Hello all.
I've had a few Jeeps in my past, a CJ5 and CJ7 as well as a Willys Overland Wagon. As with most, life makes us do things and those unfortunately are all Long Gone.
Fast forward to now, I just purchased a 2006 Rubicon for my daughter. Overall I am pleased with the purchase, but as I dig into it more and more, it makes me wonder what the PO actually did ( or didn't do )
I am the third owner.
It has just over 74K miles, with a few upgrades as seen in the photos. It is the 4.0 with 6 speed manual.
When I first purchased it, I was surprised how Firm and Rough it rode. I chalked it up to myself getting older and not remembering how my CJs rode. Me being me, I started cleaning up everything and checking all driveline parts in greater detail. The first was greasing all the Zirk fittings throughout the suspension and that alone made a HUGE difference in ride quality. That made me start looking at the rest of the Jeep.
I also replaced the OPDA as a precautionary. The one pulled out didn't show signs of wear but peace of mind for my daughters vehicle is what I am striving for.
2 major issues are still left for me.
1st is the 4 wheel drive light is on. The PO stated he went through a washed out rode filled with mud and debris in 4 wheel drive and when he went to place it back in 2wd the light remained on. That was over 2 years ago. He was only using the Jeep for hunting and fishing trips and did not put a lot of miles on it. He assumed it was mud in the sensor switch. I ordered a new Transfer Case switch and am hoping it is the issue. Any Insight otherwise ??
2nd issue is there is a slight whine that is RPM driven. It is not from the motor, but noticed when the wheels are turning. ( It has the sound of a speedometer cable that is worn in an older car, or a Ground that you can hear in your radio that goes up and down with the RPM of the vehicle. )
The sound is noticeable by both myself and my daughter, and it appears it is coming from up front. I thought it was on the Pass side, and my daughter thought drivers side.
I am wondering if its the drive shaft ? Wheel Bearings ? U Joints ?? WORST fear … Transmission ???
There is also a harmonic DRONE and very slight vibration from the rear when the Jeep is on the Freeway. I am thinking it could be the U joints, tires, or drive shaft issue, but wanted to ask here if anyone had some insight. This is the least of my concern compared to the other 2 issues.
My plans are to change all the fluids. I read on this forum all the suggested brands and amounts, so My Amazon order is long and adding up. I wanted to order the U Joints also, but its confusing on the chart what I need. Plus, according to a buddy, it appears the suspension has been changed from stock which makes me more concerned on getting the correct parts.
Once I can get all of this taken care of, I plan on just watching my daughter enjoy the Jeep experience. So far, she is absolutely loving it. And that is from the days of learning to drive a manual ! Her favorite part so far is how other Jeep drivers wave as we pass each other. Its nice to see things haven't changed much since my Jeep experiences years ago.
Thanks for reading this. Any insight or input would be appreciated.
I've had a few Jeeps in my past, a CJ5 and CJ7 as well as a Willys Overland Wagon. As with most, life makes us do things and those unfortunately are all Long Gone.
Fast forward to now, I just purchased a 2006 Rubicon for my daughter. Overall I am pleased with the purchase, but as I dig into it more and more, it makes me wonder what the PO actually did ( or didn't do )
I am the third owner.
It has just over 74K miles, with a few upgrades as seen in the photos. It is the 4.0 with 6 speed manual.
When I first purchased it, I was surprised how Firm and Rough it rode. I chalked it up to myself getting older and not remembering how my CJs rode. Me being me, I started cleaning up everything and checking all driveline parts in greater detail. The first was greasing all the Zirk fittings throughout the suspension and that alone made a HUGE difference in ride quality. That made me start looking at the rest of the Jeep.
I also replaced the OPDA as a precautionary. The one pulled out didn't show signs of wear but peace of mind for my daughters vehicle is what I am striving for.
2 major issues are still left for me.
1st is the 4 wheel drive light is on. The PO stated he went through a washed out rode filled with mud and debris in 4 wheel drive and when he went to place it back in 2wd the light remained on. That was over 2 years ago. He was only using the Jeep for hunting and fishing trips and did not put a lot of miles on it. He assumed it was mud in the sensor switch. I ordered a new Transfer Case switch and am hoping it is the issue. Any Insight otherwise ??
2nd issue is there is a slight whine that is RPM driven. It is not from the motor, but noticed when the wheels are turning. ( It has the sound of a speedometer cable that is worn in an older car, or a Ground that you can hear in your radio that goes up and down with the RPM of the vehicle. )
The sound is noticeable by both myself and my daughter, and it appears it is coming from up front. I thought it was on the Pass side, and my daughter thought drivers side.
I am wondering if its the drive shaft ? Wheel Bearings ? U Joints ?? WORST fear … Transmission ???
There is also a harmonic DRONE and very slight vibration from the rear when the Jeep is on the Freeway. I am thinking it could be the U joints, tires, or drive shaft issue, but wanted to ask here if anyone had some insight. This is the least of my concern compared to the other 2 issues.
My plans are to change all the fluids. I read on this forum all the suggested brands and amounts, so My Amazon order is long and adding up. I wanted to order the U Joints also, but its confusing on the chart what I need. Plus, according to a buddy, it appears the suspension has been changed from stock which makes me more concerned on getting the correct parts.
Once I can get all of this taken care of, I plan on just watching my daughter enjoy the Jeep experience. So far, she is absolutely loving it. And that is from the days of learning to drive a manual ! Her favorite part so far is how other Jeep drivers wave as we pass each other. Its nice to see things haven't changed much since my Jeep experiences years ago.
Thanks for reading this. Any insight or input would be appreciated.
