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Just wondering here. I have a friend who used to always wear earplugs when riding his motorcycle. Not so much for the motor noise, but for the wind.
Anyone here do that?
I was considering it for the Jeep on the highway.
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
All the best fellow Jeepster.
dwrangler {:-(
tireguy Jul 7, 2001 6:11pm
If that comes out wrong, try this:
tireguy "Tires, tires, tires" Jul 7, 2001 6:11pm
(both links worked for me, btw).
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
That wasn't my info, so what is the big deal?
I think that info is just the business address and business phone #.
American flag stickers:
Here is the link to some pics and ordering info. I just called the guy and put it on my credit card.
http://forums.jeepsunlimited.com/ubb/Forum41/HTML/007792.html
Twylie
Looks like you asked something about Bulletproof. #964
I don't have anything bulletproof so not sure what you are referring to.
whitespc
I wouldn't worry about the 4 cyc except on freeways and highways. Even then it is driveable, it just can be weak with wind and hills. Some people prefer the 4 for mud and stuff. I believe the 2.5l is 200lbs less and will scoot around easier.
That's one reason we discourage the posting of contact info. Another is that it invites harvesting of this info for junk mail and spam, or phone calls in the middle of the night. Another is that it makes the board look like a bunch of want ads when company contact info gets plastered around. Even though I know and trust your posts, we don't want to encourage others (or a rogue member) to think it's the usual practice around here.
thanks!
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
-twylie
Four Speed Tranny (Auto - Opt.)
Outside of the options available on the Rubicon, what else can we expect on the Sport models?
http://jeepwrangler.info/forsale.htm
:-)
I hope mine lasts longer than that.
As bad as that situation is, however, it would take more than that to turn me against Jeeps. Have you had any other trouble with the Jeep?
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
However.......... if the clutch has actually disintegrated, that's an abnormal situation. Although it can arise from severe abuse (dropping the clutch at maximum revs while facing uphill will do it nicely), there should also be signs of this abuse in the rest of the drivetrain.
So... if you want to take things further you should start by exploring all possible avenues with DC and document EVERYTHING. Then, get the job done by an experienced ASE certified technician and pay to have a written report on the cause of this catastrophic failure. Assuming that your 'expert' is credible (and that the report is in your favor), it's hard to imagine that DC would want to defend this in court.
HTH
...and I drove that thing pretty hard!
Hope my 1997 TJ Sport one lasts as long (of course, I pull a boat with this one!).
My clutch on my truck has 190,000 miles on it. It is going out though, but I plan on driving it until it is gone.
twylie
I am anti- bulletproof. I think they are too expensive and overbuilt. I want to go as light as possible. To each their own though.
I am looking at or-fab's carrier and a local guy right now.
wheelerman
What is Hollister Hills like?
Tom
Have you put your Jeep in 4 lo and hugged it today?
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
;-)
(or at least give your local guy some plans as a starting point!)
http://www.jeepfabrication.com/
hmmmmm problems with that SUPERIOR manual transmission MMMMM I better say "no comment" lol
KEEP JEEPIN
BAMA
I, for one, would LOVE that!!!
I rode around in a Scrambler on vacation around 1981-1985 or so and it was a blast!!!!
My clutch is fine right now (15 months and 20,000 miles in), and since it's my first stick-shift, I'm not sure if I'm using it "a lot" or not. I always thought clutches were less expensive to fix, though. I had it in my head that it was a $150-$200 repair. $600-$900 is a lot more! I guess tthat's still nothing in comparison to the $1,500 - $2,000 that a new automatic transmission costs. That was one of the big selling points for me on getting a stick - no worries about an auto tranny going out (which happened to me TWICE on my 95 Saturn).
Incidentally, I just had my Jeep serviced and had the coolant flushed and filled (per goducks' suggestion) and the front brakes done. Along with an oil change (oil and filter supplied by me) and labor, the grand total was $200. Does that sound fair? Didn't seem too bad to me.
yellowman
p.s. - goducks, I'm at 20,000 miles so I was going to have them change ALL the fluids like you suggest but my mechanic guy said the only one that really would make sense at this point was the coolant. What are the other ones you do?
geek
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Also, Yellowman, why would you supply the oil and filter? That is usually the least expensive part, since they buy it by the barrell anyhow?
I do my own oil...it is so much easier on the jeep than on the Dodge Magnum, Corolla, or Civic. No jack required for starters, and easy access to filter and drain plug just make it even quicker. The worst part is getting rid of the used oil.
I was planning on doing my own coolant flush as well. Maybe brakes too. I got a Chilton's CD which has everything the manuals have and more. Haven't looked at it a lot yet, though.
every 3000 miles: oil change/lube
every 2 years/24000 miles: new air filter, change coolant and fluids in front and rear differentials, transfer case, & manual transmission
every 4 years/48K miles: new spark plugs & wires, new fuel filter
This is a pretty rigorous regimen and may be a bit much for some, but it really doesn't cost that much to change most of these fluids, and I believe it will make your vehicle last in the long run. If your Jeep is over 3 years old and you haven't changed any of these fluids, you should at least inquire about it at your next oil change. Yellowman, I seem to remember your Jeep is only a 2001--you don't need to do most of these things yet I would think.
goducks has a good schedule to follow. The only thing that didn't get done on time with our Wrangler was the spark plugs & wires, since I tend to use Jiffy Lube. I ended up not changing them until 90,000 miles (it was at 4 years) and that was way too long! Do NOT recommend this!
Well, first off, I use Mobil 1 oil which can be expensive depending on where you buy it. My mechanic has it and offers to put it in for me, but he of course wants to make a profit too. I think he told me one time it's $5 - $7 per quart if he puts it in. I buy it at Costco for $3.66 per quart, so it's well worth me going out and getting it on my own. As for the filter, I buy that myself too so I can make sure I'm putting a decent one in (although I don't use "top of the line" oil filters - so far I've experimented with STP, Fram, or Pennzoil). Therefore, I only pay my guy $15 for labor to do all the work for me - $20 if I have him rotate the tires too.
I have changed my oil on my own once, and I probably will again next time, but I had my guy do it this time because I needed the brakes and coolant done at the same time. I definitely don't trust myself enough mechanically to do either of the latter.
goducks, you're right I do have a 2001 and I'm at 15 months/almost 20,000 miles now. Stupid question here - is differential fluid the same as brake fluid? Wanted to know for the next time I take it to my mechanic guy. I mentioned the transfer case/manual transmission fluid, but he shook his head no, that it didn't need to be changed just yet. So I may wait another 5-10,000 miles on that one.
yellowman
p.s. - Topless for the weekend - yee-ha!
Wooo-hoooo! It feels incredible to say that!
The specs:
Wrangler X
Solar Yellow (followed Dragonfly's and Yellowman's route! ooooooh yeah!)
Hard top
Full face steel wheels
A/C
Manual transmission
And that's it. I wanted to get one with more options, but as you'll soon read, I really didn't have a choice.
I got it for $500 below invoice, or $19,510 (damn region advertising fees!), and opted for the 3.9% 60 month financing instead of the $500 rebate.
My story
Well, I'm 29 and live in Phoenix, and like I said, I've been wanting a Jeep for at least 12 years, and I know what tsjay and dwrangler mean when they say that they just gotta get one! Sometimes I thought I had the Jeep Fever in check, until a co-worker or a friend would get one, and I broke out in another severe case and would rush to Edmunds to get my "fix"!
In 1999, I traded in my S-10 pickup and thought about getting a Jeep, but thought that they would be out of my price range, so I settled on a Mustang with about 6,000 miles on it. But still, the Jeep beckoned.
Then, a couple of weeks back, the horrible news hit me. Jeep was discontinuing the Solar Yellow for 2003. ACK! What was I going to do?! I HAD to have yellow!!
Fortunately, I had been following this board for quite some time and (like someone else once said) built my Jeep on Edmunds about a million times, so I knew what I wanted. So, on Monday, I printed out all the Jeep dealerships in the greater Phoenix area and spent the whole week visiting them one by one. I knew that I wanted either a stripped-down Sport or a loaded X, yellow, and a hard top.
Now, tsjay, I know what you're going to say, but summers in Phoenix can reach nearly 120 and I just wasn't certain a soft top would cut it. That and I thought that hard tops looked better!
Anyway, this week, I visited all eight dealerships in metro Phoenix and while I found several yellow Sports with hard tops, I only found one yellow X with a hard top in the entire city. After driving a Sport, which all seemed to have the dana 44 rear ends with the 3.73 ratio, I decided that I just didn't like how high the engine revved at freeway speeds, so I thought that I better grab that X with the 3.07 ratio, while the grabbing was good!
Unfortunately, it was pretty stripped. The salesman was actually surprised the dealership ordered it with a hard top and nothing else. We got down to brass tasks and I fibbed a little (taking my lesson from you all) and mentioned that a buddy of mine bought a Jeep here (Bill Luke Jeep, for those who are interested) and got his at $500 below invoice. He said "can do," and we went inside to start the paperwork. Immediately, though, we ran into a problem, which I figured would rear its ugly head eventually--they didn't want to give me much for my Mustang.
It was a 98 with 64,000 miles. Blue book was at $7,100, but Edmunds gave me a trade-in amount of $7,700. They offered $6,200. Round and round and round we went, and slowly the price inched to $6,500, then $6,800, till finally we agreed on $7,000. As my payoff was $6,055, I figured I was in good shape. A quick (hah!) visit to the finance guy, where I included body side steps (to be added later) into the mix and a check for $1,500, and my final payment settled on $355 a month.
Man, oh man, the ride home was something else! I couldn't help but smiling all the way home! And, of course, the first thing I did when I got back was to give him a big ole hug right across the hood.
A couple questions, tsjay, I know that you got a 2" lift. I'm thinking about getting one to and can't decide on the 2 or 3 inch lift. Does anyone have any opinions on what I should get? I'm also looking to get bigger tires and custom rims, some KC lights, and a bikini top. Any suggestions?
So, that's about it. Like I said earlier, you may not know me, but I feel like I know all of you, especially tsjay, dwrangler, twylie (your site is awesome! I'm definitely going to make some of those mods), goducks, bamatazz and others. And, tsjay, I don't know if you anyone's mentioned this to you, but I really appreciate you putting your buying experience online. It really helped me when I went through mine.
Sorry to be so long-winded. That Jeep excitement is intoxicating, baby!
Hugging my Jeep and loving it! Whoo-hoo!!!
Eric
aztjboy
We look forward to hearing lots more from you. This should encourage all those other lurkers to jump it!
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
CONGRATULATIONS!
I am so happy for you! WAY TO GO!Welcome to the family, Eric. Please be a regular poster, now that you are officially a Jeep owner. (You didn't need to let not owning a Jeep stop you from posting before, though, you know).
If some of our posts were useful to you, then that is really great. That's what we all hope for here in this group: that we can help each other and that we can help prospective Jeep owners. I know that when I was struggling with Wrangler Fever, this place provided me with info that was tremendously useful. It gave me a place to "talk Jeep," and it helped me survive until I could actually get my Jeep.
Hey, as far as your hard top, I guess I ought to update my web page, cause I have no problem not having a soft top, now that I have that little S10 to drive when there is rain or a chance of rain. I have a garage to keep Thelma Jane in, and I have another vehicle to drive when it rains, so I can just take the hard top and doors off, and I can leave Thelma like that all summer. I have never owned a soft top, but I'm sure NO top is even better than a soft top folded down.
Eric, once again, welcome, and congrats! Enjoy that Jeep, and be a regular poster here. Come to Gill's often and chat with us. It seems like Gill's is pretty dead lots of nights until about 9 PM CDST, which I guess is 7 PM your time (you on Pacific time?).
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today? ( Bet ya have
Are you gonna go offroad much, and if so what kind of terrain will you be in? Is the lift mostly for looks? What size tires do you want to run?
I love offroading, but I'm not one of those hard core guys that tries to make you feel like a second class citizen if you don't "wheel" your Jeep. I have said it before, and I'll say it again...Thelma Jane was THE most fun vehicle that I ever owned, even BEFORE I ever took her off the pavement the first time! (But offroading adds a whole new world of enjoyment, if you want to try it sometime.)
So, my man, get yourself a mental image of what you want that baby to look like when you get everything you want on it, and then you can get the lift that would be appropriate for your long range goals.
You went with the Dana 35 and 3.07 gears, so you probably won't want to go more than 33" tires on that puppy. (Hey, nothing wrong with that.) If you think that 33's will be all you ever get up to, then from all I've heard and read here and other places, the Old Man Emu 2.5" lift might be just the ticket for you. Some will say you need more than the 2.5" lift to run 33s, and I guess that's true if you are gonna do much offroading with the sway bars disconnected, but for highway driving and offroading with the sway bars still connected, I think that OME lift would be fine.
Tonkadave has the OME and got the HD springs, which gave him actually 3" of lift. You would want the HD springs, since you have a hard top (weight). Tonks is really happy with his lift. He says the ride is just as good or better than stock.
Anyway, just keep posting and coming to Gills and ask all the questions you want. Feel free to email me too. I don't claim to be an expert, but I can at least put you onto some sources of information.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
P.S. If I were SURE that I would be happy long term with 33 inch tires, I would already have an Old Man Emu lift on Thelma. I only got that 2" Procomp lift because I got it so cheap from a wheelin' buddy. I got it INSTALLED and everyting for $200, so I couldn't pass it up. I was going to wait until I could get some kind of 4" lift, but when I had that chance to get the 2" that cheap, I went for it.
Eric, there's lots of things that need to be changed when you get above two inches or so of lift. It's more than just springs and shocks when you get above a couple inches. You also have to have some modifications in the drive train, because you change your drive shaft angles. You would need a trac bar relocator, and you would probably need to lower your transfer case to prevent vibrations. Even on the OME 2.5" lift, these two items would be necessary, but I don't think they are biggies. Beyond this range, though, even more things come into play. I am only going by the stuff I have read, but I have read A LOT.
Also, what about security? I thought it was pretty darn ironic that a mere four hours before I was to go and purchase my Jeep, I read that the Wrangler is now the second most stolen vehicle, right after the Acura Integra.
http://cars.com/rd/teaser/2002stolen.html
I don't know if I want to just get a club or actually get an alarm. I never bothered with one in the past, but now that I'm driving a yellow vehicle that really stands out, I'm not so certain.
Eric
It's a decent amount of lift, especially if you get the three inches that Tonkadave got with the HD springs, and you don't really give up anything for driveablility on the highway. Many people say the ride is BETTER after installing an OME.
I promise you that I would be getting one if I knew down deep in my heart that I would never go over 33" on tires. I might go with a 1" body lift also, to give the tires a little more room for when the Jeep flexes on the trail.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Like I said, though, people claim your ride is actually better after installing the OME lift.
I am talking myself into getting one, I think.
Not really, I guess, cause I am already at 2" of lift, and I wouldn't want to spend the bucks for just another 0.5 to 1.0" of lift.
I still hope to have a 4" lift some day.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I took my boss and his ten year old and six year old sons to Turkey Bay today, and we did some wheelin'. The sad part was that I had to put the back seat back in Thelma for the boys to ride on, and there was no room for Ross Allen.
That's the first time I ever wheeled without my best bud along.
We had a great time, and the boys really had fun. My boss and the his family have just relocated to Ky, since we are closing our office in Chattanooga. The bossman is trying to help the boys in their adjustment to their new home by making sure they get to do some fun things, and today went a long way toward that end.
After the wheelin', we went about three miles up the Trace (the main road through Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area) and stopped at the Elk and Bison Range. They have brought in Buffalo and Elk, both of which were once native to Ky, and they have a drive-thru park where you can observe them. We saw three elk from a pretty long distance, but no buffalo. We did, however, see plenty of buffalo dung (does that count?).
I didn't know that we once had natural herds of buffalo and elk here in Ky, and I am especially surprised about the elk. I thought our weather was too hot for them in the summer.
We were there in the middle of the afternoon, which was not a good time to see the critters. They were somewhere back in the trees probably trying to stay cool, or lying in a nice mud hole somewhere out of sight.
It was a real good day for all of us. We even drove through a couple brief rains, but just enough to get a tiny bit wet, which actually added to the excitement of the day.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Have you sucked up to your boss today?
1-I currently have 2 cars; a '95 Firebird with T-tops (paid for, and my summer fun car) and a '00 Olds Alero (my daily driver, only owe about 8K, and has been very reliable). The Wrangler would replace the Alero, but I'm having trouble justifying replacing a good practical car (that I don't owe much on) with a Jeep that I'll owe much more on, that is much more "primitive" than my car, and will cost more to gas and insure. Any suggestions?
2-IF I do get a Wrangler, it would see duty in delightful Michigan winters. I have heard people say that Wranglers love to swap ends in snow and ice. Even with 4WD engaged, are they that bad? Should I consider the Trac-Lok and ABS a "must have"?
3-Related to #2: Has anybody lived with a soft top in winter? How bad is it? I doubt I can afford the dual top option (and since I'm considering an X model, dual tops aren't even offered.) initially. Should I take it with a soft top and then add an aftermarket hard top later, or take it with a hard top and later add an aftermarket soft top?
Whew! Didn't mean to ramble so. I hope you folks can offer some input, and be forewarned-I'll probably have lots of questions yet to come!
Thanks!
If not, I will write you a reply after while. Welcome to the group.
http://itsajeep.org
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Please don't look for "practical" reasons to get a Wrangler. Except for a very few people who live in inaccessible areas, there is no practical reason to have a Wrangler.
Wranglers are all about FUN! You say your Firebird is your summer fun vehicle, but wait til you get your Wrangler! Talk about FUN!!!
You give up room, gas mileage, ride quality, security for items in the Jeep (with a soft top), and quiet when you get a Wrangler. But for all that you give up, you receive more fun than you can imagine. So much fun that you don't mind what you had to give up!
There really isn't any way to explain it, so you need to take a nice long test drive to see what is so special about a Jeep.
As far as your top option, that's a tough call. I think the new four ply soft tops that came out with the 01 models are MUCH quieter than the old type and are not hard to heat in the winter.
But, since you have something else to drive when it rains, you might want the hard top and just take it off for the summer like I do. I also take the doors off for the summer when the top comes off.
That way you can be topless in the summer and have the benefit of the hard top in the winter.
You'll have to ask someone else if the plastic windows are a problem in the winter as far as icing up and whether or not it is a problem scraping them. I guess I would lean toward the hard top in your case.
I know that I wouldn't be crazy about unzipping the window at drive-thrus.
I am pretty happy having the hard top only.
The hard top should be bought at the time of purchase of the Jeep, if you think you are ever gonna want one. They are terribly expensive to buy later, if you want the factory type. The soft tops are much cheaper after the purchase of the Jeep than the hard tops are.
I have no experience with a Jeep in snow or ice. I have been hoping for a big snow the two winters that I have had my Jeep, but no such luck.
Because of the short wheel base, I would expect that they might be a little more prone to spinning around than other vehicles, but that's where driving technique comes into play. Some people think that just because they have four wheel drive they can drive faster on snow or ice. That can get ya in trouble.
Well, I hope this helps, but feel free to ask all the questions ya want to. This is a great bunch of people here, and we all like to help other folks.
Welcome to the group! Post often! Come to gills when ya can.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
As far as making any mods...if ya start with the wheels and tires...just make one more change if you can't afford to make too many changes at once...change the X logo to the Sport. After all if you ever want to change to a newer model Jeep you can ask more money for it
What the heck...change it to a Sahara...nah that wouldn't work on a yellow
I could get away with the sticker switch with my color choice Sienna
Tomster, sorry I didn't come to Gill's it was along day and I was pretty tired...great pics thanks for sending em to me. As far as the "sex symbol" driving the Jeep....let me get back to ya on that one ;-O
mcnnt, I understand the Firebird part (I used to own one) but cross your fingers that you don't have the problems with yours like I did. I spent $1000 in a month to repair a module (that regulates the firing sequence) and the ignition (security switch)...not to mention the towing ($150 for two different tows...ouch)
Hug your Jeeps for me...til I get mine
dwrangler
In the mean time, enjoy that thing!!
yellowman
Just wanted you all to know that he is serious about getting one and may have found one that he will buy, if he can get a decent deal on it.
Let's all keep rooting for him!
Mike has "upped the ante" and decided to go with a TJ rather than an older Jeep. He has found a 97 that he will make an offer on.
GO FOR IT, MIKE!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?