Overlanding the Moose

[Queticon]

Some of you may recognize me from the Jeepforum forum site. Started there before I realized there was a forum just for TJs. Nothing wrong with that site at all. Lots of great info. But I really do just want to focus on the Moose.

The Moose is a 2005 Unlimited Rubicon. The LWB TJs have been referred to as 'LJ', but that's not a real designation. Closest would be TJ-L. I used to have hang-ups about that, but I'm over it. Call the Moose an LJ.

I've had the jeep since 2009 when it had 30k miles. Prior to that, I had a '97 TJ and a '96 XJ. It's riding on an OME 2 1/2" lift kit that is fantastic. Love it. But it's just a little short for the 33s (285/75) that I'm currently running.

Now at 120k, and almost 15 MN winters, The Jeep was showing its age. Over the past year I was contemplating selling it and getting a Commander. In July, I test drove a mint 2010 Commander. It was nice. Really nice. But when I drove the car back to the lot and parked next to the Moose, it just didn't feel right. Didn't feel part of my particular idiom.

Started watching some videos on overlanding. Seems that activity is crowded with JKs. Thought a little about that. I dig JKs. But again, just not part of my particular idiom. "Hey stupid, you have the PERFECT vehicle parked on the street in front of your house. What's the problem?" That voice says a lot of ridiculous things. But that wasn't one of them. I now have a new-found enthusiasm that was somehow lost.

Started digging into what I could do. First was to take it to my local shop and have them identify all the neglected and worn out stuff. It was a long list, but all of it I can handle.

• Things I knew about
  • Leaky heater box
  • Swaybar link bushings worn
  • Clutch master/slave needs replacing due to the pin falling out of the cylinder
  • Cracked windshield and rusty frame
  • Wrong radiator
  • Rear passenger side shock mount bolt cross-threaded
• Things they found
  • Upper and Lower ball joints loose
  • LF axle seal leaking
  • Hi pressure power steering hose leaking
  • oil pan or front seal seeping
  • valve cover gasket leaking
  • LR axle seal leaking
• Miscellaneous
  • RB1 stereo needs maintenance. I think the amp is going as well as the DVD head. I bought a double din bezel and will likely go that route instead. Still worthwhile to restore the RB1
  • Soft top fabric and side curtains are shot. '05 Unlimited tops are stupid expensive
  • Fender rot on the deck on both front fenders. I am going to attempt a shadetree repair myself. If I screw it up, well I guess new fenders are in my future anyway. I'm not convinced I want high-clearance replacements. Not a fan of the look. Other than that, I'm surprised at how little rust there is. Minnesota eats cars in the winter.

That was two months ago. I've since tackled some of the easy things. Did a couple things that aren't on the list. And psyching myself up to take time off work to do some of the bigger things. I also have all the components for a 4" lift. Rather than get a kit, I went a-la-carte. That has worked for me in the past in other areas. We'll see how it works out.

I am contemplating 35s. The Rubicon has lower gearing than standard TJs. Technically, the tire size I'm interested in is p-metric 315/75. That's just shy of 35". Coupled with the 6-speed, I don't expect any degradation in performance. The Kenda 33s have been great without any sluggishness. That said, I would likely upgrade the brakes.

Hoping to tackle the big stuff in the next few weeks before November. Winter pretty much settles in about the 2nd or 3rd week of November around here.

 

[Queticon]

First big job to tackle was replacing the heat exchanger

Somewhere in the 2000s (I think 2002), they redesign the climate mechanics and made it much harder to do maintenance on that unit. You have to remove the dash to do it. Here's a great video on that process:

It's pretty involved but not difficult. I managed to get it done over two weekends. It gave me an opportunity to do some of the "while you're in there" type things. Biggest was fixing the burned out main harness attached to the steering wheel.

 

[Queticon]

If anyone is wondering about the Hooke Road bumpers, here's a little overview.
They go by a few different brand names (EAG, Vijay, Hunter, Ubox).

Front Bumper:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753DCZBZ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Rear Bumper:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HJ3LCSJ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I had been looking for a single-action tire carrier and they are muy expensivo. I was able to get the front and rear for around $700.

They seem pretty well built to me. Installation wasn't a big deal in spite of the crappy instructions. No surprise there. It's pretty obvious where the parts go, though it is a bit fiddly - lots of nuts and bolts.

The only real challenge was the rear bottom bolts that go up into the frame. The holes are just a bit short. If I would have test fit before putting in on, I probably could have made the hole bigger. Will need to use a dremel to do that now that it's installed.

Great thing about the LJ is that there is a lot of space between the bumper bracket and the fuel tank. No need to drop the tank to get to the bolts. On the TJ, you'll need to drop the tank to get to the additional screws inboard on the bumper.

Love the single-action tire carrier. Only gripe is the bumper that rides on the door. If you don't get it lined up perfectly, it will squeak and rattle on every little bump. Fortunately, adjustment is easy.

Also, for later model TJs, you will need to put some spacers on the plate that mounts to the tailgate. Otherwise you'll be closing up the vent in the gate. I've heard stories of people blowing out windows if that vent is blocked. I printed out a 1" spacer in carbon fiber and that did the trick. After doing that, however, you will need to shorten the bolts on the clevis that attaches the tire carrier to the gate.

Tires are 33" and I was able to mount it pretty low which helped a lot for visibility. Currently working on a bracket for the third tail light.

 

[rasband]

The body tag actually does claim LJ, so I think it is a designation

 

[Queticon]

Well whattya know about that.

And after a little searching, found a thread here that also showed this.

That said, my excuse is that there was no “external” designation like that.

In any case, my OCD can now rest easy knowing it’s legit nomenclature

 

[EJD]

Nice LJ, is that a forest green pearl? Almost looks a shade darker...love green Jeeps. Have you taken it on any good overland adventures yet or just building it up a bit first?

 

[gaabbee]

Nice LJ, is that a forest green pearl? Almost looks a shade darker...love green Jeeps. Have you taken it on any good overland adventures yet or just building it up a bit first?

I think his is deep beryl green...I have his twin!

 

[Queticon]

yes, 'Deep Beryl Green' is the correct color

I know that because I just had a new windshield frame and two new fenders painted.

I have been checking things off the list prior to heading off toward the horizon someday. I was hoping to hit the trails in Northern Minnesota, but I just do not have the bandwidth right now. Plus, there are some nagging things like leaky axle seals, leaky oil pan/rms, and leaky valve cover that I need to get sorted out. Plus, I have everything I need to lift another 2" but just don't have the time to get it done before the deep freeze sets in. So I'll have to wait until next year.

Meanwhile, I've been 'modernizing' a lot of the comfort stuff including the double din radio, terrific speakers, accessory bar, compass/temp/map light mirror, etc. All easy stuff that I can squeeze in some time to do.

 

[Queticon]

some of the stuff I've done...

Compass/Temp/Map Light mirror. The LJ has all t he wiring in place to utilize this. I just crimped on a simple dupont connector with the same pin pitch. Works great. The mirror came with a temp sensor that fits the socked built in to the LJ

 

[TJ Rubicus]

Nice looking ride. It looks to me like you are getting the list whittled down.

 

[Queticon]

There are some things on that list that are nagging me every day...like a splinter in my mind, driving me mad. (name that movie reference)

Here's how that train of thought goes...

"I need new shaft seals. To do that, I need to remove the steering link. Which is fine because I have a beefier steering assembly sitting on a shelf. If I'm going to do that, I might as well replace the ball joints. But wait, if I'm going to do that, I may as well install those 4" springs I just bought...and the new shocks and lower control arms and longer brake lines and adjustable track bar. Hell, I should just take the axle all the way out then I can access the oil pan and replace the gasket and RMS. But, that damn exhaust tube goes right past the oil pan. I should just remove that too and replace the whole exhaust system. Hell, that would probably fix that damn intermittent P0151 CEL error I've been
having..."

Then a voice says, "oh yeah? and WHEN are you going to do all that?"

Fuck it, just take it to the $$$SHOP$$$

it's keeping me up at night.

 

[TJ Rubicus]

When things seem overwhelming to me, I remind myself of a favourite saying that I have " the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time".

 

[Queticon]

Oh yeah. I’m familiar with that. I just have too many elephants

 

[TJ Rubicus]

Oh yeah. I’m familiar with that. I just have too many elephants

Sometimes you just have to thin the herd LOL

 

[Queticon]

I should probably just post stuff about my Jeep to this thread to avoid spamming duplicate stuff

Today I installed winter tires on The Moose. There’s another thread where I talked about the wheels.

These are steel wheels painted white for a sort of old school look. I like the look and the tires ride great. We shall see over the next few days as I put a few hundred miles on them.

 

[Mike_H]

There are some things on that list that are nagging me every day...like a splinter in my mind, driving me mad. (name that movie reference)

Here's how that train of thought goes...

"I need new shaft seals. To do that, I need to remove the steering link. Which is fine because I have a beefier steering assembly sitting on a shelf. If I'm going to do that, I might as well replace the ball joints. But wait, if I'm going to do that, I may as well install those 4" springs I just bought...and the new shocks and lower control arms and longer brake lines and adjustable track bar. Hell, I should just take the axle all the way out then I can access the oil pan and replace the gasket and RMS. But, that damn exhaust tube goes right past the oil pan. I should just remove that too and replace the whole exhaust system. Hell, that would probably fix that damn intermittent P0151 CEL error I've been
having..."

Then a voice says, "oh yeah? and WHEN are you going to do all that?"

Fuck it, just take it to the $$$SHOP$$$

it's keeping me up at night.

I've been there. Two years ago when I did my 2" OME lift, I ended up with the front clip completely removed, both axles out of the jeep and the body nearly off the frame!...I will say you can drop the exhaust downpipe, remove the pan, and replace the RMS without pulling the axle. Been there, done that, twice.

 

[Queticon]

... you can drop the exhaust downpipe, remove the pan, and replace the RMS without pulling the axle...

indeed, one could do that if one had a warm place to work and plenty of time to do the work

 

[Queticon]

indeed, one could do that if one had a warm place to work and plenty of time to do the work

and I found one! (a warm place to work)

Finally did it. Upgraded the Moose's suspension. Here's what I did:

- 4" Skyjacker Softride springs
- Rough Country fixed lower control arms
- Fox 2.0 shocks & steering stabilizer
- JKS adjustable track bar
- New rear sway bar links

Doesn't seem like much. Took me 16 hour straight! I like to consider myself mechanically inclined. But dayum! I found out I'm a noob when it comes to actually doing anything.

My new friends Angela and Dylan from Twin Cities Jeep Club were generous enough to provide a warm place for me to work. Dylan was especially helpful with no-nonsense solutions to problems that just made me curl up in a ball in the corner (of my mind).

- Frozen front shock bolts. Ironically, my rear shock bolts were just fine. Fixed with a cuttoff wheel - Thanks Dylan!
- Rear control arms not aligning/seating. Fixed with a ratchet strap - Thanks Dylan!
- Remove old track bar without a pickle fork. Used a c-clamp, lots of hammering, and finally leveraging from the loose end of the track bar
- Reaming out track bar mount on the frame to 9/16" Used a step drill to hog it out. - Thanks Dylan!

Drove home feeling a kind of tired I haven't felt in ages. My fingers are still in such poor condition that fingerprint recognition doesn't work on my phone.

There were a lot of creaks and groans as I drove away. Expected that. On the highway, I kept it around 50. Ride was good. I'm liking these shocks! Listening for driveline vibrations. Nope. The only thing I'm wondering about is that now my steering is a little 'floaty'. Not a lot. Maybe less than 1 degree on the wheel. Nothing alarming.

Read some stuff about the Fox stabilizer and issues with the nitrogen charge 'overdriving' the piston and forcing the steering off-center. Anyone else have this experience? My old, $80 stabilizer never caused any issues. Maybe I just need to put that back on.

Another issue is now I have saggy ass. At least, it looks saggy. I don't think it actually is. Optical illusion?

 

[Queticon]

Ok. Yeah. Sag was due to too much junk in the trunk.

 

[Shamu]

and I found one! (a warm place to work)

Finally did it. Upgraded the Moose's suspension. Here's what I did:

- 4" Skyjacker Softride springs
- Rough Country fixed lower control arms
- Fox 2.0 shocks & steering stabilizer
- JKS adjustable track bar
- New rear sway bar links

Doesn't seem like much. Took me 16 hour straight! I like to consider myself mechanically inclined. But dayum! I found out I'm a noob when it comes to actually doing anything.

My new friends Angela and Dylan from Twin Cities Jeep Club were generous enough to provide a warm place for me to work. Dylan was especially helpful with no-nonsense solutions to problems that just made me curl up in a ball in the corner (of my mind).

- Frozen front shock bolts. Ironically, my rear shock bolts were just fine. Fixed with a cuttoff wheel - Thanks Dylan!
- Rear control arms not aligning/seating. Fixed with a ratchet strap - Thanks Dylan!
- Remove old track bar without a pickle fork. Used a c-clamp, lots of hammering, and finally leveraging from the loose end of the track bar
- Reaming out track bar mount on the frame to 9/16" Used a step drill to hog it out. - Thanks Dylan!

Drove home feeling a kind of tired I haven't felt in ages. My fingers are still in such poor condition that fingerprint recognition doesn't work on my phone.

There were a lot of creaks and groans as I drove away. Expected that. On the highway, I kept it around 50. Ride was good. I'm liking these shocks! Listening for driveline vibrations. Nope. The only thing I'm wondering about is that now my steering is a little 'floaty'. Not a lot. Maybe less than 1 degree on the wheel. Nothing alarming.

Read some stuff about the Fox stabilizer and issues with the nitrogen charge 'overdriving' the piston and forcing the steering off-center. Anyone else have this experience? My old, $80 stabilizer never caused any issues. Maybe I just need to put that back on.

Another issue is now I have saggy ass. At least, it looks saggy. I don't think it actually is. Optical illusion?

I think...the Fox steering stabilizer can be adjusted via the valve. I haven’t found a need to adjust the Fox on my TJ, as a matter of fact it improved the highway speed “feel” of the steering.