What head-scratcher did the previous owner of your TJ do?
- Thread starter Jeffreybomb
- Start date
PO Daily drove it with a bad rear yoke, broken transmission mount, bad front pinion bearing and a 4 inch lift with a stock arms. Needless to say, it vibrated my eyes out of the sockets. Got all that fixed, runs smooth as butter now.
I should clarify, I’m not calling the PO a doofus, it’s just a head scratcher for me. I’m finding quite a few electrical modifications and hidden switches. 
Wiring that has been messed with is the worst. The previous owner of my black TJ did quite the wiring job installing some ghetto blasters in the trunk. Took a lot of de-rigging, but I got it back to new.
OP
Had the inside of the doors packed full of like 10 paper towels. Plugged up the drain holes and held in all the water that hits the door window. Guess he was trying to rot out the entire lower section of the door. Luckily I found it before too much damage. Has a good heavy coat of Fluid Film inside now to completely fill in the seams and pinch welds from any new water.
alittleoff
TJ Addict
After a custom built Dana 44 install, I guess they thought that the alinement was close enough. No one checked though.
It was 3/4" toed out, made for an interesting ride home. I fixed it the next day to 1/4" toe in.
It was 3/4" toed out, made for an interesting ride home. I fixed it the next day to 1/4" toe in.
madcanvis
Member
Removed the bottle jack and tool kit. And didn’t respond to my post sale text asking where they’re kept.
So ya.... doofus.
So ya.... doofus.
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
Mine used to throw his spare change into the ashtray. He never took any out though, because it all fell back behind the bezel. I must have gotten $10 worth the first time I pulled it.
Besides the big stuff, I've been chasing crap like this for 18 months:
Wood screws and oversized self-tapping sheet metal screws seem to be his go-to fasteners.
Wood screws and oversized self-tapping sheet metal screws seem to be his go-to fasteners.
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Mine had some popular faux pas'. Handyman Jack, K&N intake/filter, 2" body lift coupled with a 3" spring lift and no geometry applied. I ripped out buckets of unfathomable wiring. My sled had more than one PO, the last one was a French National who did his best by using a local 4x4 shop to maintain it. If he walked up to the Jeep today and drove it, he would not know that it was his in the past. Since I bought it 2 years ago, I truly believe I have replaced or repaired almost everything.
The emergency flasher switch was super glued since the latching mechanism was broken, the bezel for the radio had contact cement holding it on, the radio wiring was a rats nest, the rear right speaker wiring was pulled loose from the harness, contact cement attaching the soft top rear window rubber seal, but little things like this is why I was able to purchase the Jeep for $6000.
After a thorough inspection of the Jeep I found it to be a diamond in the rough.
After a thorough inspection of the Jeep I found it to be a diamond in the rough.
L0jik
TJ Enthusiast
Just yesterday I ran into the first truly doofus thing I've found. A PO before the person I bought it from had added a trailer light wiring harness; which was spliced into the wires for the tail lights. It confused the hell out of me because I didnt realize thats where the wires were running to when I tried to remove the tailights. Thankfully he used quick splice connectors and I guess its probably better to splice it into the tail-light pigtail instead of the harness it connects too. Cut the wires running out of the quick-splice connectors and pulled the whole harness out.
Also the bolt holding the left taillight were self-tapping sheet metal screws; but the right side had what appeared to be the factory bolts.
Also the bolt holding the left taillight were self-tapping sheet metal screws; but the right side had what appeared to be the factory bolts.
TidePride50
Member
Installed power windows and the driver side wiring was a complete mess when I was installing harnesses to be able to take the doors off. I hate the power windows, wish I could put the old school roll ups back in.
I am that PO.
Maybe.
I have made quite a few mods to my jeeps, adding relays, changing wiring. I have used quality connectors, split loom, and well-dressed. To me, these mods make sense and are quite functional. But, without a conversation with me (and, possibly, good note-taking), you wouldn't know what any of this shit does.
It's like some schmuck that buys your jeep as a DD and mall crawler (but wants to look cool), then has a problem with the rearend, who then takes it to Les Schwab. Then Schwab doesn't know what they're looking at and the owner forgets that you told them about the Tru-Trac.
I have removed my fair share of rats nests from previous vehicles. Luckily, I have a background that, for the most part, allows me to figure it out.
But, I do try to have that conversation with the new buyer. Where it goes from there, who knows. In one ear and out the other, perhaps.
Maybe.
I have made quite a few mods to my jeeps, adding relays, changing wiring. I have used quality connectors, split loom, and well-dressed. To me, these mods make sense and are quite functional. But, without a conversation with me (and, possibly, good note-taking), you wouldn't know what any of this shit does.
It's like some schmuck that buys your jeep as a DD and mall crawler (but wants to look cool), then has a problem with the rearend, who then takes it to Les Schwab. Then Schwab doesn't know what they're looking at and the owner forgets that you told them about the Tru-Trac.
I have removed my fair share of rats nests from previous vehicles. Luckily, I have a background that, for the most part, allows me to figure it out.
But, I do try to have that conversation with the new buyer. Where it goes from there, who knows. In one ear and out the other, perhaps.
PO spray painted flat black paint over good original black paint. Used lacquer thinner to remove, compounded & polished to bring it back. He bedlined the floor, got bedliner all over the console, top surface of the tub in the back and also on the soft top frame. What a mess. My biggest complaint on several Jeeps is the poor installation and wiring of aftermarket radios.
That looks like a motion sensor. Mine had a small glass vile with mercury in it. Was kinda cool when I took it apart and figured out what made it work.