What did you do to your jeep today?

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Johnny O

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Bert is in the 185k club. 200 here I come! One week to field season. Last trip in this version of Bert. Not doing an desert enduro trip this year. Have to go mosasaur hunting near Ladonia, Texas before the damn dam is completed in 2025 instead.
 

Johnny O

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Finally, got that exhaust clamp back on as it should be, still louder than I expected - but at least it's coming from the tailpipe. Hasn't put out the CEL though, so, in a sense I'm no further forward.

Thought I'd try the spare ABS sensor on the other side - but it means taking the battery tray out again, & I really can't be bothered; it'd be different if I knew that'd knock that dash light.

Yesterday, I found the missing front brake pad, so with an hour or so to spare, I set about fettling the ends so it would comfortably fit.

So with all that work done, it's a shame the scrap yard gates are looming ever closer. I do know someone who'll do the diagnostics at mates' rates, but I can't imagine when - unless I can leave it at his place one weekend for him to look at in his own time.
Spent last year cussing out my ABS system. Eventually paid a real mechanic only to discover the wheel bearing opposite the side throwing codes was the issue.
 

Deb'nKJ

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Did you get the hardware kits, too?
Nah, although I was more than a little surprised to see one seller actually offering them. It seems to be a very American thing, never even heard of them 'til I got my 1st XJ, not something I've ever needed, nor anyone else I've known/worked with over the years & don't see any need to start now (although it is true that we're talking about much older vehicles than I grew up with).
 

Will_K

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So before today, yesterday I replaced my rear upper control arm. After previously taking a control arm and installing new bushings and ball joint with my HF hydraulic press, it fixed a frequent clunking but soon enough the new parts started an occasional thud. As it turns out, the new ball joint worked out of the bore in the old control arm. I ordered a new moog control arm Monday, put it in after dark Wednesday, no more clunking or thudding. I did find I have a low frequency vibration now at freeway speeds, generally above 60 MPH, after replacing universal joints. I might have to look into balancing the driveshaft or try another driveshaft, but for now it's a relatively minor issue.

Today I took a look at inventory at my local u-pull salvage yards. I saw one of my yards that gets a little less traffic had a light green 2002 renegade with the light bar still on it. I checked facebook and they hadn't posted a pic of this vehicle. I figured I might have a chance. The yard that gets the most traffic tends to post everything they place, they keep vehicles about 6 weeks and replace an entire row at time. Last time a Rene showed up with a light bar it was gone by the time I got there 90 minutes after opening. I figured maybe I had a change to get this one.

I was right. I got there with my tools and skipped out of work, and there it was with the light bar still on. I grabbed that, and while I was at it a set of side steps, the front recovery hooks, and some aftermarket formed gray floormats for the front seats and rear cargo area.

I looked around a little, and I found there was also a burgundy 2007 with gray leather seats - great! I had upgraded my vehicle with a gray leather interior, but the driver seat leather was cracked and there was a tear in one headrest. I grabbed the passenger seat cushion because it will bolt onto the driver seat frame and it's close enough for me and in good shape (seat covers have a cloth side panel on the inboard side, so that will show on the outboard). I noted that the vehicle had an aftermarket seat heat system, but getting those parts was beyond the scope of what I had time for on this day.

One more car also was there... Another Renegade apparently. 2006 I think was the year. It didn't have the lightbar, but what it did have was a full set of skid plates. Great! I have an engine and transfer case skid plate but have been missing a transmission skid plate. Now I can have a full set. I decided I might as well grab all 3.

So my total haul: light bar, 2 recovery hooks, 3 floor mats, leather seat cushion and headrest, and skid plates for the engine, transmission and transfer case. My cost: $99. This was a pretty good day.
 

Will_K

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That first renegade that had all the stuff - it was so clean and not rusty. I couldn't help but think it led a sheltered life. I should probably go back with a sawzall and get rocker panel sheetmetal sections, mine are pretty much gone under the plastic.

The one I got the skid plates off of had at least slid across the engine skid plate. One of the bolts was a bit smashed and I could only turn it with an adjustable wrench. Oil everywhere on the top side.
 

runfor5

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Posted my leftover parts in the basement for sale on here finally, including my 2 leftover snow tires + wheels. My Jeep was totaled back in February if you recall, so would like for these things to get some use with someone that I can no longer give! Thanks all.

 

Erskine

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Thought I'd better order some shoes if I'm gonna tackle the parking brake at the weekend.

1st set up (on EvilBay) - £50+! So, quickly moving on (i.e. scrolling down) endless choices, huge price range - & not a single brand mentioned. Found some at £19.87, then the same ones for £18.87 - & very shortly after that, £18.85. Still had several pages to go but didn't think I'd improve any further on price, & I'd spotted they were from CarPartsinMotion who (for the benefit of my compatriots who, I know, hang on every word I post with rapt attention) I've bought from before & happy to do so again. On a closer look, I saw they appeared to be Blueprint (for those same 2 guys, really) a leading pattern parts brand, well thought of in "the trade" (in fact my local factors carry their stuff - & it's not cheap!). To cap it all, "10% off with coupon" - & a link to it. So £16.96, free p&p, reputable brand, reliable source, delivery Friday. What's not to like?
I buy the Blue Print stuff, (including the brake shoes) never had a problem with their products with both Trooper and Jeep. All service items/consumables - filters and the like.
 

Johnny O

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Finally fixed my cursed driver rear brake light. The plastic in the contact ring had melted a bit and blocked the tab on the bulb holder. Mildy concerned why it got that hot. Took me months to figure that out.

Troubleshot passenger front window regulator: upper guide tube is broken in two places. Tried gorilla tape but didn't hold. going to "splint" it with some abs tubing I have.
 

Deb'nKJ

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I buy the Blue Print stuff, (including the brake shoes) never had a problem with their products with both Trooper and Jeep. All service items/consumables - filters and the like.
Turns out it's pat of the Bilstein group - which explains the prices (ordinarily), but also gives some assurance of quality.

So might as well launch into the "what I did" post I was too tired to do by the time I got round to it last night.

CarPartsinMotion.com is, I now know, the on-line operation of Automotion, a factors in Exeter who offer the fairly standard 2 day delivery if ordered by 5:00 pm. I ordered these shoes Wednesday morning - so disappointed they weren't waiting for me when I got in Friday evening - & after I'd given them a plug too. Parcelforce brought them about midday on Saturday, which slightly delayed me starting the job. Removed right rotor to reveal linings that were not only intact but showing no sign of wear, much of the hardware looked fairly recent but the parking brake mechanism looked like it might be rusted solid. Probably wasn't, but a good dousing lithium grease certainly helped. Made the mistake of removing the adjuster & seriously regretted it (a) it was obviously a fairly recent replacement (b) replacing that shoe retention clip was a nightmare: an appalling design, badly executed! Because it took so many attempts & maybe best part of 1 1/2 hrs. I didn't have the time, patience, strength or inclination to start on t'other side, so something to look forward too Sunday morning.

Now that was very different in one particular: one lining was paper thin over about 2", the other one, even compared with a new one showed no discernable wear. I can only assume poor adjustment, as can think of no other explanation for uneven parking brake shoe wear. So another fight with that awful retention clip, not quite so bad as discovered it's much less fiddly if done before fitting the adjuster & lower spring: whereas I was taught they were the last thing before replacing the drum (or, in this case, rotor). By now I was running out of time as have train to catch & really wanted to fit in (a somewhat belated) lunch, so still have fine tuning of adjustment to do, but a couple of miles to re-centre the shoes won't be a bad thing.
 

Erskine

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Today I have been mostly dealing with an insurance claim against me/my Jeep for an accident that apparently happened a few weeks ago. It has been quite a traumatic introduction to the world of insurance claims in the UK. It has been alleged that I drove my Jeep into the side of a car in a well known supermarket chain that has over 4000 stores across the UK. The claim is being processed even though the location of the store has not been given or even the time of the incident, and I now have to account for my whereabouts during the whole day and it's 'guilty until proved innocent'. On that day I went nowhere near civilisation and have been trying to get witness statements from a variety of different livestock. Unfortunately many of the sheep I was relying on to bail me out spent Easter Sunday on a multitude of dinner tables across the county so that has been a bit of a non starter. I'm hoping this will all resolve itself but quite frankly I don't need this ration of shizzle.
 

Johnny O

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Just 24 hours to go. Of course the weather has been outstanding until I plan a trip. Gonna find out if all the cold weather gear I bought is any good. Back in 2019, this same thing happened in this same trip and I was ill prepared. Ended up with hypothermia and a finger cut to the tendon.

Then again, it was that fiasco that ultimately led to getting Bert and getting properly geared up.
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Deb'nKJ

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Today I have been mostly dealing with an insurance claim against me/my Jeep for an accident that apparently happened a few weeks ago. It has been quite a traumatic introduction to the world of insurance claims in the UK. It has been alleged that I drove my Jeep into the side of a car in a well known supermarket chain that has over 4000 stores across the UK. The claim is being processed even though the location of the store has not been given or even the time of the incident, and I now have to account for my whereabouts during the whole day and it's 'guilty until proved innocent'. On that day I went nowhere near civilisation and have been trying to get witness statements from a variety of different livestock. Unfortunately many of the sheep I was relying on to bail me out spent Easter Sunday on a multitude of dinner tables across the county so that has been a bit of a non starter. I'm hoping this will all resolve itself but quite frankly I don't need this ration of shizzle.
Sounds like you (or, rather, your Jeep) have been cloned which really should be reported to the police, although I can well understand why you wouldn't want even more aggravation.

You don't need to do, much less, prove anything. Just deny the whole thing & leave your insurance company to pick the bones out of it. It's for the claimant to prove (a) it was your Jeep & (b) you were driving it at the time. Just deny the whole thing & leave your insurance company to pick the bones out of it. They may need reminding that they're supposed to be looking after your interests - & that car insurance companies are 2 a penny, all falling over themselves for your business.

For all that, glad to see your sense of humour shining through.
 

clw426

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Finally fixed my cursed driver rear brake light. The plastic in the contact ring had melted a bit and blocked the tab on the bulb holder. Mildy concerned why it got that hot. Took me months to figure that out.

Troubleshot passenger front window regulator: upper guide tube is broken in two places. Tried gorilla tape but didn't hold. going to "splint" it with some abs tubing I have.
I've used some rubber hose and a couple hose clamps.
 

dchadjohnson

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replaced my muffler recently and figured out the new one is slightly larger, which was making the hanger arm hit the frame making an annoying noise - so today I slipped a rubber cover over the metal arm and - no more noise!

I need to make a trip to my local pull-a-part yard to hunt down some replacement leather seats - can anybody confirm whether the lay flat KK front seats will work with the KJ?

also looking at doing brakes/rotors/and LBJs soon...after 3 LBJ failures (all at slow speed and 2 in my driveway), I am paranoid and change them often.
 

profdlp

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...So my total haul: light bar, 2 recovery hooks, 3 floor mats, leather seat cushion and headrest, and skid plates for the engine, transmission and transfer case. My cost: $99. This was a pretty good day.
I HATE YOUR GUTS!!! :D:D:D:D

(Seriously, though, congratulations! I am quite jealous.) ;)
 

65Corvair

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replaced my muffler recently and figured out the new one is slightly larger, which was making the hanger arm hit the frame making an annoying noise - so today I slipped a rubber cover over the metal arm and - no more noise!

I need to make a trip to my local pull-a-part yard to hunt down some replacement leather seats - can anybody confirm whether the lay flat KK front seats will work with the KJ?

also looking at doing brakes/rotors/and LBJs soon...after 3 LBJ failures (all at slow speed and 2 in my driveway), I am paranoid and change them often.
According to this LOST JEEPS thread, they mostly bolt in.
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=86525&sid=cdb8a1bed6a81d76a0076d20d3dc11bb
 

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