I like your plan. We have similar financial tastes. lol. My build thread is similar.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/ethel-budget-restoration.23931/
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/ethel-budget-restoration.23931/
The budget overland build with best junkyard parts, donors and cheap mods DIY thread!
- Thread starter Kaptainkid1
- Start date
OP
Here is where I regret buying parts from a Jeep dismantler in Sunny Valley, Ca and was impatient about getting a driver seat and rear window wipers motor and housing.
My Jeep had some aftermarket driver sport seat with high bolsters and getting in out was a bit of a headache. So when I saw they had the same drivers seat pattern as my Jeep year and wiper motor for $340 for the pair I took it and regretted it when looking back.
Found out later JUNKYARD SEATS from a Hyundai Tiburon was a good option.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-install-hyundai-tiburon-seats-in-a-jeep-wrangler-tj.2997/Cheaper and better better function over all and more adjustments.
I later discovered the stock seats we're pain in the ass literally. So I wanted the function of seat to tilt. This would be more comfortable and butt grip. I end up putting 1" spacers on the front mounting points of stock seat. It was a cheap solution but rather had gone the Tiburon swap.
My Jeep had some aftermarket driver sport seat with high bolsters and getting in out was a bit of a headache. So when I saw they had the same drivers seat pattern as my Jeep year and wiper motor for $340 for the pair I took it and regretted it when looking back.
Found out later JUNKYARD SEATS from a Hyundai Tiburon was a good option.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-install-hyundai-tiburon-seats-in-a-jeep-wrangler-tj.2997/Cheaper and better better function over all and more adjustments.
I later discovered the stock seats we're pain in the ass literally. So I wanted the function of seat to tilt. This would be more comfortable and butt grip. I end up putting 1" spacers on the front mounting points of stock seat. It was a cheap solution but rather had gone the Tiburon swap.
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03-06 seats swap right in. They run about $300-$350. And are far better than the 97-02 seats. I'm assuming you picked up 97-02 seats that your not happy with. I did not care for the 97-02 seats in my '99. Not nearly as comfortable as the newer 03-06 ones.
I don't know about Tiburon seats. I've never sat in them. But I've had Honda seats and they worked well in my Suzuki Samurai. SO I know they would fit in a Jeep. Just make sure you get the right Tiburon seats. Some are better than others. I'd for sure get leather.
Don't be afraid to search www.car-parts.com in say a tri state area. As freight is cheaper than you think. My 03-06 seats with brackets shipped for $100 from norcal to socal. And if you ever buy large items from a private party Greyhound does a great job shipping stuff. For VERY CHEAP. I shipped a set of doors from TN to CA for like $100-$150.
I don't know about Tiburon seats. I've never sat in them. But I've had Honda seats and they worked well in my Suzuki Samurai. SO I know they would fit in a Jeep. Just make sure you get the right Tiburon seats. Some are better than others. I'd for sure get leather.
Don't be afraid to search www.car-parts.com in say a tri state area. As freight is cheaper than you think. My 03-06 seats with brackets shipped for $100 from norcal to socal. And if you ever buy large items from a private party Greyhound does a great job shipping stuff. For VERY CHEAP. I shipped a set of doors from TN to CA for like $100-$150.
OP
Got a basket, gas tank mounts, 5 gallons gas tank and sliders on offer up $370 for whole package.
Also moved over my solar set up and installed it on the Jeep. Ran 8 gauge wire from the Deep Cycle battery to my solar controller unit in the right rear corner.
The controller has light switch option glued a string of low watts LED strip and will power 12volt power for the ARB fridge and USB.
Also moved over my solar set up and installed it on the Jeep. Ran 8 gauge wire from the Deep Cycle battery to my solar controller unit in the right rear corner.
The controller has light switch option glued a string of low watts LED strip and will power 12volt power for the ARB fridge and USB.
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OP
Ran these led light string and the glue would not stick if the jeep was in the sun all day so I had to use super glue to keep it locked down.
Used this part for the junction box.
I used an old controller from 9 years ago and was thinking about upgrading my solar system since the new parts are cheap.
Here is example from ebay.
OP
Found a used roof rack on offer up-brand (Dave's roof rack). $175 pretty cheap and it's very flexible. Its capabilities is it turns in a canopy and tilts for easy access to removing hardtop. This rack retails for like $600. Solar panel is tied down on the rack when camping.
Only issue I needed to weld bracket spacers to roof rack mount better on the frame.
Issue is I had to take off the mounting brackets bumper support in place of the roof rack mount.
These are for sale if anyone wants to beef up bumper support. PM me.
If your rear bumper spare tire carrier doesn't have proper support you're in deep shit.
Only issue I needed to weld bracket spacers to roof rack mount better on the frame.
Issue is I had to take off the mounting brackets bumper support in place of the roof rack mount.
These are for sale if anyone wants to beef up bumper support. PM me.
If your rear bumper spare tire carrier doesn't have proper support you're in deep shit.
OP
After building and stocking an overland TJ. Rear spring weight is overloaded and sagging. A cheap mod I've used on my other 4x4 to help level and stabilize your rig are using Airlift bags 1000. These help when your rig is full for a weekend get way. They are easy to install and is priced under $100 mod. This mod helps 80% with towing too. It make sure your rig is level right and it's a safer ride when your going down the road.
I just saw a video from dirt life and he installed firestone air bags too. Took the air bag mod to the next level and shows, explains why they are safer and flexible.
Here is a picture of the rear leveled with extra 800 Lbs. The airlift 1000 are filled to 25 psi and is safe up to 1000 lbs weight.
No welding or bolting in. The air bags slide into the spring void.
I just saw a video from dirt life and he installed firestone air bags too. Took the air bag mod to the next level and shows, explains why they are safer and flexible.
Here is a picture of the rear leveled with extra 800 Lbs. The airlift 1000 are filled to 25 psi and is safe up to 1000 lbs weight.
No welding or bolting in. The air bags slide into the spring void.
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OP
My biggest complaint about the TJ is the noise in the rig on long road trips. I decided to a run roof carpet liner. This mod took the echo and tinny road noise down a few notches. I highly recommend this mod for any hard tops.
$25 of roof liner glue 2x cans and $25 1x 6x8 Lowes grey floor mat. Best $50 mod.
$25 of roof liner glue 2x cans and $25 1x 6x8 Lowes grey floor mat. Best $50 mod.
OP
1 step forward 2 steps back!
After reading about the RMS leaks on 4.0l and numerous threads how these Jeep's notorious leak and everyone natural assumes it's the RMS. They change it and it either goes away or still leaks. It happened to me the later of the two scenarios. I made assumptions because the used Jeep had 170k,19 years on the road and very little maintenance records it had to be the RMS. The oil pan seems not to leak and I couldn't see any leaks from the Valve cover and never thought it could come from there. Oh boy was I wrong.
1st I did the RMS Wrong and I didn't know that until I finished the job and it started leaking again. Ugh!
Side note the 19 year old RMS seem ok and no signs of oil leaks we're coming from the RMS after pulling the oil pan but I was going to change it anyways since it was almost 20 years old.
2nd I had a friend did the same job on his Jeep and he mentioned it turned out to have other leaks. His leak came from the valve cover gasket and was leaking from backside of the engine so oil drips couldn't be seen. You need to use a mirror or paper napkin to wipe any oil residue. The oil leaks were so minor even the paper napkin picked very little oil stains.
Also from all the RMS DIY threads and youtube videos never mentioned RMS End cap on the 4.0l had two types RMS Rubber seals.
1. If you have type 1seal with a rubber ban that stretches across the RMS end cap you apply anaerobic seal on the whole rubber RMS Seal.
2. If you have the type 2 seal the rubber RMS ends only around small potions of end cap. This version you need to apply anaerobic seal on the whole cap to create A tight seal. My 1st attempt I only applied the anaerobic seal on the rubber RMS Part and that led to my second leak.
So I changed the valve cover gasket since it had a very very minor leak coming from the back by the firewall. I wouldn't even call it a leak.
I then went back to RMS and decided to open her up a second time and see if I may have done the 1st RMS wrong and noticed a leak coming from the end cap seam. Of course with end cap problem resolved I found I did the second RMS correctly and finally fixed the oil leak.
Looking back I was told you should always start from the top gasket and work you way down. Don't assume its RMS.
Maybe the next Jeep experience an oil leak by the oil pan will read my mistakes and fix the problem without assuming it's the RMS.
Side note or exception: if you determine your oil pan gasket is leaking oil but the RMS is not and you know your RMS is over 15 years old. Its smart to do the RMS with the oil pan gasket because its only another 30 mins of work and $25 new RMS seal. The work to do the oil pan gasket is pulling the exhaust and draining oil is the majority of the work.
After reading about the RMS leaks on 4.0l and numerous threads how these Jeep's notorious leak and everyone natural assumes it's the RMS. They change it and it either goes away or still leaks. It happened to me the later of the two scenarios. I made assumptions because the used Jeep had 170k,19 years on the road and very little maintenance records it had to be the RMS. The oil pan seems not to leak and I couldn't see any leaks from the Valve cover and never thought it could come from there. Oh boy was I wrong.
1st I did the RMS Wrong and I didn't know that until I finished the job and it started leaking again. Ugh!
Side note the 19 year old RMS seem ok and no signs of oil leaks we're coming from the RMS after pulling the oil pan but I was going to change it anyways since it was almost 20 years old.
2nd I had a friend did the same job on his Jeep and he mentioned it turned out to have other leaks. His leak came from the valve cover gasket and was leaking from backside of the engine so oil drips couldn't be seen. You need to use a mirror or paper napkin to wipe any oil residue. The oil leaks were so minor even the paper napkin picked very little oil stains.
Also from all the RMS DIY threads and youtube videos never mentioned RMS End cap on the 4.0l had two types RMS Rubber seals.
1. If you have type 1seal with a rubber ban that stretches across the RMS end cap you apply anaerobic seal on the whole rubber RMS Seal.
2. If you have the type 2 seal the rubber RMS ends only around small potions of end cap. This version you need to apply anaerobic seal on the whole cap to create A tight seal. My 1st attempt I only applied the anaerobic seal on the rubber RMS Part and that led to my second leak.
So I changed the valve cover gasket since it had a very very minor leak coming from the back by the firewall. I wouldn't even call it a leak.
I then went back to RMS and decided to open her up a second time and see if I may have done the 1st RMS wrong and noticed a leak coming from the end cap seam. Of course with end cap problem resolved I found I did the second RMS correctly and finally fixed the oil leak.
Looking back I was told you should always start from the top gasket and work you way down. Don't assume its RMS.
Maybe the next Jeep experience an oil leak by the oil pan will read my mistakes and fix the problem without assuming it's the RMS.
Side note or exception: if you determine your oil pan gasket is leaking oil but the RMS is not and you know your RMS is over 15 years old. Its smart to do the RMS with the oil pan gasket because its only another 30 mins of work and $25 new RMS seal. The work to do the oil pan gasket is pulling the exhaust and draining oil is the majority of the work.
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ToddDerrArtist
TJ Enthusiast
I just about jumped to the conclusion and unnecessary repair of my RMS last year. But, I stumbled onto someone mentioning the valve cover gasket. Since it was a much easier repair, I tried it first. It has been a year, almost, and no longer getting oil under the Jeep.
Good advice!!!
OP
Every YJ and TJ owners has complained about the seats in their Jeeps. My complaint started the 1st day I drove my Jeep TJ. Pick her up on a fly and drive 400 miles, 5 hour road trip. This was my second Jeep after 20 plus years absence and the romance faded fast in the 1st hour ride on the highway coming back from Las Vegas. No back support and dirty as fuck. The dash board all lit up cel, airbag light and gas light on only after 200 miles doing 65-70 mph. She was loud on the highway and shaking apart on the wash board overnight camping trip in the Mohave desert.
The search began with a Junkyard seat mod and I saw some has used 2004 Hyundai Turbion bucket seat. Other people went with Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I've been to the Junkyard a couple times and never saw good leather seats from a Turbion. I was given a pair of 2003 Mini Cooper seats and was going to try them out on TJ. They were clean grey leather which matched the interior about 99%. Also it had the following specs I liked:
1. Leather seats easy to clean and nice firm bolster and adjustable head rest.
2. Wider variety of seat cover options with typical bucket seat unlike the TJ high back seat. Which I hated the look and feel.
3. Lumbar control.
4. Seat height adjustment lever. On Mini Cooper seats they can rise up to 3 inches. This feature is nice adjustment and I use it to find the right spot for me. I'm 5'10" and it makes it more flexibility for different body type. Vastly more options is a good thing.
5. You mount the Mini Cooper seats on the original TJ base mount.
In doing so you keep the flip seat forward options and seat slider features.
6. Since mini cooper seat came out 2 door coupe it also has features for back seat riders to access the back seats with a quick release lever.
7. You have a head rest adjustment opposed to fix seat on the cloth OEM jeep seats.
8. You get storage basket on the back of the seat on Mini Cooper.
9. Its leather seat and easier to keep clean.
Con:
1. It's not factory or oem.
2. It has leather seats. I noticed I slide more on the in corner or stop and go.
End of the day these Seats fit in the TJ rails and space. Great options for a Junkyard swap. These seats cost $120 a pair at any pick a part. I found tons of mini cooper in the junkyards. The seat dimension are about the same with and all seat controls are accessible and clear any aspect of Jeeps interior space. Seat swap has full range of motion.
Grey leather seats color matches original TJ grey interior by 99%. Also clears the same space of original seat dimensions. I can see other Junkyard seats being problem with limited space. Only issue for me is the lumbar control is smashed up against the center console and is hard to adjust.
Back seat pockets. Additional storage.
Driver side with picture of the seat height adj. lever which goes up and down and clears door pocket without touching.
3 inch seat lift adjustment.
This is Passenger seat bracket and right side bolts to OEM mounting points and everything on the left side by the center console need a 6 inch mount bracket back and front mounting point(front bracket missing in photo) to finish.
As you can see the lower left hand corner the seat has a quick release for back seat access.
The seat control for lumbar and black tilt adjustment. Are very tight but accessible.
Seat clearance just shy of door pocket.
The search began with a Junkyard seat mod and I saw some has used 2004 Hyundai Turbion bucket seat. Other people went with Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I've been to the Junkyard a couple times and never saw good leather seats from a Turbion. I was given a pair of 2003 Mini Cooper seats and was going to try them out on TJ. They were clean grey leather which matched the interior about 99%. Also it had the following specs I liked:
1. Leather seats easy to clean and nice firm bolster and adjustable head rest.
2. Wider variety of seat cover options with typical bucket seat unlike the TJ high back seat. Which I hated the look and feel.
3. Lumbar control.
4. Seat height adjustment lever. On Mini Cooper seats they can rise up to 3 inches. This feature is nice adjustment and I use it to find the right spot for me. I'm 5'10" and it makes it more flexibility for different body type. Vastly more options is a good thing.
5. You mount the Mini Cooper seats on the original TJ base mount.
In doing so you keep the flip seat forward options and seat slider features.
6. Since mini cooper seat came out 2 door coupe it also has features for back seat riders to access the back seats with a quick release lever.
7. You have a head rest adjustment opposed to fix seat on the cloth OEM jeep seats.
8. You get storage basket on the back of the seat on Mini Cooper.
9. Its leather seat and easier to keep clean.
Con:
1. It's not factory or oem.
2. It has leather seats. I noticed I slide more on the in corner or stop and go.
End of the day these Seats fit in the TJ rails and space. Great options for a Junkyard swap. These seats cost $120 a pair at any pick a part. I found tons of mini cooper in the junkyards. The seat dimension are about the same with and all seat controls are accessible and clear any aspect of Jeeps interior space. Seat swap has full range of motion.
Grey leather seats color matches original TJ grey interior by 99%. Also clears the same space of original seat dimensions. I can see other Junkyard seats being problem with limited space. Only issue for me is the lumbar control is smashed up against the center console and is hard to adjust.
Back seat pockets. Additional storage.
Driver side with picture of the seat height adj. lever which goes up and down and clears door pocket without touching.
3 inch seat lift adjustment.
This is Passenger seat bracket and right side bolts to OEM mounting points and everything on the left side by the center console need a 6 inch mount bracket back and front mounting point(front bracket missing in photo) to finish.
As you can see the lower left hand corner the seat has a quick release for back seat access.
The seat control for lumbar and black tilt adjustment. Are very tight but accessible.
Seat clearance just shy of door pocket.
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OP
It's time for new tires and many days of searching offer up and forums for second hand set of tires for my set up was replace 3x tires with my current set of Hankook Dynapro 31x10.5R15 since 2x had 80% life left. Putting 3x new tires would cost $450 at least at tire shop.
Going about many possible routes I decided to take a cheap route and upgrade my rims and tires from JK Rubicon take offs being sold for $300. I found adapter used from G2 for set at $50. This option got me 5 rims and 5 tires at 80% thread life. I also bought new wheel bolts $25 for the set of newish rims to me.
The new wheel rims/ tires were 265 70 R17 which gave 32" tire and little more lift.
I'm happy to say after 4 months I got my old set of rims and tires comb sold for $375. Basically I got switch out my tires for nothing except for months of searching internet and swapping at very little cost of gas.
Take offs are good way to save money and a stop gap for time when I have enough money to buy the rims and tire set up I really want.
Going about many possible routes I decided to take a cheap route and upgrade my rims and tires from JK Rubicon take offs being sold for $300. I found adapter used from G2 for set at $50. This option got me 5 rims and 5 tires at 80% thread life. I also bought new wheel bolts $25 for the set of newish rims to me.
The new wheel rims/ tires were 265 70 R17 which gave 32" tire and little more lift.
I'm happy to say after 4 months I got my old set of rims and tires comb sold for $375. Basically I got switch out my tires for nothing except for months of searching internet and swapping at very little cost of gas.
Take offs are good way to save money and a stop gap for time when I have enough money to buy the rims and tire set up I really want.