2006 LJR Incident Report

Sea Cot

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
May 2, 2019
Messages
824
Location
S.E. MI
From '94-'07 I was an avid Jeep hobbyist to say the least. In '07 I sold everything Jeep I had acquired and sidelined the hobby/lifestyle anticipating the arrival of our 2nd child. In 2016, I got the bug again and went shopping. Finally in Dec 2016, a week before Christmas, I drove home my 2006 LJR.

The twice-removed previous owner had an incident which lead to the LJ making its way to auction. The LJ lived in Texas, a few southern states, and a brief stint in Pennsylvania during its life. This pic shows the LJ in the condition as the previous owner acquired it. Astute readers will have noticed the rare and highly(?) desirable 235/75R16 Yartu all-season tires.

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The previous owner fixed & flipped Jeeps, so this was an easy repair for them. They had a light khaki TJR with rear damage, so they moved the front clip to the LJR. I found the ad on eBay in Oct 2016. The next series of pics show the state of the LJ in the ads: '06, NSG370, 160k miles, salvage Kentucky title. The October auction listing price was ~$13,500.

The PO bought and installed a new Rugged Ridge soft top with tinted windows, new windshield, new 2.5" Rough Country springs, shocks, & steering stabilizer, the bumper monstrosity and Badlands winch adorning the front, and installed the DC2s w/ 33x12.50x15 BFG ATs from elsewhere in their inventory. The PO coated the fender flares, rocker guards, and nerf bars in Rhino liner.

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Sweet, sweet Yartu spare makin' followers jealous.
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Dirty, dirty interior.
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From October-Dec, I stalked the auction. The price was reduced at every re-listing. After all, Christmas was approaching. By early December the list price had dropped to $9500 and ended unsuccessfully. Who the hell buys salvage Jeeps a just before Christmas? I do. I contacted the seller, did the price dance and agreed to $9000. I bought a one-way flight to Kentucky, brought my then 11-yo son on a companion ticket, and had my friend pick us up ad take us to the shop.

The day before I left for Kentucky, the seller called and offered to include a hard top for an extra $2k. I countered with trading the bumper, winch, and DC2s/ATs for the hard top and stock wheels. The seller accepted the deal, so yay hard top!

The LJ tested out and drove as I expected, so the seller's ad was accurate. The Yartus wouldn't balance and were not in any reasonable condition to endure a 6hr drive back to MI. The DC2s were included in the sale. My son and I hit the road in a beater Jeep with crappy heater and candle-powered headlights. We made it home without issue.

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Now on to pissing away years of saved discretionary income. . .
 
2017 Mods.

The first order of business was a thorough cleaning and replacing the heater core.
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Second order of business was a clutch and RMS job. The throw-out bearing was noisy. I bought a new flywheel, clutch kit, and TOB anticipating the worst. Turns out, the clutch was like-new but someone cheaped out on the TOB. I installed the new stuff anyways and keep the good used parts as spares. . . because hoarder.
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Next order of business was sorting most everything out. New Mopar radiator, hoses, t-stat, water pump, tensioner, idler, plugs, all fluids, and an OPDA because the internet convinced me they are the devil. Then came the mini-cats, catalytic converter, and Flowmaster. AGM battery, a Rubi locker pump, a Rubi locker bladder. A multi-function switch (turn signals, wiper). After that, it was time for attitude and altitude.

On attitude: bought a Warn Zeon 8-S from a guy who was trading in his lease JK. Attempted to melt the credit card by purchasing Truck-lite LED headlights and road lights, BedTread front & rear floor covers, LOD rear bumper & tire carrier, JVC head unit, speaker pods, and JVC speakers, Bartact front seat covers w/ heated seats, Trail Armor (close out sale) rear seat cover, Cobra CB, Warn winch interrupt solenoid, the SPOD thingy, Rubi locker switch mod, fog light mod, moved Rubi pumps under the hood, and probably some other trinkets and crap that I'm not recalling. I scraped off the Unlimited sticker and other dealer stickers because I'm somewhat picky.

On altitude: I bought MetalCloak's 3.5" LTSA ARB system, Savvy Under Armor, Savvy body lift, MORE 1" motor mounts, relocated the rear upper coil mount, Novak cable t-case shifter, Tom Woods rear DS, extended OEM front DS.

Suspension lift, no body lift on 33s. The suspension is installed, but not squared or aligned in this pic.
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I knew I wanted 35s and Moabs so the DC2s got sold. I found a nice set of (5) '06 Moabs for cheap, plus I had a 6th the spare Yartu rode in on.

So, here we are all tummy tucked up, while sitting on 315/75 KM2 ala '06 Moab w/ 1.25" Spidertrax spacers.
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More driveway poser shots ~March '17.
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Danglin' tailpipe is long gone. . .
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Went playin' in the woods up north mid-April. No issues to report. (avatar pic)
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And finally go to pop the top in late April.
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I eventually installed the Blue Monkey speedo doo-dad, and DiTech OffRoad's mirror relocation brackets.
 
2017 saw many naked Jeep days as weather allowed. It certainly makes the 60mi r/t commute more enjoyable. Come November, it was time to put it in hibernation during salt season. 35s and stock brakes suck, so I warmed up the credit card and picked up BMB front and rear rotors, front and rear pads, and the clever parking brake brackets. Before I had a chance, or found motivation, toximus decided to part with his BMB/Vanco Super 16" system. So, I helped him clear space of that and some BMB swaybar relocation brackets. I also picked up a Currectlync kit. A local buyer quickly, and gladly bought my front BMB parts.

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Strangely, these were the only mods in 2018. It was another year of fair-weather driving and racking up ~3k miles per year since.

The LJ has factory gearing which in flat-as-hell SE MI is becoming annoying. The LJ is one-finger driveable at 75-80mph on the fine MI interstates, and there is no hint of bump steer or wandering. The LJ is a pleasure to drive and has not exhibited the signs of evil attributed with the 6spd, OPDA, and other "features" of this model year.

I have a few parts to install- rear bumper lights (should have ordered bumper without 'em, but stupid. . but SPOD makes it easy), AntiRock front system thanks to Amazon sale impulse buy, BMB's frame nutsert kit, and the twin ARB compressor (haven't decided on location). The OEM diff covers will eventually go back on because live & learn minor Currectlync clearance issues with aftermarket covers.

At the moment, I'm in spreadsheet hell trying to decide on a regear and replace the OEM rear locker plan. Labor estimates I've consistently receive have been at least $500 per axle. All-things-considered, the thought of buying RJ44s and offing my Rubi 44s, pumps (would help with ARB compressor mounting), and switches is very, very tempting. Garage entry restrictions, my desire to keep the crotch of my pants, and my preference for full fender/body Jeeps mean 35s are the limit.

Like everyone else across the midwest, I'm hoping the weather dries and convertible weather driving arrives to clear whatever mod stupidity is running though the brain.

To be continued. . .
 
Very nice.

How do you like the Bed Tread flooring? Was it an improvement over carpet as far as heat and noise suppression?

I have that same LOD bumper/tire carrier and I love it. I got the halogen light kit that LOD sells for it (I believe it’s listed as for a JK). I found an XJ Cherokee fog light switch on eBay that is like the Wrangler rocker switches. I wired it up and put it in an empty slot on my center dash so it all kind of looks factory.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...rear-bumper-tire-carrier-info-and-pics.15497/
 
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I cannot figure out the reasoning behind the 6 top coils being stacked on top of each other, with no space between them...

Basically, they are like helper springs. So compress fully in normal use and expand when you use travel to stop the springs unseating. I'm sure Metalcloak talk of downward pressure when extended.

Those with them, seem to like them.
 
. . . How do you like the Bed Tread flooring? Was it an improvement over carpet as far as heat and noise suppression?

I'm quite satisfied with it. The LJ was missing the front carpets, though it had the rear set. In that regard, the noise and heat attenuation were immediate with the hard top on. I owned a '97 TJ from '97-'01 so I remember the OEM carpets. I owned a few CJs that had textured and smooth bedliners, so I knew I didn't want to go that route again.

I like the BedTred product because it's padded and easy to clean. Last month on a Jeep trip, I found a 3' deep water hole and flooded the interior. I removed the floor coverings, cleaned 'em off, and hung 'em to dry out for a couple days. That was convenient.

The only nag I have with 'em is that the fitment at the transition from front to rear floor pan isn't that great. It's a tricky spot that is mostly out of sight, out of mind.

I have that same LOD bumper/tire carrier and I love it. . . . .

Agreed. No squeaks, rattles, shimmys, or shakes so far, which was a big concern based on what I observed with similar bought and built systems.
 
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Over the weekend I installed 4 of 6 BMB's nutserts. The rear most OEM nuts were stripped which initiated the project. The front most nuts were accessible with the Savvy skid plate off. I left the mid nuts off at this time because the mid nuts are fine and I'll save that job for a rainy day. When I remove brackets, I'll likely clean and repaint them because OCD.

With the skid plate off, I wire wheel'd the contact areas on the frame rail. The below pics are of the worst section- driver side behind the middle nutsert. I painted the sections with Rustoleum automotive spray.

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OEM nutserts were quickly removed with a sharpened air chisel. I managed to fish 3 of 4 nuts out of the frame rails by using a Milwaukee boroscope, flexible, and telescoping magnets. I'll get the 4th eventually.

No pics, but new inserts were installed per BMB's instructions. I removed the paint from the contact points of the skid plate and rear cross member, and consumed a can of Rustoleum primer and paint on both. I didn't want to leave a 1/4 can of paint and primer in the storage cabinet. After the paint dried, everything was buttoned up a torqued.

While I was under there, I adjusted the parking brake. What a difference that made. . . .
 
Over the weekend I installed 4 of 6 BMB's nutserts. The rear most OEM nuts were stripped which initiated the project. The front most nuts were accessible with the Savvy skid plate off. I left the mid nuts off at this time because the mid nuts are fine and I'll save that job for a rainy day. When I remove brackets, I'll likely clean and repaint them because OCD.

With the skid plate off, I wire wheel'd the contact areas on the frame rail. The below pics are of the worst section- driver side behind the middle nutsert. I painted the sections with Rustoleum automotive spray.

View attachment 97538

View attachment 97539

OEM nutserts were quickly removed with a sharpened air chisel. I managed to fish 3 of 4 nuts out of the frame rails by using a Milwaukee boroscope, flexible, and telescoping magnets. I'll get the 4th eventually.

No pics, but new inserts were installed per BMB's instructions. I removed the paint from the contact points of the skid plate and rear cross member, and consumed a can of Rustoleum primer and paint on both. I didn't want to leave a 1/4 can of paint and primer in the storage cabinet. After the paint dried, everything was buttoned up a torqued.

While I was under there, I adjusted the parking brake. What a difference that made. . . .
Nice job. It looks like the frame is still in good shape under all that.
 
Nice job. It looks like the frame is still in good shape under all that.

The frame is rock solid. The boroscope showed smooth, clean metal inside the frame rails. I have two cans of Eastwood's internal frame coating waiting to be applied when summer weather arrives. I want to apply the stuff on the cleanest and most dry surface possible, which isn't possible in the cool and wet weather we have now.
 
Nice Job on that LJ! You really did melt the credit card a couple years ago. As a fellow Michigan TJ owner, I definitely hear you on top down season to purge the Crazy ideas in your head. For me, it gives me about 8 months of planning, and 4 months of thrashing...Hopefully I'll get my pig to the point I want in the next couple seasons, so it can just go in storage and I can do other fun stuff in my garage, like an old CJ, or a Meyers Manx.
 
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Nice Job on that LJ! You really did melt the credit card a couple years ago. As a fellow Michigan TJ owner, I definitely hear you on top down season to purge the Crazy ideas in your head. For me, it gives me about 8 months of planning, and 4 months of thrashing...Hopefully I'll get my pig to the point I want in the next couple seasons, so it can just go in storage and I can do other fun stuff in my garage, like an old CJ, or a Meyers Manx.

In a previous Jeel life I was in builder hell- way too many hours in the shop instead of behind the wheel. Today I really enjoy having a turn-key vehicle I can enjoy at a moment's notice. Not to mention a backup if one of our daily's goes down. That helps keep crazy at bay. Since it's a fair weather only ride upgrades are planned out before and are scheduled during the road salt season.
 
In a previous Jeel life I was in builder hell- way too many hours in the shop instead of behind the wheel. Today I really enjoy having a turn-key vehicle I can enjoy at a moment's notice. Not to mention a backup if one of our daily's goes down. That helps keep crazy at bay. Since it's a fair weather only ride upgrades are planned out before and are scheduled during the road salt season.
Agree. I went down the rabbit hole with a couple motorcycles...I ended up selling them incomplete for a LOT less than I had into them. The jeep has been pretty good to me, from a project standpoint. I set a date that I need to have it done by, and stick to it. Its a good motivator. I also try not to take on more than I think I can accomplish by that date. This winter is going to be tough tho... Planning to pull the tub, fix some rust on it and the frame, then a respray. Since I've already had a LOT of it apart, I should be able to pull it off in 6 months. I have a Moab trip in the early planning stages for Late May next year, so If I start right after hunting season, I should be golden.
 
Almost one year later. . . .

I finally made a few decisions about LJ mods. In this pic, the ARB compressor is mounted atop the Mountain Off-road mount and the relocated OEM Rubicon pumps are on the ABS tray.

Arb Compressor.jpg


After months of deliberation and waiting for deals, I finally made an appointment to have Yukon 4.88s w/ ARBs front & rear installed. installation date is in one week. That meant I had some prep work to do.

Out came the Rubicon pumps & underbody wiring. I marked the ABS tray for the compressor mounting pattern and drilled plate. I cut a notch along one flange to clear the compressor frame. The ABS tray was placed in position then the hole locations were transferred to the fender support and more holes were drilled. This pic shows the ABS tray in position with ARB's mounting grommets stuffed in place.
ARB Compressor2.jpg



This was a very tight fit which required loosening the clutch master cylinder to get the unit in position. Today concluded with the compressor securely mounted and the power lead cable routed to the battery.

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Next on the list is to mount the air manifold, attach locker solenoids and wire to the SPOD, extend the compressor control wires, run the air line leads to the axles, and reposition the SPOD back to its normal mounting location.
 
Looks great!! Where do you have the remote fill for the arb exiting?
 
The manifold mounting location will cause the leader hose to sit over the port. For now i intend to pick up a 90* fitting and put the air inflator coupling off the 90. The plan for the locker solenoids is to attach them to the bottom of the manifold. That'll at least allow the lockers to get hooked up & tested for install.