She’s Better Topless: Jeep Thread

[Armybrat 40814]

Sold my 2000 Cherokee Sport 2 door (97,000 miles) to my youngest son. Sad to see it go.

Am now driving a little 2019 Honda Civic EX coupe turbo. Mixed emotions over the radical change in my rides.

[Archer 474]

I’ve continued to rebuild mine a piece at a time. Next project is to try and get the faded plastic black again. 
 

Here she is pre and post suspension work this spring

 

 

[Drunk Stoner 63]

[topochico 1049]

On 11/10/2019 at 8:46 PM, Armybrat said:

Sold my 2000 Cherokee Sport 2 door (97,000 miles) to my youngest son. Sad to see it go.

Am now driving a little 2019 Honda Civic EX coupe turbo. Mixed emotions over the radical change in my rides.

Not to thread hijack, but how do you like that Civic Brat? I am looking at a Sport for my son right now. 

Edited November 14, 2019 by topochico

[topochico 1049]

On 11/10/2019 at 8:55 PM, Archer said:

I’ve continued to rebuild mine a piece at a time. Next project is to try and get the faded plastic black again. 
 

Here she is pre and post suspension work this spring

 

 

I had the best luck with Mother's Back to Black. Not perfect, but made a huge difference. 

[Armybrat 40814]

10 hours ago, topochico said:

Not to thread hijack, but how do you like that Civic Brat? I am looking at a Sport for my son right now. 

Really like it so far. It is pretty quick, even in economy mode.

The electronic dashboard takes some getting used to though, as the computer display is a bit confusing. The driver’s seat adjustments are manual rather than electric like the wife’s Accord. Only have 500 miles on it at this point.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Armybrat

[topochico 1049]

Good to hear Brat. I would anticipate that my teen will adapt to the dash pretty quickly.

Here is a pic of my now sold Jeep to make amends for Honda talk.

[Catpfish 618]

On 11/10/2019 at 8:55 PM, Archer said:

I’ve continued to rebuild mine a piece at a time. Next project is to try and get the faded plastic black again. 
 

Here she is pre and post suspension work this spring

 

 

I used this on my Jeep with good results.  It's kept in a metal building, but it's been a month and the plastic is still black

 

303 Aerospace Protectant

[Catpfish 618]

Here are a before and after that I found on my phone

[HOOKEM4 5036]

1 hour ago, Catpfish said:

I used this on my Jeep with good results.  It's kept in a metal building, but it's been a month and the plastic is still black

 

303 Aerospace Protectant

This is the best I have found. I am not a professional detailer or anything but I have tried several different brands and this one seems to be the best.

[Archer 474]

I’ll have to check it out. I bought a can of Penetrol which has gotten great reviews. If I’m disappointed I’ll try to 303. 

[bigshark88 388]

I haven't used it on my Jeep but 303 is pretty well regarded among my Florida boat owning crew of buddies. I usually apply to anything black that lives in the UV (tires, outboard cowling, truck bed cover, dashboard..). I have used it on my boat isenglass windshield and imagine it'd work very well on Jeep soft top windows.

Amazon will sell you a tub of 303 wipes if you want to just dip a toe in the water.

[AUinHsv 579]

On 11/14/2019 at 1:52 PM, HOOKEM4 said:

This is the best I have found. I am not a professional detailer or anything but I have tried several different brands and this one seems to be the best.

You can usually find it locally at boat shops.

[markstanco 12570]

I used this on my Jeep with good results.  It's kept in a metal building, but it's been a month and the plastic is still black
 
303 Aerospace Protectant

I buy the gallon jug on amazon, I use it for cars and boats. It even does a great job on gel coat.

[JSB 677]

I’ve been looking for a Jeep but tonight came across a 2 door Tahoe. If it runs and drives as well as the guy says I’m going to buy it tomorrow

[Bevo&Pevo 5120]

Just bought another CJ7.  Part of the deal was a fresh long block assembly just out of the shop.  Most likely I'll strip down the CJ for parts to sell.  I wanted the 360 long block. It's 30 over, cam upgrade,  piston and rod upgrades, all new bearings.  Looks like a got some wrenching to do.  I thought I'd do some kinda throttle body kit  and a serpentine belt upgrade.  Not for sure yet.  I got a lot of research to do.

Edited December 5, 2019 by Bevo&Pevo
because I can

[The Royal We 3067]

On 11/24/2019 at 10:05 PM, JSB said:

I’ve been looking for a Jeep but tonight came across a 2 door Tahoe. If it runs and drives as well as the guy says I’m going to buy it tomorrow

Did you buy it?  I've always wanted one of those.  Or a CJ8, but they've gotten too expensive.

[Armybrat 40814]

On 11/13/2019 at 9:26 PM, topochico said:

Not to thread hijack, but how do you like that Civic Brat? I am looking at a Sport for my son right now. 

Drove the Civic from Round Rock to San Marcos Monday for its first highway road trip. It got 39.2 mpg. That includes about 30 miles of in town street driving.

Damn good, IMO.
A far cry than the 8 mpg my grandma’s 1958 Olds used to get with premium leaded gas on the highway. I used to think the 17-18 mpg my new 1967 Chevy Malibu 283 V8 got on the highway with leaded regular gas was pretty good.

[Armybrat 40814]

The Civic has been getting 28-32 mpg in town...... mostly short errand trips

[bigshark88 388]

Both my kiddos had activities that didn't include me today. Got a couple hours in my weekend cruiser that I can never cruise in. Great day. Gotta find half doors and then a khaki top. That's the next step for this project.

[Archer 474]

Changed out all my O2 sensors today. Hopefully that fixes the occasional rough idle and CEL. 

[El Diablo 4232]

Saw this and remembered this thread, don't know if it's been covered already or not.

https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Group-has-plans-to-open-Jeep-museum-566518861.html

[Loco 3752]

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

Had a 1991 YJ (square lights but last year with the slanted rollbar supports and lap belts for rear seats IIRC).  Bought it my junior year at Texas for $8k.  Drove it through my first job and law school.  Loved it.  Sold it when my first lawyer boss bitched that we couldn’t take clients around in it.  Asshole.  But that was a decade later and I sold it for $6k even though it had been rolled twice, was missing most of the top and none of the gauges other than the tach functioned   It also probably ran for 2-3 years with a mostly empty, badly cracked radiator too.  No issues.  
 

Fuck I miss that thing.  Ask my wife how often I tell her I shouldn’t have sold it. 

[cknight 184]

9 hours ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Had a 1991 YJ (square lights but last year with the slanted rollbar supports and lap belts for rear seats IIRC).  Bought it my junior year at Texas for $8k.  Drove it through my first job and law school.  Loved it.  Sold it when my first lawyer boss bitched that we couldn’t take clients around in it.  Asshole.  But that was a decade later and I sold it for $6k even though it had been rolled twice, was missing most of the top and none of the gauges other than the tach functioned   It also probably ran for 2-3 years with a mostly empty, badly cracked radiator too.  No issues.  
 

Fuck I miss that thing.  Ask my wife how often I tell her I shouldn’t have sold it. 

She did mention that last night matter of fact! J/k

I had a 90yj that I loved but damn if you had a head wind or were going uphill those 112 horses were struggling 

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

2 hours ago, cknight said:

She did mention that last night matter of fact! J/k

I had a 90yj that I loved but damn if you had a head wind or were going uphill those 112 horses were struggling 

I think mine had a top speed of 87 downhill.  

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

13 hours ago, cknight said:

She did mention that last night matter of fact! J/k

I had a 90yj that I loved but damn if you had a head wind or were going uphill those 112 horses were struggling 

I had a 94 YJ.  4-cylinder.  Mowed eleventy billion yards between the ages of 12 and 16 and paid cash money for it brand new before my 16th birthday.  

I wish I could have pulled off keeping it as a second vehicle.  First sign I was going to sell it was showing up to my scholarship interview my senior year of HS covered in sweat from sitting in Houston traffic with no AC.  Second sign was taking my girlfriend (who's now my wife) on a date that summer and getting caught with the top down during a torrential thunderstorm with both of us soaking wet.  Final straw was orientation at UT and getting my ass whipped by the headwinds and hills on 290 headed to Austin.  

Paid $14K for it.  Put nice tires and wheels on it.  Sold it three years and 24,000 miles later for $18K.  

[deft 6828]

Shouldn’t have sold her. Miss that damn Jeep a lot

[deft 6828]

35 km2s, 4.88s, locked front and rear, and could still DD anytime I felt like it

[woohorn 1131]

I am looking at first Jeep. Ya'll know of any problems with 2018 Grand Cherokee Altitude 4x4s?

Is the 4x4 always on like AWD or is it different?

 

[Mez2 4023]

my wife got one, a 2015 wrangler unlimited about a month ago, takes some used to driving around but can see why she would want one in the first place. went from an Acadia to this which was really surprising but she likes it and can't wait to go tops drop. 

[Carl Spackler 3479]

6 hours ago, Mez2 said:

can't wait to go tops drop. 

The wife?  Her jeep?  Both?  

You should post pics regardless. 

[Mez2 4023]

Both tacos

[bigshark88 388]

Went down from 35 BFG KM2s to 33 Druatracs.  Also removed the big ass front bumper for a Amazon special that was a little more subtle.  Before and after pics:   

 

Before:

[bigshark88 388]

After:

[bigshark88 388]

Tapa double tap

[bigshark88 388]

After:

[deft 6828]

Why ditch the 35 km2? I had that exact size on the Xj and loved them.

[bigshark88 388]

They were the old style (2013) and they were vibrating the shit out of me.  They also seemed to tax the 4.0 / automatic transmission.  Additionally; I am a little older now and somewhat vertically challenged.  With the lift; it's a little easier to climb into the Jeep with 33s on it.  I really wanted Duratracs for their look.  Duratracs don't come in 35s in the size I needed.  The ride got smoothed out a lot with the new 33s.    

Sold the old 35s on Facebook within two days for $200.  

[deft 6828]

Fair enough but my 4.0/auto felt great with 4.88 gears. I’ll bet you were geared too low. When I took the doors (weight) off, I could chirp the km2’s.

[Bevo&Pevo 5120]

The 12 days of Christmas has begun.

 

 

[utee94 15797]

Well my wife has wanted a Jeep for a long time, so this past weekend we bought a 2017 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.  Popped the doors off and this weekend I have a hoist coming so after I install that, I can pull the hardtop and store overhead in the garage.  I'll also build some door hangers into the walls of the garage.  

Then we can get into the really fun mods, probably add an aftermarket stubby front bumper with winch, and get a soft top of some kind.  I like the ones with the angled back section.

 

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by utee94

[CycleTex87 2964]

From Sr year of high school through four years and a summer of college I drove a 1981 CJ7 Laredo, with the 304 V8 and 4 speed manual.  I totaled it summer of my Jr year, my dad bought the wreck from the insurance company and we rebuilt it.  In the rebuild, it got an Edelbrock manifold, and Holley carburetor, dual short glass packs with side outlets right in front of the back wheels, and a brand new black paint job.  It was almost better than new.  Awesome college vehicle.  I would love a brand new JL Unlimited today. 

[utee94 15797]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:17 PM, utee94 said:

Well my wife has wanted a Jeep for a long time, so this past weekend we bought a 2017 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.  Popped the doors off and this weekend I have a hoist coming so after I install that, I can pull the hardtop and store overhead in the garage.  I'll also build some door hangers into the walls of the garage.  

Then we can get into the really fun mods, probably add an aftermarket stubby front bumper with winch, and get a soft top of some kind.  I like the ones with the angled back section.

 

 

Hoist came in early last week and I installed it on Thursday, so we were able to run all Memorial Day weekend long without the hardtop and doors.  The kids loved it!  Luckily the rain held off during the days when we were out and about.  We were going to go to Hidden Falls but didn't get moving early enough so we'll probably do that this weekend.

I don't have any image hosting accounts so can't post a picture, but it looks exactly like this one, except it also has wheel-to-wheel black powdercoat sidestep/nerf bars on it.

[utee94 15797]

Went out to Hidden Falls this morning and did some offroad wheeling.  That was a lot of fun.  My brother has been out there several times and acted as our guide, which was great because I had no idea what I was doing.  It;s amazing what the vehicle can do, though.  Some descents that looked absolutely terrifying to me, the Jeep handled effortlessly.  Really impressive.

 

[Bevo&Pevo 5120]

95 percent finished with engine bay.  Still need to tidy up some wiring and put on the dust cover, but you get the idea.

 

[Lurch 5922]

Are any of the current model wranglers decent cruisers, or will the ride be rough regardless of configuration?

[utee94 15797]

2 hours ago, Lurch said:

Are any of the current model wranglers decent cruisers, or will the ride be rough regardless of configuration?

Modern Jeeps are way more comfortable on the highway than their predecessors.  My best friend in high school had a late 70s CJ5 and it was a lot of fun but a complete dumptruck on the road.

Our 2017 JKU (4-door Wrangler) is a very decent ride, and that's even with Mud Terrain tires. It's a Rubicon so configured more for off-road
(even stock with no mods), but if you picked up a Sahara model, they're the "luxury" version and supposed to be even smoother.

I also test-drove one of the latest model called JL (or JLU for the 4-door) and it's an even more car-like ride but it's also completely capable as an off-road vehicle.

And, not a Jeep, but there's a lot of talk amongst both the Jeep and truck communities regarding the new Bronco.  It's got IFS rather than solid front axle and a lot of other creature comforts, I suspect it will be a fantastic overlander/trail runner, though not as capable as a Jeep when it comes to rock-crawling.

 

[utee94 15797]

Here's an actual pic of our Jeep:

 

[Stinkpalm 687]

4 hours ago, Lurch said:

Are any of the current model wranglers decent cruisers, or will the ride be rough regardless of configuration?

Have had a TJ, a JK, and just bought a gladiator (JT). TJ was rough but loved it. JK was a step up in ride, but still not smooth. The JTs and JLs are smooth. The ride is way more car-like than I ever thought a Jeep could ever be without going the IFS route. Even after having put a lift and 35s on the JT, it’s still a pretty pleasant and smooth ride.