I recently changed my upper radiator hose and was surprised at how easy it was. I'm far from what you consider a mechanic, but what are other simple upkeep repairs you can do for the TJ?
Simple repairs for TJ?
- Thread starter mattyice2
- Start date
Jim King
TJ Enthusiast
A lot. I have a lawnmower level of mechanical ability, I easily changed the springs, shocks, and steering linkage, along with doing the allingment and centering the steering wheel.
PhillyJake
TJ Enthusiast
As someone who's clumsy with legos, taking on the jeep was intimidating. Nonetheless, the projects that I've been able to do with little effort but much reward & fulfillment:
- - O2 sensors all around - straightforward screwing something into a hole
- - spark plugs - was initially intimidated, but it went super smooth and the old girl runs better than ever
- - new exhaust (cat back)! bolt off, bolt on, no hassle
- - Brakes & Shocks - again, it's all just bolt on bolt off - seriously, the hardest part is bleeding the brakes and remembering that the calipers are sided (learned the hard way)
- Upgraded LED headlights (and interior LEDs) - there are tutorials on this forum that make it a simple job - like step by step, fool proof tutorials
- Painting your fender flairs: if yours are faded black like mine, removing them, painting with plasti-dip, and reattaching is a matter of screws & plastic pins
- Change the oil! it's as easy as emptying your bathtub!
PhillyJake
TJ Enthusiast
JKP
TJ Addict
Belts, hoses, plugs, coil, various sensors, trans fluid, transfer case fluid, diff fluid, shocks, brakes, etc, etc.
The FSMs are under the Resources section here, and there's a YouTube video for just about everything as well.
The FSMs are under the Resources section here, and there's a YouTube video for just about everything as well.
Valve cover gasket was fairly easy but not listed yet. Most difficult part was the bridge with all the wires across the rear of cover. Mainly just required LOTS of patience
Takes about 45 minutes to change out the radiator and all of the coolant hoses. What really makes a difference is rust. If you are doing repairs on rusty items, all bets are off on time requirements. Prep the day before with Liquid Wrench.
I believe this is what we all love about the TJ. It's basic enough that you don't have to take it to a mechanic for a lot of the repairs that need to be done.
I washed and waxed mine. Does that count? 
if you replaced one radiator hose, it would have been wise to just open the coolant system once and replace them all and hold onto the old ones as emergency spares.
another simple repair/maintenance would be lubing the grease zerks on the ball joints/tie rod ends. wipe the debris off the nipples and shoot a pump or two of grease into them.
could also flush your brake fluid or at the least siphon out the old fluid with a turkey baster using caution not to dribble the fluid on paint (dot 3 removes paint). top it off with a fresh new can of fluid and toss the excess remaining in the can as it absorbs water over time.
could also do the same with the power steering. siphon out the old stuff from the reservoir and top it off with new fresh stuff. be aware early models used power steering fluid and later models used ATF4 for the fluid.
another simple repair/maintenance would be lubing the grease zerks on the ball joints/tie rod ends. wipe the debris off the nipples and shoot a pump or two of grease into them.
could also flush your brake fluid or at the least siphon out the old fluid with a turkey baster using caution not to dribble the fluid on paint (dot 3 removes paint). top it off with a fresh new can of fluid and toss the excess remaining in the can as it absorbs water over time.
could also do the same with the power steering. siphon out the old stuff from the reservoir and top it off with new fresh stuff. be aware early models used power steering fluid and later models used ATF4 for the fluid.
Damn you're supposed to Wash it I thought a good Jeep owner let mother nature do itI washed and waxed mine. Does that count?
I tried that with my wife and she got really pissed.
The simple truth is that the learning does not stop at a simple job like a radiator hose. Keep watching YouTube vids, reading the FSM, and learning how things work and eventually you’ll feel compelled to tackle basically everything.
The other good thing is that once you’re good at the Jeep, you’ll see that other vehicles aren’t really that complex either. They have fancier features and stuff but they are still the same basic vehicle at the end of the day. So then you can work on those too in most cases.
The other good thing is that once you’re good at the Jeep, you’ll see that other vehicles aren’t really that complex either. They have fancier features and stuff but they are still the same basic vehicle at the end of the day. So then you can work on those too in most cases.
Pics or it didn’t happen.I tried that with my wife and she got really pissed.
She doesn't allow cameras (or cats) in the bedroom. Sometimes (rarely) she lets me in there.
I swapped an axle when I had very little experience, I just took my time. If you get one from another TJ it's a bolt in swap.
Plus you get more familiar with all the parts down there.
Plus you get more familiar with all the parts down there.
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Anytime you play with it you get more familiar with the parts down there.
I KNEW someone would make a joke about that.Anytime you play with it you get more familiar with the parts down there.
thekidwithquestions now has answers.
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