Today on my way to work I saw a JK with a Leaf Spring setup in the back and a manufacturers plate on. Don't know if it was one of the early mules or what, but it caught my attention. Looked pretty nice, but I hope that is not the direction they plan on going. Anyone know anything about this thing? I would have snapped some pics, but the lighting is not to great at 6 am.

 

No, it was DC's Jeep. I am in the detroit area, so we catch a lot of mules and test vehicles riding around. It had no cladding, and was a 4 door. I caught a side view also, but no detailed front look.

 

While leaf springs have some nice featurs such as no rear steer under hard flex, i would be really shocked to see DC go to leaves. If anything, maybe it was a test mule, but when you think about it, The YJ remained relatively unchanged and the suspension was 100% unchanged from 89 (87 and 88 where some quarky years... i've seen a number of AMC Chrysler mix and match Jeeps) to 95 and the TJ's suspension never changed from 97 to 06. So my thoughts are, maybe the were toying with the idea, but being that they went with coils, i assume it will stay like that for roughly another ten years. i sure would love to see a picture of this thing though... if you see it again, snap a shot for us.

 

I tried with the whole camera phone to get some shots, but nothing turned out because of lighting. I think I weirded the driver out pretty good though. Pretty sure it was an old test mule they are just gathering info on. Didn't see any computers inside though, I thought that was strange.

 

It sounds like you saw the Gladiator-mule. They are going to test it with leafsprings to see how the carrying capacity is different from using coils. They are also testing coils with internal airbags in the rear. They were concerned with drivability issues from having a heavy load on a coilsprung rear axle.
They are using the 4-door because the wheelbase will remain unchanged with a longer rear overhang. Talk is also starting over a mule for a V8 and a D60 Rear in the Gladiator. The current release date is moving back from late '07 to late '08.

 

What is the gladiator? I suck at identifying rear ends, but this one seemed huge.

 

Is this what you saw?



or maybe this...



What you saw was the JK DC is making for the Israel Defense Forces and the Egyptian Army.

 

It was a red rock version of the 4 door on the bottom. Same rear bumper and everything. Thanks Way!