Well... I had a plan, but as they say (or something like it anyways): No plan survives first contact....
I figured I post this up as a Build Thread, because that's where it's heading.
I think I want to use this as a place to get feedback on my idea's from those who've probably already been there and done that. I've spent a bit of my limited spare time surfing around, and tend to like the overall no nonsense attitude around here. A bit reminiscent of some other old 4x4 websites for which I used to be willing to make time.
The short version is:
I bought a 2004 TJ Unlimited with the intention of doing minimal maintenance and driving it around. I'd figure out what and when to mod as the issues presented themselves. The general idea being to build it (over time, and being able to enjoy the process) towards being a competent crawler on 35-ish inch tires
Turns out there's very few parts that don't need maintenance or repair. Hence the name.
A bit of my overall back story might be helpful:
I'm not new to wheeling. 30 years ago (when they were still affordable) I had a '77 Bronco. Drove the daylights out of it, and collected a bunch of stuff to make it into a quality driver/crawler. Around the same time a lovely lady came along that was rather distracting. (We've been together for 25+ years now). Managed to get out from my EB investment for what I had into it. Took a few years off 4x4ing to Autocross, married, moved a few times, had a really well built Bronco 2 crawler, changed employers a few times, bought a Volvo wagon, had a kid, bought a townhouse, bought a Suburban, and sold the Bronco 2.
Made it a couple years before the itch to go wheeling came back. Bought a '48 CJ2A and started making plans and collecting parts. (This might be important later.) Somewhere along the way I sold the Volvo & picked up a Dodge Megacab 2500 diesel & a 24' cargo trailer.
Inspired by some of the super cool stretched Flat Fender builds on that other website (arguably back when it was cool) I have built up quite and extensive pile of interesting bits, which is no small feat when you have a one car garage. My ambitious plans keep running up on the reality that my strata council might not approve of a major fabrication project going on, and I realized that if I wanted to build something with linked suspension with a 100-ish inch wheelbase, that a TJU might be the "better" starting point.
I just barely missed out on two VERY well built Rubicon's within a few hundred kilometers of me. They were priced accordingly for well sorted rigs, but not being "new" I feel either of them would have been worth the asking price.
Then a Sport came up locally. (at a very reasonable price). I will concede that I should have looked a little deeper that I did before taking it off the PO's hands, but I feel like I got a good enough deal that I'm not really upset about it.
The day I brought it home:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UhXgamVoGFziNWcTA
It appears to have a 4" RC lift consisting of lower control arms, springs, shocks and track bar relocation brackets. It has worn out 265-75-16 studded Firestone Destination MT's, and a transfer case/skid plate drop. It came with a soft top, bikini top and the half doors. It had a broken front window & desperately needed a cleaning out. The original plan was to clean it out, change all the fluids, replace the window and tires & drive it for the summer.
On the 45 min drive home I initially noticed it had some squeaks and groans as you might expect from a "used" 4x4. About half way home I stopped at a traffic light and heard the buzzer/saw the Check Gauges light only to realize my new prize apparently had zero oil pressure at idle. Clicking it into neutral, and just giving it the slightest bit of throttle brought it back to normal. Anything but idle results in normal oil pressure. A quick bit of interweb research when I got home revealed the fairly common oil pressure sending unit problem. I remained cautiously optimistic.
As it only came with one key, I went into my local locksmith's to have a couple more cut & programmed. On the way home there's an overpass with quite a stepdown bump as you come off of it. It hadn't been a problem on the way home earlier in the week... and while intellectually aware of death wobble, I had never had the privilege of experiencing it in person.... Let's just say that was "interesting". I was in the slow lane of a two lane highway approaching a merge lane full of traffic coming on from the right, cars coming by me on the left, and something Freighjtliner-ish behind me. I slowed a bit, and rode it out for about half a kilometer until I could safely pull off and slow down enough to get it to stop. I've driven plenty of death traps and probably done more than my share of dumb $#@% in vehicles, so I just made sure to avoid the rest of the potholes on the way home and informed my wife she wasn't allowed to drive it until after that particular issue was addressed!
Summer being my busier season at work, I quickly realized I didn't really have the time (or space in my garage (currently) to do the baseline stuff, so I booked it in with my local shop to do the baseline stuff. So change all the fluids, give it a once over, and check the oil pressure sender. There's one ball joint that just slightly sloppy, and the steering box seems pretty worn out. Front diff = chipped tooth. Rear diff = full of filings. Trans and transfer case might be ok. Oil pressure is not a sender problem. Drop the pan = pickup full of what appears to be peeled paint, so he cleans it up and adds a high volume pump for good measure. Hot oil pressure still = 0. I did get the window replaced & removed all the extra tops from inside, but haven't really had time to give it any more attention I've had to put dealing with Jeep issues on hold for a minute, as my (daily driver) Dodge needed some attention first.
So that's about where it sits today....
(Edit: I think I'm going to have to figure out how to better post pic's!)
I figured I post this up as a Build Thread, because that's where it's heading.
I think I want to use this as a place to get feedback on my idea's from those who've probably already been there and done that. I've spent a bit of my limited spare time surfing around, and tend to like the overall no nonsense attitude around here. A bit reminiscent of some other old 4x4 websites for which I used to be willing to make time.
The short version is:
I bought a 2004 TJ Unlimited with the intention of doing minimal maintenance and driving it around. I'd figure out what and when to mod as the issues presented themselves. The general idea being to build it (over time, and being able to enjoy the process) towards being a competent crawler on 35-ish inch tires
Turns out there's very few parts that don't need maintenance or repair. Hence the name.
A bit of my overall back story might be helpful:
I'm not new to wheeling. 30 years ago (when they were still affordable) I had a '77 Bronco. Drove the daylights out of it, and collected a bunch of stuff to make it into a quality driver/crawler. Around the same time a lovely lady came along that was rather distracting. (We've been together for 25+ years now). Managed to get out from my EB investment for what I had into it. Took a few years off 4x4ing to Autocross, married, moved a few times, had a really well built Bronco 2 crawler, changed employers a few times, bought a Volvo wagon, had a kid, bought a townhouse, bought a Suburban, and sold the Bronco 2.
Made it a couple years before the itch to go wheeling came back. Bought a '48 CJ2A and started making plans and collecting parts. (This might be important later.) Somewhere along the way I sold the Volvo & picked up a Dodge Megacab 2500 diesel & a 24' cargo trailer.
Inspired by some of the super cool stretched Flat Fender builds on that other website (arguably back when it was cool) I have built up quite and extensive pile of interesting bits, which is no small feat when you have a one car garage. My ambitious plans keep running up on the reality that my strata council might not approve of a major fabrication project going on, and I realized that if I wanted to build something with linked suspension with a 100-ish inch wheelbase, that a TJU might be the "better" starting point.
I just barely missed out on two VERY well built Rubicon's within a few hundred kilometers of me. They were priced accordingly for well sorted rigs, but not being "new" I feel either of them would have been worth the asking price.
Then a Sport came up locally. (at a very reasonable price). I will concede that I should have looked a little deeper that I did before taking it off the PO's hands, but I feel like I got a good enough deal that I'm not really upset about it.
The day I brought it home:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UhXgamVoGFziNWcTA
It appears to have a 4" RC lift consisting of lower control arms, springs, shocks and track bar relocation brackets. It has worn out 265-75-16 studded Firestone Destination MT's, and a transfer case/skid plate drop. It came with a soft top, bikini top and the half doors. It had a broken front window & desperately needed a cleaning out. The original plan was to clean it out, change all the fluids, replace the window and tires & drive it for the summer.
On the 45 min drive home I initially noticed it had some squeaks and groans as you might expect from a "used" 4x4. About half way home I stopped at a traffic light and heard the buzzer/saw the Check Gauges light only to realize my new prize apparently had zero oil pressure at idle. Clicking it into neutral, and just giving it the slightest bit of throttle brought it back to normal. Anything but idle results in normal oil pressure. A quick bit of interweb research when I got home revealed the fairly common oil pressure sending unit problem. I remained cautiously optimistic.
As it only came with one key, I went into my local locksmith's to have a couple more cut & programmed. On the way home there's an overpass with quite a stepdown bump as you come off of it. It hadn't been a problem on the way home earlier in the week... and while intellectually aware of death wobble, I had never had the privilege of experiencing it in person.... Let's just say that was "interesting". I was in the slow lane of a two lane highway approaching a merge lane full of traffic coming on from the right, cars coming by me on the left, and something Freighjtliner-ish behind me. I slowed a bit, and rode it out for about half a kilometer until I could safely pull off and slow down enough to get it to stop. I've driven plenty of death traps and probably done more than my share of dumb $#@% in vehicles, so I just made sure to avoid the rest of the potholes on the way home and informed my wife she wasn't allowed to drive it until after that particular issue was addressed!
Summer being my busier season at work, I quickly realized I didn't really have the time (or space in my garage (currently) to do the baseline stuff, so I booked it in with my local shop to do the baseline stuff. So change all the fluids, give it a once over, and check the oil pressure sender. There's one ball joint that just slightly sloppy, and the steering box seems pretty worn out. Front diff = chipped tooth. Rear diff = full of filings. Trans and transfer case might be ok. Oil pressure is not a sender problem. Drop the pan = pickup full of what appears to be peeled paint, so he cleans it up and adds a high volume pump for good measure. Hot oil pressure still = 0. I did get the window replaced & removed all the extra tops from inside, but haven't really had time to give it any more attention I've had to put dealing with Jeep issues on hold for a minute, as my (daily driver) Dodge needed some attention first.
So that's about where it sits today....
(Edit: I think I'm going to have to figure out how to better post pic's!)
Last edited:
)
) are good goals. So the body & motor lift appeal to me, in the regard that it practically facilitates that goal. Aqualu is local to me, and if required (likely) I'd go to their highline widened tube fenders for both tire clearance and street legality.
Plus the funds could be reinvested into the TJ.
