By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
I've never had a need to use my lockers when in 4hi. If I'm that stuck, I'm wanting 4LO to get out and that is when the lockers are the most help. Using lockers at higher speeds COULD cause problems if you are a road with good traction (in case you forget you are in 4 hi or have lockers engaged).
-Paul
However, as you alluded to, 4HI plus lockers at speed on a high traction surface is a disaster waiting to happen.
Learn every day!
-Paul
The only issue to consider, other than safety, is how it may affect your warranty.
Ya never really get rid of the wrangler bug and i really enjoyed the jeep wave, i will miss the comaraderie and the jeep, just not another vehicle that has the history or instant recognishion of the wranger ....maybe one day i will be back with another wrangler...thanks again I hope to be a wrangler owner again some day...
Jeff
Get well!!!
-Paul
Stick around. It'll help pass the time until you get another.
Nope - I live south of there in Moscow, but Shoshone County has more fun back roads than Latah County, so I try to get over there a few times each year. Technically, I'm a NATIVE of the other end of Idaho. Been up here for a long time, though.
Just got back from a trip to Montana. They have some fun spots, too. I'm driving a Liberty, so I stick to more tame fare that isn't really worthy of the Wrangler forum. In fact, today I drove up a fairly steep and rutted road to an old ghost town, only to find some guy and his family ahead of me in a Pontiac Bonneville. With Pennsylvania plates, too - so he'd driven all the way across the country to show me up! :-)
Dennis
I just now started getting caught up on the posting since I left for vacation. I am terribly sorry about your having to give up your beloved Wrangler.
I hope they come up with an accurate diagnosis and that the health problem turns out to be nothing serious.
Please, stick around on the message board. Like Mac said, ownership of a Jeep is not a requirement around here.
I have just prayed for you and your family.
Keep us posted on how things are going, OK?
Tomster
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Vacation 2007 Montana/
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Vacation 2007 Idaho/
Here's my favorite pic from that trip to Glacier.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Since then, I've upgraded to an 01 Wrangler, but this new-fangled model 07 has given me the fever again. What is the opinion versus the TJ now that it has been out for awhile? I expect it to be better in all respects, but not sure.
Gripes include a serious electrical problem on a small but significant number of vehicles, impaired rear seat access compared to the previous model, lack of pricing discounts compared to earlier models, inferior engine performance from the Unlimited when towing.
Maybe I'll think about it in 2010. The trouble is that while it looks nice, it doesn't really do much that I can't do with my '99.
That's my opinion as well. The 2007 is a bit more civilized, but who wants a civilized Wrangler?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I do, but I'm not willing to sacrifice off-road abilities to get it.
-Paul
I have an '05 Sport and have done some minor mods - body armor bumpers, jeeperman skidz, piaa fogs, bushwacker flares, etc etc. But now I feel the need to do some more! It never ends - i love it.
I had been holding off on tires because, honestly, there is a lot of tread left on the tires i had and I didnt want to mess w/warranty too much...but, I got a great deal on some 33x12.5 tires and am looking for some advice...
1) I am looking at a RE 3.5" SuperFlex Lift. Anything besides the stock kit that I should be looking at for this? My off-road time is not too much and pretty easy stuff.
2) I have the canyon wheels and, if possible, i would like to avoid buying new wheels at this time. Think there will there be any backspacing issues? Options?
Thanks for any help!!
Another thing to consider is your gear ratio. If you are at 3.73, you may be okay, but I don't know your gear ratio or transmission type. For 33's, 4.10 or 4.56 would be a better gear choice than 3.73 or the dreaded 3.07.
-Paul
If you have an auto then 3.73 will probably be ok if that's what you already have. If it's a manual then you'll need the 4.10 or 4.56.
Thanks for the input...exactly why I asked here!
Ship a couple canyons to you? My bad...they are Ravines but looks like I will have the same problem. Ha....you may see them on ebay as that has been helping me support my habit.
I could post another pic of my TJ all shiny and clean showing it off, but I don't wanna be a picture hog!
-Paul
Thanks for the info!
I do, but I'm not willing to sacrifice off-road abilities to get it.
I actually like the bare-bones nature of the TJ; my wife drives a crossover and while it handles great and makes a dandy long distance cruiser, I'd just as soon drive my Sahara on any trip of less than 100 miles(and under 70 mph).
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The fix for existing manifolds came out in late '98 and the whole system was redesigned in '00.
You should be safe by the end of the second model year. It's just a guess though.
The lower bolt that holds the caliper onto the knuckle (on the driver side) came out EASILY w/o really even using a wrench to get it out. Looking at the threads, it looks like whoever did the last brake job just kinda stuck it in there and probably cross threaded it. When I reassembled everything, I tried using the upper bolt to see if I could get it to grip well, and it went in just as easily as the other came out. So I'm thinking the hole on the knuckle where I fasten the bolt is stripped out pretty good.
I DO NOT like the idea of having one bolt on the caliper securely and one basically just stuck in there - it WILL come out. Can I drill out that hole a tiny bit, use a slightly longer Grade 8 bolt, and use a nut to attach this? Or will I run the risk of having that nut be in the way of brake/rotor operation?
There appears to be a gap big enough to fit a nut between the knuckle and the back of the brake pad, even with it in the widest open position that it is in now with the new pads on.
I won't drive the TJ until I resolve this.
I'd prefer to not replace the knuckle (cost, time, and knowledge to replace it), but if it is the best course of action, then so be it. In an XJ D30 knuckle the same as a TJ D30 knuckle (driver side in particular)?
-Paul
Good choice!
There are two possible solutions to your problem. One is to drill out the stripped thread, rethread it and insert a HELICOIL.
The second is to replace the knuckle, and the good news is that the part number is the same for both the XJ and TJ (5206 7577).
Now, whoever did the brakes last, and I hope it wasn't you, dramatically overtightened and almost certainly ruined the bolts. Here's an excerpt from the FSM:
"Coat caliper mounting bolts with silicone grease. Then install and tighten bolts to 15 N·m (11 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: If new caliper bolts are being installed,
or if the original reason for repair was a drag/pull
condition, check caliper bolt length before proceeding.
Bolts must not have a shank length greater
than 67.6 mm (2.66 in.)"
Yes, that's just 11 ft/lbs! Replace all of them, and get the new ones from the dealer.
Oh, and reserve the 'longer bolt with added nut' method solely for getting yourself out of the woods. :shades:
I have a 'knuckle repair kit' coming from the same guy who developed the Vanco big brake kit and it includes everthing I need to install the inserts, including the drill bit, insert tools, bolts, etc.
I knew the torque was minimal on those bolts.
-Paul
Here's the STORE LOCATOR LINK.
With respect to the RE 3.5" Superflex kit, I have been very pleased with mine. Installed it myself in the driveway with some help in maybe 8 hours. There are a couple of issues that you should be aware of. First, the addition of the lift and larger tires will dramatically impact your gas mileage. Ask 5 people about what to expect and you will get 10 different answers
I screwed it back in and took it to the dealer. I wanted them to bleed the brakes, they did not. Immediately thereafter each week (300 miles) of 80% highway my front wheels are black. I took it to another dealership (I could do this myself, but they should too) and demanded they bleed the brakes. This time they did, but the problem persists.
Any clues?
I feel it's worth pointing out that I've driven a standard all my life and do not stand this Jeep on its nose when stopping. If anything I'm trying to baby it. The dealership tells me everything is perfect and brake dust is a way of life. I've never had this on other Jeeps and don't see it on any in my area.
Is this normal, is the additional weight of the Unlimited causing this?
thx!
If you have to clean your front wheels every 300 miles of mostly highway driving, either you're a neat freak or there's something dramatically wrong with your brakes.
After checking your rotors are ok you might suggest to the dealer that somehow the wrong composition pads have been fitted, and that it might be appropriate to change them to see if that solves the problem.
You'll probably get better results if you ask or suggest, rather than demand. :shades:
And yes, something is dramatically wrong. When the wheels are black, that's a problem. I'd like to know what luck people have by suggesting something to the dealer? I didn't think the whole dealer exchange was neccessary, but I'm happy to provide the detail if it matters. Lets just say everything you listed, came out of my mouth and nothing was happening.
After bleeding the brakes the Jeep quit standing on its nose, but now, as I said, the dust issue continues. My concern is the rotors were scored. Hence my post, if any other Unlimiteds have seen this or if this is 'normal' as says the dealer.
I have used this approach when dealing with my car dealer (non-Jeep). I try to understand what is happening and understand what may cause it and bring in everything I can think of to help them diagnose and correct the issue. Never am I confrontational with them. I take the positive attitude that I know the vehicle should not be doing this and here's what I think may have led to it doing what it is doing now. They tend to appreciate the help (even if they're not) because you are wanting to make their job easier.
Getting pissy with the dealer is not going to get you anything. If you have another dealer nearby that could help you, and hasn't been exposed to the negative attitude, it may work better for you.
-Paul
I guess we're on the same page. Customer service staff in all businesses have systems in place to deal with pissy customers, whether the customer has a legitimate complaint or not.
However, they rarely have a way of dismissing the polite, reasonable, and doggedly determined customer who is prepared to escalate up the chain of management until he gets the correct resolution to his problem.
Works for me anyway! :shades:
I have an '05 Unlimited with hardtop, winch and heavy bumbers front and rear. I have, and always have had, a "normal" amount of brake dust on the wheels. I have not heard this complaint elsewhere so I would suggest that your issue is not at all typical or normal. If your dealership is not a terribly long way away I would suggest that you clean your wheels and drive over there. Ask to see a service mgr and show him your clean wheels and note your mileage for him/her. Tell him you will make an appointment to return after 300 miles and show him/her the accumulated dust. My guess is this will dispel the myth that you are a nut who is complaining about a "normal" byproduct of operation your Jeep. Good luck!
Since you are sensitive to their needs, they have handled three of my dodge/chrysler vehicles (10+ years, regular changes and never had a problem), and their service manager coaches my son's Pinto baseball team, and we often share beers together. So please, lay off the woe is dealer, Jabone is a bad man tact. If that's all you have to add, please save the world the bandwidth.
I thought this was a Jeep forum, not service dept. negotiation lecture. Meaning, I'm looking for informed technical opinions on my Jeep. The dealership is irrelevant. In fact, this past weekend I purchased another car from their Nissan branch for a commuter.
Thank you WPowell for some helpful information; that this is unusual. I asked if there were different front pads for the std. wrangler vs the unlimited, and was told no. The guy at my local offroad shop says not quite, there are different pads because the Rubicon has rear disks. So I'm stopping by tomorrow, and be my normal polite self. :surprise:
Holy cow indeed, it's not always about you! :surprise:
That post you're referring to was in response to erickpl (not you!) in which I said that generally (not about you!) honey works better than vinegar.
What I did say to you, which was in response to your comment:
"I took it to another dealership (I could do this myself, but they should too) and demanded they bleed the brakes. ",
was "You'll probably get better results if you ask or suggest, rather than demand. :shades: "
The rest of my post was about your brakes.
I'm not sure how that one line suggestion escalates to my focusing on how you treat the dealer? Maybe I used the wrong Emotorcon? I'll try again with a different one. How's this?
You'll probably get better results if you ask or suggest, rather than demand. :P
Again, that's a suggestion in response to your comment, not a personal attack.
Anyhow, that aside, it's not normal (as I said earlier) to have the front wheels covered in brake dust after 300 miles of mostly highway driving. Depending on the type of wheel you have you can probably see the rotors without removing the wheel.
However, the rotors will have to become very badly damaged to cause your problem. It's far more likely to be a pad issue, for which the solution should be quick and simple.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
What size tires are you using? 29psi is the recommendation for 30" and I remember several discussions about 31s, for which the best pressure seems to be between 26 and 28psi.
As for the front pads, 300 miles is not far for the dust to form, as mac has said. As I mentioned, the lack of pressure to the rear brakes probably meant you were putting all the stopping force in front - possibly causing more forces than they were meant to handle alone. Even though the rear is fixed now, there may be some issues with the front. You may want to check to make sure the pads are not contacting the rotor during normal driving situations (ie, non-braking). I would think that the situation you had in the rear may have done some damage to the front, which could justify a warranty replacement for the rotors, pads, and possibly the calipers.
I'm not going to try and tell you how to handle it, but making that link between the rear problem and the front problems may give them a better idea as to why it should be a warranty replacement.
Hope you get your situation figured out and to your satisfaction. I'd be curious to see what the final resolution is.
-Paul