2004 Rubicon The Lost Scout

TheLostScout

Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
53
Location
San Diego, CA
Hello TJForum! First off, thank you in advance for all the amazing resources I have found on this site. I have already learned a ton lurking through the forum with random questions I have. I have a new to me, 2004 TJ Rubicon that I got from one of my paintball teammates up in Washington state. We shortly after moved from the PNW down back to San Diego CA. Not only am I excited about to be back down here. I am excited to have this TJ to rebuild that I have been wanting since I had my Liberty 9 years or so ago. Selfishly I am writing this build thread to keep track of the things I have done but also I am extremely open minded to learning from everyone here. I would love to hear suggestions, thoughts, concerns, and anything else that comes up!

2004 Jeep Wrangler TJ Rubicon
4.0l 6-Cylinder 5-Speed Manual

Interior

  • 67 Designs phone mount
  • Buchanan Precision Seat Risers
  • New Radio
  • Blue Ridge Overland seat organizer and some bags

Exterior
  • Bestop Trektop NX Soft Top Spice
  • UCF Aluminum front bumper
  • Morryde tailgate reinforcement kit
  • Trasharoo

Suspension
  • 35” BFG KM2
  • American Racing AR172 Wheels
  • Rock Jock Antirock
  • Currie 4-inch lift kit
  • Currie Control Arms
  • Currie CurrectLync
  • Savvy Fox Shocks
  • Fox stabilizer
  • Tom Woods rear driveshaft



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A couple questions I have are around suspension
  • The previous owner mentioned it being a 4" lift which I really enjoy the height but I can not ID the springs, shocks, arms. The arms look adjustable and fairly beefy but I still think I want to go with Savvy/Currie ones in the future but would enjoy hearing what others peoples thoughts are on it.
  • The other question I have is around driveshaft and angles. The rear angle seems fairly drastic but in good shape? I can post more photos but again if anyone has some ideas on best approach in the eyes of someone more experienced.
A few things I attend to do soon
  • Relocate CB
  • Update shocks
  • Get rid of LED bar
 
Over the past month or so we have been in the transition of moving back to CA. Right when I got the TJ I added a Trektop NX soft top (which in cold WA was a PAIN to get on haha) and some blue ridge overland seat organizers which I had in my Cherokee and F250.

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Installed some new Fox from Savvy this week, will install the rears soon. So far really enjoy the fronts so much more than whatever was in there before. The old stabilizer bolt was giving me trouble, my face says it all haha

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Took out the cb radio unit for now. I also uninstalled the wiring for the antennas and antenna rear light mounts. Just trying to clean everything up from the PO and redo it my way. I installed a 67 designs for my phone for maps. Any ideas for CB radio mounts? I was looking for that Arizona Rocky Ridge one but seems they don't sell those online anymore.

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Looks like it's coming along nicely! I lived in SD a few years and loved it. Anza Borrego is still one of my favorite places... if you haven't explored there yet I would highly recommend.
 
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Looks like it's coming along nicely! I lived in SD a few years and loved it. Anza Borrego is still one of my favorite places... if you haven't explored there yet I would highly recommend.

Thanks! It is definitely on the list, did you end up staying closer or camping out there? I am curious if people from SD area just do day trips out there. If you have any recommendations on locations or tracks I am all ears! Thanks again,
 
Thanks! It is definitely on the list, did you end up staying closer or camping out there? I am curious if people from SD area just do day trips out there. If you have any recommendations on locations or tracks I am all ears! Thanks again,

For me, camping out there was the best part because there would be nobody around. I would try to go on weekdays. We did some day trips to Cleveland NF (Laguna mtn) to see snow with the kids, which was fun, but if I'm going all the way to Anza I would personally camp for at least one night. A fun trip (long day or one-nighter) would be to do a loop through Anza then hit up Julian for some dinner/beer/pie before heading back to SD.
 
For me, camping out there was the best part because there would be nobody around. I would try to go on weekdays. We did some day trips to Cleveland NF (Laguna mtn) to see snow with the kids, which was fun, but if I'm going all the way to Anza I would personally camp for at least one night. A fun trip (long day or one-nighter) would be to do a loop through Anza then hit up Julian for some dinner/beer/pie before heading back to SD.

Awesome okay! I will note these down and make a trip out there soon. Looking forward to exploring that area. Thanks again for the recommendations
 
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Another update is I still can't seem to get these bolts out at all. 1 on the front driver seat while I was trying to install some seat risers and 1 being a bolt while I was trying to take of the LED light bar brackets :/ I tried Kroil and just no budging. Thinking about maybe filing the bolt sides down more square and vice grips? Or maybe getting a torch for it? Or if anyone has any San Diego shops they recommend that would be great also. Haha.

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Exciting update, a lot of work is going to be happening to the TJ this month:
- RockJock 4 inch lift kit getting installed (springs, bump stops, tracbars, all uppers and lower control arms)
- RockJock CurrectLync getting installed
- Regearing
- Random maintenance stuff, coolant leak, oil pan gasket and seals, axle seals, etc.

Can't wait!

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I was getting some pretty strong rear vibrations after the install. I went ahead and installed a TC drop but I feel like this isnt the right solution. Anybody have other suggestions? I hate how the TC drop messed with the shifter :/. The vibration is gone which is nice but this doesn't seem like the right fix.