New here and looking for advice on a TJ and LJ

[bucky]

I have an 05 TJRU 6sp 32s and I love it. The extra room was the selling point for me. You can put a full sized cooler in the back with the seat down. IMO the OPDA issue is overblown and the PCM issues are on the autos. I do the local forrest service roads, desert running, occasional trip to the Sierra but no heavy rock crawling. I’ve had manual vehicles my whole life and know how to drive them. Heading up to the local mountains with my Daughter in the TJ and YJ tomorrow.
Build it for what YOU do.

 

[KennethS]

I have a ‘98 with AX15, Dana 30 front (LockRite), Dana 35 rear (LSD), Old Man Emu 2” lift, and 32” tires. I have no issues with Arizona trails and moderate rock crawling.

Went on a weekend hunting/camping trip with a friend and brought camping and hunting gear for two people, including a dozen duck decoys, and the gear was just barely to the level of the front seat tops, so we still had room for more stuff. Just have to pack wisely.

 

[mrblaine]

I figured from looking on here that the LJ is a better starting point solely due to wheelbase and the axles, but a possible nice piece would be to swap the AX15 into the LJ if I could get the Auto to go back into the 97 TJ work properly. Not sure on computer issues.

To expound on that slightly. Moving the manual to the 05 is reasonably easy with a few harnesses and conversion bellhousing from AA. Going the other way is not so easy due to the need to essentially mostly convert the 97 to at least be compatible with the 03 architecture. Also doable, but not as easy as putting the manual in the 05.

 

[tr21triton]

You need to meet this member, he is a good dude.

I am in Dohlenega today.

Like you I have both platforms.

First , is your plan to keep 2 rigs ultimately-

I sense this is sort of where you have so many scenarios you can’t decide

I cringe a little at the idea of starting to scavenge 2 working rigs into one

If you plan to camp and need room the LJ makes more sense, but if you end up in tight woods the TJ’s maneuverability shines.

My answer- don’t do anything fast. Why? So you don’t do what you think you want to do and save the money and effort to do what you really want to do once you really process all this.

I spent my second year in construction rebuying all the cheap, wrong tools I bought the first year.

Getting on here is the absolute best thing you could have done right now.

@RS Hill , @AndyG don't you have a friend up here named Hill ? Mr Hill you don't by chance work in Ellijay do you ? The name of the company on the side of your work vehicle doesn't begin with SHER and end with IFF does it ?Damn would this be funny if Andy actually knows him

 

[AndyG]

@RS Hill , @AndyG don't you have a friend up here named Hill ? Mr Hill you don't by chance work in Ellijay do you ? The name of the company on the side of your work vehicle doesn't begin with SHER and end with IFF does it ?Damn would this be funny if Andy actually knows him

Pervert. I had to go through “Hellijay” last night. You could not drive a needle up my butt with a sledgehammer.

 

[DavidBT]

Not possible. We can legally own guns without permits or registering them. What could be better?

Living in South East Arizona!!

 

[tr21triton]

Pervert. I had to go through “Hellijay” last night. You could not drive a needle up my butt with a sledgehammer.

I bet you were doing 20 MPH in that 25 zone !

 

[AndyG]

I bet you were doing 20 MPH in that 25 zone !

I pushed the car. I know that communist was hidden in the bushes watching me somewhere.

 

[AndyG]

Lumpkin County. Pervert Capital of Georgia.

So this was in today’s paper-


Someone posing as a paving contractor sent the county a $400,000 bill, and they transferred the money to them. It gone.

 

[John Cooper]

Lumpkin County. Pervert Capital of Georgia.

So this was in today’s paper-


Someone posing as a paving contractor sent the county a $400,000 bill, and they transferred the money to them. It gone.

@tr21triton taxes fixing to go up!!!

 

[bucky]

I can’t get people to pay my legitimate invocies.

 

[tr21triton]

@tr21triton taxes fixing to go up!!!

Not mine. I'm in a different county

 

[AndyG]

I can’t get people to pay my legitimate invocies.

Brother, I was thinking the same thing.

$400,000 and they stroke a check without even questioning anything.

I just finished a job and it had at least three punch lists.

A couple in the north east thought they were paying for a swimming pool and sent some stranger $30,000 in incremental payments.

I was like who in the world pays upfront on something somebody plans next summer

You and I have to be conscious that people will do the same thing and try to intercept our billing conversations if they are on email

Someone did it with our door supplier. It looked very legit.

The catch is, they will always try to use some type of online payment platform in order to convert the money to cryptocurrency.

 

[John Cooper]

Not mine. I'm in a different county

Good deal!!! Oh and Happy birthday

 

[wayleigh]

Brother, I was thinking the same thing.

$400,000 and they stroke a check without even questioning anything.

I just finished a job and it had at least three punch lists.

A couple in the north east thought they were paying for a swimming pool and sent some stranger $30,000 in incremental payments.

I was like who in the world pays upfront on something somebody plans next summer

You and I have to be conscious that people will do the same thing and try to intercept our billing conversations if they are on email

Someone did it with our door supplier. It looked very legit.

The catch is, they will always try to use some type of online payment platform in order to convert the money to cryptocurrency.

Not necessarily. I’ve seen people set up a bank account at major national banks, receive money under false pretenses, empty the bank account and close it. In a matter of days.

But this shit is everywhere. If people worked as hard on something ethical as they do to deceive people, well, that’d be good.

 

[AndyG]

Not necessarily. I’ve seen people set up a bank account at major national banks, receive money under false pretenses, empty the bank account and close it. In a matter of days.

But this shit is everywhere. If people worked as hard on something ethical as they do to deceive people, well, that’d be good.

True. They are getting pretty sophisticated at the game..

Good post.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Living in South East Arizona!!

No illegals there either?

 

[BigO]

I would only advise that whatever you do to the LJ, don’t go too extreme with mods which are complicated to undo.

The LJ’s already have better resale value over the TJ. Collector SUV’s have a higher attrition rate than collector sports cars, just due to harsh off-road use and rust consumption (sports cars are typically garaged in the winter in the Rust Belt). Then you add the fact that overall, the LJ production years were short with relatively few produced. Just a hunch, but I predict in another 10 years the LJ’s will be the next Early Bronco, with values skyrocketing for unmolested LJ’s.

 

[JMT]

New here and have been recently been bit by the Jeep bug. Bear with me while I lay the foundation for my questions.

It started with moving to north Georgia looking for a better quality of life. At that time I had a BMW which got stuck a lot on my gravel driveway often. I traded that for a stock 05 LJ which was a 2 owner in great shape with a rebuilt 42RLE, it 104k on it and in very nice shape. It has a Dana 44 with a factory LS and a 30 in the front.

I started doing forestry roads and found I really enjoyed trail riding which might had lead to a small error in judgement and might have brought home a 1997 TJ hardtop on 33/10.5/15 Mamouth wheels with a cheap rough country lift (Not a Fan) with a SYE with 92k on it with a AX15. It’s in nice shape inside and out. It has a Dana 30 and 35.

I want a trail rig/something to build on, nothing crazy like hardcore rock crawling. I have just ordered JKS 3” progressive springs, Rancho shocks, front and rear track bars, sway disconnects, adjustable control arms for the front and rear, brake lines.

I’m mechanically capable with tools and such. The question is which is the better platform for a build? What drivetrain pieces can I blend together?

I am new to Jeeps and trail riding, I have no illusions of knowing all off-road stuff. I do have the Georgia Traverse just a few miles from the house.

I came from always building road cars, I’ve done engine swaps ETC. I also have no issues blending the two Jeeps to make the best option. There is a caveat, I need one for airport duty, I have a 1.5 ride to the airport every month or so through the mountains with interstate duty. I’m not looking to do amazing speed on the interstate, it’s a Jeep. I hung up the going fast due to age and wisdom. I use wisdom loosely…..

I figured from looking on here that the LJ is a better starting point solely due to wheelbase and the axles, but a possible nice piece would be to swap the AX15 into the LJ if I could get the Auto to go back into the 97 TJ work properly. Not sure on computer issues.

So many ideas running through my head and being new to Jeeps and excited to get into the off-road scene. I don’t want to make a big mistake with this stuff. I was hoping for some assistance and direction. Everyone on here is more knowledgeable than me, so I’d love to hear any advice on this.

Thank you so much in advance.

I wouldn’t go to the trouble to start swapping things between those two years. It doesn’t really matter which one you make your trail rig vs commuter for your described usage. If you need more space in one scenario choose the LJ for that use.

Now, if you get the offroad bug and start to go crazy I’d build the LJ.

 

[DavidBT]

No illegals there either?

Haven't seen any.