Picked up an 04 TJ today and need some help!

[JaysonB]

Hello, I picked up a kind of neglected Jeep this afternoon, an 04 sport, with a 4.0 and 5 speed. It runs good, has 113,000 miles on it. It looks like it had a pretty nice lift on it, everything is adjustable, and has grease zerks on it, but it appears that nothing was ever greased. A few of the heim joints are loose, and there are a couple u-joints loose as well. Is it possible to get replacement joints to screw into the control arms, or am I better off just replacing them? Any idea on the size lift it might have? It seems to clear the bald 33s pretty well. Any help is appreciated!

 

[NDSpeed]

Looks like adjustable control arms to

 

[JaysonB]

A few more pics.

 

[astjp2]

Pull an arm and get dimensions, some you can rebuild and some are garbage.

 

[lBasket]

Wow crusty

 

[Gilaguy23]

That frame dont look so good boss.

 

[JaysonB]

That frame dont look so good boss.

Everything underneath looks pretty scaly, I did check out the frame pretty good before I bought it, and it passed a pretty good tap test.

 

[OldBuzzard]

Any idea on the size lift it might have?

How can I tell how much lift my Jeep Wrangler TJ has?​

 

[JaysonB]

How can I tell how much lift my Jeep Wrangler TJ has?​

Thanks! Looks like it’s 3” in the front, I didn’t have time to measure the rear before I had to go this morning.

 

[bucky]

It’s a 21 year old Rust Belt vehicle. That’s what you get unless you only drive in the summer up there.
I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun with it and welcome to the Forum.

 

[JaysonB]

It’s a 21 year old Rust Belt vehicle. That’s what you get unless you only drive in the summer up there.
I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun with it and welcome to the Forum.

Thanks! I work in a restoration shop, so I’m pretty used to fixing up rusty stuff. I decided to just order up full set of the cheaper Core 4x4 control arms, and got 5 new Firestone MT2 33s on the way as well.

 

[bucky]

I grew up in Wisconsin so I know what you’re up against. We get spoiled living in rust free country.

 

[astjp2]

I grew up in Wisconsin so I know what you’re up against. We get spoiled living in rust free country.

What part of Wisconsin?

 

[Rickstar321]

Congrats! I have an 04 TJ Sport X 5 speed as well.. Love love love it!

How she started... where she is so far...

 

[bucky]

What part of Wisconsin?

Milwaukee.

 

[JaysonB]

I’ve got piles of parts on the way, brakes all the way around were shot, exhaust, new rear bumper, and I got a spare tire bracket and 3rd brake light coming. Tires showed up today, so I spent the evening getting those mounted up, and got the rear bumper pulled off. The wheels wouldn’t have been my first choice, but they will work for now. My plan is to set this up to pull behind the motorhome, my main priority is to make the steering, and suspension tight.

 

[astjp2]

Milwaukee.

Almost a FIB! Hahaha just kidding, glad to see someone is willing to work on a rust bucket

 

[bucky]

I’m a Cheese Head for sure.
I once got a rental car on a trip back home with FIB plates. Had to write on the back window with soap “Rental not a FIB”. Now I make sure of the plates when I rent.

 

[Moglocker]

I’ve got piles of parts on the way, brakes all the way around were shot, exhaust, new rear bumper, and I got a spare tire bracket and 3rd brake light coming. Tires showed up today, so I spent the evening getting those mounted up, and got the rear bumper pulled off. The wheels wouldn’t have been my first choice, but they will work for now. My plan is to set this up to pull behind the motorhome, my main priority is to make the steering, and suspension tight.View attachment 637801View attachment 637802

Make sure you disable the lock steering wheel,not that hard.

 

[JaysonB]

The new control arms will show up tomorrow. I have the Jeep up on jack stands, under the axles, my plan is to swap them out 1 at a time, just setting them to the same length as the ones that are in there. Is that a safe way to do it? I can’t see anything moving much with 3 arms attached at a time.