac NV241 cases, per Stellantis's 2018 JK fact sheet), so a part listed only as "Wrangler" needs a JK or JL generation code before you order it.

Dimensions by Body Style

Wrangler lengths include the tailgate-mounted spare, so the 4.1-inch jump with the Xtreme 35 package comes from its larger 35-inch spare. That package also includes swing-gate reinforcement.

Axles, Lockers and Transfer Cases by Trim

Every JL and JT uses solid front and rear axles on coil springs, located by links and a track bar. The Wrangler feature sheet lists a lighter 3rd-generation Dana front axle on Sport, Sport S and Sahara and a Dana 44 heavy-duty front on Rubicon and Moab 392. Axle ratios run from 3.45 (Sport and Sahara) through 4.10 (Rubicon) and 4.56 (Xtreme 35 and Moab 392) to an optional 4.88 on a 3.6-liter Rubicon, so ring-and-pinion, locker and axle-shaft parts are listed by axle and ratio, not only by model. The Gladiator Mojave is its own case: FOX 2.5-inch internal-bypass shocks with external reservoirs, reinforced upper control arms, hydraulic front jounce bumpers, a larger rear track bar and a 65-inch track.

Factory Tires, Wheels and Track Width

Diameters are worked from the size code: section width × aspect ratio × 2, converted to inches, plus the rim diameter. For LT315/70R17, 315 mm × 0.70 × 2 = 441 mm, or 17.4 inches, plus 17 = 34.4 inches. Factory wheels are 17 × 7.5 inches on most trims (18 × 7.5 on the Sahara) and 17 × 8 beadlock-capable wheels with the Xtreme 35 package and on the Moab 392.

Bigger tires lengthen the effective gearing. Going from a 32.7-inch to a 34.4-inch tire adds about 5 percent to the diameter, so a 4.10 axle behaves like roughly a 3.90. Jeep pairs its 35-inch package with a 4.56 ratio, which more than restores the stock Rubicon's gearing. The same arithmetic is the starting point for a regear after an aftermarket tire upgrade.

Ground Clearance, Angles and Water Fording

The Gladiator's longer wheelbase and rear overhang cost it breakover and departure: Stellantis lists 20.3° breakover and 26° departure for a Gladiator Rubicon, with 11.1 inches of clearance. A Mojave sits at 11.6 inches. Rock sliders, skid plates and rear bumpers are body-specific for the same reason.

Towing and Payload: What Your Gear Can Weigh

Payload has to cover people, cargo, a trailer's tongue weight and every accessory bolted on, from a steel bumper and winch to a roof rack and tent. Stellantis's 2026 figures:

A Wrangler Rubicon with the 4.56 axle is rated at 3,500 lbs, not 5,000, so the 35-inch setup tows less. On the Wrangler, a Class II hitch receiver comes in Jeep's Trailer-tow Group. See towing and payload for the hitch-class and tongue-weight math.

Gladiator Bed Dimensions

Bed accessories are Gladiator-only, since no other current Jeep has a bed. Stellantis lists a 60.3-inch box floor with the tailgate closed and 81.3 inches with it open, 44.8 inches between the wheelhouses, a 50-inch tailgate opening and 35.5 cubic feet of box volume. Tonneau covers, bed racks and drawer systems are sized to those numbers; see tonneau covers and bed accessories.

Electrical Capacity for Lights and Winches

Every 2026 Wrangler and Gladiator has a 240-amp alternator (220 amps on the Moab 392) and a 700 CCA battery, per Stellantis. On the Wrangler, Jeep's Trailer-tow and Aux Switch Group adds four auxiliary switches for accessories; on the Rubicon it adds the hitch receiver and the switches. Wiring light bars and compressors to factory auxiliary switches avoids splicing into the factory harness. A winch draws its current straight from the battery, so check its rated draw against the battery and alternator before wiring.

Factory Armor and Recovery Options

Fuel-tank and transfer-case skid plates are standard on every 2026 Wrangler. Heavy-duty steel rock rails are standard on the Rubicon and Moab 392 and come in packages on the 2-door Sport S and the Sahara. The Rubicon's Capability Group adds front and rear steel bumpers and an 8,000-lb Warn winch; the Rubicon X includes steel bumpers with a winch-capable front. Fender flares differ as well: one-piece black on Sport and Sport S, two-piece body-color with a black lower on Sahara and Moab 392 and in Rubicon packages. A Jeep that already has factory rails and bumpers needs different aftermarket parts than a bare Sport. Trim details are in Rubicon vs Rubicon X.

Wrangler 4xe: Battery Placement

The Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid carries a 400-volt, 17-kWh lithium-ion pack under the second-row seat, in an aluminum housing with its own heating and cooling circuit, per Stellantis. Stellantis says the 4xe keeps up to 30 inches of water fording, with 10.8 inches of ground clearance on the Rubicon 4xe, and quotes crawl ratios up to 77.2:1 against up to 100:1 for gas Wranglers. Because the pack and its cooling hardware occupy space other Wranglers leave open, confirm 4xe compatibility for seat-area and underbody parts.

How to Match a Part to Your Jeep

Confirm four things in this order: the generation code (JK, JL or JT), the body (2-door, 4-door or Gladiator), the trim and tire package (Sport, Sahara, Rubicon, Xtreme 35, Mojave), and the powertrain (gas, 4xe or 392). Those four answer most fitment questions before a part ships. The notes on this hub come from Stellantis specifications and manufacturer fitment charts; we don't buy, install or test this gear ourselves. See how we rank.