This is why you DIY

Umbra

Umbra

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
484
Location
Bluegrass
For a number of good reasons, I had to drop my Jeep at a "mechanic" yesterday. I want to remove the lift. It's bad-DEATH WOBBLE-because of really rusty shocks and some worn out parts. I want to restore it to stock height. It also needs the fan blower fixed and an oil change.

The guy calls me today and tells me:

"I think if we do this, it's gonna cost 1500-2000 because it needs wheels and tires cause these won't fit (JK Sahara 18s) and will rub really bad so you're gonna end up having to buy wheels and tires and have more money in it than it's worth"

Gasp!!!

First of all, thanks to this forum and numerous posts/pictures on the subject, I KNOW the wheels fit TJs at stock height.

And clearly, this dude knows NOTHING about Jeep peeps and what they are really worth to us vs. simple monetary value.

I feel bad for the guy. :)

Anyway, I told the poor soul to go ahead and swap the suspension stuff and to call me if he runs across a problem. I thought I heard him mumble something about a "lunatic" as he hung up. I guess there was a nut in his office or something.
 
So, you let a "mechanic" that you know for sure is trying to scam you work on your vehicle? I would have thanked him, had him button it up, and went and retrieved my Jeep. Good luck.
 
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you need wheel adapters to convert the 5x5 JK wheels to the TJ 5x4.5 hubs?

I'm pretty sure that's the case and unless you provided the adapters to him (and just didn't mention it), and if you didn't then he was right.
 
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Rob5589 said:
So, you let a "mechanic" that you know for sure is trying to scam you work on your vehicle? I would have thanked him, had him button it up, and went and retrieved my Jeep. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I don't think he was trying to scam me. I wrote it off to lack of knowledge. Their specialty is imports and Wranglers are a little out of their area of expertise.
I think he's a little scared of it.


It's already wearing the JK wheels with spidertrax adapters.
 
What size tires are you running on those 18" wheels? Maybe the tire size is too big to fit comfortabley at stock height?
Also - just putting it back to stock height won't fix death wobble. It may make it less noticiable, and even occur less frequently, but the underlying problem will still be there. Usually it can be traced to bad track bar bushings, play in the steering linkage, or bad control arm mount bushings. What kind of lift was it that you had on there?
 
It was 3 inch, but the shock housings are so badly rusted that you can't read any info about what brand it is, and the front shocks are really loose and too rusty to tighten. Some of the bushings are shot, but the steering linkage and track bar are OK.

The tires are stock JK Sahara (Bridgestone Duelers ATs 255/75/18 or close to 32 diameter if I remember correctly)
 
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Here's the same wheels and tires on another stock TJ.

SDC10590.jpg
 
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I don't know the backspace on the JK wheels plus adapters that you have, so again I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong. From my understanding a 32" tire on a TJ with no lift will rub the fender and likely the control arms when flexed.

You say he knows nothing about Jeeps, and that the shop specialty is imports. It sounds to me like he's trying to help you out and you should cut him some slack.
 
Now that you posted that picture, it sure doesn't look like there is much room.
 
I've had 'em before and yes, they can rub a little off road especially in a hard turn. Since mine won't be in much more than deep snow and the occasional gravel road, it's not much of an issue.

I can see why the guy is a little apprehensive, but the post was meant to be tongue in cheek because the guy was saying that my Jeep isn't worth fixing, even after I told him that TJ wheels on Craigs List could easily solve the problem if the wheels rub too much.
Obviously I wasn't clear that I thought it was funny.
 
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050.jpg


A different angle...I like 'em. And keep in mind, they were on the Jeep when I got it. If they suck I'll take 'em off but they should be fine for a while.
 
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