Free, cheap, & low cost mods for your Jeep Wrangler TJ

[bbaldwin237]

This has been a great thread to find! I need to do the repair on my gear indicator and the door handle swap is genius!

 

[JMT]

This has been a great thread to find! I need to do the repair on my gear indicator and the door handle swap is genius!

Why swap the door handle? In one week of ownership you’ll be used to it. Factory did it that way so they wouldn’t get hung on a branch or rock and open the door.

 

[MikekiM]

This has been a great thread to find! I need to do the repair on my gear indicator and the door handle swap is genius!

I've had the door handle flip on my radar for years. Just doesn't seem to have the ROI tome it worth the time.

 

[bbaldwin237]

I've had the door handle flip on my radar for years. Just doesn't seem to have the ROI tome it worth the time.

This is probably where it will be for me. Seems genius, but I probably won't do it until I find myself needing to go into the door for some reason.

Why swap the door handle? In one week of ownership you’ll be used to it. Factory did it that way so they wouldn’t get hung on a branch or rock and open the door.

Honestly, the risk of something catching it and opening don't concern me too much. If that's the risk, whatever branch or rock is probably far more likely to kick up and come through the open window or go through the soft top. Either way, a bad day! The handles take some effort to open and I'm not bombing down roads where something is likely to catch it. If there's debris of that risk then I'm going slow, and again, that isn't MY top concern.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I flipped my door handles when I replaced the rusted ones with new from Crown. Took a little bit of bending the rods but was easy.

 

[ragdoll]

Thanks to @Eddie Greenlee for this thread suggestion and for the initial items to add to this list.

What I'd like to do here is create a master thread of all the free, cheap, and low cost mods you've come up with for your Jeep Wrangler TJ. If you have something, respond to this thread, and I'll update the original post with your suggestions. I think this will be helpful to those of us on a budget, and also useful for those of us who just want something to do in our spare time.

Here's the list so far:

1. Extended front brake lines (from a 1995 Jeep Wrangler YJ): $20
2. LED replacement bulb for back up lights: $21.00
3. Extended rear brake lines: $30.00
4. Flip the visors from drivers and passenger sides so you don't have to stare at the warning labels when they are up. Just slide them off and back on again on the opposite side: FREE
5. Flip your rear view mirror upside down to raise it up and give you a better view over the spare tire: FREE
6. Daystar dash tray: $20
7. Alien Sunshade: $75
8. Removing those metal plugs out of the drain channels so your TJ can actually drain water in ALL footwells. Replace them with the JK floor plugs and you have useful plugs now! $1 each
9. Hardtop quick release screws: $9
10. Removing bumper end caps (milk jugs): FREE
11. In cab winch controls: $10-20
12. Upgrading underhood light: $23
13. Bypass switch for the 4 Low locker restriction: $20 (Rubicon models only)
14. GraBars grab handles: $86 (get these ones, not the cheap, Chinese junk ones)
15. Trailer spring bumper shackles: $10
16. Dome light toggle switch: $35

I always had a hard time unhooking the sides of my soft top I made myself little pull tabs (I call Stirrups)
I cut strips of leather and sewed them on. I used a needle/ thread for leather work. I only needed about 6 stitches.
They are attached to the piece of extra material that is there to help unstuck the sides, but mine had been cut when they installed the Adventure Top.
Now, I just pull the tab up and out and they come untucked with no effort at all. It's been 3 or 4 years, still hanging in their.

 

[MikekiM]

I always had a hard time unhooking the sides of my soft top I made myself little pull tabs (I call Stirrups)
I cut strips of leather and sewed them on. I used a needle/ thread for leather work. I only needed about 6 stitches.
They are attached to the piece of extra material that is there to help unstuck the sides, but mine had been cut when they installed the Adventure Top.
Now, I just pull the tab up and out and they come untucked with no effort at all. It's been 3 or 4 years, still hanging in their.

View attachment 465889

I've had three TrekTop NX over the years and never knew what that little tab was for. Someone enlightened me about a year ago and.. holy smokes, my fingertips are thankful!