DOUBLE DOWN

DOUBLE BLACK OFF ROAD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING BAD-ARSE JEEPS, AND BUSINESS IS GOOD

- DAN EVERETT

DOUBLE black diamonds are a symbol recognised all over the world. From extreme enduro trail bike riders to Olympic-level downhill skiers, those two black diamonds at the start of the trail indicate this track ain't like the others. It'll push them to their limits. Beyond what most would consider achievable, and offer ultimate bragging rights to all who conquer it. It's no surprise that in the land of extreme off-road Jeeps, Aussie-based Double Black Off Road (DBOR) has that same reputation for taking things to the next level.

What you're looking at is one of the biggest and baddest Jeeps in the country. A 2021-plated Gladiator Rubicon with some insane modifications in places you'd never expect, and factory gear in places that'll surprise you. The perfect platform to show off not only how capable the Gladiator is from the factory, but how Double Black Off Road can bolt together an even better version.

UNDER THE SKIN

FOR Jeep-heads, what's hiding under the skin here should be of no surprise. To everyone else, following that Rugged Ridge AmFib Snorkel down through the guards leads to the same 209kW 3.6L V6 and eight-speed auto combo found in all current Aussie-market Jeeps. From here, the Rubicon badge kicks things down a gear. The 'Rock-Trac' 4x4 systems sports an epic 77.2:1 crawl ratio thanks to lower 4:1 gears in the transfer case; the base model Jeeps make do with a paltry 2.72:1.

Power is sent front and back through DBOR-tweaked driveshafts to heavy-duty Dana M210 and M220 axles, a serious upgrade over the M186 and M200 axles found in non-Rubicon models. In true Rubicon fashion, both front and rear diffs have 4.1:1 diff centres wrapped around factory lockers, providing serious crawl control compared to the 3.45:1 and open diff combo in the lower tiers. But that's about where stock ends.