What did you do to your TJ today?

jeepguy03 said:
The battery in my TJ is an Interstate with a 01/2017 date code on it. I'm not sure how it is still kicking. I park the jeep over winter so it doesn't get salt from the roads. Usually I trickle charge it a few times over winter when I remember, but I haven't yet and have not started it since before November. Went to move it yesterday and it kicked over after half a crank and ran like it was started 10 minutes prior. I'm sure now that I said this the battery will be dead next time I go to move it. :LOL:
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hear said:
Oh, I also discovered why my 02 keeps running down the battery. The TL;DR is that the owner is dumb.

When I bought it, I noticed that the radio stayed on after I turned it off, so I assumed that bubba incorrectly wired it up off constant 12V rather than accessory and never bothered to investigate further. Then I replaced the cigar lighter with a usb-c/voltmeter thing. It's the kind that has an on/off button and I found that I would have to remember to turn it off, because apparently it was wired into 12V constant as well. That should've been the red flag, but I've had this jeep for 3 years I think, and I've just lived with it. And there may be a parasitic drain as well. It can be a bit of a hassle, because I've been keeping this jeep at our cabin in Arkansas, so I routinely have to jump it when I come back or unplug the negative battery cable.

Until a few days ago, when I "discovered" that the position in which I was removing the key was actually the furthest back key position, which apparently is accessory. The 02 is a stick, and it has that button you press to rotate the ignition back and remove the key. Well I was rotating it too far, and on top of that the key is removable in all positions so it was an easier mistake to make than normal. Once I started only turning it to the OFF position, the accessories powered down and the jeep sat for 6 days and then started right back up. Previously even starting up the next morning was a 50/50 proposition.

I should add that neither of my 97's have an ignition position "behind" OFF, so 2/3 of the time I can just rotate it all the way back and have the jeep be fully off. This manual 02 is an outlier from my normal shutdown procedure. So I'm not *completely* stupid. Just partially.

Hit me with your best facepalm emojis.
Click to expand...

I have to watch mine when I shut ot off. One of my keys is worn enough it will come out in any position.

Its now the spare key, the other key works as it should. The only time I have drained the battery was when the spare key turned back to the accessory and I didn't catch it before I removed it.
 
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John Cooper said:
I have to watch mine when I shut ot off. One of my keys is worn enough it will come out in any position.

Its now the spare key, the other key works as it should. The only time I have drained the battery was when the spare key turned back to the accessory and I didn't catch it before I removed it.
Click to expand...

My key would come out in any position so I got a new ignition cylinder with new pins, and keyed it to my key. Now everything is crisp and precise. Key only comes out in the off position and it actually goes into the acc position now.
 
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All 4 Wheelin' said:
My key would come out in any position so I got a new ignition cylinder with new pins, and keyed it to my key. Now everything is crisp and precise. Key only comes out in the off position and it actually goes into the acc position now.
Click to expand...

What exactly did you replace it with? This will come as no shock to most, but when I replaced the ignition in my 97 I did not use mopar. And it is a little sticky, so much so that I have to actually take the key out slightly to verify that we are off. (I keep the key in the ignition 95% of the time, so I had to learn a new behavior).

I still have the ignition off my 97, I would love to re-key the new one to use the old key, but that key is all worn down too. Can a locksmith make a new key off my worn ignition?
 
jeepguy03 said:
The battery in my TJ is an Interstate with a 01/2017 date code on it. I'm not sure how it is still kicking. I park the jeep over winter so it doesn't get salt from the roads. Usually I trickle charge it a few times over winter when I remember, but I haven't yet and have not started it since before November. Went to move it yesterday and it kicked over after half a crank and ran like it was started 10 minutes prior. I'm sure now that I said this the battery will be dead next time I go to move it. :LOL:
Click to expand...

I had an interstate last 10 years, it scared me so I preemptively replaced it!
 
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hear said:
What exactly did you replace it with? This will come as no shock to most, but when I replaced the ignition in my 97 I did not use mopar. And it is a little sticky, so much so that I have to actually take the key out slightly to verify that we are off. (I keep the key in the ignition 95% of the time, so I had to learn a new behavior).

I still have the ignition off my 97, I would love to re-key the new one to use the old key, but that key is all worn down too. Can a locksmith make a new key off my worn ignition?
Click to expand...

Used a Dorman product.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WH7B0G?tag=wranglerorg-20
It was the only way I could get a pin set. Needed to keep it the same as the doors. My key has wear but the pins were worse. A locksmith can make a new key from your vin. You would need the vin if you have a SKIM key ( grey cover).
 
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Not actually to my tj but for my tj's living quarters. Mounted an early cj5 hood as an awning over the man door
20260105_134051.jpg
20260105_134109.jpg


Saw something like this on book face and figured, why not.
 
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Kilcarnup said:
Which flares are those? I'm looking at options like the bushwakers and Rugged Ridge
Click to expand...

Yes…6 inch Rugged Ridge pocket flares.
I’ve had mine on there for 13 years. They have held up well only now starting to get a little brittle.
It might be time for a change 😂
 
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hear said:
Oh, I also discovered why my 02 keeps running down the battery. The TL;DR is that the owner is dumb.

When I bought it, I noticed that the radio stayed on after I turned it off, so I assumed that bubba incorrectly wired it up off constant 12V rather than accessory and never bothered to investigate further. Then I replaced the cigar lighter with a usb-c/voltmeter thing. It's the kind that has an on/off button and I found that I would have to remember to turn it off, because apparently it was wired into 12V constant as well. That should've been the red flag, but I've had this jeep for 3 years I think, and I've just lived with it. And there may be a parasitic drain as well. It can be a bit of a hassle, because I've been keeping this jeep at our cabin in Arkansas, so I routinely have to jump it when I come back or unplug the negative battery cable.

Until a few days ago, when I "discovered" that the position in which I was removing the key was actually the furthest back key position, which apparently is accessory. The 02 is a stick, and it has that button you press to rotate the ignition back and remove the key. Well I was rotating it too far, and on top of that the key is removable in all positions so it was an easier mistake to make than normal. Once I started only turning it to the OFF position, the accessories powered down and the jeep sat for 6 days and then started right back up. Previously even starting up the next morning was a 50/50 proposition.

I should add that neither of my 97's have an ignition position "behind" OFF, so 2/3 of the time I can just rotate it all the way back and have the jeep be fully off. This manual 02 is an outlier from my normal shutdown procedure. So I'm not *completely* stupid. Just partially.

Hit me with your best facepalm emojis.
Click to expand...

I have been having the exact same issue.. I'll go check and see where i"m leaving the key as I think this could be it hilariously.
 
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speeding_infraction said:
What do you guys think? No tire carrier = better?
View attachment 664562
Click to expand...

It's better until you need a spare. Which you don't need until you do. I went years without needing one and considered going without, but then I had a couple flats in a short timeframe. Now it isn't a question that I'm carrying one.

If you trailer your jeep you can leave the spare on the trailer, but you aren't really "going without." Non-trailer rigs could leave their spare at camp, too, and be fine.

I don't trailer and I often wheel alone. I'm keeping the spare.
 
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