What did you do to your jeep today?

Leeann, you did a transmission in your driveway/front yard a few years back, right? How does this one look? I may be asking for install tips at some point!

lfhoward said:

2011 42RLE with 80K and some pine needles on it.

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Rear view

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Front view. The torque converter has a little surface rust. It was stored outdoors.

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And the seller threw in some front rotors and a caliper for free.

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I will have a little cleanup to do on this transmission since it has been two years since it ran, and was stored outdoors under a tarp. But it looks in decent shape, and no rust on the electrical connectors.

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That really looks to be in decent shape

Yep, that looks more than decent.

The most important tool I acquired before removal/reinstallation was a 15” extension and universal joint adapter that I wrapped in a little electrical tape, keeping it from being too floppy. Made the upper bellhousing bolts a breeze to reach and remove. I think it was a recommendation from Bob…maybe?

Get new Mopar input/output speed sensors and replace them. A filter kit, of course. Does your KK have a dipstick tube (I can’t remember)? Mine does and replacing the o-ring/seal was much easier when it was out.

Check your trans cooler lines. If they look anything but solid, replace them when you have the trans out. If you have an external trans cooler, take it off the truck to clean it out and turn it so the inlet and outlet are vertical, not horizontal, and blast it with trans cooler cleaner. Both ways. If internal in the radiator, you can clean it with the rad on the truck.

Oh - and If you haven’t, get a front driveshaft head rebuild kit and do that when you have it out of the truck anyway.

You can do the job with a floor jack and a chunk of 2x4, but the harbor freight little trans jack makes it quite a bit easier. And it’s not expensive.

That’s all I can think of at the moment

Thanks Leeann! These are great tips.

As for the front driveshaft CV…


Check.

Excellent.

I just did some off the cuff measuring. The transmission is roughly 18” tall at the bellhousing. My Jeep has 15” of clearance at the rock rails. Seems simple enough to get it high enough, except when you factor in 7-1/2” for the minimum height of the transmission jack (looked it up on Harbor Freight). So, we need to raise the Jeep up about 10-1/2” for the transmission to slide under on the jack. What’s the best way? Most ramps I see are only 6-8” tall. My 3 ton jack stands would be about at their max and I’m not sure that’s safe. What has worked for you?

I used 6-ton jack stands on old brake rotors. I did slide the trans under the Jeep on a piece of pressboard (from an old desk), then rock and put a block, rock and put a block…until it was high enough to slide the jack underneath.

Thanks! I will look into getting some of those.

Worked on the 03 Renegade today, did the driverside lower ball joint and driverside upper control arm. The 2 18mm bolts inside the engine bay weren’t too hard or rusty to get off(surprised since this car has been on the east coast for most of it’s life),found a clear path with a few extensions plus swivel, removed battery and battery tray to get to it also. I was lowkey trying to to set up a appointment to Jeep to get the F23 lower ball joints recall but apparently someone got the recall done in 2006 lol wow. All in all it’s not a difficult job once your familiar with the front suspension set up

Martin Escobar said:

Worked on the 03 Renegade today, did the driverside lower ball joint and driverside upper control arm. The 2 18mm bolts inside the engine bay weren’t too hard or rusty to get off(surprised since this car has been on the east coast for most of it’s life),found a clear path with a few extensions plus swivel, removed battery and battery tray to get to it also. I was lowkey trying to to set up a appointment to Jeep to get the F23 lower ball joints recall but apparently someone got the recall done in 2006 lol wow. All in all it’s not a difficult job once your familiar with the front suspension set up

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All in all it is a very easy job, now at any dealership shop they make it out to be something akin to open heart surgery LOL

Good job Martin

Just noticed that the cooler line holes on my new-to-me transmission were never plugged when the unit was pulled. How bad is this? I am imagining insects making a home in there, and potentially ruining the transmission internally. The unit was sitting for a couple of years outdoors under a tarp. I will take a closer look tomorrow and see if I can see any debris or dirt in there. Hopefully small creatures would hate the smell of ATF and stay out.

Took a drive to try out my new suspension and boy what a night & day difference! The original struts & shocks & coils laster 280,000 so pretty impressive for the factory ones hopefully these do the same. Also raised up my jeep back at least 2"!

I would think they’d hate the smell of ATF+4. I mean, I do.

Leeann said:

I would think they’d hate the smell of ATF+4. I mean, I do.

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With a closer inspection in the daylight, I don’t see any evidence of critters. There is some dust in the threads but also a coating of ATF+4 as a deterrent.

Took a crack at making a list so I can start to accumulate parts and tools:

Transmission job - stuff to get:

• Creeper
• Transmission jack
• 8” ramps or 6 ton jack stands
• Heavy duty transmission pan
• Mopar filter kit
• ATF+4
• Mopar input/output speed sensors
• O ring for dipstick tube or
• Transmission seals kit
• 15” extension & universal joint
• RTV
• Transmission cooler lines (replace?)
• Trans cooler cleaner (spray can)
• Transmission crossmember (old is super rusty)
• Propane torch?
• Aftermarket dipstick

Anything conspicuously missing? (Other than tools I already have)

Loaded up the jeep and headed to our new house!

Leeann said:

Yep, that looks more than decent.

The most important tool I acquired before removal/reinstallation was a 15” extension and universal joint adapter that I wrapped in a little electrical tape, keeping it from being too floppy. Made the upper bellhousing bolts a breeze to reach and remove. I think it was a recommendation from Bob…maybe?

Get new Mopar input/output speed sensors and replace them. A filter kit, of course. Does your KK have a dipstick tube (I can’t remember)? Mine does and replacing the o-ring/seal was much easier when it was out.

Check your trans cooler lines. If they look anything but solid, replace them when you have the trans out. If you have an external trans cooler, take it off the truck to clean it out and turn it so the inlet and outlet are vertical, not horizontal, and blast it with trans cooler cleaner. Both ways. If internal in the radiator, you can clean it with the rad on the truck.

Oh - and If you haven’t, get a front driveshaft head rebuild kit and do that when you have it out of the truck anyway.

You can do the job with a floor jack and a chunk of 2x4, but the harbor freight little trans jack makes it quite a bit easier. And it’s not expensive.

That’s all I can think of at the moment

Click to expand...

And purchase a good set of 3/8

lfhoward said:

Took a crack at making a list so I can start to accumulate parts and tools:

Transmission job - stuff to get:

• Creeper
• Transmission jack
• 8” ramps or 6 ton jack stands
• Heavy duty transmission pan
• Mopar filter kit
• ATF+4
• Mopar input/output speed sensors
• O ring for dipstick tube or
• Transmission seals kit
• 15” extension & universal joint
• RTV
• Transmission cooler lines (replace?)
• Trans cooler cleaner (spray can)
• Transmission crossmember (old is super rusty)
• Propane torch?
• Aftermarket dipstick

Anything conspicuously missing? (Other than tools I already have)

Click to expand...

Cold Beer. Deadblow hammer. Appropriate workin' music. Can of Free All for the seriously rusted stuff. Can of Kroil for general pen.etrati.ng needs.. Also a can of computer keyboard cleaner. (Use it with the can upside down and it freezes difficult stuck stuff to help you break it loose.. Think of it as an anti-torch. POR15 if you want to restore the crossmember.

Woke up to a pleasant message from Dead Jeep. My Fuel tank Skid has shipped and the are two day priority shipping it for free due to the long lead time.
Customer service so good, I'll post a full review in the proper place describing my customer experience. They felt so bad about the delays they offered a full refund twice, but I was more than willing to wait.

Don't let the haters fool you, DeadJeep.com are real Jeep people just like us dealing with labor shortages at a mom & pop scrap yard.

Cant wait to get it prepped and painted my favorite Rustoleum Apple Red and slap a big *** "Danger Flammable" decal on it. That will make friggin Nebraska tailgaters think twice. LOL

Playing at work today
Snow I piled up last week is finally melting away today

When you live in the Midwest you do not have the mountains they do out west so have to do what ya can LOL