What did you do to your TJ today?

Today I got into a wrestling match with the stock tailgate hinges and bolts....I’m ashamed to say I got my ass kicked in a way that it hasn’t been kicked in a while! Each bolt stripped out, so the drilling began and even that proved to be ineffective against these things. Drill, torch, two gallons of PB blaster and 5 hours later here I am filling in the last hole to re-thread to mount the last hinge. Looking at the pic, the stainless is really bothering me more than I thought. I’m not a fan of shiny metal typically so I’m gonna have to yank em off and paint em another day, but hey, they were a $40 Craigslist bargain for Rugged Ridge Stainless hinges so I couldn’t pass em up. Anyway, beware of the stock tailgate hinges and bolts guys... they are a new level of hell!
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NyTj13 said:
Today I got into a wrestling match with the stock tailgate hinges and bolts....I’m ashamed to say I got my ass kicked in a way that it hasn’t been kicked in a while! Each bolt stripped out, so the drilling began and even that proved to be ineffective against these things. Drill, torch, two gallons of PB blaster and 5 hours later here I am filling in the last hole to re-thread to mount the last hinge. Looking at the pic, the stainless is really bothering me more than I thought. I’m not a fan of shiny metal typically so I’m gonna have to yank em off and paint em another day, but hey, they were a $40 Craigslist bargain for Rugged Ridge Stainless hinges so I couldn’t pass em up. Anyway, beware of the stock tailgate hinges and bolts guys... they are a new level of hell!
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I hear you. I painted the hinges on mine flat black then semi gloss clear after I replaced the stock ones. Whoever designed the setup was a sadist! Main reason why I'm looking for an Orfab style tire carrier. I just don't want to deal with anything hanging on the tailgate
 
NyTj13 said:
Today I got into a wrestling match with the stock tailgate hinges and bolts....I’m ashamed to say I got my ass kicked in a way that it hasn’t been kicked in a while! Each bolt stripped out, so the drilling began and even that proved to be ineffective against these things. Drill, torch, two gallons of PB blaster and 5 hours later here I am filling in the last hole to re-thread to mount the last hinge. Looking at the pic, the stainless is really bothering me more than I thought. I’m not a fan of shiny metal typically so I’m gonna have to yank em off and paint em another day, but hey, they were a $40 Craigslist bargain for Rugged Ridge Stainless hinges so I couldn’t pass em up. Anyway, beware of the stock tailgate hinges and bolts guys... they are a new level of hell!
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Same thing happened to me when I was installing the MorRyde Tailgate Reinforcement Kit. I had to take a bolt extractor to 2 of the factory bolts. The kit comes with new bolts and hinges, so I wasn’t super concerned with preserving the stock hinges/bolts, but man it felt good when I finally got those suckers out!
 
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My new Bestop Sailcloth replacement top arrived today and installed it in the blazing sun. Then let my daughter take me for a drive. She just got her learners permit. She's driving my truck in the photo, but I've had her behind the wheel of the Jeep learning the shift a manual. She's got a bit to learn still.

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I put the doors and soft top back together. We're in an excessive heat warning today. It's 97 F now with 48% relative humidity and the heat index is 109 F. It's supposed to get hot later on today with the heat index approaching 117 F. 🥵 Then the rain comes to cool us off. So I needed the AC to keep from getting heat exhaustion while driving and then needed the rain protection for the rest of the week.

I mowed the lawn this morning and then messed with sprinklers later when the heat index was only in the mid to upper 90s.

Monday's high is 82 with rain and it won't get hot again until Friday. The weather is bouncing around enough I need doors and windows or I have to leave it in the garage and drive the minivan. 🤢
 
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Getting the LJ ready for a Houghton Lake Michigan trip. Threw the spare tire and bracket back on, cleaning out the back, getting ready to put the rear seat in, and finally I'm trying to decide if I want to take the full doors or the half doors. Might be a long drive with flappy soft uppers🤔
 
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The TJ was running a bit warmer than usual (just over 210, with out the A/C being on) so I installed hood louvers, while it did get rid of some of the heat in the engine bay it did nothing to decrease my engine temp. Today a Frostbite 3 Core radiator and heavy duty 10 blade fan were installed. Now it is running much cooler and even with the A/C on full blast it never got up to 210. When I purchased the Jeep several years ago it had this overheating problem but I never used the A/C anyway so it was no big deal. With the 35” tires and 4.88 gears it started running about 10 degrees warmer, so today that issue has been resolved.

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Ron Hockett said:
The TJ was running a bit warmer than usual (just over 210, with out the A/C being on) so I installed hood louvers, while it did get rid of some of the heat in the engine bay it did nothing to decrease my engine temp. Today a Frostbite 3 Core radiator and heavy duty 10 blade fan were installed. Now it is running much cooler and even with the A/C on full blast it never got up to 210. When I purchased the Jeep several years ago it had this overheating problem but I never used the A/C anyway so it was no big deal. With the 35” tires and 4.88 gears it started running about 10 degrees warmer, so today that issue has been resolved.

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That radiator sure is purty🤩
 
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Cleaned up the intake for the cabin. Added heat insulation to the underside of the cowl cover and the intake as well and some silicone for good measure around the lip of the cabin intake.

The intake cover is from a later TJ and only needed very little trimming to the front. May need to heat it a bit later for a better fit against the cowl cover but it fits for now. This should make it quieter and I’m hoping it will lower the fan temps when blowing air in since I don’t have an AC in the jeep.

Also installed the second factor55 winch plate lock bolt. Just because.


I have enough insulation left for the heat shield over the catalytic converter and the transfer case.

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To like 10 people: Bedliner holds up great on the flairs, It will fill small voids, if you have cracks, get some JB PLASTIC weld. The stuff at lowes is rated for bumper repair and costs a bit more than the standard you'll find at walmart, but either will work. If you spray the bed liner from two to three feet away you can match original texture.
 
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Ephry73 said:
Cleaned up the intake for the cabin. Added heat insulation to underside of the cowl cover and the intake as well as some silicone for good measure.

The intake cover is from a later TJ and only needed very little trimming to the front. May need to heat it a bit later for a better fit against the cowl cover but it fits for now. This should make it quieter and I’m hoping it will lower the fan temps when blowing air in since I don’t have an AC in the jeep.

Also installed the second factor55 winch plate lock bolt. Just because.

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Where’d you end up finding the intake cover? Mine was just MIA and I’ve been looking for one in all the normal places but haven’t found one yet.
 
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