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Jeep Wrangler

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Comments

  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    She has bent, dented, and scratched fenders, busted flares, and an interior that will never come clean

    Guess I need to dig out that 'paper towel' post! ;)
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I'm not sure why I stopped by ...

    You stopped by because Jeepin' is in your blood and you miss gabbing with your Jeep buds! The obvious solution is to visit more often. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • goducks1goducks1 Member Posts: 432
    Hey Tom! Good to see you again! That's a happy looking dog.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Hey Tom, I just checked and it's almost exactly six years since that 'paper towel' post (April '01). Lots of water under under the bridge since then, some good some bad. I know it's been the same for you.

    I can't get over how alike Hank is to a dog I used to have. It's uncanny. Anyhow, for those that weren't here six years ago, here's a link to TOM'S PAPER TOWEL POST. Compare it to the one he just made! ;)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Yeah, Mac, things do change, don't they?

    I enjoyed having Thelma Jane in pristine condition, but the fun of getting her out on the trails is well worth the dents and scratches. That's what she was made for.

    Hank is a great little dog. I love him a lot, and he makes me a real good Jeepin' buddy.

    No matter how much I love Hank, though, I will always miss my Rossie Pup. It was on September 19, 2005, that I said goodbye to him, and over a year and a half later, I still cry over him sometimes. I'm just not the same person without him.

    For those who never knew my Puppy, here's a link to the website I made for him.

    http://home.earthlink.net/~tsjay53/

    Thanks for digging up that "paper towel" post. That is FUNNY! :)

    Tomster
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    Good seeing ya again Tom, Ive very soory to hear about Ross Allen, knew how specail he was to you.
    Wow, is that Thelma Jane.. looks like a work horse now all the bumps & brusies. Tazz is still in great shape.
    Having some problems with fading on the hood. Im about to get that all fixed.
    Last year my wife backed into Tazz, backing out of the garage. Bent the fender flares & broke the fog lights. But got that all fixed too.
    Im still to my word..Tazz has never seen mud. Gets a bath every saturday.
    Not many upgrades. I am running 31" All Terrian tires now.
    And installed a new $1200 stereo..Im rockin now.
    I was offered $15,000 for Tazz few months ago..said no way..its all mine. Had him 6 years next month only have 57000 miles on him as of today.

    I'll try to get pics posted soon
    Keep Jeepin
    Bama
  • Thanks for your usual cut-to-the-bone answer, Mac. Your posts often make me go "oh yeah, stupid" (meaning myself in the stupid reference that is). I'm actually more than happy to leave the airbags up and ready in hopes they'll never be needed. Just hit me that maybe I was missing some "newbie" mistake by NOT deactivating them when off-roading. A coworker of mine who frequents the dunes more than I do implied "newbies" often forget to pull those airbag fuses. I suspected that might not be the safest idea which is why I posted here to get another perspective...coming from you, I'll live with the chance I might have to dole out repair money for deployed airbags...Noting I said "live" since loss of airbag deployed or the entire Jeep as a loss for that matter if it means I might be around to try again. Thanks for priority check.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Check out CarSpace - it's a good place to park your Tazz pics and you already have the user name/password you need to set it up.
  • Hi Tom - Good to hear from our own home-grown Jeep Wrangler Ambassador himself. Your new pup seems to like the mud splatters as his badges of honor. I hear you on the fuel prices these days. I'm still finding ways to rationalize the added expense of my Wrangler as my daily driver. I used to say "well, some guys own a motorcycle and a car" as my argument for owning-operating my fuel-inefficient Wrangler since I'm not spending insurance and maintenance to keep both a car and a motorcycle. Now that we're breaching $3.50/gallon, I think I may need to modify my rationalizing to include a boat in addition to the car and a motorcycle. If we hit the $4.00/gallon mark, it's time to pull the RV card to include in the list of things that make driving a Wrangler daily still a viable method of transportion...at least in my twisted mind. ;)
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Thanks for priority check.

    You're welcome. I probably wrote that response in stronger terms than I usually would, and I'm glad you saw where I was coming from and didn't take it personally. :)
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Good Lord willing, I will be back in good old Idaho June 16th. I plan to fly to Spokane and rent a car for a week, then fly back home the 23rd.

    I'll be looking up a gal who grew up in my neighborhood in Hammond, IN, and now lives in Missoula. I plan to stay with her and her husband the first night, then drive up to Big Fork, MT, to hook up with a guy named Bill, one of the guys I worked with every day on the timber crew at Kingston, ID, back in 1971 and 1972.

    Bill and I will spend a couple days at Glacier National Park, then head for the Kingston area on Tuesday. Bill lives only 30 miles from the western entrance to Glacier.

    We plan to drive to Idaho sometime Tuesday and spend Wednesday and Thursday roaming around our old Ranger District. We will be joined by another guy, Bob, who was also on our crew back in 71 and 72.

    A third guy, Troy, who worked on our Ranger District, but not on the timber crew, is going to put us up in his "cabin" on the North Fork of the Coeur d' Alene River. That "cabin" has four bedrooms and two baths. Some cabin, huh? Troy lives only about 30 miles from Kingston, and he has contacted some folks who we worked with in 71 and 72 and who are still in the area. He has a little reunion party set up for Wednesday night.

    I had not maintained any kind of contact with these guys since we parted company in November of 1972, when I was laid off by the Forest Service after my second year of work. It was only a few weeks ago that I re-established contact with them, after doing some research in order to find them.

    I AM PUMPED!

    Tomster
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yee Haw Mayor! Beautiful country up that way. Too bad it's a good 8 hours or so (the scenic way) from Boise.

    I didn't know they rented Wranglers in Spokane. Actually you could buy a new Jeep from Dave Smith Motors in Kellog and they'll pick you up at the airport. Then you can drive it home via Boise and hit Tides up in Eastern Idaho. I'm sure my cats would love to meet Hank. ;)

    I'll even toss in a roll of paper towels for the ride home. :P
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    I guess I had forgotten about Tidester being in ID, if I ever even knew it.

    I would love to have Thelma Jane out there with me, but it makes a lot more sense for me to fly out there. I was able to get a round trip airplane ticket and rent a car for a week for less than $700. No way I could drive out there that cheap. I would be three days and two nights on the road each way, so that would be four nights in motels plus the cost of the gas. It's WAY cheaper to fly out and rent a car. Also, I won't spend six days driving out there and back.

    I drove out there and back two years in a row, 1971 and 1972, from my hometown, Hammond, IN. It was 1800 miles one way from Hammond, but it's a couple hundred miles longer from where I live in KY.

    Tomster
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    image

    Ok did that work?
    Bama
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I guess I had forgotten about Tidester being in ID, if I ever even knew it.

    I'm not sure whether we ever mentioned it in this topic. BTW, the odds against having two hosts from Idaho are about 3000 to 1!

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    So, what part of ID are you in, Tidester?

    Tom
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I'm in eastern Idaho - about 90 minutes from Yellowstone and 90 minutes from the Grand Tetons. It's an offroader's paradise with sand dunes, abandoned logging and mining "roads" and wilderness in all directions. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    Hey all..is there a product that I can use to clean the inside of the soft top? Got a few stains from it sitting up for 2 years.

    Keep jeepin
    Bama
  • yjohnyjohn Member Posts: 32
    Does anyone have an opinion of the rough country 4" lift?
    good? bad? let me know please.

    John
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Geez, I come back to the board, and the posting stops. What's up with that?

    Tomster

    Have you hugged your Jeep today?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    John,

    I think the name describes the lift. I've heard that the RC lift is a bit rough and uncomfortable. You may want to consider Rubicon Express's 3.5" lift. You can basically get the 4.5" lift with the 3.5" coils and actually get a more complete kit.

    Another option would be Rusty's Offroad suspension kit. I have heard it is reasonably priced, yet offers a ride similar to OME's lift, which I personally run, as does mac, tsjay, and a few others.

    OME does have some 4" coils and longer travel shocks available, but I am VERY content with my 2.5-3" lift + body lift on 33's.

    -Paul
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Tom, I think it has more to do with folks not driving their Jeeps as much due to the high gas prices.

    I, for one, am glad to see ya back on here, but I get to talk to you more than most others on here I think. ;)

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Don't forget it's a YJ on leaf springs. Comments on various manufacturers and quality still apply though (IMHO).
  • tyoshutyoshu Member Posts: 31
    i have an 06 rubi and i need the black rubber plug that fits on the hood to protect the window if i put it down. mine got ripped off. anyone have an idea what the part number is or where i can find it? thanks!
  • I'm sorry I can't answer your question but seeing you have an 06 Rubicon I wondered if I might ask you some questions. I have an '06 Unlimited Rubicon and an '05 Unlimited (non-Rubicon). I've noticed a few differences between the two in very small, petty things but wonder if my dealer "borrowed" what I see as missing from my '06 as compared to my '05.

    1 - '06 doesn't have a rubber "mat" in the small tray on the top of the center of dashboard.
    2 - '06 doesn't have rubber cup holder insert for the rear cupholders (similar to front cub holder insert)
    3 - '06 doesn't have sound/thermal insulation mat under the hood of the engine compartment.

    I'd appreciate knowing what you have on your '06 in regard to these items so I can see if Jeep was just compressing costs to maximize profits or if I'm just "missing" those from mine. I suppose Jeep might also have found it would cost them too much to order those parts in the last year of production if they indeed intended to skip those items?
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Can't remember the part number, cost is minimal (single figures), available through your local Jeep dealer.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    You talking about the round bumpers that attach on the hood itself and that the windshield rests on when down?

    If so, you need Mopar Stop/Bumpers (55075590AB).

    -Paul
  • 4rider4rider Member Posts: 96
    Just went to local OHV park over the week. This time I got conserderly dusty all over the Jeep. This is actually the first time I have ever got all the dust in the engine bay. I've cleaned it a lot using vacumn. I am wondering is it advisible to simply hose it down with water after each trip? If so, I think at least I should cover the generator and battery before washing it. It ther any other componet I should cover also?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Vacuuming an engine? :)

    I use simple green.
    1. Make sure engine cool.
    2. Wash underside of hood to get dirt of that as you would the rest of the Jeep.
    3. Spray LIBERALLY all over the engine compartment, being careful around alternator, air intake bell, battery connectors, fuse box underhood (by battery), and wire connectors. You can get some on there, but be careful and gentle when rinsing.Let it sit for about 5 minutes or so, then rinse off with gentle stream of water, NOT high pressure, starting with underside of hood (I lean it against the windshield frame for this).
    4. If your hoses are still nasty brown, spray them again and use a brush to clean it off.

    I just did this last week from an offroading trip earlier in the month and it was a night/day difference in how the bay looked.

    -Paul
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Yup, it's a Jeep, it's designed to get wet occasionally!

    If it's just dusty use an airline to blow it all off, rather than trying to vacuum it.
  • 4rider4rider Member Posts: 96
    Vacumning did not work well since there were too many tight spots I could not get to. I also tried using leaf blower but that also had only limited effect. I guess the good old fasion garden hose is the only way to go then.
  • jplymanjplyman Member Posts: 90
    Hello all -

    I hope everyone is doing well and I just wanted to post some driving hints to help people drive your jeep more often. I drive a '06 Unlimited 6-speed and am getting about 18 MPG. Here is what I'm doing to help with gas MPG. First my communte is 25 miles one way and I usually have the top down and 80% is highway.

    - I always shift at 2000 RPM - takes me a while to get up to speed.

    - I coast as much as possible especailly down hill and take about 5-10 seconds to shift gears.

    - I don't drive over 60 MPH (this saves me the most) and use cruise control.

    - Understand your route and light timing and feel happy being the last one to the light.

    By just driving at 60 I was able to go from 16 to 18.

    And if all else fails - you can do what I do I just move money from my entertainment budget to my gas budget b/c the jeep is entertainment.
  • yjbobyjbob Member Posts: 56
    I get pretty good milage in my 4-cyl 5 speed YJ: 5.5 gal for my 120 mile daily round trip - almost 22 mpg. I drive 55 mph on the highway and very gently in town. Happy Memorial day to all.
  • bamatazz1bamatazz1 Member Posts: 6
    Hi jeep people..
    Got my jeep back today, My paint on the hood was fading BAD, had the guy that replaced the hood few years ago, repaint it for me.
    Hopefully this will fix the problem.
    Hope you guys had a good Memorial day

    Bama
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Terry:

    You probably wore the paint off with all that washing and waxing. :)

    Tom
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    I could say, "Pot, meet kettle." :) But since you aren't as meticulous about cleaning Thelma Jane anymore, I won't say a word! :P

    I gave mine a good washing last night and it is sitting in the garage waiting for its first coating of Maguire's wax in 3 years! I'll probably wax part of the powdercoated armor too, to REALLY make it shine! Maybe it'll help some on the trail too to keep some of that branch pinstriping down.

    Do I need to post pics when I'm done? :)

    -Paul
  • willymack76willymack76 Member Posts: 8
    I recently test drove a 2005 Wrangler Sport the other day. I felt almost no resistance in the clutch peddle when shifting. Is this normal and are all jeeps like this? Is this something you just get used to?

    Thanks.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    The Wrangler doesn't have a 'heavy' clutch pedal, but it shouldn't flop to the floor. I'd describe the normal clutch action as light and smooth, but a lot depends on what you compare it to.
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    My daughter's VW and my old BMW have stiffer clutches than my TJ...

    -Paul
  • willymack76willymack76 Member Posts: 8
    I am in the market for a pre-owned Wrangler but I am having trouble choosing a trim package. I think I have narrowed it down to the Sport or the X. What is the advantage of paying more for the Sport? Does on ride better than the other? My only requirments: manual, V6, A/C, CD Player, alloy wheels.

    Thanks!
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    You won't find a V6 in a TJ. They are all inline 6's.

    The sport is more likely to be found with the Dana 44 rear end (with the metal fill plug). The X will have the Dana 35 rear axle (plastic/rubber plug). The D44 is a stronger axle so if you plan to go bigger and offroad, you're at a better starting point.

    I wouldn't worry too much about the CD player and alloy whees. There are a LOT of aftermarket systems that will fit the Wrangler. I have an Alpine in mine and LOVE it. The factory alloy wheels have a factory backspacing of 5.5" (for the most part), and if you plan to go with bigger tires down the road/trail, that 5.5" will be too much. Aftermarket alloys or the beloved black steel wheels can be had with lower backspacing, which pushes them out a bit to allow clearance of bigger and wider tires.

    The axle is the BIGGEST difference between an X and a Sport. You may also find a sport with hard AND soft top, whereas I THINK the X could only be found with a soft top. That may be a bit different if buying 3rd party though.

    Check the underside for gashes or other signs of offroading. Inspect the suspension points and bushings for signs of wear.

    -Paul
    -Paul
  • 4rider4rider Member Posts: 96
    Speaking of used Wranglers. I am quite suprised, consider the current high gas prices, to find out the current used Warngers generally have high price tag than mine that I bought 6 months ago. I see most adverted prices are about 2k hihger for most late models. Not sure why this is happening?
  • unlimitjunlimitj Member Posts: 19
    Also, I think the Sport was the only model available with anti-lock brakes.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Depends on the year, Sahara had the option at one time too.
  • martyzmartyz Member Posts: 21
    Enjoy your trip to Idaho, Tomster. Western Montana and Northern Idaho are great places to do some goofing around, even if you have to leave your Jeep at home. When you're in Kingston, get your friends to take you down the Hiawatha Trail. When they took out the old railroad line in the '80s, they turned it into a road and bike trail. You can drive through the old tunnels and over the old trestles. Unfortunately, the 2-mile tunnel at the top is only open to bikes ;-)

    No, it isn't a worthy trail for a Wrangler owner (it's gravel, but any passenger car could do it), but it is still fun.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Details over in 2007 Wrangler here: mac24, "2007 Jeep Wrangler" #323, 8 Jun 2007 8:24 am
  • tsjaytsjay Member Posts: 4,591
    Martyz:

    Are you a native of the Silver Valley?

    Tom
  • meade22meade22 Member Posts: 1
    Could anyone give me an idea of what the best low cost suspension lift would be? I'm looking for a 2 to 4 inch.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Best and low cost aren't really a good fit. There's also a very big difference in cost between a 2" and 4" lift.

    What are you trying to achieve?
  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    What mac said. A simple 2" budget boost (spacers + longer shocks) is cheap (around 230 or so) but not an optimal solution IMO. The larger lifts go up in price quickly and quality ain't cheap. IMO, you get what you pay for. Mine is riding on a 2.5-3" OME lift. It was pricey, but the ride is great. I paid (total) over $1k for it and all the related components (adj trackbars, body lift, swaybar discos, etc).

    Would I do it again? IN A HEARTBEAT!

    Another moderately priced 3" lift is from Rusty's Offroad. Though I have no first-hand experience with them, I've heard decent things about em.

    A LOT will depend on your goals and what you want to do with the lift. If you are mainly on the streets, go with one that will provide a decent ride, like the OME. If you want something with lotsa flex, Rubicon Express may be your ticket. OME provides the best of both worlds - flex and great ride.

    -Paul
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