Is it leaking down between the oil pan and the bell housing? If so, it’s likely either the valve cover or the rear main seal. Cross your fingers it’s the former
Is it leaking down between the oil pan and the bell housing? If so, it’s likely either the valve cover or the rear main seal. Cross your fingers it’s the former
OP
Sure is. Yeah, I’ve been putting off really looking into it for fear that it’s the RMS. Let me just enjoy this thing for a few weeks first…Is it leaking down between the oil pan and the bell housing? If so, it’s likely either the valve cover or the rear main seal. Cross your fingers it’s the former
OP
Installed Alien Shade, looks like it'll work fine.
Ordered BedRug front & back, seat risers, some other little stuff.
Started developing a template for a rear deck behind the rear seat. I'm imagining two side modules that will surround the roll bars and stay installed 95% of the time (sheet aluminum, diamond plate I guess) and a large 3/4" plywood deck spanning between them that can come out whenever I need the space. Photos to come.
Ordered BedRug front & back, seat risers, some other little stuff.
Started developing a template for a rear deck behind the rear seat. I'm imagining two side modules that will surround the roll bars and stay installed 95% of the time (sheet aluminum, diamond plate I guess) and a large 3/4" plywood deck spanning between them that can come out whenever I need the space. Photos to come.
OP
The LJR got its inspection sticker today. Still waiting on a solid battery tie-down with J-bolts. I ended up using a nylon cam strap in the meantime.
With some travel coming up, I doubt I'll be able to do much of the interior work with the parts that are going to start coming in until maybe mid-June.
With some travel coming up, I doubt I'll be able to do much of the interior work with the parts that are going to start coming in until maybe mid-June.
OP
Fancy $11 Amazon battery tie-down went on today. I think I'd like to make some sort of rash guard out of Kydex or ABS sheet to protect these harnesses from constantly rubbing on the edge of the battery. I must have some scrap laying around.
Did you have to drill the tray to accept those long j-hooks or whatever they’re called that the wing nuts are screwed onto?
OP
NO, actually! What I did was I ordered a Crown replacement battery tray (p/n 55174728AB) from a '97-'04 TJ:
...and then I ordered the aftermarket tie-down with 8" J-bolts. I didn't want to use the newer-style wedge hold-down for two reasons:
- They suck
- The original tray was corroded enough to warrant a replacement
OP
I can't take credit - I got the idea from this video. Contrary to what he says about the cheap-o Amazon mount, though, my battery won't budge even 1/8" inch after installing it hand tight with wing nuts. And I didn't have to cut down the bolts since I ordered them in an 8" length.
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A loose battery is one of the very top trail issues , according to legendary off road guy Mark Smith.
OP
Makes sense... it doesn't take much rocking to wiggle the battery loose, especially with that POS wedge hold-down. I consider it $42 well-spent.
I can guarantee you that you will. I’ve had some of the best times in my life in one of these.
OP
A little confession here... I got this thing cheap. Me being a generally cheap dude, I saw it and thought, "I can totally flip that thing and make some money." I wasn't even 50/50 on keeping it. So, I bought the LJR thinking I was only going to have it for a little while. I've heard about the leaky RMS and the janky 6-speed in the later years, and I figured it's a hassle I don't need. But... seeing the face of my young kid when he's riding in it makes me want to see him drive it 10 years from now. And between now and then, I know we're all going to really enjoy it. I'm starting to think about which plans we have this summer that I can adjust for the smaller packing footprint, and making new plans around rides in the Jeep.
If it takes some upkeep, so be it. I've put a bunch of money so far into replacement & upgraded parts, but I like making it my own and I'm not upside down... yet.
A little confession here... I got this thing cheap. Me being a generally cheap dude, I saw it and thought, "I can totally flip that thing and make some money." I wasn't even 50/50 on keeping it. So, I bought the LJR thinking I was only going to have it for a little while. I've heard about the leaky RMS and the janky 6-speed in the later years, and I figured it's a hassle I don't need. But... seeing the face of my young kid when he's riding in it makes me want to see him drive it 10 years from now. And between now and then, I know we're all going to really enjoy it. I'm starting to think about which plans we have this summer that I can adjust for the smaller packing footprint, and making new plans around rides in the Jeep.
If it takes some upkeep, so be it. I've put a bunch of money so far into replacement & upgraded parts, but I like making it my own and I'm not upside down... yet.
A jeep is really the kind of thing you don’t know what it’s all about until you have one.
You have to experience it.
OP
Enough of the feel-good s%$&... back to your regularly-scheduled programming!
The old carpet came out in 5 minutes. All in all, the tub looks pretty good:
Saving the worst for last:
I went at it with a plastic trim removal tool and the shop vac... until the shop vac literally caught fire. It was on its last leg anyway.
The rear seat belt bolts came out pretty easy with heat. The rear seat brackets on the other hand... lots of heat, PB Blaster, and alternating with the impact (CCW and bumping CW) and the breaker bar (rocking CCW and CW), thankfully got them all out intact.
After the console comes out, I'll wire wheel where needed and degrease everywhere. I'll have some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on hand tomorrow to coat the rust in the driver side floor. I'm considering getting some Rustoleum Professional Oil-based High Performance Protective Enamel in Regal Red to do the tub... I saw a thread on here somewhere where the owner used it and it looked good. I'm open to ideas.
There's one footman loop under the rear seat that's been torn out; I will probably just put in some self-tappers and coat over them.
The full BedRug is sitting on my porch ready to go. I'm waiting on the insulation. The Savvy transfer case cable shift kit got here today. I ordered straight from Savvy and it was packed loosely in newspaper and shipped in a flat-rate USPS box that came complete with a hole punched through from the inside. It looks intact, though, so that'll go in this weekend, probably.
back to your regularly-scheduled programming!The old carpet came out in 5 minutes. All in all, the tub looks pretty good:
Saving the worst for last:
I went at it with a plastic trim removal tool and the shop vac... until the shop vac literally caught fire. It was on its last leg anyway.
The rear seat belt bolts came out pretty easy with heat. The rear seat brackets on the other hand... lots of heat, PB Blaster, and alternating with the impact (CCW and bumping CW) and the breaker bar (rocking CCW and CW), thankfully got them all out intact.
After the console comes out, I'll wire wheel where needed and degrease everywhere. I'll have some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on hand tomorrow to coat the rust in the driver side floor. I'm considering getting some Rustoleum Professional Oil-based High Performance Protective Enamel in Regal Red to do the tub... I saw a thread on here somewhere where the owner used it and it looked good. I'm open to ideas.
There's one footman loop under the rear seat that's been torn out; I will probably just put in some self-tappers and coat over them.
The full BedRug is sitting on my porch ready to go. I'm waiting on the insulation. The Savvy transfer case cable shift kit got here today. I ordered straight from Savvy and it was packed loosely in newspaper and shipped in a flat-rate USPS box that came complete with a hole punched through from the inside. It looks intact, though, so that'll go in this weekend, probably.
Gotta be the least rust on a jeep in Maine!! I’ll be stripping my interior this fall/winter and I’m scared …
How do your roll bar mounting points look? The “b pillar” ones often hold a lot of rust between the seam sealer on the interior and the typical rocker panel rust on the exterior.
How do your roll bar mounting points look? The “b pillar” ones often hold a lot of rust between the seam sealer on the interior and the typical rocker panel rust on the exterior.
OP
They look new. It’s insane. And, for what it’s worth, I bought it in NH. 
The last owner had a lot of vehicles, and there’s no sign that he drove this Jeep in the winter. The underside is entombed in applied engine oil. The frame is near spotless from what I can tell. I lucked out.
The last owner had a lot of vehicles, and there’s no sign that he drove this Jeep in the winter. The underside is entombed in applied engine oil. The frame is near spotless from what I can tell. I lucked out.
OP
I'll make this quick... the Savvy transfer case cable shift kit is in and running from 2HI to 4LO. Shortly after posting this, I went out and got to work... so, all-in, from setting foot in the garage to popping a post-shower beer, it was about 5 hours including maybe an hour of vacuuming the tub, removing the console, and other nonsense. I don't think I've ever been so happy to remove a part from a vehicle in my life:
Oh, and that little green bushing in the cardboard box... yeah, the one from the transfer case lever... that thing induced as many foul words as the upper bracket nut. I ended up slicing an open-ended wrench in half and going at it with that. Not sure Craftsman will warranty that.
I really wanted this done today so I can clean, degrease, and paint tomorrow. If I make good progress, there's no real reason why I couldn't have the Bedrug in by Sunday afternoon. It'll be a slog, but I really want to get this stuff out of the way.
Oh, and that little green bushing in the cardboard box... yeah, the one from the transfer case lever... that thing induced as many foul words as the upper bracket nut. I ended up slicing an open-ended wrench in half and going at it with that. Not sure Craftsman will warranty that.
I really wanted this done today so I can clean, degrease, and paint tomorrow. If I make good progress, there's no real reason why I couldn't have the Bedrug in by Sunday afternoon. It'll be a slog, but I really want to get this stuff out of the way.
OP
This is the condition of my inner shift boot:
I ordered the Drake D9ZZ-7138 boot to modify for installation here. The smaller bolts around the transfer case shift lever will not come out. They’re installed in nutserts that all want to spin.
I started to remove the assembly to access the top of the transfer case for that cable install, but those bolts stopped me. I’ve already put the skid plate back on… but I may end up taking it back off to remove those, especially if it makes modifying and installing that shift boot easier.
I’d anyone has insight into those bolts (sizing, nutsert installation, maybe using self-tappers instead…?) I’m all ears.
I ordered the Drake D9ZZ-7138 boot to modify for installation here. The smaller bolts around the transfer case shift lever will not come out. They’re installed in nutserts that all want to spin.
I started to remove the assembly to access the top of the transfer case for that cable install, but those bolts stopped me. I’ve already put the skid plate back on… but I may end up taking it back off to remove those, especially if it makes modifying and installing that shift boot easier.
I’d anyone has insight into those bolts (sizing, nutsert installation, maybe using self-tappers instead…?) I’m all ears.