Jeep Wrangler

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  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    I drive the freeway with the top now and the trucks and motorcycles noise is too much for me. So I where ear plugs and turn up the stereo. I Cal. It is not exactly legal to drive with earplugs…but protecting ones hearing out weights whatever the guy who wrote the law was thinking. Besides deaf people can drive. Anyway, the plugs work for me.

    Also, I saw a hard top liner an ebay that looked like it help reduxce the road noise (if you have a hard top).
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    It would solve so many problems and would make Jeeps even more popular!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Anyone have experience with them?

    I assume they are TOTALLY waterproof, right? Are they too hot in the summertime? Do they fade from exposure to sunlight? Are they easy to clean? Do they stain easily?

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    LOL, a similar experience is what led me to get a soft top. Though at least I had a bikini top and hard doors on at the time, and it was a moderate Oregon rain rather than a Dixie monsoon, it was still flying in the cab like crazy.
  • jacknimblejacknimble Member Posts: 171
    Where did you find the liner for the hard top? I've googled about 9 ways to Sunday for hardtop liners for it, but have not found anything. Ideally, it would be a molded plastic made for the hardtop, but I would consider others.

    I think I'm going to research the various materials, and line the entire interior floor and sides. All I have to do is remove the seats console and carpeting, so that part should be easy. Then, put a underhood liner in. If that is still not good enough, I may try something in the doors as well. I've seen some wranglers with spray on bedliners in the tub, put I think the right soundproofing material would be better (except when getting soaked like tsjay!).

    Next step maybe a firewall covering, but not sure. I would like to take a look at the new unlimited to see what all Jeep did to those to make them quieter as well.

    I might get a sound meter and see if I can actually document the improvements objectively.
  • fairviewfairview Member Posts: 20
    One product I have seen others on the web say they have used for noise control is Dynamat. Their website is dynamat.com. I have no personal knowledge of or connection with Dynamat, I just have heard of it.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Dynamat is pretty well known and popular with the fancy stereo crowd. It's also supposed to be pricy stuff.

    Time to chip in and get Tom (and Ross Allen) one of these?

    Steve, Host
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    That hat would have stayed on my head every bit of one tenth of one second in that wind I was in! I'm telling you I was right in the MIDDLE of a very strong thunder storm.

    I wish I could explain how it was, but I'll just put it this way. You know how thunder and lightning are supposed to be way up high over your head or off on the horizon??? Well, Baby, the thunder and lightning was going on right around us it seemed, and it seemed like it was at our level, not way up in the air! There was one long bolt of lightning that didn't just flash and disappear. It seemed like it just danced and sizzled for a few seconds!

    Oh well, looks like we survived, and neither RA nor the Old Tomster got sick from the long trip home while soaked to the bone.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I loved that picture of that "hat" - very clever!

    Tomorrow we should get the Wrangler back and find out how much it will finally cost me. Sigh. I'm not looking forward to that!

    I'm definitely going to put XM radio in the Wrangler - it made the drive between Vegas and LA better than before. Now that I have the A/C fixed perhaps we'll take my Noble Black Steed next trip.
  • 99tj99tj Member Posts: 187
    Last week I made an 8+ hour trip from Connecticut to Ohio(where I grew up). There's quite a bit of (PA) mountain driving in this drive. I was really surprised and impressed how responsive my 99(6cyl) was climbing some of those hills! Not once, did I have to downshift into 4th to maintain 65-70.

    Took me forever to catch up on the 150+ posts I missed. The gear ratio explanations were GREAT. I copied and pasted those for future reference.
    It got me wondering how I can find out what my Jeep has. Which rear, 44 or 35? What ratio I'm set at? I bought it used so I'm clueless about what it has. It is running 31 x 10.5 tires.
    If I climb under there and physically look at it, is there something I should look for?

    As always, thanks.
    -Dan
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    I originally saw the liner on Ebay. I could not find it this time.

    However, here are a couple of other sites to check out:

    http://www.allthingsjeep.com/jehali.html
    http://www.gatortop.com/

    I am sure there are others as well.

    Good luck

    Glen
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Dan, to tell very quickly which rear end you have, take a look at it and see what shape it is. If it is pretty symmetrical and pumpkin shaped, it is the Dana 35. If it is taller on the left side so that it looks like a pear lying on its side, then it is the Dana 44. Also, the Dana 35 will have a rubber fill plug, while the Dana 44 has a threaded metal plug.

    For gear ratio, you should find a metal tag on the differential housing that gives that ratio, but it could be gone by now or unreadable even if still there.

    What you might want to do is contact DC and request a build sheet. This will give you a list of EVERY single thing that your Jeep had on it from the factory, including the type of differentials and, I THINK, even the gear ratio.

    Do a search on "factory build sheet" to learn how to request one. If you can't find the info, post, and I will fill ya in.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?

    P.S. I did the search for ya, and several posts came up. I copied what it said in one of those posts, but if you want more detail, you can look at some other posts on the subject. I think this will give you what you need, but you might have to play around a little bit once you are on Jeep.com to get to the right place.

    "If you want to know your gearing, get a build sheet for your Jeep, and it will have that info. You can go to Jeep.com and then "contact Jeep." On the email form, tell them that you are requesting a build sheet, then give them the last eight characters in your VIN in the space they provide. You will get a VERY quick response from DC.
  • drosketerdrosketer Member Posts: 203
    Haven't gotten soaked quite like that yet - but the last time Buffy and I went topless & doorless I thought that the wind would rip my head off. Just about lost my glasses a number of times.

    I've heard nothing but good about Okoles, it's something I am considering one of these months. I have never used them, but do dive (they are made of neoprene, same as wetsuits) and suspect that maintaining them should be somewhat like taking care of a wetsuit: The stuff is easy to clean, and like most things they will fade somewhat in time given a lot of exposure to the sun. The material is pretty durable, but can wear given a lot of use (what doesn't?!). It's not typically watertight, so I would guess that some water will still get by to the seats unless they have a non-breathable layer somewhere in there... (Edit), It probably depends on the kind of downpour we are looking at. Light rain will probably not soak the seats, but something like what you describe might allow for some water to penetrate the covers.

    Andrew
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    Forget the noise-quilt--I had never seen that Gator top before. That's pretty neat. I nominate Tom to try one out so he and Ross-Allen won't get caught in the rain again.
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    usually, Wal-Mart or Sams Club have generic fit neoprene covers for $20-30 a set. Might be worth trying before spending the big $ on custom fitted ones from Wet Okole.

    -twylie
  • bamatazzbamatazz Member Posts: 311
    Today is Tazz's 3rd Birthday..
    3 years ago today drove to Atlanta to pick him up. 3 years & 29,000 miles later still looks brand new.. ;)

    TOM, man sorry about you geeting soaked on your trip back. I bet that was a sight from other drivers. "look at that old man getting wet" LOL.
    glad you didnt get sick.

    Keep Jeepin'
    Bama
  • 99tj99tj Member Posts: 187
    Tom, I appreciate the info and the build sheet tip.
    Jeep sent me the build sheet within a day of requesting it!

    Here's the axel info:

    Axle - Front, Dana 30/186MM
    Axle Ratio - 3.73
    Axle - Rear, Dana M35/194MM
    Axle - Anti-Spin Differential

    Looks like I have the 35. I haven't done any off roading (yet) so, I'm not completely disapointed. I figure I'll ease into the off roading thing easy. Maybe do a Jeep Jamboree and stick to the easy trek. Do I have anything to worry about running 31" tires and daily driving? It came stock with the 30th pkg

    anyway, thanks.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    No worries. The 35 will support 31" tires and street driving just fine. You have limited slip, which Jeep calls TracLoc for their version, and this does not put the strain on the differential that a full locker would.

    If you ever get into more than just mild offroading, you can consider a Super 35 upgrade to your rear axle.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    OK, Peeps, anyone have an opinion about Rhino Lining? I have an appointment for June 29 to have Thelma Jane Rhino lined. Cargo area floor, inside walls of tub in cargo area, floorboard front and back, the whole enchilada.

    Mac24, tell me what has happened. I got the back seat bracket off on the passenge side. The bolts turned hard all the way out, but I got 'em.

    Then, on the drivers side, I broke something. Those bolts were turning about as hard as the other side or even harder. I got a half inch drive power handle and used the reducer to get the 3/8 drive socket on it. I guess this was too much torque.

    Now, if I broke the bolts, why can't I get the top end of the bolts out???? Something definitely broke, and the bolts turn freely now, but they WON'T come out!

    The passenger side didn't seem to have a nut on the underside of the floor, but it sure seems like there was something like a nut that the bolts threaded into on the drivers side, and whatever it was broke loose. That's the only explanation I know of why I can't just take the bolts out, even though they turn freely.

    I was removing seat belt anchors and back seat brackets in preparation for the Rhino Lining. The guy that does it says he gets over $200 more if he has to remove all that stuff. I will need to remove the passenger seat and the center console when the time comes. I will drive Thelma Jane down to the place that does the Rhino Lining, about 35 miles away, with just the drivers seat and no console or passenger seat.

    I can always cancel my appointment, if there is some good reason not to Rhino Line Thelma Jane. If you know anything good or bad about it, please speak up.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    I know that the spray in liners are really durable but be prepared for the heat that will come up through the tub without the carpet. My buddy did his YJ and he can now hose it out, but he has to put mats in it anytime he's on the highway in the summer. He used Herc and did all the prep and roll-in himself. Rhino is suppose to be really top line as far as the liners go. You might want to ask the guy about UV protectant since the liners will fade over time. Not sure if they can mix it in or if you have to treat it every so often. Good luck pulling the rest of the hardware and brackets. PB Blaster will be your friend. :-)

    -twylie
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Trey:

    You said heat is a problem??? Ross Allen rides in the cargo area, and the floor will be hotter after the liner is in?

    I bought him a sheet of styrofoam insulation the other day, since the floor was already warm back there. I bought the stuff that has a layer of something on one side to reflect heat.

    Think I'll have a problem with the liner, if I use that insulation?

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    The heat is worst where the exhaust routes under the tub on the passengers side. The front footwells in John's YJ get hot enough to not be able to ride barefoot. The heat is more a function of the carpet being gone rather than the liner. The liners do absorb and hold some heat, though. I also think the worst part is the front where the exhaust pipes are the warmest and closest to the sheet metal in the tub.I would think that a piece of foam insulation woudl be OK to keep RA cool in the rear of the tub. I've seen the liners in different colors other than black. Are you going with black or can they do it in white?

    -twylie
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Black. Since the source of the heat is the exhaust, would it matter about the color? I guess the sun would contribute to the heat also with black, huh?

    Well, like you said, I can always throw a mat in there for myself and one for the passenger, and I have that insulation thingy for RA. Oh, I have also mounted a little 12 volt fan to the back of the center console, so RA has his own fan now. :)

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • twylietwylie Member Posts: 619
    sounds like you'll be fine with what you've mentioned. Keep us posted on how you like it. Are you going to have them shoot the door sills for you as well as the tub? My buddy rolled Herc on his sills and it a) covered all the scratches, and b) made them much more durable.

    -twylie
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I have those door sill protectors on Thelma Jane. The black metal ones.

    Still don't know what broke loose when I was trying to back those bolts out for the seat bracket. Will take a look underneath tonight. There must be something under the floor that those bolts thread into, and whatever it is must have broken loose. The bolts just turn completely free of any resistance, but they will not come out.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I looked under Thelma Jane this evening, and all that I could see under there for the seat bracket bolts to thread into were a couple hex nuts. They were turning as the bolt turned, so this explains why the bolts turn but won't come out. But.... what was holding those puppies when I first started to back the bolts out????? Were they tack welded or something? I didn't look at the other side to see what was over there. I got those bolts out the other day.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • embeedueceembeeduece Member Posts: 260
    Been looking at spare tire mounted bike racks. Narrowed down to three (there aren't many to begin with).

    Thule has one for about $150.00 that bolts to the spare. Yakima/RhodeGear makes one for less that straps ONTO the spare -- but, I'm thinking the tailight assembly would prevent it from ataching correctly. There's also an older Yakima/RhodeGear one that bolts to the spare for like $50, but it seems rather flimsy (saw it in a clearance catalog). I know there's an actual Jeep-made rack out there too.

    Any suggestions?

    (Someone in an older post said they put a standard trunk rack on the FRONT of the Wrangler -- that's awesome!)

    Thanks,
    Mike
  • jacknimblejacknimble Member Posts: 171
    I had a tire mounted bike rack that came from Quadratec on my last Wrangler. It was good quality, and I liked the way that I could open the tailgate with the bikes aboard, but I worried about the extra weight on the tailgate ( I was afraid it would cause the tailgate to start sagging).

    I think if I did it again, I would put a 2" receiver on the front, and go with a receiver mounted rack. This way, no stress on the tailgate, still easy to open the tailgate, and could still use the rear receiver for a trailer or other accessory.
  • fairviewfairview Member Posts: 20
    I have one of the Rhode Gear carriers that straps on to the spare, and have carried two mountain bikes with no problem. The tailight (high mounted stop light) does not pose a problem. The tailgate has not bent or sagged. I bought the rack at a local bike shop for about $50.00.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Is this thing workin'? No posting going on.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    What's the matter with everyone? Cat got your fingers?

    Ripped a side wall Saturday as I drove past some tree roots on the trail at Turkey Bay. This forced me to use the spare, which has a deep gouge near the bead. So, it's time for some tires. I have a good amount of tread left, but I have really chewed up the sidewalls.

    Guess I will go back with the 31 x 10.50 BFG Muds, like the current set. They sure give me good traction on the trails.

    Have committed to staying with just my little two inch Procomp lift. I get around real good with my current set-up and see no reason to go to all the expense of going to a higher lift and bigger tires.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I think everyone has their Wranglers out on vacation. Wish it were true for me, too, but it isn't. I haven't had a chance to drive my Noble Black Steed since we got the A/C fixed, but there's always this weekend.

    I'm starting to think about new tires again, and am not sure what I want to go with. Been thinking about the BFG AT tires - I've seen them at Costco and am thinking that might be the way to go, rather than with the Bridgestone Dueller ATs again. It'll be a while before I do anything about it - gotta build up my car-repair funds again!
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I bought a set of the BFG AT's for Thelma Jane.

    They were real good tires for mild offroading and highway use. They just weren't agressive enough for all the wheelin' I do, so I traded them in with 6K miles on them for the set of BFG Muds that are on Thelma Jane now.

    I think you would like those BFG ATs, and you would get some real good tread life out of them.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • 01r101r1 Member Posts: 280
    I agree with Tom, they're great tires. I've been thinking about switching to them when my BFG MT's wear out. They seem to do much better in the sand and should last longer than the MT's.

    -Pete
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    mtngal,

    I have the BFG A/T KO's on my TJ. I agree with Tom, for mild offroading, they are very good. For more severe offroading, the mud terrains like Tom's would be a wiser choice.

    But I know that you use your NBS for fire trails around here. In that case the A/T KO's would be great for you. They are pretty quiet (relatively) on the road. You'll hear the wind more than the tires. :) I have the 30 x 9.5's on mine and like the tread pattern. In snow earlier this year, they handled great.

    Keep in mind, with the A/T KO's the tread pattern is NOT conducive to getting water out of the way on a rainy day (like we have lots of THOSE around soCal).

    -Paul
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    What ever happen to the Winston's "Fun-N-Mud" tires...They were great tires.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    The BFG ATs sound like the way to go - I'll just avoid the carpool lane on the I-405 when it is pouring and I'm driving the Wrangler. That shouldn't be all that big of a deal - it's only happened once in the last 5 years! And most of the places I go aren't all that bad - I'm more likely to see sand than mud, and I'm not trying much as far as rock crawling at the moment. Next year I might head back up to the Sierras, but I'm not going to try either the Rubicon or the Dusy-Ershim trails any time soon, especially not with a stock vehicle!

    By the way, Paul, nice photos of the Caribbean.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    For the kind of wheelin' you guys out West do, which is mostly rock crawling, the ATs are fine.

    I have to contend with mud and loose soil when I am wheelin', and the Mud Terrains are much better for my purposes.

    I think you will really like the BFG AT's.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Thanks. :) We had a good time. You going to Camp Jeep in Santa Barbara?

    -Paul
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    I see that the Wrangler made Edmunds' "Top 10 Least Expensive Trucks to Insure for 2004" on the bottom of the front page. I think that's accurate. My insurance is pretty low and I carry full comp and collision, though I am over 30 and have a totally clean record.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    It doesn't surprise me that it is relatively cheap to insure - it isn't all that expensive (unless you go with the Rubicon) to buy and has a pretty good safety record.

    Paul - I'm thinking about it. I'm looking into it. I'm drooling. And it is SO close. Are you going to go?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Yep, I'm goin. :) There seem to be a lot of things for all family members to do.

    -Paul
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Looks like you won't be the only one - we've talked it over and we want to go too. I can't register just yet - do you happen to know whether the Jeep 101 courses fill up? I'd like to try that as well as some of the other things they are going to have, but I'm (now) anxiously waiting for payday.

    Can we just sort of skip over July and go straight to August?!
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I haven't heard about the course availability.

    -Paul
  • bamatazzbamatazz Member Posts: 311
    Just like clock work my engine light is on AGAIN!
    this is getting old you can almost set your calendar by this. Happens every 4 months.
     since my warrenty is over, I really hate to take it to dealer to get fixed. only for it to come back 4 months later.
     How can I get this fixed for good? I gonna drive it for awhile. Last time it went off on its own. maybe it will this time as well.
      I owe about 2300 on TAZZ hopefully he will be paid for by the end of the year. Then im gonna try to get new wheels & tires.

    Keep Jeepin
     bama
  • gman1259gman1259 Member Posts: 209
    I have had my light go on only once since I bought Ellie’Mae. In my case in was the gas cap. I checked my gas cap and it seemed to be on tight so I took it to the dealer. The service rep walked up to my gas cap jiggled it and it came off in her hand. She replaced the cap so it was tight then offered to reset the light for $80.00, or I could wait a couple of days and it would reset it self. I waited. I now double-check the gas cap every time I fill up.

    I do not know if it is a bad seal at your gas cap or not, but it is a good place to start. Why don’t you remove the cap and replace the cap until it clicks a few times and see if the light goes off in a couple of days. You may even consider buying a new one just in case (there not that expensive).

    The dealer should have been able to connect to their computer and tell you why the light was on. Did they tell you anything the last time you took it in?
  • src48084src48084 Member Posts: 7
    Not long ago my windshield became cracked due to a tiny little pebble hitting it. It's not covered under my insurance because my deductible is so high. Anyone know where to get a replacement cheap in the Los Angeles area? Thanks.
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    If you do a search, you might find good old Mac24's post about that engine light. Believe he said that it is almost always a warning about emisssions, like the gas cap thing, or an O2 sensor gone bad, or a leak in the EVAP system.

    I believe AutoZone will read codes for no charge. Guess they hope you will buy whatever part you need while you are at their store.

    Good Luck, Old Bama.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Man, I just checked, and it has been a year almost to the day since you posted in here. Welcome back!

    Hey, check with your insurance to be sure the deductible applies on glass breakage. Here in KY, there is no deductible, and I think it is by law that there is no deductible. So, it wouldn't hurt to check.

    Also, you said crack, so maybe it is too late, but if all you have is a chip, then it can be repaired, and the windshield would not have to be replaced. I have had three different chips repaired on Thelma Jane. I prefer that to a new windshield, since there is the possibility that the new winshield might not fit right and might leak or something.

    If you have to pay for this out of your own pocket, then it is much, much cheaper to have the chip repaired. If it is actually a crack, then I guess it will mean a new windshield.

    Tom

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    THere are a LOT of glass dealers in LA. You could ask your insurance co who they refer people to for glass breakage. Those places tend to be more reputable, but probably higher priced (since they work with the ins co's usually).

    If you are comfortable doing the work yourself, you could probably replace the glass yourself, just get a new gasket kit from some place like Quadratec, get some of the glue stuff they use, get on your hood and do it. :) The windshield isn't that big to be unmanageable.

    You might be able to find a decent windshield at a salvage yard. But here in CA, most insurance companies will cover glass replacement, but my deductible is high enough, that it is higher than the cost of replacing it. :(
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