Hello everyone! Since I'm about to start asking some questions around here, first I should introduce myself. I've found just lurking on this forum to be extremely helpful to me over the past few months as I've been learning more about TJs.
I recently bought my first Jeep, a private party purchase from a Craigslist ad. It's a 2005 TJ Sport - 4.0L automatic, 102K miles, almost completely stock with the exception of brand new Bilstein 5100 shocks and 31x10.5 KO2 tires. It has the Dana 44 rear with limited slip, 3.73 gear ratio, 4 wheel disc brakes. It's a clean, no rust CA Jeep. Most of my life I've lived on the East Coast, so I'm still excited whenever I see vehicles more than a few years old with no rust. Hard top and soft top are both in good condition.
Here's what it looked like when I bought it:
I took it to a mechanic a few days later to replace the heater core (and evac too while it was open), put in a new track bar, sway bar links, front and rear differential service, and replace valve cover gaskets. Based on what I had learned from this forum, these issues had mostly been identified by me prior to the purchase of my TJ, and the costs were considered in the price I paid.
Next I did the steer stop adjustment (2 washers on each side), then took off the milk jugs. I bought a new light switch assembly to fix the common issue with fog lights staying on all the time. I replaced the license plate holder that was advertising for a dealer two owners ago.
I also bought H&R springs that I will install in the next week or so. I've read so many great things about the combination of H&R springs with Bilstein shocks. I have spent more time than I could have imagined just trying to understand bump stops, because there is a lot of mixed information out there. If I now understand correctly, the issue here is more about the Bilsteins having a collapsed length that is about 0.56" longer than the stock shocks on front and back. When I install the springs, I will check to see if I need to add more to the bump stops, but it's possible there was enough margin in the stock configuration that it won't be needed.
I'm going to buy some new wheels. Others here have commented that they hate shopping for wheels. I feel the same. The stock ravines are fine, really. But with 10.5" wide tires, although the steer stop adjustment works, one of the things most appealing to me about the TJ is the tight turning radius, so I want something with slightly less backspacing than my stock ravines. I'm likely going for around 4.5" instead of the ravine's 5.5". I'll post a separate thread with a question on the wheels I'm considering.
I don't have any mechanical experience and I'm curious to learn more through owning this Jeep and trying to do some things myself. This isn't my daily driver, so I can take my time, no pressure about having it apart for too long. I also own a RAM 1500 that has some improvements I've done myself - audio, front/side cameras, and sound deadening - it has an air suspension and rides like a luxury car, which is a good contrast to my Jeep.
Plans for the near future are to keep this focused on light trail duty, beaches, and getting to access points for hiking, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities / family adventures. I'm hoping for the strength to resist the pull towards higher lifts, bigger tires, and all that entails. We'll see. There's a lot of fun to be had before I get to that point, if ever.
I'll start a build thread at some point with all the things I want to do and progress pics. I have an excel file with several tabs so far on potential projects.
Chris, Thank You for creating and maintaining this phenomenal space for us to learn about our Jeeps, and thanks to everyone who has participated in past discussions that have been so helpful to me in getting up to speed.
Best Regards,
Rick
I recently bought my first Jeep, a private party purchase from a Craigslist ad. It's a 2005 TJ Sport - 4.0L automatic, 102K miles, almost completely stock with the exception of brand new Bilstein 5100 shocks and 31x10.5 KO2 tires. It has the Dana 44 rear with limited slip, 3.73 gear ratio, 4 wheel disc brakes. It's a clean, no rust CA Jeep. Most of my life I've lived on the East Coast, so I'm still excited whenever I see vehicles more than a few years old with no rust. Hard top and soft top are both in good condition.
Here's what it looked like when I bought it:
I took it to a mechanic a few days later to replace the heater core (and evac too while it was open), put in a new track bar, sway bar links, front and rear differential service, and replace valve cover gaskets. Based on what I had learned from this forum, these issues had mostly been identified by me prior to the purchase of my TJ, and the costs were considered in the price I paid.
Next I did the steer stop adjustment (2 washers on each side), then took off the milk jugs. I bought a new light switch assembly to fix the common issue with fog lights staying on all the time. I replaced the license plate holder that was advertising for a dealer two owners ago.
I also bought H&R springs that I will install in the next week or so. I've read so many great things about the combination of H&R springs with Bilstein shocks. I have spent more time than I could have imagined just trying to understand bump stops, because there is a lot of mixed information out there. If I now understand correctly, the issue here is more about the Bilsteins having a collapsed length that is about 0.56" longer than the stock shocks on front and back. When I install the springs, I will check to see if I need to add more to the bump stops, but it's possible there was enough margin in the stock configuration that it won't be needed.
I'm going to buy some new wheels. Others here have commented that they hate shopping for wheels. I feel the same. The stock ravines are fine, really. But with 10.5" wide tires, although the steer stop adjustment works, one of the things most appealing to me about the TJ is the tight turning radius, so I want something with slightly less backspacing than my stock ravines. I'm likely going for around 4.5" instead of the ravine's 5.5". I'll post a separate thread with a question on the wheels I'm considering.
I don't have any mechanical experience and I'm curious to learn more through owning this Jeep and trying to do some things myself. This isn't my daily driver, so I can take my time, no pressure about having it apart for too long. I also own a RAM 1500 that has some improvements I've done myself - audio, front/side cameras, and sound deadening - it has an air suspension and rides like a luxury car, which is a good contrast to my Jeep.
Plans for the near future are to keep this focused on light trail duty, beaches, and getting to access points for hiking, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities / family adventures. I'm hoping for the strength to resist the pull towards higher lifts, bigger tires, and all that entails. We'll see. There's a lot of fun to be had before I get to that point, if ever.
I'll start a build thread at some point with all the things I want to do and progress pics. I have an excel file with several tabs so far on potential projects.
Chris, Thank You for creating and maintaining this phenomenal space for us to learn about our Jeeps, and thanks to everyone who has participated in past discussions that have been so helpful to me in getting up to speed.
Best Regards,
Rick
