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The new Jeep Gladiator JT is finally among us. It has landed at dealers and is now available to the public. Yes, some of those dealers are charging huge markups to take advantage of those eager to get their hands on one. But that shady practice should hopefully fade away as supply increases. Once the prices come back to something closer to MSRP, more people are going to get behind the wheel of one. And, of course, more people are going to be building them. With that in mind, we thought we would focus in on what makes the Jeep Gladiator unique. Unless you have been on assignment deep in the Congo for the last couple of years, you have probably heard that the Jeep Gladiator has a pickup bed. It is not the first Jeep with a truck bed. But, it is the first truck based on the modern Wrangler platform. And, it is the first Jeep to feature a truck bed in a long time. Naturally, there are a lot of questions about the Gladiator's new bed. Whether you are confused about the options available for it at the dealer or just exactly how big it is, we are here to help. Let's answer some of the most common questions about the Gladiator's new bed.  The Jeep Gladiator's bed is made from steel, but uses an aluminum tailgate to save weight. What Is It Made Of? Much ado recently has been made over what materials are used to make truck beds. There has been the Chevy commercial with "real people, not actors" that look suspiciously like actors gathered around a Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado. A ton of material gets dumped into Chevy's steel bed and Ford's aluminum one. Of course, the Ford's bed dents and rips while the Chevy's is fine. The "real people" are impressed and predictably extol the virtues of the Chevy. The reality is that both materials work fine in a pickup bed. Toyota Tacomas even use a composite bed that doesn't use steel or aluminum. We have never had a problem with any of them. Of course, there is always that one guy buried in an Internet forum somewhere that claims putting plastic water bottles in his bed destroyed it. However, we seriously doubt that any of the OEMs would sell hundreds of thousands of pickups with a squishy bed. So what is the bed on the Gladiator made of? If you answered steel or aluminum you would be right (well mostly). The Gladiator makes extensive use of aluminum throughout its body to save weight. And, it also uses an aluminum tailgate to make operating it easier and to shed some pounds as well. But steel is used to construct the actual truck box.  Some have complained that the Jeep Gladiator's bed is too long and has too much overhang. For us, it is just right as anything under five feet is simply not big enough. How Big Is It? The Jeep Gladiator's bed length has also been the source of some drama. At five-feet long, some have claimed it is simply too big. We have already seen people bob their Gladiators to make the bed shorter and improve the departure angle. When we tested the Gladiator, we didn't have a problem with dragging the rear of the truck. Instead, we found the long wheelbase and low height (in stock form) had us dragging the belly everywhere. So we know that the Jeep Gladiator has a controversial to some five-foot bed length. But what are the actual dimensions of it? That info can be important to anyone planning out a build. Here is what we could find: | Bed Length (tailgate closed): | 60.3 inches | | Bed Length (tailgate open): | 81.3 inches | | Opening Width At Tailgate: | 50 inches | | Width Between Wheel Wells: | 44.8 inches | | Bed Depth (Floor To Top Of Rail): | 17.4 inches | | Box Width (inside of bed rails): | 55.2 inches | | Box Width (outside of bed rails): | 60.8 inches |  Currently there isn't much available for the Jeep Gladiator except for a few parts from Jeep Performance Parts. We expect that to change rapidly and the aftermarket offerings for the Gladiator should be plentiful. What Options Are Available For The Gladiator's Bed From The Dealer? Straight from the factory, the Gladiator's bed has some nifty LED lights and four tie-down points. The bed comes in bare steel, and a bedliner will set you back $495. The bedliner is a spray-in one and not some cheap drop-in. In our opinion, it is worth getting. The only other bed-related option is the Cargo Management Group. It includes a tri-rail system with sliding tie-down cleats similar to the one found on the Toyota Tacoma. Another feature included with the group that is similar to the Tacoma is the 115-volt outlet right in the bed. At $895 the package can seem overpriced, but it does include a 240-amp alternator and a lockable rear under-seat storage bin. Add all those parts up individually and the price doesn't seem that far off. What Can I Get For The Gladiator's Bed From The Aftermarket? With the Jeep Gladiator just hitting the market, the options for its bed are relatively limited at this time. Currently, all we know of is the nifty Decked Bed Drawer system for the Jeep Gladiator. However, that should change as we expect all kinds of interesting options for the JT's bed to come out. Everything from drawer systems, tonneau covers, shells, overland racks, and even full-blown campers are in development for the Gladiator. You can check this page for the latest in Jeep Gladiator bed accessories. We will also do a separate story on the best Jeep Gladiator bed accessories once more pop up. Until then, enjoy your new Jeep Gladiator or keep saving up for a new one. |
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