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Ownership Verified: Blind_Io and Kiki rescue a 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.

OH NO Not the Torx!
 
You can't have a TJ and not own Torx tools. Daimler Chrysler used them everywhere on this vehicle rather than Allen fasteners. The problem is they didn't realize Torx needs a bit more depth to get a good bite or they are prone to stripping out. This is why the hood hinges now have stainless steel Allen panhead fasteners and so do the lower door hinges.
 
I thought I had lots of Torx until I bought the Smart, then they suddenly all seemed to hide or weren't the right length/width.

Looking much better with all these upgrades, amazing how much difference a new set of light lenses can make to a rough looking vehicle, it was one of the first things I did to my Series III when I got it.

The tethered lamp looks like a brilliant idea, I wonder if I can get one here for my bobtail. The PO fitted an LED strip around the inside of the bonnet and it might've been OK when it was new but by the time I got it most of the diodes were dead and I had to cut through it to fit the aero bonnet pins.
 
Matt2000 said:
I thought I had lots of Torx until I bought the Smart, then they suddenly all seemed to hide or weren't the right length/width.

Looking much better with all these upgrades, amazing how much difference a new set of light lenses can make to a rough looking vehicle, it was one of the first things I did to my Series III when I got it.

The tethered lamp looks like a brilliant idea, I wonder if I can get one here for my bobtail. The PO fitted an LED strip around the inside of the bonnet and it might've been OK when it was new but by the time I got it most of the diodes were dead and I had to cut through it to fit the aero bonnet pins.
Click to expand...
GM sold the reel light under two part numbers: 15990293 and 15528774

Here is the LED upgrade bulb:
View: https://smile.amazon.com/Melphan-Auto-Reverse-12V-24V-Parking-Interior/dp/B08YDTJW5J/ref=sr_1_12
 
Took the Jeep out to the desert for a little fun and some Hero shots:

PXL_20221025_213753002.jpg


PXL_20221025_213834265.jpg


I also managed to damage one of the front anti-swaybar QD links. I will get photos of that up when I fix it. Lesson learned: QD swaybar links are not as beefy as bolted ones, so you actually have to disconnect them when taking on obstacles or the bushings will pull out of the link with a disturbingly loud "bang".
 
A friend of mine was involved with designing a different kind of disconnecting anti-roll bar, using a manual locking hub:
1666810280262.png

X Deflex Anti Roll Bar for Land Rover Defender, Discovery & RR Classic (With 30mm Spacer)

X Deflex Anti Roll Bar for Land Rover Defender, Discovery & RR Classic(With 30mm Spacer)
foundry4x4.co.uk foundry4x4.co.uk

I don't know how such a thing could be adapted for a Jeep but where there's a will, there's a way.

Thank you for the part numbers by the way, I looked them up and apparently no UK-market vehicles had that lamp and I can't find anyone in the country selling the part. I'll keep looking as it's a great idea.
 
That might work with the Jeep's setup, that's slick.

Check the US eBay and let me know if you need me to middle-man shipping for you.
 
Heh, Skyjacker made their own for the TJ.

1666826603335.png

https://skyjacker.com/shop/sway-bar-assembly/jfsba10/

Really good view of how simple this really is. I was so close to putting one on Keely the old Discovery but just decided to go full bouncy castle without sway bars. I remember that it's possible to lock them out of phase and my friend had to jack his Disco up once to unlock it and level them out, so watch out for that if you fit these.

I'm going to look into building a retractable lamp myself before thinking about importing one, lots of recoil mechanisms available from vacuum cleaners and such. I'll keep that in mind though, thanks.
 
I've heard mixed things about these types of anti-sway bars. They use a tube crossmember in the bumper and appear to change the swaybar geometry pretty significantly. This Saturday we are going out to eat with a friend who knows a lot about Jeeps and we plan to pick his brain about lifts.
 
Fawk I'm late on this. That's such a great colour, the other green the used on the LJs was hideous.

The cruise control cable story blows my mind, that's just so damn crazy and insanely difficult to diagnose. Major props to the mechanic for spotting it.

Nice job on the underhood light setup, I was going to do a WJ light but the maglight-on-a-string is sweet, might steal your idea. I also spy a Craftsman tombstone grinder in the background, those are great units.

The sway systems mentioned above are largely offshoot of the Currie Anti-Rock, which has quite a following. Never used one myself but have heard good things.

Long arms are great. Radius arms suck. Do a 3-link front and triangulated 4-link rear and your only travel limits will be your shocks and bodywork.
 
BerserkerCatSplat said:
Fawk I'm late on this. That's such a great colour, the other green the used on the LJs was hideous.

The cruise control cable story blows my mind, that's just so damn crazy and insanely difficult to diagnose. Major props to the mechanic for spotting it.

Nice job on the underhood light setup, I was going to do a WJ light but the maglight-on-a-string is sweet, might steal your idea. I also spy a Craftsman tombstone grinder in the background, those are great units.

The sway systems mentioned above are largely offshoot of the Currie Anti-Rock, which has quite a following. Never used one myself but have heard good things.

Long arms are great. Radius arms suck. Do a 3-link front and triangulated 4-link rear and your only travel limits will be your shocks and bodywork.
Click to expand...
We are leaning towards the Metal Cloak 4.5" long travel longarm kit, but Kiki wants to source her own shocks and not use theirs.
 
That's a lot of $ for a kit that still uses radius arms (even if they are extra-fancy ones) and a 5-link rear.

www.ironrockoffroad.com

LJ 4" Rock-Link PRO Long Arm Kit

Check out the deal on LJ 4" Rock-Link PRO Long Arm Kit at Iron Rock Off Road
www.ironrockoffroad.com

A thousand bucks cheaper and better geometry. Use the savings for a SYE and a drive shaft. Just my opinion anyway!

Edit: Unless the LJ has a fixed yoke from the factory? I think it might. No need for an SYE if so.
 
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It has a slip yolk eliminator already on it from the previous owner - the only thing he did right.
 
Looks like the fixed rear yoke was indeed factory on the TJR/LJR 241OR, so still no kudos for the GDPO haha.

At any rate, excited to see where the project goes from here!
 
The LJ had one from the factory, the GDPO upgraded from OEM with a dual u-joint front.
 
Black Friday resulted in some.things being acquired. The aforementioned friend also offered to help with an installation that's over our head - for some reason I'm hesitant to make my first welding project the chassis of the Jeep.
 
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Probably a good idea. When I bought my welder from a friend he said my first project needed to be making a steel welding table. My welds definitely improved during that process.
 
If you have a local community college, they probably have an evenings-and-weekends indroductory welding course (usually separate courses for GTAW, GMAW, SMAW). They are typically pretty cheap and are a great way to get seat time and quality feedback - the instructors are usually retired union guys that did it professionally for ages.
 
Our community college welding class is pretty sad according to an acquaintance who tried it, there was no instruction.

I could buy a 110v welder for the same money as a course and just start laying beads on scrap.
 
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