What did you do to your TJ today?

[Fulton_Hogan]

I also realized today that the half doors I just got are true early doors.

This was a nice surprise after I just ordered replacement inner handles, not thinking about any differences, between early vs. later handles.

So 2002 and earlier half doors lock by pressing the tab forward, and post-2002 they lock by pressing the tab to the rear?

 

[Kiwi TJ]

So 2002 and earlier half doors lock by pressing the tab forward, and post-2002 they lock by pressing the tab to the rear?

I wonder if that’s the same for the export Jeeps… I have a early one, now I gonna have to check

 

[bmcgc]

Somehow 1.5" of rain ended up being 3" of water in my passenger floorboard.

Thur should be warm and dry, so the cowl will come off and hopefully I will find a clogged drain.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

I wonder if that’s the same for the export Jeeps… I have a early one, now I gonna have to check

On my 2005 full doors, the word LOCK is on the rear of the switch. On the half doors, LOCK is on the switch front.

I have my 2005 on record at Rock Auto and Amazon, so when I looked up "TJ half door handles" it steered me to what I ordered. Never once did I think they'd be different. I looked at the full doors when I referenced the locks. I even cross-referenced Dorman (what I ended up buying) and found different interior handles by number. Again, I thought of the Jeep's vintage, not the doors and clicked that order button.

I did all that before I bought because I was confused by the NUMEROUS online reviews people left saying the word LOCK was on the wrong side of their handle. I chalked it up to spotty/cheap production on those handles.

Tonight I was fiddling in the garage and looked under the rubber seal on the old early-style mirror I'd removed last weekend and saw a sticker with a 1997 date. I was like, "Oh this might mean I have to consider different locks when I get it re-keyed." Then I thought wait, maybe this explains all those backward handles. And of course, they are, indeed, different.

I got one at Rock Auto (driver) and one at Amazon (passenger). The passenger was 3x the cost of the driver, but still lower than the Rock Auto passenger. So it should return easily and fund BOTH correct driver and passenger. Both of which end up about the price paid for the driver at Rock Auto. (That return will be trickier, I'm guessing. Or I keep it for my 2005. Also an option.)

 

[Kiwi TJ]

On my 2005 full doors, the word LOCK is on the rear of the switch. On the half doors, LOCK is on the switch front.

I have my 2005 on record at Rock Auto and Amazon, so when I looked up "TJ half door handles" it steered me to what I ordered. Never once did I think they'd be different. I looked at the full doors when I referenced the locks. I even cross-referenced Dorman (what I ended up buying) and found different interior handles by number. Again, I thought of the Jeep's vintage, not the doors and clicked that order button.

I did all that before I bought because I was confused by the NUMEROUS online reviews people left saying the word LOCK was on the wrong side of their handle. I chalked it up to spotty/cheap production on those handles.

Tonight I was fiddling in the garage and looked under the rubber seal on the old early-style mirror I'd removed last weekend and saw a sticker with a 1997 date. I was like, "Oh this might mean I have to consider different locks when I get it re-keyed." Then I thought wait, maybe this explains all those backward handles. And of course, they are, indeed, different.

I got one at Rock Auto (driver) and one at Amazon (passenger). The passenger was 3x the cost of the driver, but still lower than the Rock Auto passenger. So it should return easily and fund BOTH correct driver and passenger. Both of which end up about the price paid for the driver at Rock Auto. (That return will be trickier, I'm guessing. Or I keep it for my 2005. Also an option.)

Mine was born in Toledo in 1997.. spent its first 10 years in Japan before being shipped here…here in New Zealand and it’s registered as 1999 (gets very confusing when ordering parts)
Anyway might half doors have the lock logo on the front ( The side closest to the hinge)

 

[All 4 Wheelin']

Mine was born in Toledo in 1997.. spent its first 10 years in Japan before being shipped here…here in New Zealand and it’s registered as 1999 (gets very confusing when ordering parts)
Anyway might half doors have the lock logo on the front ( The side closest to the hinge)

My 02 full doors has the lock logo towards the front. The half doors I just bought also lock to the front. Didn’t know there might be a difference in years. Half doors were advertised on eBay 97-06.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

My 02 full doors has the lock logo towards the front. The half doors I just bought also lock to the front. Didn’t know there might be a difference in years. Half doors were advertised on eBay 97-06.

Yes, there appears to be a difference in years.
Your 2002 is the last year (as far as I can tell) of the forward LOCK label/action.
(And when I say forward, I mean sitting in the seat looking at the handle, the word LOCK is towards the vehicle's front.)

I noticed when shopping that some handles said 97-02 and others said 97-06.

It was when I stopped using the Amazon fit guide and went to Dorman that I had my eureka moment.
Check it out:

Using a 1998 Wrangler:

Using a 2005 Wrangler:

Amazon is technically correct, a 2006 handle will fit in a 1997 door, but the LOCK labeling on the switch would be opposite of its actual function.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

Mine was born in Toledo in 1997.. spent its first 10 years in Japan before being shipped here…here in New Zealand and it’s registered as 1999 (gets very confusing when ordering parts)
Anyway might half doors have the lock logo on the front ( The side closest to the hinge)

Depends on the door's vintage?
That's how it seems to me.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

My 02 full doors has the lock logo towards the front. The half doors I just bought also lock to the front. Didn’t know there might be a difference in years. Half doors were advertised on eBay 97-06.

Yes, all those doors, across all those years will fit a vehicle in that range. The handles will even mount in place and technically work.
It's just the labeling and direction of function (front vs. rear) with the locking mechanism that looks like it changed at the 2002-2003 time frame.
Odd.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

Does anyone have a recommendation for the 2 pan head screws used to mount the half door exterior handles?

Most likely metric (M5x16 maybe?) but what length?

And are there any clips required, or do they screw directly into the exterior latches?

 

[Kiwi TJ]

Depends on the door's vintage?
That's how it seems to me.

Mine are original half doors from the factory. so 97's

 

[Tejasol]

Finally got to drive it. I dropped it off at my buddy's shop to get his thoughts on a growing vibration at freeway speeds. Two ujoints, pinion bearing, new valve cover and gasket, and oil pressure sending unit later and I get to drive my rig just in time for this weekend's camping trip. His schedule went way crazy over the holidays so it sat for over two weeks. I didn't realize how much I would miss having it. Hopefully I will be productive tonight and work out some more efficient storage in it. Oh, also had the windshield replaced after driving it for 15 years with the passenger side all busted up.

 

[JasterMereel42]

I let it sit overnight and the transmission is no longer leaking. Damn, it feels good to work on the Jeep. I didn't even change my own oil before buying this back in July and I've done so much to it over the last 6 months.

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

Yes, all those doors, across all those years will fit a vehicle in that range. The handles will even mount in place and technically work.
It's just the labeling and direction of function (front vs. rear) with the locking mechanism that looks like it changed at the 2002-2003 time frame.
Odd.

My 1998 jeep both half and full doors require to push the latch forward to lock. My son's and daughter's 2003 and 2004 (respectfully) require to push the latch towards the rear to lock. Both have full doors and my daughter has a half doors as well.

 

[Fulton_Hogan]

My 1998 jeep both half and full doors require to push the latch forward to lock. My son's and daughter's 2003 and 2004 (respectfully) require to push the latch towards the rear to lock. Both have full doors and my daughter has a half doors as well.

Good to know. Thank you.

Those samples add to the theory that the design/function changed directions after 2002.

 

[AirborneTexasRanger]

Confirmed that the transmission weep hole is the source of my trans fluid leak. I used some antifungal foot powder spray to coat everything down in white powder to confirm the source of the leak.

Looks like I am replacing the transmission output shaft seal and the transfer case input seal the week of Thanksgiving.

Since I have the TC off, anything else I should proactively replace?

View attachment 465906

I know this is an older post, but this was a genius idea. That leak detection method is over 100 years old. Sometimes "old school" is the best school

 

[JasterMereel42]

I know this is an older post, but this was a genius idea. That leak detection method is over 100 years old. Sometimes "old school" is the best school

I found the idea from some random YouTube video. It was so simple but it worked very well.

 

[Claytone]

I let it sit overnight and the transmission is no longer leaking. Damn, it feels good to work on the Jeep. I didn't even change my own oil before buying this back in July and I've done so much to it over the last 6 months.

That is a rewarding experience. You picked the best “modern” vehicle to learn on.
As a bonus think of how much $ you didn’t spend in labor to get all that done!

 

[JasterMereel42]

That is a rewarding experience. You picked the best “modern” vehicle to learn on.
As a bonus think of how much $ you didn’t spend in labor to get all that done!

I've saved thousands of dollars from doing my own work.

 

[Zorba]

Got the (modified) Tekonsha trailer harness installed on the Jeep. This makes the trailer wiring "done-done". Didn't even need to change the flasher as the trailer's LED lites don't add enough load to make the thing hyper flash.