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Thanks guys!Krakkles posted:If I recall correctly, you have a 350, so I'm going to guess part of why you're looking at this is that the bellhousing isn't an issue (I.e., 4L80 links up to the engine, right?), you know about the transfer case, the only other things are the transmission mounts (which are usually something like a bar with two bolts in the middle that link to the transmission, and four on the ends to link to the body - I.e., not difficult to custom build) and the wiring (is it electronically controlled? I seem to remember GM trans have an E on the end if they are, so possibly nbd). I believe the TJ has the speedo on the transfer case (in fact, I think it pretty much has to) so that wiring should be unaffected. You are right! I have a 350, so mounting it to the engine isn't that big of an issue for me. For TCU, FAST has one that links right up with their EFI, which I also happen to have and so that's the route I'm looking at for that. I'm looking at the Novak adapter for the transfer case, and I'm definitely going to get a cooler for it. IOwnCalculus posted:Novak's page for the 4L80E Jeep transfer case adapter only warns away from stuffing it in super-short Jeeps like the CJ5, so it must be doable in a TJ. But yeah I'd want a SYE (preferably the shorter version) if at all possible. My NP231 already has an SYE and a new self adjusting rear driveshaft. I'd definitely be needing to get a new front one, though. -- So it seems like it'll be a tight fit but doable, which is what I had hoped for. I'm tired of driving with both legs. Kastivich posted:That rear drive shaft must be hilariously short given that the stock one is already very short. Does this swap usually go along with a frame stretch (my 30 seconds of googling it didnt produce any pictures). I like my driveshafts like I like my birds; stubby.
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Jul 30, 2019 14:25
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Even if you've already got a SYE on the back, you'll still want to measure and make sure you aren't going to bottom the driveshaft out now. On the plus side, with a 350, proper cooling, and the occasional fluid change, a 4L80E will be nearly indestructible. They're based on ye olde TH400, with electronic controls and a fourth gear.
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Jul 30, 2019 14:37
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IOwnCalculus posted:Even if you've already got a SYE on the back, you'll still want to measure and make sure you aren't going to bottom the driveshaft out now. Stay tuned, eventually I'm gonna put in an A/C system from (probably) square one
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Jul 31, 2019 20:18
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Awhile back I was asking something about a potential transfer case chain rehab on my partner's Rubicon. We just picked it up from a garage to get a proper diagnosis on it. Turns out it's the ring and pinion making noise not the T-case. We'll drop it back off there in a few weeks to have them take care of that. It'll still be some $$ but not nearly what we thought it was gonna be. If I knew more about jeeps I'd do it myself but I'm just a lowly VW guy.
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Aug 1, 2019 22:49
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Hello Jeeps goons from the Subaru thread. My wife demands that we buy a Jeep Wrangler for the almost 15 year old girl. I have 1.5 years to find one and make it road worthy. I have been a Subaru guy my entire life, and I am vary familiar with Rust and car projects. I have an engine hoist, 80 gallon compressor, welder, etc. I'm also in NH, the rust capital of the United States. I assume that she will never take it off road and wants a soft top for the summer and a hard top for winter. Budget is probably 5,000 or so. Tell me Jeep people, what should I buy?
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Aug 2, 2019 14:22
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One thing I know about wranglers, especially up north is to check the frame for rust. They typically rust badly where the transmission belly pan bolts on and the rear trailing arms.
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Aug 2, 2019 15:13
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At that price you're right between nicer YJs and beat up TJs. I went with a beat up TJ. If that budget is for acquisition and repairs, then YJ is probably your only option.
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Aug 2, 2019 15:19
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daslog posted:Hello Jeeps goons from the Subaru thread. Sock away an extra $1500 to have one transported from the PNW or the south (or fly, buy, drive back). $5k isn't going to get you anything very modern in Wranglers, so I think investing some time in getting your daughter involved in some wrench turning and diagnostic work would pay off.
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Aug 2, 2019 15:28
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I'll probably catch hell for this, but I've always thought the YJ/TJ Wrangler is one of the worst possible vehicles for new drivers. Poor crash protection, front airbags only (if any), very limited ABS (if any), no stability control, high CG and super short wheelbase. As much as I like my TJ, I wouldn't be putting any new driver in it. Given the price premium on Wranglers, at $5k it is going to be rough. You should defin. try to get a 6cyl if you can find one for the price. If it doesnt come with a hardtop you are probably looking at another $1k there. Full hard doors (if you want them) seem to go for around the same.
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Aug 2, 2019 17:58
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Yeah I remember in highschool (YJ and very early TJ era--I'm old) every single kid that got a Wrangler as their first car had some sort of pretty serious accident with it. They are not good cars for a new driver, especially if it gets slick or snowy in your area. Live axles, no diff locks, now old and tired suspension.. it's a recipe for spinning out if you aren't careful. Even my XJ really tries to get away from me at times and I know to be careful in conditions that it could happen. If she's gotta have something with a Jeep badge on it, what about a Patriot? They look like old Cherokees but are much better cars for a new driver. Or a Liberty might not be bad.
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Aug 2, 2019 18:45
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I wouldn't give either of you hell for that opinion, but I'd also point out: If you learn to drive in something that will take any opportunity to kill you, you will end up a better driver. ... if you survive. To make clear my level of commitment to this idea, I sure as hell wouldn't give my child a Wrangler to start. Also, "old and tired suspension" is fixable and should be fixed. In the case of an XJ (I have one also, it was old and tired in more ways than just the suspension, and I spent a lot of time fixing it), the difference is profound. When I got it, it was barely drivable due to death wobble. I can confidently slide it around corners now, it is not unpredictable or difficult to control at all, and it handles far better than a lot of cars that it has no right handling better than, partially or entirely because they have old or tired or poorly designed suspension, and it does not. (Well, it's still live axles, but it's as far from poorly designed as you can get it.) I wouldn't put my child in a new car, and I wouldn't put her in something (to start) that requires an inordinate amount of care to control, but I also wouldn't put her in something that I hadn't gone over the suspension and made necessary fixes for.
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Aug 2, 2019 18:54
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mod sassinator posted:Live axles, no diff locks, now old and tired suspension.. it's a recipe for spinning out if you aren't careful. Even my XJ really tries to get away from me at times and I know to be careful in conditions that it could happen. I remember being about 19 years old and a friend of mine was carsitting a nice new TJ for a couple weeks while the owner was out of town. He immediately almost threw that thing sideways turning right onto a freeway on-ramp in a misty rain. I have long opined that one of the most brilliant marketing moves/partnerships of all time was when Jeep got together with Mattel and came up with the Barbie Jeep.
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Aug 2, 2019 19:06
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mod sassinator posted:Yeah I remember in highschool (YJ and very early TJ era--I'm old) every single kid that got a Wrangler as their first car had some sort of pretty serious accident with it. They are not good cars for a new driver, especially if it gets slick or snowy in your area. Live axles, no diff locks, now old and tired suspension.. it's a recipe for spinning out if you aren't careful. Even my XJ really tries to get away from me at times and I know to be careful in conditions that it could happen. It's not my idea. I'll work on the wife with these points though.
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Aug 2, 2019 21:03
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TJ and you think you are old. CJ was my era.
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Aug 2, 2019 21:24
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C-Bangin' it 
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daslog posted:It's not my idea. I'll work on the wife with these points though. Just have her scroll through this: https://www.google.com/search?q=fatal+jeep+wrangler+crash&source=lnms&tbm=isch (it's sad too, read the captions and a lot say things like 'Two teens...', 'A freshman...', 'A teenager's...'. etc... and realize most of those are more modern and safer Wranglers there, not 15-20 year old ones with questionable maintenance history) Or more seriously have your wife test drive one in the rain. They're not like the driving 'appliances' of modern cars that we're so used to driving today. mod sassinator fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Aug 2, 2019 |
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Aug 2, 2019 21:47
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Paulie posted:Sock away an extra $1500 to have one transported from the PNW or the south (or fly, buy, drive back). $5k isn't going to get you anything very modern in Wranglers, so I think investing some time in getting your daughter involved in some wrench turning and diagnostic work would pay off. Seconding this, and $5-6k gets you a decent 4-cyl TJ in SC. The closer to $5k they are, the quicker they go.
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Aug 2, 2019 21:52
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The wranglers in the PNW aren't cheap either unfortunately. You really want at least $7-10k budget to get a nicer TJ, and even then expect some significant maintenance budget at the start. A complete shitheap YJ will still ask and sell all day long for $5k around here.
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Aug 2, 2019 21:57
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Way too dangerous for a new driver. The death wobble is getting really bad in my XJ, so I'm thinking about dropping the money and replacing all the bushings in the front. It's all stock with the exception of Grand Cherokee V8 coils for a little boost. I plan on running a plow this winter oh, and I'm betting on the strings being enough extra support. That said does anybody have recommendations 4 bushing kit? Should I consider upgrading any other components? One other thing I noticed is that my negative battery terminal gets corroded super quickly and more so than any vehicle I've ever owned before, any ideas what's causing this?
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Aug 2, 2019 22:56
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I got a ton of corrosion on mine and putting those little red/green felt pads you can get at the parts store under both terminals solved it.
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Aug 2, 2019 23:03
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How about a KK liberty? New enough to have air bags and traction control and abs. Longer wheelbase. No chance of death wobble. Seem to be at the bottom of the depreciation curve, so $5k buys something ok.
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Aug 3, 2019 00:43
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The extra money for a 4.0 TJ is well worth it over the 2.5 imo. But yeah hard to find a good one for 5k these days.
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Aug 3, 2019 03:20
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I may be yelling into the ether here, but a WJ may not be a bad idea either. Mine has been great so far, though a 4.0 rather than a 4.7 may be a better idea at this point since the model type is 20 years old now. Side impact airbags are an option and honestly, I plan on keeping mine until it rots away, so just throwing another idea out there.
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Aug 3, 2019 06:06
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If the kid wants the Wrangler partly for the image, a stock or anywhere near it WJ is not gonna scratch that itch. But yeah they're way easier to find in good condition than a Wrangler.
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Aug 3, 2019 06:31
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Might be a way to scratch the itch by getting a father daughter Jeep project to work on. Get her a Honda/Toyota (or Subaru) sedan to get a to b, and have a project to tinker on and eventually drive on weekends and stuff.
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Aug 3, 2019 14:28
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Paulie posted:Might be a way to scratch the itch by getting a father daughter Jeep project to work on. Get her a Honda/Toyota (or Subaru) sedan to get a to b, and have a project to tinker on and eventually drive on weekends and stuff. Yea I'm trying to talk my wife into putting her in a $1500 Subaru impreza to start and then work on a Jeep project as she gains experience.
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Aug 3, 2019 14:47
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IOwnCalculus posted:If the kid wants the Wrangler partly for the image, a stock or anywhere near it WJ is not gonna scratch that itch. But yeah they're way easier to find in good condition than a Wrangler. You can just use a Sawzall or cutting torch to cut the top off. When winter rolls around, just tack it back on in a few places.
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Aug 3, 2019 14:49
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My first really bad rain storm in a new Jeep with all kinds of safety features was terrifying. That's a 2 door, which is what you'd be looking at. I've heard the 4 doors are a little more stable. If you want to get her a death trap at least get a cheap Miata.
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Aug 3, 2019 16:22
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I've been driving my 99 TJ since my dad bought it new, and then I bought it from him about 8 years ago. 20 years behind the wheel of it and driving in bad Florida storms is still terrifying at times. I've never driven it anywhere prone to ice and snow bit I imagine that's not a good time either.
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Aug 3, 2019 17:17
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If I may ask: what is terrifying about driving your jeeps? (A couple people have mentioned this, so this isn’t directed at anyone in particular.) The only things i could say are a bit worrisome - and I would not say terrifying, at all - are driving in high wind (because it will wander a bit - it’s not uncontrollable, but it makes you pay more attention) and backing up quickly (the back end feels unstable when doing so, but it’s pretty easy to just not do this). I’m just curious what is terrifying y’all, because I would not describe driving a Jeep as terrifying.
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Aug 3, 2019 17:32
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Like you said, the wind is the biggest thing. At any thing nearing highway speeds in high wind I'm getting blown around in my lane. The tiny near-vertical windshield and tiny wipers are not conducive to good visibility in heavy rain. In my case my ac doesn't blow cold and I'm not inclined to fix it since it's a second vehicle and generally only gets driven when I can have a bikini top and no doors. The rare situation where I'm driving in the rain with the Jeep closed in I'm dealing with all the windows fogging up. If you've got off-road tires there's a good chance they don't channel water well so water on the road means you've got to pay attention to keeping everything under control. Perhaps terrifying is a bit of hyperbole, but I would describe it as exhausting to drive in real bad weather since you're devoting 100% of your effort and attention to staying away from a ditch or another car or guard rail.
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Aug 3, 2019 18:07
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Krakkles posted:If I may ask: what is terrifying about driving your jeeps? (A couple people have mentioned this, so this isn’t directed at anyone in particular.) I think the height and short length makes for a tricky combination. I slid going through some standing water that I never had problems with in a sedan. I was dealing with a whole lot of wind and rain which didn't help. The solution is driving safely for your current conditions, but I wouldn't count on a 16 year old knowing how to do that. EDIT: Wind is the biggest culprit. We have pretty high overpasses and if I for some reason get stuck in the left lane I start having issues at 75+ mph. I stay in the slower right lanes for that reason. 16 year olds are know for driving at safe speeds though so that probably wouldn't be a problem. Krispy Wafer fucked around with this message at 18:19 on Aug 3, 2019 |
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Aug 3, 2019 18:13
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My TJ is definitely worse in the wind than the WJ was, and it's also noticeably worse with the top up / complete instead of down or just windows removed. But I wouldn't call it terrifying or even exhausting. Then again, I also have yet to drive it in properly slick conditions. I will say that long before I bought my WJ, I felt like every Wrangler I had ever ridden in was trying to turn itself around while driving in a straight line on dry pavement. (They were also all utter shitboxes) I don't know if having driven Jeeps for five years has dulled me to it but I never got that sensation with either of my Jeeps. I did end up doing a drive from Tucson to Phoenix once in the C10 on nearly bald tires, with a monsoon pretty much the entire way. That was loving exhausting, couldn't get above about 55-60 without the back end trying to step out.
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Aug 3, 2019 19:04
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Driving my TJ on snow/ice is a handful. The MT tires are not good for it. The super short wheel base means the back end wants to swing around very quickly. My front wheel drive Mazda with snow tires was way easier to manage in the snow.
Kastivich fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Aug 4, 2019 |
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Aug 3, 2019 19:09
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always be closing posted:Way too dangerous for a new driver. For control arms if your Jeep is stock I'd probably just but the complete arms with bushings in them
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Aug 3, 2019 19:40
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My brother bought an 06 Rubicon Unlimited today. Totes jelly
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Aug 3, 2019 21:44
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While changing the window regulator I found a nice 'gift' from the previous owner of my XJ, a wonderful layer of horrible, sticky tar-like sound deadening tape all over the door panels. Including right over all the bolts to secure the regulator, ugh. Took an hour to peel enough of that junk off to get access to everything.
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Aug 6, 2019 20:37
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It's gonna be so loud and hot now that you cleared it off from those bolts
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Aug 7, 2019 00:29
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The front brakes on my XJ were starting to scrape last week, so I replaced the pads and rotors this weekend. Feels much better. Also felt good to just get under there and clean off all the brake dust and road grime. I also made sure to do a brake fluid bleed and flush, and topped off the reservoir. I noticed a little bit of smoke coming from the front wheels after taking it out for a drive, but from what I can tell that's normal for new rotors because it's the coating burning off from the heat. I haven't seen any smoke since then.
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Aug 7, 2019 18:01
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If I'm casually looking at 4door JK Rubicons what should I be aware of in regards to differences between years? I know the 3.6 Pentastar came in 2012. The desirable parts of the Rubicon package, as I understand it are electro swaybar disconnects, Dana 44s, front/rear lockers and a transfercase with lower gearing? My budget at the moment, in my area, puts me looking at ~2012-2015s with between 20,000-50,000k on them.
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Aug 12, 2019 23:33
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Bigger wheels and a small lift come standard on the Rubicons too, IIRC they made them to take up to 35" tires with the factory lift. From the factory they come with 32" tires. I've heard the electronic swaybar disconnect is pretty useless and breaks easily too. No first hand experience to back it up but I remember reading a lot of issues and it turning me off to the usefulness of the feature.
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Aug 12, 2019 23:39
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