What did you do to your TJ today?
- Thread starter LJRubiconGuy
- Start date
One more piece to add to the collection.
I enjoyed one last ride without the top on it this past weekend while the weather was still decent enough for a top off ride before I conceded to the fall weather and the coming winter. I sadly installed the hardtop for the winter today. Even though I think the TJ looks it’s best with the hardtop on. Except for when the top and doors are off because let’s face it, that’s the best look!! But, as for having a top on....I prefer the hardtop look.
After we finished putting it on, I went for a cruise and the ole TJ hit a milestone today. 90k
After we finished putting it on, I went for a cruise and the ole TJ hit a milestone today. 90k
People drop these skids like it’s nothing! I’m horrified to try and take mine off! All my 4x4 shops said don’t touch it until absolutley necessary or with good reason! I have minimal rust, so I guess that’s not good enough reason yet
Since you have no apparent reason to drop it now, you should probably spray some oil (preferably Kroil) at those bolts (inside the frame) this weekend and every month or so after that to help assure that they will come loose when needed. It might seem like overkill but in this case too much is always better than not enough.
Wheel has been clocking ever so slightly to the right the last few weeks. Decided to check the alignment and it was dead on from when I last set it in June. Drag link must have come loose due to user error 
A few weeks ago I started a series of projects. New hubs on all 4, new ball joints up front and new shocks. It took several hours, a long ass breaker bar and some trips to youtube but I'm done and all is well....
What's wrong with this picture?
I'll give you a hint:
It fired up with the second turn of the key. And for the first time since buying it almost 2 years ago, the check engine light is not on. Oh sure, it will most likely come back, because, you know, "JEEP", and it can take multiple occurances before a code is set, but right now, it's clean.
Yay!
Now, about that front pinion seal leak.....
I'll give you a hint:
It fired up with the second turn of the key. And for the first time since buying it almost 2 years ago, the check engine light is not on. Oh sure, it will most likely come back, because, you know, "JEEP", and it can take multiple occurances before a code is set, but right now, it's clean.
Yay!
Now, about that front pinion seal leak.....
Yea, I'm just thinking your bulb is burnt out, haha
you know, Jeep
Back with more. One of the projects I’ve been meaning to tackle is aiming the headlights and fog lights. Headlights came out great, but I had an issue with one the fogs. The left light cast a beam that was was much dimmer (pretty much useless) and a weird pattern. Decided to open it up, and discovered the PO had put a new bulb in backwards. There are indentations on the housing and light that are supposed to match up. One is round and the other is squre
Wrong:
Correct:
You can see how much better the light sits in the housing and how the little tabs match up. This definitely solved the beam issue!
Before:
After:
With the lights properly aimed, the fogs definitely compliment the low beams and expand the field of view by a lot, without blinding oncoming traffic. Look at that crisp cutoff.
Fogs off:
Fogs on:
Stock sealed beams aren’t so bad when aimed right. But I’m going to get one of those direct-to-the-battery harnesses to see if it helps them any.
Wrong:
Correct:
You can see how much better the light sits in the housing and how the little tabs match up. This definitely solved the beam issue!
Before:
After:
With the lights properly aimed, the fogs definitely compliment the low beams and expand the field of view by a lot, without blinding oncoming traffic. Look at that crisp cutoff.
Fogs off:
Fogs on:
Stock sealed beams aren’t so bad when aimed right. But I’m going to get one of those direct-to-the-battery harnesses to see if it helps them any.
Removed all 4 shocks without breaking a bolt. Ordered a Rancho steering stabilizer and new Rancho Rs5000x shocks. Ordered a cheap set of front sway bar end links to replace mine that have worn. I’ll replace them later on with a quality set like JKS after these wear. Between the new shocks and new Currie track bar I installed last month I needed to save a few pennies somewhere. It also looks like tires are in the near future.
burdetter16
Member
I got to install my new smittybilt xrc 9500 winch!
Can’t wait for when I inevitably have to use it
Can’t wait for when I inevitably have to use it
A bit more work on the Warn M8000. The PO had put "liquid electrical tape" on the terminals - which might have been fine except I wanted to take everything apart. So once I got the nuts coaxed off, I was ready to paint the main motor housing. This winch has been around - when I looked closely at the motor data tag, I could see where it had been masked off for paint before! Anyway, its masked off again, and I freshened it with some flat black.
This winch is going to get a cover - I've seen what the weather has done to it...
This winch is going to get a cover - I've seen what the weather has done to it...
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I honestly don't know, but its been around. The motor end caps and the gear box castings have gotten water under the powder coat, so I've been scraping/wire wheeling all that off and re-painting. Its been cared for, but its also been a long time since somebody was into it as the grease in the gearbox is all dried up, although it still turns. Motor brushes are in fine shape, etc - dunno if they've been changed in the past or not. The rubber seal around the clutch lever is completely dried out - as hard as a rock. I guess I should pull the wire rope off and re-paint the drum while I'm at it. The rubber cap that goes over the control connector is missing, I just ordered a new one today at - of all places - AutoZone! They were by far the cheapest I could find on it.
The PO bought it for the winch mount/brush guard it was on, but the winch itself was too small for his HUUUGE Excursion. So he wound a newer wire rope onto it, put new chrome cross braces on it, as well as a new decal that shows the clutch lever operation. Never mind, that I'm going to have to remove said decal to get rid of the corrosion that's under the powder coat, so I'll be putting yet another new decal on it. He tried, but I'm having to undo/redo everything he did because he didn't get into the gearbox or anything. He did buy a brand new corded remote for it though - that alone was 1/3rd the price of what I paid for the entire winch! He also threw in both a roller fairlead as well as a hawse for when I eventually switch it over to synthetic line.
I'm not in any hurry to get it on, so while I'm working on it, I'm also perusing the "usual places" looking for a used winch mount - preferably a BullDog, but will consider others if the price is right.
I tried to align mine this evening. No such luck, shitty amazon headlights from the previous owner...
You can get four of those on Ebay for about the same price. The lenses will crack, so be ready to deal w/ that, but they are really, really bright.