Took my TJ off-road and broke things

TheRiverDog

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Ohio River
So i took my sweet TJ off road at haspin acres. it was a great day and i was blown away by the capability of the stock TJ.

but i left with some damage...

see the rim, see the metal gaurd for the fuel tank, and my front pumpkin is leakin' im pretty sure.

i think the metal fuel tank gaurd is what it is. i hope the front diff is just gasket and not the pinion seal. i am going to see if a local wheel shop can repair the wheel i hope they can weld it up and grind the profile down

thoughts??

best regards
RiverDog

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I wouldn't worry too much about the gas tank skid. Those things will take quite a beating and hold up ok.

Is the rim leaking air past the bead?

I was at Haspin a couple weeks ago. I haven't seen that much mud in a very long time. Fun day but crazy messy.
 
So i took my sweet TJ off road at haspin acres. it was a great day and i was blown away by the capability of the stock TJ.

but i left with some damage...

see the rim, see the metal gaurd for the fuel tank, and my front pumpkin is leakin' im pretty sure.

i think the metal fuel tank gaurd is what it is. i hope the front diff is just gasket and not the pinion seal. i am going to see if a local wheel shop can repair the wheel i hope they can weld it up and grind the profile down

thoughts??

best regards
RiverDog

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It would probably be cheaper to find a replacement wheel on craigslist or FB marketplace. Then you can flat black rattle can it or whatever to match.
 
That wheel is toast, send her to Jeep heaven. The tank is fine like @SvtLdr says. Diff leaks are no problem, just keep it filled. When you get it clean it'll be easy to see where it's leaking. Small pinion leaks are no big deal, cover leaks just change the oil, it's probably overdue anyway.
 
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Check the bolts on the diff cover, they could be loose and leaking a little from there. Don’t sweat it, that’s what they are made for.
 
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The real screw up is the mud! ;) You'll be cleaning that crap out for days and still get dirt in your eyes the next time you have to crawl under and work on it. Other than that, it's a normal fun Jeep day! :)
 
The real screw up is the mud! ;) You'll be cleaning that crap out for days and still get dirt in your eyes the next time you have to crawl under and work on it. Other than that, it's a normal fun Jeep day! :)
That's the downside of wheeling around here in November. The mud is unavoidable. Then the leaves pile up on the mud and before you know it your running 38" tires!
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Pinion seal is a relatively easy fix. Im about to do it myself on the front Dana 30. So maybe I'll eat my words. We'll see.

As for the wheel....if its not leaking air, let it be. OR- look on FB Marketplace for a cheap OE set or Craigslist for a set. They sell for next to nothing.

For example: They'd probably take less than half of asking:

Jeep Wrangler TJ LJ 15" wheels
https://longisland.craigslist.org/wto/d/ronkonkoma-jeep-wrangler-tj-lj-15-wheels/7407344793.html

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/wto/d/royersford-jeep-5x45-bp-spoke-aluminum/7402021967.html
 
Yeah, cleanup has been a real joy. I'm very disciplined when it comes to cleaning stuff after each trail event. Ten wheeling trips this year in various parts of the country. Nothing came even close to how muddy we got in just 6hrs at Haspin Acres. I'm sure it was just bad timing with the amount of rain they got and the cooler temps we're seeing now which doesn't help to dry things out. I even needed 4 wheel drive in my pickup to get my trailer thru their parking lot. I estimate I've got about 6hrs into cleanup now. I'm finally calling it done because running a hose in these temps isn't a lot of fun.

We had a great time though and I'm sure I'll do it again next year. Kinda crazy how a long Midwest winter helps you forget the mess from last time.
 
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So i took my sweet TJ off road at haspin acres. it was a great day and i was blown away by the capability of the stock TJ.

but i left with some damage...

see the rim, see the metal gaurd for the fuel tank, and my front pumpkin is leakin' im pretty sure.

i think the metal fuel tank gaurd is what it is. i hope the front diff is just gasket and not the pinion seal. i am going to see if a local wheel shop can repair the wheel i hope they can weld it up and grind the profile down

thoughts??

best regards
RiverDog

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Are you hoping to take your Jeep off-road again?

If so, I’d look for an 03-06 gas tank skid on FB or CL. They’re thicker steel and cover the corners too. Should be cheap.

If you’re concerned about aesthetics. Air the tire down, take off the corners on that wheel with an angle grinder, prep and paint.

Check torque specs on diff bolts. You may need to drain the fluid, clean everything off the mounting surfaces, and apply new RTV or a LubeLocker gasket.

If it’s the pinion seal, replace according to the 2006 FSM.
 
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I now remember why I decided to lift my Jeep and run 35's, rarely have clearance issues this way and cleaning mud out underneath is much much easier.

It's quite amazing how far a stock TJ will go... til it don't. Most of our trails here are rutted up and sometimes you just simply can't stay out of the ruts, shit starts getting tore and up and the shovel gets full of mud.

For wheeling a Jeep up at Haspen I would want at least some 32's plus a lift.
 
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thank you all for your input, i am grateful for the knowledge you shared and wish you the best on all your adventures. ill hit u back with an update when u get more time to work on it
 
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I wouldn't worry too much about the gas tank skid. Those things will take quite a beating and hold up ok.

Is the rim leaking air past the bead?

I was at Haspin a couple weeks ago. I haven't seen that much mud in a very long time. Fun day but crazy messy.
It would probably be cheaper to find a replacement wheel on craigslist or FB marketplace. Then you can flat black rattle can it or whatever to match.
ok i think you just saved me a ton of money, i see 5 wheels for 150$ nearby on FB marketplace