What did you do to your TJ today?

Got a call from my daugher week before last while she was in town telling me that her Jeep was steaming after she had gone to an appointment. So I drove into town to check out what might be the issue. Get there and pop her hood to find out that the engine is covered in anti-freeze. Luckily there was a repair shop across the street so borrowed a water jug and refilled her radiator and had her drive it home. Once it had cooled off enough to put my coolant system tester on the radiator I tried to pressurize the system but had to add more water first.

Boom as I thought it might be but had hoped it wouldn't the top plastic tank on the radiator was split.

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So because I needed it fixed by that weekend I ordered a new radiator from Advanced Auto along with a new thermostat and 3 gal of anti-freeze. Parts were ready to be picked up the next day so she drove my truck to school and picked them up after. Friday it was raining out but I had to get the thing fixed because I was going to be gone the next week helping my mom move.

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Shroud and old radiator out. Had to cut the two bottom bolts off due to them being so rusted that the heads had rounded off.

Next was to replace the thermostat.

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New radiator ready to go in.

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I'd bought her new radiator & heater hoses for Christmas last year so now was a good time to replace them.

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So new parts all installed and radiator topped off. Running just like it should be right at 210*. Got a little wet with the weather but got her rig back on the road and she was happy to have her Jeep back.

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Sound like a Good Father & Son !!! (y)


BUT.....you do know it's almost Christmas again right?? You've let her hold onto to them for that long without putting them on for or showing her how to ? Shame on you .....😆
 
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Started snowing today. After work, I had to scrape the thin layer of ice on the windshield. As I reached for the ice scraper, I thought to myself how nice it will be that I drove the Jeep instead of the Expedition, and that reaching the middle and top of the windshield for ice scraping will be no problem (unlike the Expedition). Then, as I was scraping and having a problem reaching the middle and top of the windshield for ice scraping, it occurred to me that the last time I had to clear ice, was before the 3" lift and 33" tall tires.

I was like, "Why am I hav...... Oh. Yeah. That."
 
Guess I finished the hard parts of a rear disc swap. Used parts off a 2005 liberty...was excited paying $50 at the junkyard but ended sad and close to $300. Needed axle seals and bearings. Then got new pads, hardware, brake lines, lug studs, and e-brake cables.





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Guess I finished the hard parts of a rear disc swap. Used parts off a 2005 liberty...was excited paying $50 at the junkyard but ended sad and close to $300. Needed axle seals and bearings. Then got new pads, hardware, brake lines, lug studs, and e-brake cables.





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Isn't that how it goes? Working on an upgrade and you find stuff that needs attention. I would say you saved your self some misery down the road. And it is a jeep after all. Just Empty Every Pocket.
 
Sound like a Good Father & Son !!! (y)


BUT.....you do know it's almost Christmas again right?? You've let her hold onto to them for that long without putting them on for or showing her how to ? Shame on you .....😆

I had gotten busy with other things this summer so I didn't have the time. Actually had forgotten I'd bought them until the radiator issue. She helped dad out some but was sick on that Friday so I did most of the work. She helped replace the spark plugs and O2 sensors this summer and did a brake job last fall right before she had gotten her license.
 
Front of the engine had been squealing lately with these cold Colorado mornings, so replaced the idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and serpentine belt with some from Gate's Canadian made ones from O'Reillys. A bit more expensive than getting them online, but appearently when you buy all three they all get a lifetime warranty vs just a 1-3 year warranty that comes with them normally. Both old pulleys were about dry on grease as far as I could tell, and the tensioner pulley was very gritty feeling.

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Front of the engine had been squealing lately with these cold Colorado mornings, so replaced the idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and serpentine belt with some from Gate's Canadian made ones from O'Reillys. A bit more expensive than getting them online, but appearently when you buy all three they all get a lifetime warranty vs just a 1-3 year warranty that comes with them normally. Both old pulleys were about dry on grease as far as I could tell, and the tensioner pulley was very gritty feeling.

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That was the very first thing I had to do when I bought my tj last Dec.
 
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Posted this in the build section but I just about finished one of my Tj to Cj style hood latches. The bottom base through the fender screw is hidden under the latch, I don’t want to drill any new holes in Ripley if I can help it. No way to hide the upper screws unless I drill and tap the 1/4 in aluminum. I’ll paint them to match the body. The latches supposedly came from a Scrambler, neat.
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Posted this in the build section but I just about finished one of my Tj to Cj style hood latches. The bottom base through the fender screw is hidden under the latch, I don’t want to drill any new holes in Ripley if I can help it. No way to hide the upper screws unless I drill and tap the 1/4 in aluminum. I’ll paint them to match the body. The latches supposedly came from a Scrambler, neat.
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Love that!
 
I finally got to wiring my ARB dual air compressor to my dashboard. Now I have factory looking switches for all of my onboard toys.

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First switch is for my onboard air compressor then my the next on is for red lights in the foot wells. Then of course my KC lights on my front bumper then the next three are for my front and rear Elockers.

Plan B is my winch control ON-in-out

I know what you're thinking, You are thinking "Hey AC, where is your map light switch?"
Well that is a great question because it is here

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I have only one switch left to add. I want to add a switch somewhere that disconnects the number 4 fuse withouth pulling it, so I don't have to pull my fuse every time I remove my doors. Not exactly sure where I am going to mount that, but I was thinking in the glove box somewhere.

Almost done with this crazy project called a TJ
 
I finally got to wiring my ARB dual air compressor to my dashboard. Now I have factory looking switches for all of my onboard toys.

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First switch is for my onboard air compressor then my the next on is for red lights in the foot wells. Then of course my KC lights on my front bumper then the next three are for my front and rear Elockers.

Plan B is my winch control ON-in-out

I know what you're thinking, You are thinking "Hey AC, where is your map light switch?"
Well that is a great question because it is here

View attachment 122927

I have only one switch left to add. I want to add a switch somewhere that disconnects the number 4 fuse withouth pulling it, so I don't have to pull my fuse every time I remove my doors. Not exactly sure where I am going to mount that, but I was thinking in the glove box somewhere.

Almost done with this crazy project called a TJ
Looking good! Nice clean job.
 
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Thanks! The next part is running a hose to the front bumper. I actually ran it, but still need to plumb it. I need to drill a hole in the front bumper, but I don't have big enough drill bits with me. Too busy to get to it this week-end, but hopefully next week. I will post pics when it is finished, but that is the last part.
 
Thanks! The next part is running a hose to the front bumper. I actually ran it, but still need to plumb it. I need to drill a hole in the front bumper, but I don't have big enough drill bits with me. Too busy to get to it this week-end, but hopefully next week. I will post pics when it is finished, but that is the last part.
I put a bracket on my front bumper and attached my air chuck to that. I promise I'll get that picture to you tomorrow on how and where I mounted mine. Got side tracked with power outages and fires.
 
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I put a bracket on my front bumper and attached my air chuck to that. I promise I'll get that picture to you tomorrow on how and where I mounted mine. Got side tracked with power outages and fires.
Yeah that is amazing. You guys don't screw around with your fires. Be Safe!
 
I finally got to wiring my ARB dual air compressor to my dashboard. Now I have factory looking switches for all of my onboard toys.

View attachment 122926

First switch is for my onboard air compressor then my the next on is for red lights in the foot wells. Then of course my KC lights on my front bumper then the next three are for my front and rear Elockers.

Plan B is my winch control ON-in-out

I know what you're thinking, You are thinking "Hey AC, where is your map light switch?"
Well that is a great question because it is here

View attachment 122927

I have only one switch left to add. I want to add a switch somewhere that disconnects the number 4 fuse withouth pulling it, so I don't have to pull my fuse every time I remove my doors. Not exactly sure where I am going to mount that, but I was thinking in the glove box somewhere.

Almost done with this crazy project called a TJ
What year is your tj? My 02 times out the dome light about 10 seconds. Ran all summer doorless. Dome light always timed out.
 
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Did a Tom woods SYE advanced adapters kit. Still need to tweak the control arms, now I have an issue where the motor wants to stall out while driving ya can read up in that in my latest post. But here are photos of the sye.

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I just started my install last night. Ordered the Advance adapters and Tom woods shaft as well. Looks like you did the install with transfer case in the Jeep? How’d that go? Any other advice you can give?
 
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My gmc high sierra hood springs came yesterday so today I’ve wire brushed them to clean them up. A temporary proof of concept as one was enough to support my tonneau. I had to turn them around though, they flex enough to allow my cover to slide up against the cab. I’ll use the screw that they are jammed against for the top anchor and I’ll have to make an angle and base for the bottom.
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