What did you do to your TJ today?

[bbaldwin237]

I'm glad I found this guy. He's in a nearby rural area. Another shop started my Jeep, then put it up on a lift and said they found a pinhole sized leak in the exhaust. They also said my stock headlights weren't bright enough to pass inspection and I had to remove a windshield decal. Some shops are real A-Holes when it comes to state inspections and screwing people out of money.

We were in a very small rural area and he was one of two guys in the area. I remember tons of people coming to him with horror stories about the other guy being rude, racist, a liar, and many other complaints. Unfortunately, people didn't have a choice, it's required or you'll get a ticket and when one place is slammed busy you have to go where you can.

My dad is one of the most selfless people I know, to a fault. He would stay late, come in early, go to the junkyard and get the parts, or do whatever he had to do to help people get what they needed. He'd stop people in the parking lot before they got in the bay to tell them they had something he knew he couldn't pass to keep them from overpaying (his boss hated that!). It's hard to find a good local mechanic shop like that anywhere but a small rural town.

 

[Willys LJ]

I'm glad I found this guy. He's in a nearby rural area. Another shop started my Jeep, then put it up on a lift and said they found a pinhole sized leak in the exhaust. They also said my stock headlights weren't bright enough to pass inspection and I had to remove a windshield decal. Some shops are real A-Holes when it comes to state inspections and screwing people out of money.

Reminds me of back when Arkansas still had their safety inspections. I grew up in SW Ark and there were several gas stations in the Texarkana area that did the state safety inpections for about $3.50. And most were real intense on them. But I found this one old guy who'd pull your truck/car into his stall, make you wait outside and then come back and tell you that you had a turn signal light out but he went ahead and replaced it and it was about $4.50 all total and the new sticker was on your windshield. Keep in mind that there probably wasn't a bad bulb, but he'd hit you for one anyway and overlook a lot of other stuff unless it was really bad like no exhaust or the tires totally bald. Which considering a lot of the junk I was driving in those days wasn't a bad deal all around.

 

[AndyA]

You can center your steering wheel by adjusting the drag link connected to the pitman arm.

Thanks! I will look into doing just that. Andy

 

[TLT1964]

Cooler this morning, so I tried the heater for the first time since replacing the core. Wow, it was better than I expected, I now have warm defrost!

 

[TLT1964]

I was going to tackle the valve cover gasket within a couple of weeks. I am going to hold off on doing the VCG until I am ready to do the rear main seal at the same time. That should fix both oil leaks in my Jeep.

My next big project is fixing the transmission leak. The puddle of trans fluid on my garage floor is much, much bigger than the puddle of oil.

Just some advice on the trans pan, get the deeper pan kit, but don't use the included gasket, get a lube locker. Don't ask me why I know

 

[TLT1964]

Reminds me of back when Arkansas still had their safety inspections. I grew up in SW Ark and there were several gas stations in the Texarkana area that did the state safety inpections for about $3.50. And most were real intense on them. But I found this one old guy who'd pull your truck/car into his stall, make you wait outside and then come back and tell you that you had a turn signal light out but he went ahead and replaced it and it was about $4.50 all total and the new sticker was on your windshield. Keep in mind that there probably wasn't a bad bulb, but he'd hit you for one anyway and overlook a lot of other stuff unless it was really bad like no exhaust or the tires totally bald. Which considering a lot of the junk I was driving in those days wasn't a bad deal all around.

Back in the day I bought an old 53 Chevy pickup to restore. Time came to get it inspected so I could drive it. The shop owners son knew nothing about cars and acted like he did. Those old trucks only had one rear brake light and no signal lights as they were produced originally, so he failed me for those things. After a bit of a heated discussion between us, his dad came out and said, "If it's original equipment, you have to pass it as is." Needless to say, his son wasn't happy

 

[chili_pepper]

I bought an old 53 Chevy pickup to restore

Feel my envy!

 

[TheBoogieman]

Cooler this morning, so I tried the heater for the first time since replacing the core. Wow, it was better than I expected, I now have warm defrost!

It's the hard top.

 

[JasterMereel42]

Just some advice on the trans pan, get the deeper pan kit, but don't use the included gasket, get a lube locker. Don't ask me why I know

I got the deep trans pan, but I used the one that came with it. I might get the LubeLocker since that's a cheap and easy thing to try.

 

[DUBL BP]

In my never ending quest to fix my tj and spend as little $$ as possible, today's upgrade was new seat foam for my old raggedy drivers seat. I found that the foam from a wj is close enough to the same that it worked surprisingly well. While I had the cover off, I put my 8th grade home economics class skills to work and sewed up the tear. I'm happy with it. A little bit of time and only about $2 for the replacement foam and I'm comfy. I opted for the passenger side foam from the donor wj. I figured it had less butt time.

 

[ShinyTravisto]

Jeep lost a u joint cap on my way to work today, not far from home so got I back and picked up a new spicer 760x to toss in after work. End of the day I noticed a small leak from the axle. Is the seal for sure blown, or did some just sneak by while there was play from the missing cap?

 

[Tejasol]

Went to Talladega National Forest

View from first campsite

Lost trail . . . one of two we explored that no one had been on for a long time

Morning view from my tent

Damn good time.

 

[StoneCold]

Just enjoying driving it today...

 

[Tejasol]

Almost forgot about this. No better way to hit a new milestone than being in four wheel drive.

 

[TLT1964]

I got the deep trans pan, but I used the one that came with it. I might get the LubeLocker since that's a cheap and easy thing to try.

Yeah, that's a good idea. I initially changed the filter and put a new gasket on the old pan, and it leaked. After getting advice on the deeper pan from this site, I changed it again. It was fine for about two weeks, then started seeping fluid again, not bad, but still dripping. I hate to do it over again, but will get a lube locker maybe in the spring.

 

[TLT1964]

Almost forgot about this. No better way to hit a new milestone than being in four wheel drive.

View attachment 460624

View attachment 460625

Now you're in my neck of the woods!

 

[Kiwi TJ]

Been hunting for one of these for ages finally found one Amazon.
Should stop the hood rod from rattling around

 

[JasterMereel42]

Yeah, that's a good idea. I initially changed the filter and put a new gasket on the old pan, and it leaked. After getting advice on the deeper pan from this site, I changed it again. It was fine for about two weeks, then started seeping fluid again, not bad, but still dripping. I hate to do it over again, but will get a lube locker maybe in the spring.

I'll probably just go ahead and order the LL within a week. I don't know where the leak is coming from. It could be coming from the gasket, or it could be coming from elsewhere. Switching the gasket out is the cheapest and easiest thing to do to eliminate one option.

As for the trans fluid in there, can I reuse it? ATF+4 isn't exactly cheap.

 

[Bionic_Scorpion]

Those look great!
I have the automatic trans, so I’m at a disadvantage.

It can still be done with an auto transmission.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...mission-and-transfer-case.36985/#post-1115362

 

[WestCoastDan]

It can still be done with an auto transmission.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...mission-and-transfer-case.36985/#post-1115362

Looks great, but I don't have the resources to make one this nice.