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Jeep Wrangler

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I've got the longer wheelbase Unlimiteds so I can't give you real-world advice on your specific model. However, I can attest to Wranglers in general are not known for their highway speed characteristics. I know test driving the regular wheelbase Wranglers seemed a bit more "choppy" at highway speeds than the Unlimiteds.

    Start by checking tire pressures on all four. New tires certainly would improve your ride/handling and you'd want to have an alignment done with new tires as well which may solve the issue. You also might see if your Jeep has stock suspension parts that are worn. If not stock, previous owner(s) may have changed them out or added a lift.

    Just wanted to give you a few simple thoughts...I'm certain more ideas from the real experts on this forum will get you straight 'n smoothed out. Happy Jeepin'.
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    mac, did you have a typo on the 70mph revs? Based on the 65mph number, looks like 70mph should be about 2695rpm.

    While we are discussing rpm. A few weeks back there was a discussion about the valves not rotating until above 3000rpm. The rotating knocked carbon off which helped smooth running. Heck, with my 3 speed auto, 4.0, I doubt mine had ever been above 3000rpm. What is the recommendation here? Run up to 3200 or so for a short period every once in a while? How often? How long?

    I put mine low and ran it up for ten seconds or so. Plan to do it every couple of weeks. My TJ is a run around town car. Darn few road miles.

    Terry :confuse:
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Mine has a shake about 60 mph. At 63 it is gone. Doesn't do it at 70. I'm thinking it has something to do with the 33's I'm turning and their balance.

    TrXuS MT's are a PAIN to balance on a good day.

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    mac, did you have a typo on the 70mph revs? Based on the 65mph number, looks like 70mph should be about 2695rpm.

    No, the typo was on the speed. :P

    Should have been 2500rpm at 60mph. Just under 2300rpm at 55mph, 2700rpm at 65mph, and a little over 2900 at 70mph. All figures taken from the tach, so they're approximate.

    Referring back to the original mention of 4000rpm, that would equate to about 95mph. Quite achievable, and even a little more, but not recommended as a cruising speed.

    As for the engine rpm required for the valves to start rotating, I don't know the exact figure but the theory is correct. However, the benefit is the evening of wear on the valve faces and seats, rather than the removal of carbon. You don't have to engage low range, just put it in first or second (after the engine is fully warmed up) and accelerate up to 3500rpm or so, hold it for a few seconds then slip it into 'D'. Do that once a week and it should keep you ahead of the game.
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    Martin,

    Thanks for the reply. I have been putting it in 1st gear, not low range. My bad on terminology. :blush:

    Terry
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    Boy, I didn't mean to cause offense about the 3-speed. I do remember thinking a 3-speed was unacceptable when I bought my current Jeep new in 1998. My YJ had the 3-speed auto and I hated it. I thought it was cheap of Chrysler and still do. They also had a 3-speed in the Neon if memory serves.

    I get close to 20mpg on the highway with my 4.0L, 3.73 differential, 30" BFG A/Ts. It seems to me if I ran in 4th gear only I'd run close to 3000rpms vs 2500rpms. I don't know. Good to know about revving it up now and again though.

    Jeeps aren't perfectly designed and I do think potential buyers should know when Chrysler has been less than perfect, as with sticking a no-OD auto in the Wrangler, or the whole exhaust manifold fiasco.
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    ducks,

    No offense taken on the 3-spped auto. Many of us have been on this forum since the early days of the TJ. Mine is a 2000, so I missed the manifold problem. My little "crappy" deal was poking a little fun harking back to the discussions on this forum about the crappy 3-speed auto being so bad that those who had the 5-speed (I think) manual just could not understand how we could put up with them. You would have thought crappy was part of the official name. Well, I drove manuals for thirty years. The TJ was my retirement present to myself. I was just tired of shifting. I knew it was my around town wheels and the auto would get the job done. It has not given me any trouble.

    Most of the problem the stick shift guys had with the auto seemed to revolve around not having an overdrive. With the 3.07 dif's, you kind of live in overdrive all the time. A little slow off the line, ( even a little slower since I put 30's on it) but it gets me there.

    True, the manuals are probably more fun to drive. True, you have better control over engine speed and power for up hill climbs. True you can use the engine for down hill braking. Heck, I live in the Chicago area. We don't have hills you can't see over. In fact, most of our pot holes are deeper than our hills are high.

    No problem. :D

    Terry
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    No offense taken by me either. :)

    The three speed in the earlier YJs was the basic TF999 without a lock-up torque converter. Revs would have been higher and changes more frequent, so I can see where you're coming from.

    However, when it comes to the number of gears, less doesn't necessarily mean cheaper. Chrysler had some truly awful transmissions available that could have been used to bring an automatic to the Wrangler for the first time, but to their credit they picked a strong, heavy duty but smooth unit that was fully capable of handling off-road duties as well as those on.

    Remember as well, that the Wrangler is a true dual purpose vehicle. If its development had been directed purely at on-road driving then it would long ago have had a unitary body, smaller wheels, two wheel drive, independent suspension and a smaller higher revving engine.

    Virtually all the features on a Wrangler are a compromise of some sort, but right from the early days the vehicle has been in evolution, and continues to be so. The vehicle on which the current model is based was introduced over sixty years ago as an off-road military transport. The vehicle will never be perfect for all people, all the time, but I do think that the introduction of the Torqueflight 999 was the correct decision at that time. Especially considering the alternatives, which were either a much weaker four speed or no auto option at all.

    Oh, and congratulation on your fuel mileage by the way. That really is the top end of what can be expected from an early TJ. You must be a very smooth driver! ;)
  • dctalkdctalk Member Posts: 6
    I'm seriously considering on of the new 2-door JKs, and trying to decide whether the Rubicon is worth $3k over the Sahara the way I would want them configured. The Jeep would be my daily driver, and my intent would be to use it off-road only on light trails in the Southwest mountains or desert, no heavy duty Rubicon-style boulder crawling or stump-jumping or mud slinging. If I go with the Sahara, the question is do I opt for the rear locker or would the limited slip differential suffice? Another question for the group--how does the LSD react on wet road conditions? Does it help at all on rain-slick roads or hurt? Any other effects on driving that the LSD would have?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    No experience with LSD (either type ;)) but the Rubi/Sahara choice is really up to you. Given how I drive my TJ, I'd opt for a Rubicon if buying one today. The lockers are nice if DO get stuck on those trails. Desert rain can make a trail into a river REAL quick, and having that capability is always nice. Plus, if you decide to sell it later, you have that much better resale.

    I never thought I'd wheel like I do now, so if you know you'll be doing trails and such in the future, it doesn't take much to go that next step and want to do something a little more challenging. :D

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    The LSD is virtually invisible in day to day driving. The Rubicon/Sahara choice is more a queation of whether you want one as opposed to needing one, because for what you intend to do now, and a lot more than that, a non-Rubicon will be fine. Maybe a Sahara with a locker would be a good compromise.
  • jplymanjplyman Member Posts: 90
    Hello everyone - I need some over the next few years my son will be out of his car seat soon and my wife is concerned about low back seat in case of a collision. I was wondering if anybody had found replacement back seats with headrest, putting front seat type seats in the back or something else.

    Thanks
  • willymack76willymack76 Member Posts: 8
    I am considering purchasing a used Wrangler in the near future and I am having trouble choosing from the different models. I work at CARMAX so I will only be paying a little above wholesale. I'm 30 with no kids. This would be an everyday vehicle. Should I just get the most bang for my buck, i.e. Unlimited/Sahara/Rubicon? I don't really like the look of the Unlimited. What do I need to consider? Any help would be appreciated.
  • jplymanjplyman Member Posts: 90
    I drive an '06 Unlimited and am not wild about the extend back end look when the top is up - when its down - which is any time is not raining or freezing it looks great to me.

    The other nice thing about the Unlimited is that the is a lot smoother than the regular Jeep. Also, there is a good space between the back seat and the back end to through gear and stuff like that. Now that I have my Unlimited I would be hard pressed to give it up.

    I would say a big consideration is how much modifying do you want to do - The more you want to modify the more entry level model you may want to consider.

    Lastly which Jeep looks the best to you?

    Good Luck and enjoy!
  • willymack76willymack76 Member Posts: 8
    The jeeps that look the best to me are the Sport & Sahara. Is there really that much difference between the two? Does one ride better than the other? By modifying, what exactly do you mean? Adding features that higher end models have?
    Thanks.
  • jplymanjplyman Member Posts: 90
    I would suggest you look at Cars Directs website b/c you can do side by side comparisons of the models to see which options they come with and are worth the money. I chose my unlimited with a package b/c I wanted the same color fenders instead of the black, and the auto-dimming mirror for example. These items that I wanted justified the extra cost - now I just have to sell my chrome grill... but for you maybe the extra won't justify the difference in cost.

    I would say that Jeep's are probably one of the easiest cars to modify and make your own. This can be a lift kit, new fog lights or more lights, new bumpers, side steps, different covers, wheels. Do a search for Jeep Parts and just watch the sites pop up.
  • dctalkdctalk Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for the responses. But now I'm a bit confused as to the value of a LSD. If there is no advantage to a LSD on roads, whether slick or dry, what advantage would it provide off-road?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    You asked how the Wrangler's LSD reacts in wet conditions, and I said you'd find it virtually invisible. I didn't say it doesn't work!

    Off-road the difference in traction between wheels on the same axle is likely to be much greater than on-road, so the LSD will provide greater benefits. Again, the operation of the Wrangler's unit is pretty seamless.

    One of the reasons I said it would be invisible to you is that some LSDs can be quite 'clunky' as they do their job.
  • fenris99fenris99 Member Posts: 16
    I noticed that a lot of reviews on Yahoo talked about electrical problems; dashboard lghting up like a christmas tree, engine cutting out, etc. Anyone have any comments on he subject?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    The biggest electrical issue I'VE seen is in regards to the TJ's fuel gauge. There is an issue with the fuel indicator that causes it to drop to 0 on occasion. Something having to do with the unit in the tank itself. I know how far I go on a tank of gas, so I just use the Odometer most of the time. 90% of the time the gauge reads correctly.

    As for the whole dash lighting up, there is a connector between the body and the dash that that is EASILY cleanable and can be filled with dielectric grease to ensure good connections. Other than that, the only electrical issues are usually owner-created when adding stuff to their TJ's.

    Mac may have more, but that is all I've experienced.

    -Paul
  • scottlscottl Member Posts: 109
    I looked at/sat in a 4-door Wrangler recently. One thing absolutely freaked me out. I am only 5'9", but it felt like the rollbar and speaker pod were aimed right at my forehead. Sure, you should be wearing your seatbelt, and yes, it is padded, but I could never be comfortable back there. My son is 6'1" and still growing, and he disliked it more than I did.

    Does anyone else hate that feeling? Granted, most owners aren't riding back there.....
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    It is rather like that in my 97 Wrangler with the sound bar.

    I consider the back seats on a Wrangler (YJ, TJ, OR JK) to be token seats that are better served to hold groceries or car parts, or better yet, removed entirely. :D

    My rear seat is out most of the time. I only put it in if I HAVE to transport more than 2 additional people. I wouldn't want to have anybody back there when wheeling. Besides the bars, I'll be having fire extinguishers mounted on the cage, another potential hit location.

    -Paul
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I felt exactly as you did sitting in the rear of the new 4-door JK. I like the vehicle in general but that was on my short list of dislikes. I was rather surprised when I leaned forward and just barely cleared it while sitting still in the dealer lot. Can only imagine what bumping up and down might do to rear seat passengers' foreheads going down sand dunes...you'll need those extra storage pockets to hold bottles of aspirin for rear passengers :P
  • fenris99fenris99 Member Posts: 16
    What about pricing? I'm being quoted MSRP. :mad:
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    I've heard they are in demand. You might have better luck at the end of the summer, when the 08s are coming in.
  • jeeperzgljeeperzgl Member Posts: 2
    Hey Newbie here, just bought a 2006 X with less then 1000 miles. When I am at a red light the Jeep is missing or misfiring. I have also noticed white smoke out of the tail pipe and a smut build up. Any ideas what could be the cause? :mad:
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    White smoke is usually indicative of water in the exhaust, and when you combine that with a misfire it points to the possibility of a head gasket leak.

    The good news is that your warranty should take care of it.
  • jeeperzgljeeperzgl Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your reply, I hope it's simpler then that... ;)
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    Hello all..anyone around that still remember me?
    ole BamaTazz is still around. Been a few years.. Tazz(Jeep) will be 6 years old next month still enjoy him as much as i did that 1st day. His paint is starting to show his age.. but in all still the best vehicle ive ever owned..
    Is ole Tom still around? He probably thought ive disappeared..

    Talk to ya later
    ROLL TIDE
    Bamatazz
  • wheelsdownwheelsdown Member Posts: 250
    Oh yeh, I remember you, I bet a few of us do. My TJ is a little over 7 years old now. Tom is still around but we have not heard from him in a while. Maybe this will flush him out.

    Terry
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Welcome back! You've been gone so long that you have apparently forgotten your old password which, by the way, you can recover using the "Forgot Password?" link on the sign in page. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • yjohnyjohn Member Posts: 32
    Looking for a cheap way to lift my YJ up. Thought about just getting some 2" shakles. I also looked a a 4" rough country suspension lift. Anyone have some advice?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Shackles are a cheap way to do it, but the longer the shackle the more likely it is to twist under load.

    Rough Country wouldn't be my first choice, but a suspension lift is a much better way to go, though it's not the cut price way to do it.

    Perhaps you can say why you want a lift (looks/function/bigger tires etc.).
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    thanx for the welcome back..
    I even have tidster peeking in on my lack of memory..
    And i see Mac is even still around.
    hope everyone is doing well..and of course still hugging their jeeps

    BamaTazz
    Terry
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Still around and still wishing for a plate of BBQ too. :shades:
  • gdh3gdh3 Member Posts: 28
    What are some thoughts regarding the sale of Chrysler and what it ultimately will bring for Wrangler fans?
    gh
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Yup still here, don't see much of Tom any more, though he could still be lurking.

    Mmm, bar...be..cue....ahhhhh. Doh! :shades:
  • stevecebustevecebu Member Posts: 493
    I started a discussion just for this as I think it's important as they may cut up Jeep and sell it off. That might screw up everything. There will be a lot of uncertainty regarding Jeep for a few years to come. But also there might be better changes as well.
  • akbjwyj40akbjwyj40 Member Posts: 1
    My jeep has a problem has it struggles to rev over 3000 rpm while under load. can anyone help me?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Assuming that the ignition system (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil) is all good, and that the alternator is putting out a good charge, a blocked fuel filter or weak fuel pump would be a good place to start.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Heya bama!!! I remember ya and I want some BBQ too!!!

    Tom still checks in on occasion, but not nearly like he did. He lost Ross Allen a year and a half ago. He has also gotten a new Jeeping bud, Hank. He has replaced his Procomp lift with an OME lift, and some of us who have been here a while have modded our Jeeps a bit more - some of it intentional, some not! ;)

    -Paul
  • yjohnyjohn Member Posts: 32
    I just want to get it up in the air, and also clear my tires comfortably. I have an extremely tight budget, so the more expensive suspension lifts are out of my range. I don't like how my 3" body lift looks, but I like the height that it gets me. Lifted Jeeps look much better, but I need to get the best combination of height for the dollar.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    mac, you have any idea where I can find a good deal on a driver side seat track wit the flip forward design? My 97 didn't come with it, but I've thought about swapping it in if I can find one for a decent price.

    With all your knowledge of all things Jeep, I thought you might have a clue on something like this...

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    I would suggest eBay. Keep an eye on this guy. He only has the passenger side at the moment though.
    I've never looked into it, but maybe it can be converted?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    The words 'rock' and 'hard place' spring to mind. :)

    Maybe a smaller body lift combined with shackles?

    Good appearance, high quality, cheap. You can pair any two except cheap and high quality. ;)
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    He does have one, but I thought $65.00 was a bit high for it at this point (trying to do this as for as little $$ as possible).

    Oh well. :)

    -Paul
  • yjohnyjohn Member Posts: 32
    Thanks mac, looks like I've got some thiking and shopping to do :surprise:

    And, why would you not recommend the rough country 4"?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Can anyone offer advice on whether you should deactivate the airbags while off-roading in a Wrangler and/or if it's even possible? I assumed a fuse could be pulled but haven't looked through my ower's manual, yet.

    I thought of it only after taking my 2005 Unlimited to Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Western Michigan overlooking Lake Michigan in April. It was only 20 degrees so sand had blown over sections of frozen snow/ice in areas of shadows formed by the dunes. I had to keep my speed high enough to keep forward motion and sometimes the weight of my Jeep would crush down through the upper crust of sand and my Wrangler would violently pitch-pole through those ice/snow pockets. One notable time I got stuck after what felt like my brain was going to pop out of my head...it was a pretty violent pitch-pole effect where my front bumper had to have impacted multiple times on hard-pack sand/ice/snow in a wrenching fast-stop as I high-centered on spikes of ice/sand. I got out to find myself walking on what looked like upside down ice cream cones anywhere from 12" to 18" long and felt like concrete...very treacherous and I was convinced I'd have under-carriage damage but to Jeep's credit, I couldn't visually find any damage and after over a month of daily driving since that day, she behaves like those episodes never happened. Took her back when weather was more "dune-like"...well, Michigan "dune-like" which was in the 60s/70s...Conditions were much "softer" and far more enjoyable than that first cold blustery attempt to hit the dunes a bit too early.

    Anyway, thinking back, I'm amazed the airbags didn't deploy with those forward bumper smacks. Made me realize I better understand how to deactivate the airbags for future off-roading so as not to inadvertently explode $700-$1,500 or more out of my wallet. Granted, most off-roading shouldn't be done with such speed to cause such violent hits to the front bumper but again, with sand dunes, you have to get a good head of steam going to chug up the steep slopes or you're not going to crest the tops...along the way, ruts in the sand can make things a bit choppy.

    Forgive me if this has been discussed in past posts...I scanned through about five pages of 'airbag' references in a forum search but didn't see it if it's there.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Hi Peeps!

    I'm not sure why I stopped by, but it could be that my ears were burning. I see that I have not been forgotten around here; some folks have asked about me. That makes me feel good.

    Bamatazz, I see that you have just checked back in, too. Good to hear from you!

    Hello to all of the rest of my old friends here. I have not forgotten you guys.

    I still have Thelma Jane, but she has become pretty much just a trail rig. I don't even spray her off after wheelin' any more, and she is showing her many, many miles of wheelin'. She has bent, dented, and scratched fenders, busted flares, and an interior that will never come clean. I hardly ever drive her, except to go to Turkey Bay.

    I don't wheel every weekend any more. It's partly due to gas prices, partly due to getting a little burned-out on it, and partly due to not having my Best Bud, Ross Allen, with me any more.

    I have my new dog, Hank, or "Henry Louis," as I call him when I am being silly, and he is a blessing to me. He loves to go Jeepin' just about as much as Rossie Pup did. I'm not without a wheelin' buddy, and I enjoy having Hank along with me when I go.

    God bless.

    Tomster

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  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Anyway, thinking back, I'm amazed the airbags didn't deploy with those forward bumper smacks. Made me realize I better understand how to deactivate the airbags for future off-roading so as not to inadvertently explode $700-$1,500 or more out of my wallet.

    My suggestion would be to focus on your health and well being rather than your wallet. I've never heard of an uncalled for airbag deployment offroad.

    Assuming that the description of your violents impact was accurate, consider it a love tap compared to what you would have felt if you'd hit hard enough to ignite the bag.

    Bottom line, if your airbag inflates, offroad or on, it's because you need it to save you from injury. If you'd prefer it from the financial perspective, it doesn't take long to run up more than the cost of an airbag in the Emergency Room.

    Yes, you can disconnect your airbags, though it's not as simple a pulling a fuse. I think you'd be crazy to do it, so I'll let someone else explain the procedure if they want to.
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