Whitney's Back to Stock Build: A Tribute to my first Jeep (04 Wrangler Sport, Light Khaki Metallic)

wborisenok

TJ Enthusiast
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Massachusetts
Instead of posting multiple threads to ask questions about my very minor upcoming build, I thought it’d probably be a good idea to make one main build thread and put any/all questions in here. Some of you may have read in my previous thread regarding lift/wheel combos, but I’ll start with some backstory.

Back in the 70s when my uncle graduated from high school, my grandfather took him to the local Jeep dealership and he got to pick out a CJ-5 of his liking. A year later when my dad graduated, he got to do the same. Uncle picked yellow and dad picked lime green. My dad drove that ‘76 CJ-5 for about 12 years until it was time to trade it in for something more functional for a dude with a wife and 3 small kids.

Fast forward to 2001. My sister is in 12th grade and my dad surprises her with an ‘01 Wrangler Sport. Patriot Blue with tan top. Then, 2004 hits — my senior year. One day, my parents call me into the garage and there sat an ‘04 Sport in Light Khaki Metallic with dark khaki top. It sat for another 4 or 5 weeks, too, because in my little bit of experience practicing stick I was too nervous to start driving it. Ha! That Jeep was my absolute pride and joy and the one I have the happiest, easiest, and most fun memories in. Anyway, the tradition continued with my brother who is the youngest and obviously the favorite (I’m only half joking 🤣) because he somehow ended up with a Rubicon.

I’m the only one the Jeep thing stuck with; I went on to drive a 2011 JK and then eventually had a fully restored ‘86 CJ-7. Kind of an ode to my grandparents who started the whole tradition. Two weeks ago I sold that Jeep to fund the purchase of my newest pride and joy: a 2004 TJ in Light Khaki Metallic with dark khaki top. With only 6000 miles on it, it’s a true needle in a haystack. Kind of stumbled on it last month and knew I had to jump at the chance. I always said the only way I’d sell my CJ would be if I could have my very first Jeep again and this is about as close as I’ll ever get.

It arrives from Texas sometime in the next few days and I’ve got couple things to do until it looks how I want it to look: just as it did back in 2004. Here’s my task list:

1. Install OEM side steps — already grabbed a set in awesome condition from FB marketplace. They’ve got a tiny bit of flash rust on the brackets but I’m going to hit it with a wire brush and slap on a coat of Rustoleum before putting them on. Other than that, they look brand new. Guy pulled them from his ‘04 a year after he got it and they sat in his attic since.

2. Install OEM fog lights — was doing a bunch of research on this last night and it could be harder than I anticipated. From what I gather, I need to check and see if my ‘04 is pre-wired for them. It didn’t have them from the factory, so I’m not sure how I’ll fare on that one. If it isn’t pre-wired, not sure what to do. If it is, I plan to grab some OEM fogs along with a set of pigtails..and possibly a new multi-function switch? Swapping that feels a little above my skill level, but we’ll see. Need to get it here and see what’s up before I formulate any real plan.

3. Drop 3” suspension lift to 1” body lift — I know there wasn’t a body lift on my original ‘04, but I’m going for a SLIGHTLY more aggressive stance than I had back then. Leaving this work to my local Jeep shop.

4. Swap 33” tires and 17” wheels for 31” tires and original 15x8” Ravine wheels — currently scouring the market for the wheels and will purchase some BFG A/Ts once I land them. This will also be done at my local Jeep shop.

5. Some sort of undercoating/tub protection — originally intended on getting the inside and underside of the tub color-match lined, but unless that is done with a perfect prep job I know it can cause more issues down the road. I’m leaning towards yearly Woolwax instead but would love any input from those with experience.

I think that should do it. I know, I know — famous last words. Ha! I hope to have all of this complete by spring so she’s ready to roll once the weather turns. Once it arrives I’ll post an official before pic as well as a picture of my original ‘04. Thanks in advance for answering all the questions I’ll have!
 
Hahaha okay okay okay, fair enough. It arrives tomorrow, but here’s a shot of getting loaded up:

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Also finished a spruce of the OEM side steps I picked up on FB marketplace. Guy took them off his ‘04 a year after he got it and they sat in his attic. Had some flash rust and needed a good pressure wash, but they look brand new again. Wire brushed, Dremmel sanded, and hand sanded the brackets then hit them with a couple coat of satin Rustoleum. Soaked the bolts in vinegar then wire brushed those too. Steps got a thorough pressure wash to remove 17 years of dirt and dust.

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The guy also sent me the mounting hardware but I’m not positive if it’s everything. I may post up a pic and see if anyone can confirm.
 
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The eagle has landed!

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She got rained on so she’s a bit dirty, but I’ll take care of that in no time. One slight change to my task list: tailgate hinges are corroding under the paint; my guy at Collins Brothers has a khaki set on hand and is sending them up. Will be swapping those right away. Next week I’m bringing it to one of the best Jeep shops in the state so I can assess what I’ll need to buy for parts to drop the lift.

Hoping to install the side steps next week; I’m on a 24 today and Sunday then off for 5. Should have plenty of time to get it in before I work again.
 
OKAY, lots to talk about. Found couple of surprises (first two bullets) and some things I want to replace/fix once I was able to go over it thoroughly. Would love any and all feedback, suggestions, install advice/tips from you guys as I tackle this stuff. Don’t get me wrong, this is absolutely a mint condition 6100 mile Jeep in AMAZING shape, but it IS still 18 years old so there are parts that are showing their age and some small cosmetic stuff I’d like to fix. This stuff probably wouldn’t bother most people, but I’m super OCD so I’ll be doing it all. My questions are highlighted in red for quick reference.

- PASSENGER DASH PANEL: It appears that this was painted at some point. I need to look at it a little closer, but when I was wiping down the dash a bit I noticed that it had a different texture to it than the rest of the panels. I scrubbed a little harder and it seems like there might be black underneath. I’m on the hunt for a khaki replacement. Who has the best/largest selection of interior parts online or fairly local to me in Massachusetts?

- DOOR PANELS: Each door panel has what I’ve come to learn is “the crack”. Haha. I was kinda pissed about this initially because I wish my guy would have mentioned it, but as I googled around I realized that this is beyond common. What a weird thing. Ideally, I’ll be replacing these panels but I know they’re hard to come by. In the meantime, I may explore the naugahyde fix because it’s quick and cheap and actually looks pretty good. I’m going to order a sample card to try and color match as close as I can. I’m also wondering if there’s anywhere that will SEM color-match 3M vinyl.

- STEERING WHEEL COVER/AIRBAG: Seems like this has some sun exposure damage on the top; it’s weirdly sticky/melty and doesn’t just wipe off — when you wipe, your rag gets super dark black gunk all over it. It’s almost as if it got too hot for a long period of time and there was a chemical change of some sort to the top section. Not sure. Adding to parts hunt.

- LICENSE PLATE HOLDER: Just faded. Looking to replace, adding to parts hunt.

- DOOR HANDLES/TAILGATE HANDLE: Faded and showing their age; ordered some perfect replacements from 1A Auto. Hope to install those next week.

- TAILGATE HINGES: Mentioned this before; these appear to be corroding and the paint is flaking off. They aren’t rusty at all, but instead corroded and white underneath. I guess it doesn’t matter what’s under there because I’ll be replacing them either way. My guy is sending me a khaki set in great shape that he’s got on hand. I’m not going to attempt this myself because I know the Torx screws can be a pain in the ass and often need to be drilled out, so I’ll bring it to my Jeep shop sometime in the next couple weeks to get this addressed.

- FENDER FLARES: In great shape, but super faded. Treated with 303 Aerospace Protectant and they look a little better but not better enough. I’ve seen a couple of DIY options but nothing that I really want to waste time trying. In one thread, someone suggested bringing to a local body shop as they could do it professionally and with a flex additive so they are less prone to peeling/cracking. Kinda into that idea. Ideally, though, I would like to find a used set in great shape and if I can’t find that then I’ll buy an aftermarket set that is closest to exact and replace them. Who makes the best factory style replacement fender flares? The OMIX ones look pretty good but open to suggestions.

- ROLL BAR COVER/PADDING: Faded and hardened. Who makes the best factory style replacement roll bar cover/padding?

- FLOOR CONSOLE: This is a bit more scratched up than I’d like, so I’m on the hunt for a replacement in good shape. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if I wasn’t able to swap this part, but if I can, I will.

- CARPET NEAR FRONT OF FLOOR CONSOLE: So this is kind of a weird one. I was sitting in the driver’s seat and it caught my eye; the carpet doesn’t quite come together so you can see some metal/parts underneath. I honestly don’t recall what this area looked like on mine — I don’t remember the carpet being two pieces coming together in that section. I thought it was one piece that kinda formed a box to cover that section. I’m not quite sure how to fix this and would love some input here. Would also like to see this area on someone else’s TJ. I kinda half-assed tried to yank it over so they’d meet but it didn’t seem to want to stay. I can confirm the carpet is original from the factory and it’s in great shape. Pics below. How would you suggest fixing this weird carpet coverage issue?

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- REAR BUMPER SURFACE RUST: Just underneath the tub on what I think is some portion of the rear bumper, there’s some surface rust where paint came off. Actually, I’m not even sure this is the bumper — it almost looks like a bracket that goes over the frame. So my first question is: What is this part and can I access it or would I need the help of my Jeep shop? My second question is: If I can access it, can I replace it or should I sand that section then paint it? Pics below.

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Some other lower-priority stuff that I’ll eventually replace are the mirrors, windshield wipers, front/rear bumpers, hood latches, taillights, and spare tire bracket with light. There are also a couple tiny areas of paint where it’s almost starting to patina a bit; some people love that, but I’m planning to get them fixed. Have I told you lately how OCD I am? 🤣
 
Got a couple minor things done today. Replaced the 4 trim screws that sit under the windshield, painted the wiper arm posts, mounted new wiper arms with blades, and fixed a weird texture issue I had on the steering wheel airbag cover.

The trim screws were tricky to track down without a built in washer on them, but ended up finding a #8 stainless screw with the head painted black at Ace Hardware. Paired it with a black rubber washer and it looks great. Seems stupid, but even 4 brand new screws make a world of difference compared to the old oxidized rusty ones.

Those wiper arm posts were oxidized and showing their age, so I hit them with the same satin Rustoleum I used on the sidestep brackets. Removed the old wiper arms, taped off around the hole, and did it with a small paint brush. Looks much cleaner.

Wiper arms were also super faded and showing their age so they had to go. Installing the new ones required them to be bent a bit so they’d sit just right. I also didn’t realize that once you close the clamp on the arm base, the entire arm kinda clamps down to the window. I spent way too long messing with the bend to get them to sit right but didn’t want to clamp them so that I could keep making adjustments, only to realize they’d snug themselves up once I locked them in. Learning curve to wiper arms. Who knew!

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Steering wheel airbag cover was a weird one. When it arrived last Saturday, I noticed that the top of that piece was super sticky. Felt like adhesive residue of some sort. Sometimes it can happen to certain plastics if they’re exposed to heat for a long period of time, so I assumed that’s what it was. I took an alcohol wipe and tried to clean it off to no avail; it just kept turning the wipes black and the residue stayed. My guy at Collins Brothers told me they use a specific product for this very issue and need to use it on Porsches a lot. It’s called Spray Nine — a degreaser. To be honest, I wasn’t convinced it was going to work — I was pretty sure that entire piece was shot and I’d have to place it.…but then it worked and it was the highlight of my week. Lol. I wish I took a before picture.

Working a 24 tomorrow and Monday then heading out of town for Thanksgiving so don‘t expect to get much done for a week or so. Next Monday I’ve got ChemDry coming to clean the interior carpets and while they do that I’m going to wipe down the tub. I got the old sidesteps off and am just waiting on some hardware from a very generous forum member so I can get the OEM steps put on. I also plan to tackle the fender flares.

Also, I found a pair of NOT cracked khaki interior door panels on eBay and they arrived today. Going to clean them up and reinforce the spot that is prone to cracking with JB Weld and fiberglass mesh. While the doors are stripped down, I’ll replace both interior and exterior door handles as well as window cranks. Then the reinforced panels will go in.

Oh, and I decided I’m NOT going to replace the passenger dash panel right now. Instead I’m going to tape off the entire area and paint it. Talked to VinylPro today and will order once they get their aerosol cans back in stock — hopefully next week. My reasoning for not replacing the panel is two-fold: first, I’ll be hard pressed to find one in good enough shape. Second, I have absolutely zero interest in removing the entire dash to access that piece. So paint should do the trick!
 
2. Install OEM fog lights — was doing a bunch of research on this last night and it could be harder than I anticipated. From what I gather, I need to check and see if my ‘04 is pre-wired for them. It didn’t have them from the factory, so I’m not sure how I’ll fare on that one. If it isn’t pre-wired, not sure what to do. If it is, I plan to grab some OEM fogs along with a set of pigtails..and possibly a new multi-function switch? Swapping that feels a little above my skill level, but we’ll see. Need to get it here and see what’s up before I formulate any real plan.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1856234305...d=link&campid=5337789113&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
 
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Working a 24 tomorrow and Monday then heading out of town for Thanksgiving so don‘t expect to get much done for a week or so. Next Monday I’ve got ChemDry coming to clean the interior carpets

Are they cleaning the carpets pulled from the tub or cleaning them while still in the tub? I’d suggest pulling the carpets and having them cleaned.
 
Oh, and I decided I’m NOT going to replace the passenger dash panel right now. Instead I’m going to tape off the entire area and paint it. Talked to VinylPro today and will order once they get their aerosol cans back in stock — hopefully next week.

Have you dug around and read about SEM paint for interior panels. Seems to be the go-to around this forum and have seen excellent results.
 
Have you dug around and read about SEM paint for interior panels. Seems to be the go-to around this forum and have seen excellent results.

Yup; called the place everyone on here gets their stuff from and they’re waiting on an order of empty aerosol cans to arrive. Will call back next week and order some 5545.
 
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Question about wheel size and what it means in regard to gears and shifting. I noticed that my Jeep will cruise along in 4th gear at 75mph and 2500 RPMs. If I go into 5th, it doesn’t want to maintain speed. Is this due to the 33” tires?
 
Question about wheel size and what it means in regard to gears and shifting. I noticed that my Jeep will cruise along in 4th gear at 75mph and 2500 RPMs. If I go into 5th, it doesn’t want to maintain speed. Is this due to the 33” tires?

Short answer is yes. The TJ is geared for the OEM tire size, which was 29", I believe, for non Rubicon models.

The larger the tire, the more power it'll rob. To regain power, you'd need to drop to a smaller tire or regear your axles. There are a number of threads here on regearing and the best choices based on engine, transmission and tire size combo.
 
Short answer is yes. The TJ is geared for the OEM tire size, which was 29", I believe, for non Rubicon models.

The larger the tire, the more power it'll rob. To regain power, you'd need to drop to a smaller tire or regear your axles. There are a number of threads here on regearing and the best choices based on engine, transmission and tire size combo.

This is great news. I thought that might be the case but nice to hear someone confirm it. Yes; I’ll be dropping the 33s and running 31s once I’ve got the budget after the holidays. Should 31s be small enough to bring it back to “normal” or at least close to?
 
This is great news. I thought that might be the case but nice to hear someone confirm it. Yes; I’ll be dropping the 33s and running 31s once I’ve got the budget after the holidays. Should 31s be small enough to bring it back to “normal” or at least close to?

If you have 3.73 gears, probably close, as with a manual, you've got more control over shift points than an automatic. If you have the 3.07, 31s will be a bit better but still not great.

Do you know your axle gearing ratio? I believe there should be a metal stamp on the rear diff cover, or Google mopar vin decoder, plug in your vin and you should be able to pull up your Jeep's build sheet that'll show what ratio it came with from the factory.
 
If you have 3.73 gears, probably close, as with a manual, you've got more control over shift points than an automatic. If you have the 3.07, 31s will be a bit better but still not great.

Do you know your axle gearing ratio? I believe there should be a metal stamp on the rear diff cover, or Google mopar vin decoder, plug in your vin and you should be able to pull up your Jeep's build sheet that'll show what ratio it came with from the factory.

3.07 from the factory. Maybe I should consider regearing when I swap the tires.
 
3.07 from the factory. Maybe I should consider regearing when I swap the tires.

Others here are far more knowledgeable than I, but what I can say is to pick your ultimate tire size first, then build based on that. Regearing is pricey and not something you'll want to do more than once.

And, if you think you'll ever want any type of traction aid like lockers or an LSD, best to do that at the same time as the regear as it's the same labor.