Daily Driving a TJ

[Jacket4256]

So thinking about making my TJ my daily driver for a while.

I have a huge commute to work a whopping 7 miles one way so the drive isn’t bad at all.

I have used it last few years as a toy but driven it a lot.

If I do go down this road looking for pointers and advice from guys that have daily their Tjs.

 

[4Lo4Sho]

So thinking about making my TJ my daily driver for a while.

I have a huge commute to work a whopping 7 miles one way so the drive isn’t bad at all.

I have used it last few years as a toy but driven it a lot.

If I do go down this road looking for pointers and advice from guys that have daily their Tjs.

Howdy! I daily drive mine 3 days a week about 40miles round trip. It’s honestly a great riding vehicle even on 35’s. Fits great in parking spaces and in parking structures. I always put a club on the steering wheel when i park it in the city.

As far as mods - what i’ve liked is:

1. Cell phone mount
2. Bluetooth upgrade for stock radio
3. Roll cage grab handles or a cage like a Rockhard4x4 kit with handles.
4. Contigo or other travel mug with a watertight lid (some freeway sections can get a bit bouncy)

That’s about it!

 

[C.J. Roberts]

I DDed mine from 2015 until now. I retired in 2021, but until then every day. Every day now too, just not to work. Do whatever gets you comfortable to DD it. Good lights, even for city driving. Same for tires and brakes. A decent stereo is always a Fine Thing, and if it bluetooths to your phone for Hands Free that's a bonus.
Rear view mirrors are essential to see the jackass and your tail.

 

[blamc70]

I changed out my shocks to Ranchos, to give me the best on-road ride. They needed to be swapped out anyway, and from everything I read these would be a good choice. I have been very happy with them and the ride. Definitely better than what I have had on my last 2 Jeeps.

I also installed a double din head unit with Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, as well as a backup camera. That has all been very handy.

 

[John Cooper]

I daily drive mine 80 miles round trip.

I got this off Amazon for hands free and also playing Spotify through my phone.

I enjoy daily driving my TJ. It's like a breath of fresh air to and from work.

 

[red02tj]

Don’t forget a semi-regular longer/highway drive to make sure it has time to run at full operating temps.

 

[Morks]

Have DD mine past 4 years, 100k km plus... Building it while driving it is sort of a pain in the ass lol. Lots of CDs and you should be good!

 

[tworley]

I dd'd mine from 2014 to 2021. For the last three years I was driving 80 miles a day.

Creature comforts help. I have heated seats, Bluetooth, and a lockable box to keep everything in.

Otherwise keep it up to par-fluids, brakes, etc...it was just fine.

But now with a different DD, I can't imagine driving the TJ as a daily again

 

[D's Jeep Wrld]

Have DD mine past 4 years, 100k km plus... Building it while driving it is sort of a pain in the ass lol. Lots of CDs and you should be good!

Man tell me about it,daily driving while building sucks
I drive 92 miles a day and i like to maintain my jeep but it adds up....enough to where it just eats my plans for upgrades in a financial standpoint
Coulda gotten a prius but..... "Me lik bOx, bred bOx gO vrOom,Me like vrOom,mE hapy....." And my Mpg's are gonna get far worse once i build another 4.0 with a bigger cam along with a "ported" head ect.

So thinking about making my TJ my daily driver for a while.

I have a huge commute to work a whopping 7 miles one way so the drive isn’t bad at all.

I have used it last few years as a toy but driven it a lot.

If I do go down this road looking for pointers and advice from guys that have daily their Tjs.

Here's some pointers !

• Keep them tires balanced, it can cause death wobble if they're bad which happened to me since it doesn't help i chunked up my tires from crawling! I got new wheels and tires now and they are silky smooth, It helps that my Ball joints and my whole steering and trackbar stuff is good too !
• Keep your steering joints greased with your grease of choice ! I use "Lucas RedNtacky ,Ball joints ,U-Joints and if you have aftermarket arms&trackbars keep them greased as well if they're designed for that matter
• Keep track of those oil changes and all the fluids all around really, brake servicing intervals ,make sure all your joints are free of excess play check for worn out bushings on the control arms etc.
• Keep some spare Throttle postion,cam posistion,crank position sensors handy since they can and will leave you stranded at times cause it happenned to me twice with my TPS from moisture ! rest have treated me fine though, Note i dont have a spare MAP sensor though
• uhmm......oh have some tools, I.e adjustable wrench, torx keys since jeeps use them alot! Some screwdrivers,zipties and things of that matter !
• OH! And if you like to hoon around alot doing donuts and drifts like me and others i bet, You can hang onto limiter for minutes on end but don't expect your stock motor to last forever Them piston sideskirts will bite ya like they did to me , Still my jeep runs like a top but i can hear my piston/s just rattling around for the past 3 weeks or so So forged internals are coming up sometime this year, or a cheap jeep that i can drive around for a bit.....idk

And if anyone here has something to add i'd like to see what you say I've only driven my Jeep about 30k miles

This stuff is optional really for how small your drive is, but none the less its still nice to have !

• Creature comfort stuff
• I'd want a decent phone mount i.e "67 Designs" which is what i have and i like it so far ! I gotta be careful taking my phone off since if i pull in a certain manner my bezel will fall, The magnet is pretty strong to say the least
• I'd do an aftermarket radio if you want Carplay or Android auto in which im gonna do a double din since i have one laying around! And some decent speakers as well
• Another thing if you have a louder exhaust or not, Is to put some Sound deadner ( i used the Summit Racing brand ) and put it on the fenderwells on the inside of the tub and floor/rear cargo area to help quiet down that road noise and exchaust drone ! My next step is to put some inside the door to see if that helps but that'll later down the road for me for when i upgrade my audio system.
• Note i didnt put any sound deadner on that flat cargo area as im always hauling some stuff in the back of my jeep so later on i plan on doing lizard skin and some sort of bedliner ontop to be tougher to handle the scratching/scuffing i'll cause

Excuse my rambling, once i get to typing i just keep going and going but if it helps, it helps

 

[bigjeffb]

I daily drive mine 80 miles round trip.

I got this off Amazon for hands free and also playing Spotify through my phone.
View attachment 509777


I enjoy daily driving my TJ. It's like a breath of fresh air to and from work.

Hearing that there is someone else out there with an 80 mile RT commute, and is able to do it in a TJ warms my heart and gives me hope

 

[John Cooper]

Hearing that there is someone else out there with an 80 mile RT commute, and is able to do it in a TJ warms my heart and gives me hope

I have made roughly the same commute since 1987, not the same job as I have had several in that time, in CJ's, lifted Broncos 74 - 96, a 76 F250 high boy on 40's, 78 - 06 lifted F150's, a couple of FoxBody Mustngs and 3 TJ's.

The Stang's were the fastest and most fun, both had stroked SBF in them, 84 with a stroked 427 SBF and a 92 with a 347 SBF.

Out of the rest the TJ's are the most satisfying year round DD I have ever owned. Top down fun in the summer and top up fun in the winter!!!!!!

 

[MikekiM]

I've been DD'ng mine for a few years. Once you have it dialed in, it's a blast to drive. Steering components, brakes, suspension..

I never listen to the radio. Just can't be bothered with it.

• Seat risers,
• heated seats,
• B&M Short Shift,
• Bestop InstaTrunk and under seat security draw,
• roll bar grab handles
• Leather wrap the steering wheel with added padding
• Tons of switches to play with

...all make it more fun and comfortable.

Impatiently waiting on upgrading the brakes.


The mpg sucks.

Other than that, just get in and drive!

 

[Jacket4256]

thanks for all the replies and pointers, when I drive the TJ for some fun with the little one or a brake from my DD now. I always kinda sit back and think should I just drive this everyday instead.

I just put a new soft top on it and that has made a world of difference, it does have some m\t on it right now which may get switched out for something less aggressive kinda quick if I do the switch, and the radio needs to be fixed, since the person who had it before me was terrible at wiring.

 

[AndyG]

I’d do it in a heart beat-

I drive an F 250 to tow my work trailer but on pretty afternoons get the TJ or LJ to go on appointments - because I love to drive a jeep, it is fun.

Heated seats and a big screen with audible and carplay make a nice combo...

The only bad thing about driving a jeep to work is you have to go to work. The good thing about driving a jeep to work is driving a jeep to work.

My welcoming committee likes it too-

 

[Jacket4256]

I’d do it in a heart beat-

I drive an F 250 to tow my work trailer but on pretty afternoons get the TJ or LJ to go on appointments - because I love to drive a jeep, it is fun.

Heated seats and a big screen with audible and carplay make a nice combo...

The only bad thing about driving a jeep to work is you have to go to work. The good thing about driving a jeep to work is driving a jeep to work.

My welcoming committee likes it too-

View attachment 509852

View attachment 509854

sweet looking babies, how was the install on the double din ? Mine had a single din with a old as dirt cheap cd player that hardly works, that would be a first project for me if I do go down this road which I am leaning more and more towards it. I am a podcast listener type of person so was not sure if I wanted to go with a Bluetooth type option or a big nice double din.

 

[AndyG]

sweet looking babies, how was the install on the double din ? Mine had a single din with a old as dirt cheap cd player that hardly works, that would be a first project for me if I do go down this road which I am leaning more and more towards it. I am a podcast listener type of person so was not sure if I wanted to go with a Bluetooth type option or a big nice double din.

Thanks, Heelers are amazing dogs. Slightly bipolar maybe.


I had a big double din misconception- I thought guys were just forcing them to happen, that it was just not a good idea for a TJ as it was too big.

I was off base- for years I thought it was a cram - Thinking you had to radically modify the dash innards, etc-

After doing it was like “what you so long to see the light Andy”

Plug and play, the Sony XAV -AX 3200 requires no trimming of the plastic cross piece- the bezel is better than stock. Crutchfield is your best source possibly.

I totally love it- listening to Garrison Keillor now, chilling, at a drive through.

I set it up to stream video too.

 

[MikekiM]

The only bad thing about driving a jeep to work is you have to go to work. The good thing about driving a jeep to work is driving a jeep to work.

Having to contend with Jeep Hair once you get there.

 

[James9100]

I’ve got a company truck so I don’t daily my TJ but it is what I drive for all my personal use.
Biggest thing for me is the lack of cargo room, I can barely fit a bag of dog food between the rear seat and gate (I keep the rear seat down as I often have passengers). I’ve actually thought about starting to keep my eyes out for an LJ as that would be very useable for me.

That said if you’re able to take out the rear seats, and don’t care about wind noise, lack of creature comforts, or poor fuel mileage I think it’s a perfectly awesome DD.

 

[Jacket4256]

Having to contend with Jeep Hair once you get there.

what hair lol

 

[Rickyd]

Thanks, Heelers are amazing dogs. Slightly bipolar maybe.


I had a big double din misconception- I thought guys were just forcing them to happen, that it was just not a good idea for a TJ as it was too big.

I was off base- for years I thought it was a cram - Thinking you had to radically modify the dash innards, etc-

After doing it was like “what you so long to see the light Andy”

Plug and play, the Sony XAV -AX 3200 requires no trimming of the plastic cross piece- the bezel is better than stock. Crutchfield is your best source possibly.

I totally love it- listening to Garrison Keillor now, chilling, at a drive through.

I set it up to stream video too.

Audible is great for longer drives