05 LJR picked up cheaply

Ardenlonewolf

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
106
Location
Kittery, ME
Hello all, decided to start a link for my 05 LJR. So there I was at work,on Craiglist looking at jeeps when I already had a nice 1998 jeep Sahara with 65,000 miles. Saw this ad, didn't think much about it until a few days after decided to contact the seller just for kicks. The guy selling it had a lot full of cars that come and go out of auctions, mostly junk. He didn't know much about jeeps, he just knew to look at the frame for rust. I've had 4 TJ's before this so I knew I was looking at a unicorn with potential. As I was test driving the LJR he pointed at the locker button and asked me what that does? I said it turns off the traction control like a honda lol. It also had a ARB onboard compressor under the hood that he pointed at and asked me what it was? Later I was even able to point the factory frame patch on the drivers side and tell him it had been "patched"! I knew it was from the factory but I wanted to haggle the best price.
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I ended up trading my 98 sahara plus $2000 cash and took this 2005 LJR home with a 165,000 miles.
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This one did have a clean 2 owner carfax and clean title. It does have some rust on the doors but a clean frame and axles, not sure how that happened? crappy repair job from PO. Since then just about everything has gone through on it. Clutch, flex plate, throw out bearing, rear main seal, valve cover gasket, radiator, fan clutch, water pump, thermostat, starter, o2 sensors, etc but after a few months I got it running and driving pretty reliably changing all fluids, spark plugs, and bunch of preventative maintenance as I go to remote places in Maine and don't want to be stranded.

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It came with a few goodies, 1.25 body lift installed, ARB onboard air compressor, cb radio, metal cloak fenders front and rear.
 
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I've never been a fan of those tops honestly, but that's just me. I actually think the factory hardtop looks great on these TJ Unlimited models. Probably because of the vertically thinner window on them.
 
So I took advantage of some black friday sales and picked up the following that are starting to arrive in different boxes.

Metal Cloak double adjustable upper/lower front and rear control arms
Metal cloak adjustable front/rear track bars
HD cross over steering system
Front dif skid plate
JKS rear coil over spring adjustable spacer (help with rear sag from extra weight)
UCF transfer case skid plate for tummy tuck

I have 2.5 Rough country lift springs and rancho shocks for 2-3 inch lift that I threw on quickly after purchasing it, but now that I've sunk some money in control arms and track bars, I've been looking closely at getting better springs. trying to decide between 3-4 inch springs but looking closely at Rock Krawler 3.5 triple rate springs.

future mods after the winter will be to install all this, dial in the suspension
then move on to the rear of the body to improve departure clearance, I'd like to cut off the reese tow hitch, junk the rear factory bumper and save up for a high clearance swing out rear bumper that can hold some jerry cans while still tow a 1500lb trailer.
 
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I've never been a fan of those tops honestly, but that's just me. I actually think the factory hardtop looks great on these TJ Unlimited models. Probably because of the vertically thinner window on them.
that does look good for sure! it just takes up a lot of room in the summer haha
 
Great LJ! I like the GR8 top. Very cool! You made out like a bandit!
 
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Back from deployment. Added a set of 35s I couldn't pass up on Craigslist, sold my 33s next day on FB. Also made an appointment with Steve's jeep county, NH to get my metalcloak 3.5 lift l, double adjustable control arms, HD cross over steering kit and UCF skid plate next month.
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Today it was 8 degrees, going to the carwash down block when it gets above freezing and putting her away till June.
 
Back from deployment. Added a set of 35s I couldn't pass up on Craigslist, sold my 33s next day on FB. Also made an appointment with Steve's jeep county, NH to get my metalcloak 3.5 lift l, double adjustable control arms, HD cross over steering kit and UCF skid plate next month.
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Today it was 8 degrees, going to the carwash down block when it gets above freezing and putting her away till June.
EXACT wheel and tire combo I have... ;) And who knows, after I finish the next round of suspension mods, I might also have Metalcloak fenders. :) You're lookin' good!

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I see you have the jks acos spacers installed, I got a set for my rear. How do you like them? What size springs do you have? Beautiful jeep!
I am on the Zone 3" springs. The ACOS adds about 1.75" at it's shortest setting. In the rear, I have a coil correction pad that has a decent amount of spacer built in. I had a 1" std coil spacer in front, but I didn't like the way the spring was seated, no matter what I did, the spring was coming off at an angle. The ACOS fixed that. So, although a little expensive for what they do, I do like them. But, a 4" spring and a small coil spacer probably would have done the same.
 
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