I bought my TJ about a year ago, and haven’t had a ton of time to work on it since. I’d like a little advice on where to start. The guy I bought it from was sort of shady and hadn’t really done all that much to it. It’s got a steel bumper, led headlights, a winch, 33s, and what I think is a 4 inch lift, but I’m not really sure. Other than that it’s a bone stock 97 sport. It runs just fine and I have no issues other than a couple leaky gear boxes. I’m tracking it’s gonna need a SYE and the diffs probably need re geared. I’m looking for any advice on where to get started on this thing and maybe some wisdom for someone new to this sort of thing.
Where do I start?
- Thread starter PeterC
- Start date
Figure out your intended use for the vehicle, total budget, and expected tire size, which will dictate necessary modifications. I'd also determine if you have a Dana 44 or Dana 35 rear axle. You can find pics of both axles and compare to your current rear axle
Peruse the resources and how to sections. Read some folk's build threads. Watch YouTube videos.
But most of all send it! Take it out and wheel it as hard as you want.
Either something will break and you can improve it...or something will suck and you can improve it.
We enable all sorts of bad decisions here.
-Mac
But most of all send it! Take it out and wheel it as hard as you want.
Either something will break and you can improve it...or something will suck and you can improve it.
We enable all sorts of bad decisions here.
-Mac
100%, I would suggest start looking at TJ's, online, in pics, or in person. Find one that you're like "yes, that's it".
My CJ5, I 100% had exactly what I wanted. My 2005 TJ, was for my son, and in college he wanted a truck, and I was excited to take the TJ.
But I'm almost always a Red Jeep, so black, I started looking. Below is frankly the example, what I found and liked, and built with a lot of things from here, and wanting to be able to stick to short arms, 35's, and lockers and a higher skid for clearance.
Mine is on the right, and I'm pretty close. I went full black out as much as possible, just going with it, and mine isn't a Rubicon, but I swapped 2005 Rubicon axles and lockers with upgraded gearing. My CJ5, want a lot more stainless or chrome, ha. Wheels and eventually bumpers etc. right now, you ask this, you'll get everyone else's thoughts...which come from what "they want" in their vision.
If you want 35's, that's a big commitment, but you go bigger...it's a REALLY big commitment, changing serious stuff, not parts, but cutting and welding big time.
Find the look, then when you see what it is, you can start to read here on what it takes to get there. I assembled parts for a couple years actually, some went on, but a lot was in my home office until it was go time, ha.
Short term, fluids and make sure it runs well as is etc, maintenance so it won't cause an emergency spend.
My CJ5, I 100% had exactly what I wanted. My 2005 TJ, was for my son, and in college he wanted a truck, and I was excited to take the TJ.
But I'm almost always a Red Jeep, so black, I started looking. Below is frankly the example, what I found and liked, and built with a lot of things from here, and wanting to be able to stick to short arms, 35's, and lockers and a higher skid for clearance.
Mine is on the right, and I'm pretty close. I went full black out as much as possible, just going with it, and mine isn't a Rubicon, but I swapped 2005 Rubicon axles and lockers with upgraded gearing. My CJ5, want a lot more stainless or chrome, ha. Wheels and eventually bumpers etc. right now, you ask this, you'll get everyone else's thoughts...which come from what "they want" in their vision.
If you want 35's, that's a big commitment, but you go bigger...it's a REALLY big commitment, changing serious stuff, not parts, but cutting and welding big time.
Find the look, then when you see what it is, you can start to read here on what it takes to get there. I assembled parts for a couple years actually, some went on, but a lot was in my home office until it was go time, ha.
Short term, fluids and make sure it runs well as is etc, maintenance so it won't cause an emergency spend.
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Start with getting caught up on basic maintenance items, figure out what needs attention, then figure out the direction you want to go.
Change all fluids to establish a maintenance baseline. Drive the crap out of it to identify anything not working right, odd noises, etc. Lots of rubber bushings and connectors that can dry out in 20+ years on a vechicle. Also plenty of wear items that go bad over time, both from use and sitting; fix things as needed for safety and reliability.
Then go wheel the crap out of it to see what it does well and doesn't. Hopefully along the way, you'll get an idea of what you want to do with it - weekend around town cruiser, DD, rock crawler, etc. Then you can start making a list based on where you want to take it.
Then go wheel the crap out of it to see what it does well and doesn't. Hopefully along the way, you'll get an idea of what you want to do with it - weekend around town cruiser, DD, rock crawler, etc. Then you can start making a list based on where you want to take it.
As said above +:
*Drive it.
*Perform all the routine maint. If you have the owners manual read it and look at the maint schedules. Replace that missing side light.
*Find out what the PO did to it. Identify the brand of lift and any other upgrades. Folks here will help. We like Pictures here. WARNING! People on this Forum like to spend other peoples money.
*Start that TJ fund. Good upgrades cost $$ and Army pay is not the best.
*In your travels if you see a nice setup try to talk to the owner. We Love to talk about our TJs.
*Overall keep doing what you’ve started here. Take a slow methodical approach, use your brain, try to keep emotion out of your decisions.
*Drive it.
*Perform all the routine maint. If you have the owners manual read it and look at the maint schedules. Replace that missing side light.
*Find out what the PO did to it. Identify the brand of lift and any other upgrades. Folks here will help. We like Pictures here. WARNING! People on this Forum like to spend other peoples money.
*Start that TJ fund. Good upgrades cost $$ and Army pay is not the best.
*In your travels if you see a nice setup try to talk to the owner. We Love to talk about our TJs.
*Overall keep doing what you’ve started here. Take a slow methodical approach, use your brain, try to keep emotion out of your decisions.
I'll third, or maybe fourth that recommendation for inspecting it for any issues and getting a baseline on fluids. Look for signs of leaking axles like streaks of oil dribbling down in the backsides of tires. Make sure the safety items are up to par - brakes, steering. Flush the brake fluid. Do a steering test and check the tie rod, drag link, track bar are good. Change engine oil, transmission and transfer case fluids and differential fluids. Figure out what the installed parts are and what axles it has.
Get some road miles on it and make sure you can trust it. Then go further offroad. Take it over to Moab and do some easier trails like Fins and Things and get to know what it is able to do without taking on a ton of risk and how much appetite you have for that risk.
To go full Moab rock crawler as you state in your profile could mean alot of things. There's a pretty big difference in cost between being able to run Steelbender and Pritchet Canyon though both are rock crawling trails.
Get some road miles on it and make sure you can trust it. Then go further offroad. Take it over to Moab and do some easier trails like Fins and Things and get to know what it is able to do without taking on a ton of risk and how much appetite you have for that risk.
To go full Moab rock crawler as you state in your profile could mean alot of things. There's a pretty big difference in cost between being able to run Steelbender and Pritchet Canyon though both are rock crawling trails.
Every post above has merit.
I’m not trying to sound abrasive, but if it was mine, I would pull the front bumper, get a stock one for 40 bucks and cut it down maybe…. And get those flares off.
Sort of like Michelangelo said about the statue of the David …
He took a block of Marble and removed everything that was not the David .
But also, he did some parts so well women fainted at the unveiling.
Basically, I start with getting rid of everything I don’t like when I tackle a rig and those are the personal preferences that hit me.
You know this may sound kind of random, we have a pretty group of big loyal owners here from Texas.
Lots of good looking rigs.
I’m not trying to sound abrasive, but if it was mine, I would pull the front bumper, get a stock one for 40 bucks and cut it down maybe…. And get those flares off.
Sort of like Michelangelo said about the statue of the David …
He took a block of Marble and removed everything that was not the David .
But also, he did some parts so well women fainted at the unveiling.
Basically, I start with getting rid of everything I don’t like when I tackle a rig and those are the personal preferences that hit me.
You know this may sound kind of random, we have a pretty group of big loyal owners here from Texas.
Lots of good looking rigs.
The ones on my TJ, in my profile? They are Warrior Products metal fender flares, I think the 3" ones, they have 6" I think. Came on the TJ and yeah, I like them without cutting the fenders for Hilines.
Absolutely change fluids for a baseline. I'd also l7be ball and u joints plus wheel bearings. Check the bumper connections, front and rear. I've witnessed more than once a bumper being torn off because it wasn't frame grounded. Unspool the winch cable, check for any frayed areas and that it doesn't bind.
Now...gather the gear for the trail. Air pump, extraction gear ( including soft shackles and snatched blocks), tools, hammer, rope (Bubba or Yankum for the best!), fluids, etc.
Go from there
Who is the prettiest, Andy?
Rubicon Compass mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all
Lots of good advice here. I'd highly recommend prioritizing overdue maintenance first, basically all fluids and anything with a bushing in it. You can start figuring out the types of upgrades you want to do while you're tackling the maintenance.
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