Jeep Wrangler

jefferson1964

I have the rocky road mount and it great, very solid, it attached to the back of my spare tire mount took about 5-10 minutes to install......looks good also.....

embeeduece

That report saddens me because it means there is no answer. Cell phones aren't going anywhere. Then again, based on the study, it sounds like simply being engaged in conversation with a passenger will distract you. Let me amend my comments to say that I, personally, feel I have more control of my car when I use a handsfree headset with voice activated dialing. And I suppose bad drivers are bad drivers regardless of whether or not they're on the phone. (I still like those "hang up & drive" bumper stickers!!)

Thanks for the link.

-Mike

barnz_69

Tom,

It's great to have you back here, the place just isn't the same without you! I know I don't post an awful lot, but like many of the 'newbies' around here, we count on your many, many posts, expertise, and advice as we do our daily perusing (that goes along with ALL of you Jeep vets on here). You're a big part of this board and its family-like atmosphere. We are ALL thrilled to have the Tomster back!!! Congratulations on your recent recognition, your admirable courage, and (and I'm sure this is from everyone here) all the best in the future!!!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEHAW!!!!!!

Ryan

erickpl

Everybody knows you can't hear squat when driving a Wrangler. So... EVERYBODY should drive a Wrangler or other open top vehicle. Can't hear... so you can't talk.

BTW, this was just in fun and trying to keep it Jeep Related.

-Paul

stever

lol, then we'll all be in the ditch from waving at each other.

But we'll all be able to pull each other out of the ditch. :-)

Steve, Host

redrocker15

Paul: Almost hate to admit it, but I like the way you think!

The cell phone issue is huge. I'd support the hands-free law, but it does tend to fly in the face of having conversations with passengers. It's absolutely a concentration issue - - a serious conversation requires serious thought (and I still believe the cell phone case is worse than a live passenger - - - but I have no hard data). I do have data on this: 50% of all drivers are below average! ( )

When we have friends come to town, I caution them to check their rear-view mirror before stopping for a "yellow/red" traffic light. You have to be sure you're not going to be rear-ended! And this is Oklahoma, not some sprawling megatropolis area!

Y.H!
Gary

redrocker15

I've struggled to come up with a novel closing, ala Tomster's "Have you hugged your Jeep today?" Or "Yours in Jeep coolness". I think I have it now. I'm just going to sign off "Y.H!" in honor of the Mayor of Wranglerville. Tom - thanks for the update and straightshooting post. You're likely to help people way beyond factoids on backspacing and tire size!

I don't think many of you regulars will struggle with what "Y.H!" means. To all of us!

Y.H!
Gary (now I've got a tagline!)

erickpl

Thankie.

Where in OK are ya again? I think I've asked this before, but I can't remember.

I have handsfree in 2 of my 3 vehicles. I have a bluetooth phone with a bluetooth headset I use in the Wrangler, but it is ONLY effective if I"m not on the highway and I have top/doors/windows on. Even then, it is pushing it to be heard sometimes.

OK isn't too far from TB... You just have to cross Arkansas and a bit of Tennessee to get there... I know Huntsville is 13 hours from Enid...

-Paul

erickpl

Roy Rogers fans can figure that one out...

-Paul

redrocker15

DANG! You're FAST!

The "other" E-town in Oklahoma; Edmond. You're right - I do have to make the trek to TB before my wheels fall off! I moved here from central Indiana, so it could be a multi-purpose kind of trip. I've driven my '98 SE (yes, 4-banger) to Indiana on a couple of occasions before - - so it can make the trip. Almost moved to E-town (Elizabethtown) in KY a couple years back. That would've made TB a very easy journey!

It's been said that I couldn't communicate without parentheses. (Darned if I know why!??!?) Oh well.....

Y.H!
Gary

erickpl

All you gotta do is hop on 40E to Nashville and hook north. No problems!

Come on out this weekend! hehehe

My 4 popper goes to TB from Huntsville, AL (3 Hours), so I know how ya feel!

-Paul

tsjay

Randy:

Thanks for the nice post.

Hope you get that Jeep, but please, even if you don't get one for a while, feel free to participate in the discussions here.

Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

It would be SUPER if you could come on over and wheel with us at Turkey Bay. Why don't you give it some serious consideration?

That invitation goes for all of you. Wouldn't it be cool to get everyone here in this group to come to Turkey Bay at the same time? We could have our own Jeep Jamboree!

Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?

erickpl

Count me in for a min Jambo! If we get enough from here... I might get my wife to come up (as long as it isn't too cold if/when we do it).

-Paul

tidester

but it does tend to fly in the face of having conversations with passengers.

Not really. My understanding is that those holding a conversation in a vehicle with the driver are tuned into the driving and traffic conditions and "back off" as needed, thereby, imposing less distraction and stress on the driver than one who converses with the driver by phone.

At any rate, I am sure Wranglers like the Tomster and others aren't engaged in deep conversation - in person or by phone - while performing some of those exotic off road maneuvres reported here!

tidester, host

mrnatural

I've always thought it should be harder to get a drivers license. More like getting a pilots license, I'd say. If I had a kid getting ready to go out on the road I'd enter her/him in something like Bondurant's Racing school for a performance driving course. The most important part is learning vehicle dynamics and absolutely a couple hours on the skid pad driving sideways. I did high speed testing for a couple of years and the course I took preparing for that was a real eye-opener. I already had racing experience but no formal classroom or skid car time. You'd be surprised how much vehicle dynamics plays a role in the safe execution of off road trails and jeepin'! Looking out for the other guy will surely save your butt too!
I think most guys walking around with their bluetooth phone gizmos all day long look pretty dopey. How important can it be to be in constant contact with the world. To me that kind of contradicts the lifestyle driving a Jeep represents. I hang my phone up on its cradle on the visor and when I get where I'm going I return any calls (well maybe) that came in while I couldn't hear my fancy ring tone.
Dont call me I'll call you... Hey there's a tag line for ya!
Alan in the Desert

redrocker15

This would be a great idea! I think keats mentioned it a few posts ago, as well. I don't know if I could make it, but I'd opt for some time in October. Should be a very pretty time of year in TB, with leaves changing colors and all. If DC (Jeep division) realized the upside potential, they'd probably help sponsor it!

Y.H!
Gary

erickpl

They already had an 'official' JJ at Turkey Bay. One of the guys on another board was actually a trail guide for it. You probably don't want an 'official' Jamboree. It's around 200+ per vehicle and then some. Turkey Bay's admission is about 15-20 for a 3 day pass. A bit more affordable for an unofficial trip. Besides, Tom knows the trails there probably better than anybody, except maybe the guide that is part of our board.

October IS pretty up at TB and the temps are already on the way down YAY!

As for driving schools, I put my daughter in one out at Willow Springs Raceway in Cali. She drove the Grand for the class. I think it made her MORE aggressive instead of the expected result. One reason why the Jeep is now mine and she drives a low-slung Civic. She doesn't talk on the cell while driving (well, as little as possible), but she DOES have a lead foot that has cost her a few tickets.

-Paul

erickpl

Okay, with my OME installed and my Jeeperman bumpers and 9.5ti winch, I'm noticing that I have a slightly higher rake than I expected.

From the bottom of my WHEEL to the flares I have about 29" of space in front, 31" in back with the TJ in its normal configuration. What kind of height difference should I have between front and rear. I'm thinking 1" difference should be about right, so I'd probably need 1" spacers vs the 3/4" spacers.

Your opinions would be appreciated.

-Paul

keats

I'm thinking that's about how far it is for me, maybe 3 and a half hours.

keats

Yep, Tom, this is what we need to do. Edmunds jamboree!

mrnatural

Ahh the law of unintended consequences rears its ugly head...
She may be more agressive but at least she know how to handle the machinery. Kids!
Alan in the desert

mac24

First, I'd let it settle for a couple of weeks. Second, was the gas tank empty or full? Third, take into account the deflection that will be made by rear seat passengers or any gear you may carry.

erickpl

the lift has been on for a few months now. Gas tank was at 3/4 full with a Kilby. No rear seat passengers (no rear seat).

I went ahead and got the 3/4" spacers for the front. Before I put the winch on, it was pretty good, so I think the 3/4" will take care of the worst of it. Once I load it up with gear, it should be just right.

-Paul

tsjay

I got your phone message at work. Wish I had been at my desk when you called. I tried to call you back, but that number doesn't work in the other direction.

I'm doing fine now. I sure do thank you for your concern and for calling me.

I have received emails from eight different people in here, there have been numerous posts wishing me well, and now I have even received a phone call. Tell me another message board where that would have happened! Nowhere else!

You guys are the greatest! I hope we always have this spirit in here.

Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?

dave__

I first came to this board for information and got answers to questions I didn't even know I had.

I stayed because of the spirit of this group. As unofficial spiritual leader and cheerleader of this group, Tom is largely responsible.

Tom, I think you're getting a chance to reap what you have sown, but in this case, it's a good thing!

Yours in Jeep Coolness,

Dave

erickpl

Tom, you have been a great help with Jeeps and was part of the reason I got a Wrangler for my daughter (then kept it for myself - she got a Civic). Your willingness to help, offer advice, and generally do what you can to promote knowledge AND fun has a way of coming back to you in a VERY good way!

I just hope you can make it to Turkey Bay on Saturday so I can say thanks. I'll even get your dinner for ya if we stop at the Woodshed!

-Paul.

tedw521

I would think that this has been asked before, but I can't find it when I search the forum. We drive our TJ quite a lot on the beach all summer. By the end of the year, lots of sand has found its way through all the notches and holes cut into the sides of what I'd call the frame rails, beneath the doors.

Now I know it's a good idea to clean this sand out, but after flushing forward and backward on each side very thoroughly, I can see that there's still a thick layer of sand all along the bottom surface of the rail. Evidently there are no weep holes in the bottom of these rails to allow you to flush them out properly. I know wet sand that's just sitting in this part of the frame is just asking for corrosion--especially living near the ocean, and getting into salt water every so often.

One solution would be to drill holes along the rails, but I would think that somebody here has a better idea. We really love the Wrangler and want it to last!

Thanks in advance!

erickpl

There a few holes at the rear and front, not sure about the middle (unless you remove the t-case skid).

But you might want to get a jack up one end and put a hose in that end to run the water for a while and get the sand.

-Paul

-Paul

tedw521

Thanks, but I know there are lots of holes--- and lots of places for sand and debris to get in. But the holes all stop maybe a half inch from the bottom of the rail, allowing a half-inch of sand and water to accumulate with nowhere to go, as the ends seem to be completely boxed in.

But you gave me an idea, maybe if I park it on an incline and flushed it towards the low end, the rail would empty itself more. That is better than doing it on the flat, but there will still be standing water/junk in there.

mtngal

I discovered early on that you can't drive a stick and use a cell phone, even with a wired hands-free device. Most of the time I'm traveling with my other half, so whoever isn't driving gets to answer calls. But we both have so much trouble trying to hear even when we aren't driving AND we have the doors on and top up, that I go out of my way to avoid it.

I have been thinking of getting a bluetooth headset, thinking it might make it easier to hear in the car. I just got a phone with bluetooth and my computer has bluetooth, so now I can check the road conditions when I'm traveling (something I sure could have used more than once!).

keats

Yep, I keep a little Motorola Bluetooth headset in my Jeep. I prefer not to talk on the phone when driving, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

I have never been on the Autobahn,which has no speed limit, but I have read that the accident rates are much, much lower than here in the states. I think there are cultural differences that help them with this. To Germans, driving on the road is the activity, they don't worry about stereos, cup holders, eating fast food, putting on their makeup, none of that while they're driving. They concentrate on the task and enjoyment of driving. The other reason, is that there is a driving lane and a passing lane. You do not just drive in the passing lane because it's the "faster" lane. German law requires you to move over to the other lane as soon as safely possible.

mrnatural

I have never been on the Autobahn,which has no speed limit,

I think the basic German d/l does not come with Autobahn priveleges. I think you get endorsements for various driving conditions: Night, bad weather, high speed. Zis ees a more sensible approach. Danka!
Alan in the desert

durability05

Hope my reply is soon enough, have not been checking the post for almost a week. Anyway please stay away from the KYB, it does not give a smooth ride, bad enough on a Jeep. I have been using Bilsteins on my past vehicles , Toyota 4 runner, Land Rover etc. Presently I use Bilsteins on my 04 Wrangler X. It provides excellent smooth road performance like the original Wrangler shocks. However it provides excellent second to none ride / handling on moderate rough roads, and improved handling all around from smooth to rough roads. If I were to quantify it. Smooth road performance = zero improvement, moderate rough road performance = big improvement, excellent , awesome , rough road performance = better rebound control , less head toss, moderate improvement.

05rubisahara

Although I do not post too often.....I am always reading all the post on this forum and constantly learning more and more about my Wrangler (my second). Most forums are just not as friendly and helpful as the Wrangler group. Very few flamers stick around here. IMO.....Tomster is the Wrangler Ambassador. He goes out of his way to make every newbie welcome here. Like many of us, he is owned by a dog and has learned much from Ross Allen. I would love to be able to come to Turkey Bay and wheel with Tom and other Edmund members. Unfortunately, Maryland is about 1000 miles away. Maybe someday I will venture down for a vacation as I have friends in Paducah and Murray, KY.

Welcome back Tom.

Harlan

embeeduece

Never too late. Thanks for the info.

-Mikie

wpowell

Hello All,

My wife, two kids and I were visiting family down on the Gulf coast of Florida during the holiday weekend and I had an opportunity to get the new Jeep off the pavement. I had a CJ7 20 years ago and used to play on the dunes that were created by the dredging of an intercoastal canal. I took my wife out there to show her, and sure enough the old trails were there, but apparently not used very frequently. The following is my first attempt to post a photo stored on photobucket.com. This is me at the bottom of a hill that was about 60-70 feet high with an angle of about 30 degrees for the first 1/3, then increasing to about 45 degrees near the top.

erickpl

You must be talking about dredging for the ICW, Intracoastal Waterway...

-Paul

wpowell

This is by a spur from the Intercoastal Waterway to a bay leading to the Gulf. When I posted the photo links it chopped off the end of my message. The photos really don't illustrate how big or steep this hill was. My wife was snapping pic's and she wouldn't get anywhere near where I was headed when I started up the hill. I tried twice in 4WD high, but had to use 4WD low, locked front and rear, to get past the nasty ruts at the top of the hill. Someone with much bigger tires than me had really dug up the top of the trail. We had a great time playing in the dunes, but this big hill was the highlight.

Mark
"have you hugged your Hoochie today?"

erickpl

That doesn't help much. You know how many spurs off the ICW there are? I take it you were in the panhandle area? Possibly near Pensacola? Took a sailing class in the area not long ago... Got this shot (one of several) ...



-Paul

wpowell

Sorry, I got wrapped up in completing the portion of my previous post that was lost. This canal dumps into St. Joe Bay, which is half way between Apalachicola and Panama City, FL. I have done a lot of sailing along this part of the coast and over as far as Pensacola. Seems like sailing and Jeepin' attract a lot of the same people.

drewmeister

Wow. Great photos! I used to play on the river bed in Norman OK when I lived there with my 89. It was a huge expanse of sand, and a little river in the middle. Would flood and totally change topography after a storm. Driving on sand through the forest on the sides was a wild experience. Think it's all developed now, so I don't know if it can be reached anymore like it was...

drewmeister

Hey all,
Posted this on the new vehicles topic, but since the last post was in April, I figured it might go unnoticed...

Mike's Jeep News has the scoop. They link to an Italian site that has published full photos. I must admit they look a bunch better than I thought. Sort of like slightly shorter and a little more aggressive Liberty's. And, they're green, which Jeeps pretty much all should be

Quattroroute page It's in Italian, except for the photos (smirk)

tsjay

Harlan:

Thanks for the kind words, and you sure did get it right when you said I am "owned" by a dog. Ross Allen is lying beside me right now. When you see one of us, you will almost always see the other.

I think it would be super cool if you could come over and wheel with me sometime. It would fit right in with a trip to see your friends in Paducah and Murray.

I'm going to skip the trip to TB today, since I can't go every weekend any more due to gas prices. Also, it's still pretty hot around here in the afternoons. I'm sure looking forward to fall weather.

Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?

kbon

I have an 04 Wrangler Unlimited that is having tire wear problems. It has GS-A tires as installed from the factory. I have rotated the tires every 5000 miles and noticed a wear problem at about 10K miles. Had it aligned at my local 5 star dealer and of course rotated the tires. It now has 13K miles and is showing abnormal wear on the front tires again. It was checked at the same dealer yesterday and was told all was within spec. I like the Jeep but don't want to have deal with tires that don't wear right. Any suggestions? :confuse:

tsjay

I'm not sure what your wear pattern looks like, but could your problem possibly be over or under inflation? If the outside tread is wearing faster than the tread in the middle, that's a sign of under inflation. If the middle tread is wearing faster than the edges, then that could indicate over inflation.

See what the recommended tire pressure is according to DC. Since you still have the factory tires, the recommended pressure should be valid.

If the tires are getting flat spots, it could be that they are out of balance. Could also mean that the shocks are worn out, even though that would be unusual for a Jeep as new as an 04.

We need some of good old Mac's expert advice here. Mac?

Tomster
Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mac24

You've covered the basics Tom, but in order to give any help specific to kbon's actual problem he/she needs to give a description of the abnormal wear and the tire pressures when cold.

Until then it's all a bit of a mystery!

embeeduece

Anyone have one of these?

http://www.tops4less.com/clinometer.html

Are they cool, just for fun, stupid? How hard to install, and where in the Wrangler do you place it?

Thanks,
Mike

mac24

'Just for fun' if you use it to impress passengers, 'stupid' if you try to use it as an aid to driving off road. Sorry, but I can't think of a 'cool' use for it. :shades:

kbon

I am having wear on the outside edges primarily, however, I am also getting some cupping in the middle. The inside edges are still in good shape. I am running 30 - 32 PSI cold. Jeep recommends that same amount.

I am driving on the north side of Houston on primarily concrete roads, about 50% is new. Most of the places I drive are very smooth without potholes.

I'm disappointed in the wear with these tires. I had a '96 Grand Cherokee with the same tires and got almost 60K miles out of them. I'll probably be lucky to get 40K out of these. Goodyear has told me that ALL Wranglers have alignment and tire wear problems.

Thanks for the comments.