2005 LJ Adventuring Build

[open_circuit]

I have a long list of upgrades planned for my Jeep prior to several big trips this year, starting with the May trip to Canyonlands Maze District. I thought I would try to document the upgrades here as I make progress.

The build starts with my moderately built 2005 LJ. At the start of this upgrade cycle the LJ has a 2.5" OME suspension lift, 33x10.5x15 KO2s, a Warn winch, steel bumpers front and rear, rock sliders, a factory sunrider soft top, and upgraded front upper control arms courtesy of some carnage in Moab in 2019. The 6-speed manual Jeep shipped from the factory with a limited slip rear differential and open front differential on 3.73 gears.

https://i.imgur.com/taM4onwl.jpg

I have found this configuration extremely capable for wheeling the types of trails I enjoy. However, I've struggled to effectively use the vehicle for multi-day adventures (camping, overlanding, etc) with my family of four plus our dog. Despite the LJ having *some* cargo room (compared to the TJ), we've never felt like we could fit a decent camping kit for four into the Jeep the way it is configured now. Thus we've always resorted to camping with multiple vehicles and considered whether to replace the Jeep or upgrade it to better suit our uses. Ultimately, we decided that we'd rather spend some money upgrading this Jeep.

TLDR : I want the Jeep to be better for camping and long trips with 4 people. I need to carry more gear and have a better system to use the limited space in the Jeep.

Planned upgrades
--------------------
Chromoly front axles (done)
Gr8tops LJ safari top (done)
slide out fridge tray and slide out table in the rear (and new 12V fridge)
cargo deck with folding / collapsible sleeping platform which works even if the rear seat is installed
Roof-top cargo solution and roof-mount awning
Figure out how to run CB cable after new hard top is installed
Install interior system to latch/unlatch and lock/unlock tailgate from inside the Jeep (very useful if sleeping in the Jeep)
Easy access to water while camping (remote pump / fixed reservoir)

Wish list and contingencies
------------------------------
Air bags for rear suspension to level the ride -- may be necessary
Replace rear bumper with one rated for towing
Route (plumb) compressed air port from engine bay to more convenient location. Not sure where I want to put this yet, so it hasn't happened.
Run 12V power to rear of jeep
Front locker - I keep deferring this until I convince myself I will never re-gear.

[open_circuit]

I've seen a few axles and U-joints fail on the trail in the short time I've been wheeling. Fortunately none of these failures have been on my Jeep, but I expect someday to have a failure. I believe the front axles on my Jeep to be original with over 90,000 miles on the U-joints and axle shafts. I'm not sure that replacing these is strictly necessary, but I feel better on long trips off road having at least spare U-joints on hand. I have been considering chromoly axles for some time since they seem capable of handling 35" tires and lockers in many TJ builds (if driven sensibly), even with a D30 front axle.

I found a great deal on a front axle set recently, so I moved this upgrade to the top of the list with the long trips coming up this year. By installing these axles, I am able to keep the original axles on hand as fully-assembled spares for trail repairs while also having some increased confidence in the strength and integrity of the axles and U-joints I have installed since all components are now new. The new axles also came with some axle tube covers to help keep debris out. Furthermore, installing the U-joint and replacing the axles in my garage has now given me some practical experience with the task. Should I have to field-replace an axle or U-joint, I know exactly what needs to be done and which tools I'll need to have in my bag to complete the task.

The new axles arrived without U-joints installed. To install them I purchased a ball joint service kit from Harbor Freight. Previously I've rented these from a FLAPS, but none were readily available nearby when I wanted to do this work this time. Installing the new U-joints was relatively easy with the service kit. I expected to need to use my impact hammer to help seat the caps, but I was able to complete the job with just a breaker bar and the service kit. I had to buy a 36mm socket for the hub nut, but it was simple to remove the nut with my impact wrench once I had the correct socket in hand. Installation of the nut at the end of the job required use of a long piece of scrap steel to keep the hub from rotating.

Removing the unit bearing from the axle was a little bit of a chore. The screws that hold the unit bearing on have 12-point heads instead of 6-point heads. I only had one set of metric sockets with a 13mm 12-point end, but I could not fit a socket and wrench (or breaker) onto 2 of the three bolts due to clearance issues. I was able to break the bolts loose with a box wrench and hammer. The unit bearing assembly was stuck pretty solidly to the mating face on the steering knuckle (?). I had freed this by partially reinserting one of the three bolts and tapping on a 13mm socket on the head of the bolt with a sledge to loosen the bearing.

Note to self: take a 13mm 12-point socket and 36 mm socket to do this job in the field. Must have long breaker bar and sledge as well.

https://i.imgur.com/29sMoRol.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ubNnbNzl.jpg

[Java]

Nice work! :thumb:

[open_circuit]

The hard top shipped from the manufacturer just before Christmas, so I've been checking the tracking notices a couple times per day to catch when it arrived in Denver. The shipment was destined for a freight depot near the airport, and I would have to pick it up within a few days of arrival. The top was not scheduled to arrive until next week, but this afternoon the tracking information was unexpectedly updated to mark as "ready for customer pickup".

With the depot closed the next two days for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day and then the following two days for the weekend, I was highly motivated to collect the freight ASAP. A good friend was able to provide a 5x10 trailer and tow vehicle on short notice, so we hustled over to the depot. I was worried about the trailer not being large enough to hold the pallet since I did not have dimensions of the pallet in advance. I knew the box could be no smaller than the passenger compartment of the LJ since there would be a one-piece roof in the box, meaning it would be about 7-ish feet long by 4.5 ft wide at a minimum.

Fortunately, the pallet was a sliver under 5ft wide and about 8 ft long. The expert forklift operator was able to load the pallet into the high-walled trailer with less than 1/2" clearance total. I'm amazed he got it into the trailer after only a couple attempts and quite glad our trailer was (barely) large enough.

The pallet only weighs a couple hundred pounds, so I called a few neighbors and we easily unloaded it to the garage. I've begun unboxing the top and preparing the Jeep for the install. I expect to complete the bulk of the installation tomorrow pending good weather and no hidden problems in the box of parts.

https://i.imgur.com/31ri3eUl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/d7MzUXBl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OxnN3J7l.jpg

[open_circuit]

Today was a day of several false starts and much frustration. The top is not fully installed due to a series of small setbacks that have caused the day to drag on. The hardware supplied with the top to mount the upper piece to the rear tailgate is not the correct size -- the bolts supplied were 3/8-18 and the rivnuts are 5/16-18. I spent a while locating some correctly sized rivnuts at local hardware stores this morning before I was able to begin installing the top. I also picked up a spare bolt, oversized nut, and some star washers to use as an installation tool to set the rivnuts into the tailgate.

The hard top has a third brake light installed into the top piece, so I removed the rear tailgate to pull the old third brake light wiring out. To do this, I had to remove my aftermarket tailgate hinge which covers the wiring grommet. When I tried to re-attach the tailgate to the hinge, I cross threaded one of the bolts and mangled the threads. Since I don't own a tap and die set and was anxious to start actually installing the top I set the tailgate aside as a problem for future me.

My wife was able to help me quickly set the two side panels onto the Jeep. Pleased with this, we called in a favor from a neighbor to lift the top into place. This also went quickly, though I should have known the easy progress during these steps indicated we missed something. After setting the top, I spent far too long trying to bolt the top to the sides due to limited access and clearance in several of the bolt locations. After installing about a quarter of the bolts I realized we had forgotten to install the weather stripping on the front of the hard top. I removed the roof bolts and called in additional help to remove the top, flip it, install the weather stripping, and then re-set the top onto the Jeep.

At this point the day was already growing long from the various setbacks and problems. I installed all of the roof bolts and then tightened the side-to-body bolts to secure the top and sides to each other and the body tub. With these tasks completed and the hardware stores closed early for the holiday I was forced to stop work until tomorrow. In the morning I will pick up a tap and die set to try to chase the damaged threads on the tailgate so I can finish the installation.

https://i.imgur.com/i9ciHJel.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/myrLRfnl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qzxRGlrl.jpg

[Jim]

Color looks to nicely match.

This should give you a couple more inches for sleeping space, yes?

You'll get there!

[RockyMtRebel]

You got this! Man that Jeep is going to look like a new rig with that top! Excited to see this

[speedkills]

I wonder if chasing the threads will be enough or if you'll end up needing to Heli-Coil it? Either way, looking good so far.

[goSlo]

That's a nice looking top!

I'm looking forward to seeing it in person.
Thanks for sharing Trent.

[JandDGreens]

Wow! Trent this is nice! I'm, looking forward to seeing it in person.

[Java]

That going to be worth all the frustration, it's beautiful. Love the color match, and I respect you for not washing the Jeep first. :thumb:

[open_circuit]

That going to be worth all the frustration, it's beautiful. Love the color match, and I respect you for not washing the Jeep first. :thumb:

If it were warmer out yesterday I would have washed it! I just used a sponge to clean all of the areas the new top touches before setting the new pieces in place.

[open_circuit]

I wonder if chasing the threads will be enough or if you'll end up needing to Heli-Coil it? Either way, looking good so far.

I have been worried about this also. Fortunately a tap did the trick. Only took a minute once I had the tools in hand.

[open_circuit]

I finished the hard top installation after dark yesterday, so I washed the Jeep today while it was warm and took some photos. Yesterday ran much longer than anticipated for various reasons. I had to purchase a drill bit large enough to install the rivnuts. Upon trying to use the drill bit, I realized I only own drills with 3/8" chucks but this 17/32 bit had a 1/2" shank, so I had to find a drill. After I thought I was finished seating the rivnuts and began to install the barn door, one of the rivnuts began to spin and I had to figure out how to extract it since I was not able to re-seat it.

By now you probably guessed that I did not purchase a spare rivnut when I purchased the rivnuts a couple days ago. Back to the hardware store again for a rivnut. Installed the new rivnut and made sure to really scrunch it in tight. Drilled out the slot on the mounting bar a bit for better clearance to this rivnut to ensure clean threading. Placed the barn door on the rear hatch and spent a long time fiddling with it to get it lined up just right. The barn door was very finnicky. If seated a little bit too far right and the top of the door wanted to collide with the rear passenger quarter panel. When moved left, the entire left side interfered with the rear driver quarter panel. Eventually I decided the tailgate was slightly crooked from my removal and install when I messed with the third brake light.

I fiddled with the tailgate hinge for a while until the tailgate appeared to hang nicely level, then attempted to seat the barn door again. With a few more attempts, I eventually seated the barn door adequately. I tightened down all of the interior bolts, spliced the third brake light wiring harness into the passenger tail light bundle, and cleaned up the wiring with some wire loom and p clips. Installation completed as the sun was setting.

https://i.imgur.com/HPbE8Zfl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eClx7mBl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TL8joD6l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0YOyLQml.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hthBdmvl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rni5zh4l.jpg

[Tom]

Looks nice Trent.

[Brian]

Nice job! :thumb:

What tire carrier is that?

[open_circuit]

Nice job! :thumb:

What tire carrier is that?

Rugged ridge spartacus HD. I bought it when I put 33s on the jeep a couple years ago because I was worried about the stock tailgate hinges and the stock carrier mount didn't allow the tires to clear the bumper. The hinge is fantastic, but I do regret not buying a different bumper with a swing away tire carrier instead. My options at the time were a new bumper / carrier or the new hinge and tire carrier bracket. I am happy with this solution, but if I end up replacing the bumper it may be a little annoying to have gone this route.

Fwiw, the hinge moves very smoothly and with little resistance. I have no rattling from the tailgate, it opens and closes nicely, and it doesn't blow or swing when I leave it open on a hill or in moderate wind. It works very well for what it is.

[Jim]

Looks great!

[Trevor?]

Very slick.

Your first post talks about rooftop cargo. How much weight is that top designed to support, and how much to you think you'll put up there?

One of the nice things about your rear door is you can stand on the bumper to access the roof with the door open. Its much easier to do that when your knee can go forward into the vehicle, rather than scaling the thing like spiderman which is what 99% of people with rear hatches end up having to do.

[open_circuit]

Very slick.

Your first post talks about rooftop cargo. How much weight is that top designed to support, and how much to you think you'll put up there?

One of the nice things about your rear door is you can stand on the bumper to access the roof with the door open. Its much easier to do that when your knee can go forward into the vehicle, rather than scaling the thing like spiderman which is what 99% of people with rear hatches end up having to do.

The manufacturer is unwilling to put a weight rating on the roof. My gut is "not much". The roof rails and crossbars are marked as 180 lbs maximum. The side panels seem to be made entirely of fiberglass. I'm unsure if the roof has any internal skeleton or is just fiberglass as well. I hope to be able to put about 100 lbs of stuff on the roof, maximum. I have some thoughts on how to reinforce the sides to carry the load better if this does not seem to work well. My goal is to be able to put my load warrior basket up there and/or one of my composite roof boxes so I can store some bulky items. I'm thinking about things like sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and blankets. For my trip in May, I may decide to store my fuel canisters up there if I have to carry spare fuel on the Jeep (instead of in the bed of Matt's truck). I can get to 100 lbs pretty quickly with some fuel cans and a cargo basket.

This seems to be the roof rack kit that the manufacturer used: https://www.perrycraft.com/product/roof-rack-complete-ready-install-180-lb-capacity-kit-black-wfiberglass-hardware-70-inch-2

Regarding reaching the roof, I have not tried to use the rear bumper / tailgate area to reach the top yet. So far I've just stood on my rock sliders or the rear tires, and I can easily reach the roof. I'm about 6'1" so this is a pretty easy reach for me. I wonder how my wife will do if I ask her to get something from the roof. It is a long way up there to the crossbars.

[speedkills]

Have you considered asking your children to get stuff off of the roof for you? Seems like at least 50% of them would love the opportunity.

[Java]

That is really nice, and something you don't see too often. I bet you get a LOT of questions at gas stations about it.

[RockyMtRebel]

Sharp!

[JandDGreens]

The manufacturer is unwilling to put a weight rating on the roof. My gut is "not much". The roof rails and crossbars are marked as 180 lbs maximum. The side panels seem to be made entirely of fiberglass. I'm unsure if the roof has any internal skeleton or is just fiberglass as well. I hope to be able to put about 100 lbs of stuff on the roof, maximum. I have some thoughts on how to reinforce the sides to carry the load better if this does not seem to work well. My goal is to be able to put my load warrior basket up there and/or one of my composite roof boxes so I can store some bulky items. I'm thinking about things like sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and blankets. For my trip in May, I may decide to store my fuel canisters up there if I have to carry spare fuel on the Jeep (instead of in the bed of Matt's truck). I can get to 100 lbs pretty quickly with some fuel cans and a cargo basket.

This seems to be the roof rack kit that the manufacturer used: https://www.perrycraft.com/product/roof-rack-complete-ready-install-180-lb-capacity-kit-black-wfiberglass-hardware-70-inch-2

Regarding reaching the roof, I have not tried to use the rear bumper / tailgate area to reach the top yet. So far I've just stood on my rock sliders or the rear tires, and I can easily reach the roof. I'm about 6'1" so this is a pretty easy reach for me. I wonder how my wife will do if I ask her to get something from the roof. It is a long way up there to the crossbars.

I really like your new top, it looks great and very roomy inside. As for loading things on the top. I feel you have the right idea. You can load plano boxes of everything that is light up there. Have you considered building or buying a nice bumper with a spare tire on one side and gas and water on the other?

I'm in the process of building my roof rack for my Xj. I never wanted to have the weight of a rack up there, but after several Overland style trips I've decided that there is plenty of fairly light things that would only add about 75 pds to the roof rack in those Plano boxes. And add the awning I would take along another 50 lbs. I figure my rack will weigh about 70 lbs. I know that adds a lot of weight up there but....... On those trips the wheeling I will do would be on very mild terrain. On my day runs I wouldn't load the roof in that manner.

I just can't get over how sharp and clean your rig looks!!!!

[Jim]

I bet you get a LOT of questions at gas stations about it.

What model of Toyota is that?

[cnstaco]

Looks good man! Nice to see you wrenching on that rig.

[open_circuit]

Lots of parts arrived this week. Assembled the water system and tested. Cut superstrut for the platform side rails and have stock for the crossbars. I'll cut the crossbars Saturday and put the rear shelf in. I was very pleased today to confirm that half slot superstrut slots align with the holes on the LJ body tub without additional drilling.

With the rear platform installed I can confirm clearance for the slide tray and begin to cut and drill the aluminum angle that will hold together the slide tray. Lots of photos and details to come Saturday when I get everything I to the Jeep.

[Java]

The manufacturer is unwilling to put a weight rating on the roof. My gut is "not much". The roof rails and crossbars are marked as 180 lbs maximum. The side panels seem to be made entirely of fiberglass. I'm unsure if the roof has any internal skeleton or is just fiberglass as well. I hope to be able to put about 100 lbs of stuff on the roof, maximum. I have some thoughts on how to reinforce the sides to carry the load better if this does not seem to work well. My goal is to be able to put my load warrior basket up there and/or one of my composite roof boxes so I can store some bulky items. I'm thinking about things like sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and blankets. For my trip in May, I may decide to store my fuel canisters up there if I have to carry spare fuel on the Jeep (instead of in the bed of Matt's truck). I can get to 100 lbs pretty quickly with some fuel cans and a cargo basket.

This seems to be the roof rack kit that the manufacturer used: https://www.perrycraft.com/product/roof-rack-complete-ready-install-180-lb-capacity-kit-black-wfiberglass-hardware-70-inch-2

Regarding reaching the roof, I have not tried to use the rear bumper / tailgate area to reach the top yet. So far I've just stood on my rock sliders or the rear tires, and I can easily reach the roof. I'm about 6'1" so this is a pretty easy reach for me. I wonder how my wife will do if I ask her to get something from the roof. It is a long way up there to the crossbars.

Have you considered using something like a Yakima box on your roof rack to keep weight down? I use one on my trailer to carry bedding, clothes, and anything else bulky and light or empty as we go along. The advantages are not needing another box or tub for anything inside, it fits to existing crossbars without another rack, it locks and it's weatherproof.

[open_circuit]

Have you considered using something like a Yakima box on your roof rack to keep weight down? I use one on my trailer to carry bedding, clothes, and anything else bulky and light or empty as we go along. The advantages are not needing another box or tub for anything inside, it fits to existing crossbars without another rack, it locks and it's weatherproof.

Yes, that is my plan for some trips. I have a couple roof boxes and they are well suited for this job. I also have an awning to attach and may want to use the basket as the anchor for the awning.

[open_circuit]

The rear platform is installed. I need to figure out the extendable / sleeping portion of the platform before I can finish the decking with some carpet so it looks nice.

I started by cutting two ~50" long pieces of B series superstrut to run along the top of the body tub rails. The B-series strut is 9/16" x 1 5/8". The strut I used is the half slot version (probably the commonly available one) and the half slots lined up with the factory holes in the tub rails such that I did not have to drill any additional slots or holes. I ran strut full-length along the tub so I can mount things on top of this anywhere along the tub and I hope that the long piece of strut will help distribute the load evenly across the body tub rail.

https://i.imgur.com/eI5T2Zml.jpg

I next cut two pieces of strut to span the width of the Jeep tub. I used 1/4-20 cone nuts, washers, hex bolts, and lock washers to attach these pieces to the slotted rails on the sides of the Jeep. For normal use, I want a solid deck behind the rear seat to allow us to store items across the full width of the trunk area without having to build up a "floor" of stuff in the main well first. I cut a piece of 3/4 plywood that I had lying around to fit around the roll bars and seat belts. I drilled holes for 4 t-nuts in the plywood -- both a clearance hole for the screw and a recessed hole for the flange so I could flush-mount the t-nuts. The deck now easily screws into the strut crossbars and can be replaced with a longer piece when I don't need the rear seat. In this case, I would slide the forward strut crossbar further forward also.

https://i.imgur.com/catB4xnl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vZdFwkil.jpg

Rear seat up in driving position:
https://i.imgur.com/BUXRH8hl.jpg

Rear seat folded to allow platform to extend over
https://i.imgur.com/C7qrxjzl.jpg

I think I'll end up cutting a couple more segments like the rear deck top to build my "sleep in the Jeep with the rear seat installed" platform. If possible, I will connect the pieces with piano hinge so they can fold neatly onto the rear cargo deck. I am still trying to decide how to support this platform using one additional crossbar and an extension into the front seat area (with the front seats folded forward).

While I was at the hardware store picking up hex bolts for this build, I also saw some 1/4-20 eye bolts (https://www.lowes.com/pd/DuraSteel-1-4-in-x-2-in-Plain-Coarse-Thread-Eye-Bolt/1001363920) with machine screw shanks, so I picked up a couple. I installed these in the crossbar near the seat outside of the rear deck as convenient tie down points. I will likely pick up a couple more to install in the other crossbar.

[speedkills]

Really fun to watch this come together, thanks for the pics.

[Spieg]

Great job Trent. Looks a bit familiar from somewhere though
https://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45807&d=1503107855

Pretty sure that top was designed by Jeff Scherb. I'll see if I can get him to give me an estimated weight limit.

[open_circuit]

Yes, that's right JScherb is the mad scientist behind this top design. I understand he sold or licensed it to GR8Tops

[open_circuit]

It's been several weeks since I made any progress on the Jeep with the cold weather. I got back at it today for a while.

I purchased an awning to mount to our roof basket in January, but the brackets that came with it clearly were not going to work so it has been sitting in my house waiting for me to build some brackets. I bought some aluminum flat bar to make into backing plates for both the traction boards and the awning a while ago. As with my traction board mounts, I cut the flat bar into 4 even size pieces and drilled clearance holes for the M8 screws. I use these pieces as backing plates behind the frame of my roof basket. The awning has a piece of T-slot aluminum on the back which captures the hex head of an M8 bolt. The T-slot and this backing plate allow me to securely clamp the awning to my basket.

With the awning mounted, I was able to open it and set it up for the first time. I was glad to see it is pretty easy to set up with two people and seems like it will handle some moderate weather.

https://i.imgur.com/ySbIEKpl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hgxVbRRl.jpg

[Jim]

Looks great!

[open_circuit]

One of my largest outstanding problems before being able to use my new sleeping platform to camp is how to get out of the Jeep when I need to. On last year's trip with the soft top, I just left the soft top laying loose outside the tailgate so that I could reach out beneath the rear window and pull the tailgate handle to get out of the Jeep. With the new hard top, this is not an option. The rear upper window is bolted to the tailgate, such that the entire rear of the Jeep swings open as one. Since Jeeps don't have internal tailgate release handles, I had to make my own.

The TJ/LJ tailgate release is hidden behind a plastic cover. The cover pops out with a panel trim took. If you want to remove it, be sure to start at the bottom to pop out the two clips. After these are loose, gently pry the right side of the cover over the two exposed screw heads where the circular cutouts in the plastic cover are. The cover will not come off without doing this. Finally lift the top off. The top of the cover has a small plastic tab on it which sits in a pocket in the sheet metal of the rear tailgate. Be gentle here to not tear the tab off.

With the cover off, there is a round steel bar which links the tailgate release handle with the latch mechanism. The operation is easily understood if you pull the tailgate handle and watch the pieces move. I connected a length of paracord around the link bar such that pulling down on the paracord releases the latch and simultaneously actuates the exterior handle. This works well but the pull requires a bit of muscle as this movement must overcome the strong spring on the rear latch handle. With the paracord attached, I can pull down near the bottom of the tailgate to release the latch and exit the Jeep.

With my sleeping platform installed, I cannot reach the bottom of the tailgate from inside the Jeep with the tailgate shut. To reach the my new release cord, I needed to route it above the level of my sleeping platform. I found a v-groove bearing online for a few bucks with an inner diameter that closely matches the bolts which hold my rear upper window onto the tailgate. I installed this bearing on the bolt to use as a pulley wheel and ran the paracord around the wheel and up the door to the top of the window. To secure the cord I drilled some holes in some scrap aluminum angle and bent it into shape as a catch bracket. This bracket is installed on one of the upper bolts which secures the rear window. To keep the cord in place while driving, I ran the paracord through a spring and tied a bowline so that the cord slightly compresses the spring against the catch bracket in the resting position. I hope this keeps the line tight enough to remain on the pulley wheel most of the time while driving around.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLa2sbzG70Y

[open_circuit]

After helping to rescue Shane's rover a few weeks ago, I experienced some discomforting wandering in the steering on the drive home. After the weather improved a few days later I also noticed a concerning clunk as I turned the steering over the center position. The clunk was the drag link / adjustment collar / "tie rod end" (attached to pitman arm) combination moving around as I steered. Specifically, the drag link and the end attached to the pitman arm were wallowing around in the adjustment sleeve despite the clamping collars being well secured. Clearly it was time to replace some parts. With 92k miles on the original tie rod and ends, I opted to replace the entire drag link / tie rod / ends / steering damper kit with new, beefier parts.

The stock tie-rod on the TJ looks pretty weak. The wrangler tj forums have a nice write up on using ZJ components in place of OEM style TJ parts here, since the ZJ parts have the correct lengths but are thicker, stronger, and generally better. (https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/zj-tie-rod-conversion.2373/). I followed this guide and ordered all of the ZJ replacements. Ty joined me today for some driveway wrenching.

The problematic adjustment collar:
https://i.imgur.com/sF0uxyKl.jpg

I quickly realized I needed a pickle fork which I did not own. After a trip to Harbor Freight, Ty and I were able to quickly separate the old tie rod and drank link from the various mounts.
https://i.imgur.com/J1FVjaRl.jpg

The new parts look pretty sharp. It's hard to tell from this, but the new tie rod is about 1" diameter solid tube. The original was about 0.65" diameter hollow tube.
https://i.imgur.com/CcChU9Ll.jpg

With the new parts installed, we had to adjust the collars on the drag link and tie rod to set the toe-in on the front wheels and center the steering wheel. We used the hi-tech "strap some scrap wood to the wheels" method to measure the toe-in. This was much easier with some help. Doing this part alone is tedious and annoying, but Ty and I were able to knock it out pretty easily.
https://i.imgur.com/AFq8iE1l.jpg

[open_circuit]

How often do you all change your steering dampers? The box for the new damper I installed today suggested changing every 12,000 miles. I was surprised, as this seems like very frequent replacement interval for what is effectively a shock. I've put about 20k miles on my Jeep in the 4 years I've owned it without replacing the damper.

[RockyMtRebel]

I changed my steering damper on my Ram at 55k miles!

can’t wait for Canyonlands trip next month!!!!

[FINOCJ]

What's a steering damper...:rolleyes:
On vehicles that have them, I change them when I change the shocks....which is a lot of miles...still running oem ones on my taco at 167k. If I weren't selling it soon, I'd have changed them but in reality, if they aren't leaking fluid, there isn't much to wear out. As soon as fluid starts seeping, time to change.

[Tom]

Is a steering damper the same thing as a steering stabilizer. If had three in my rig and right at 92.5k. First one doesn't really count as it failed under warranty only having the rig about two months.

[open_circuit]

Is a steering damper the same thing as a steering stabilizer. If had three in my ans right at 92.5k. First one doesn't really count as it failed under warranty only having the right about two months.

Yes, I mean the shock-like tube connected to the drag link and the frame on most modern Jeep steering systems.

[Java]

Nice work! When you do the driveway alignment solo you can make it a little easier by using two measuring tapes and put a screw through the end if there is a provision for it, or just clamp them down or duct tape or whatever to hold them to the scrap wood on one side, then just let them drape over the other one. No moving the tape around that way which is half of the PITA for me. You still have to get up and down to check / adjust, but at least you don't have to move the tape.

[speedkills]

Nice upgrades, those look beefy.

[open_circuit]

Installed a new stereo with a big LCD and multiple inputs for cameras. Since I had inputs and cameras are cheap, I installed a rearview and front view (rock spotter) cameras.

The stereo is a white-box branded Boss single-DIN with a detachable 9" LCD. This means I was able to install in the factory location without buying a double-DIN surround and without cutting any of the internal dash structure away. The traditional solution for a multi-media head unit is to get a double-DIN unit and a new fascia piece. The stereo I chose save me several hundred dollars over the alternative solution and gives me better visibility of the stereo. The screen is on a ball mount and has about 15 degrees of adjustment margin in all directions from neutral. Additionally, the ball mount is on a vertical rail that slides up and down several inches.

The stereo supports Android Auto which is the main reason for choosing this unit. I can now run Gaia GPS on the head unit.

https://i.imgur.com/a60o8ozh.jpg

I mounted the front facing camera to my winch plate. This probably won't be very durable long term, so I have some plans to build a better mount out of some angle steel or aluminum once this mount fails.

https://i.imgur.com/XHqukQih.jpg

And here's an action shot of the front facing camera view

https://i.imgur.com/8uAzDDyh.jpg

[Jim]

Nice!

[TDash]

I can now run Gaia GPS


Congratulations, it's looking great! Thanks for the name Gaia I've been wondering what I needed for android auto


That's a great idea on the camera I should probably consider adding a camera or two to my head unit. I've got pretty used to it in my wife's new ride

[open_circuit]

A trail camera in the grill is a factory option on the JL or JT (or both?). It seemed like a good idea and the price was right.

Gaia GPS just recently received android auto capabilities. I haven't used it with AA in a trail yet, but other members here have.

[Java]

:thumb: Love the big screen, maps looks so much better that way.

[Jim]

Gaia GPS just recently received android auto capabilities.

What function does this provide? It announces turn-by-turn?

[open_circuit]

What function does this provide? It announces turn-by-turn?

It means I can now view Gaia GPS directly on the head unit. Previously only a few map applications had capability to display to the head unit, such as Google Maps and Waze. It was a pretty big deal for AA users when Gaia received an update to allow it to display on the AA head unit. If you're already running a tablet with a dedicated off-road mount, this doesn't do much to improve your experience. For folks with factory AA head units, it saves them some trouble of trying to mount the phone somewhere visible or add a tablet to their setup.

[jayson44]

what cameras do you have? my wife's JKU came with a Pioneer head unit with a large screen. the rear camera is "hooked up" but the unit doesn't show anything when you put it in reverse. I'm guessing the dealership took it off at some point. I'd like to get one so it's not totally useless.

J.

[open_circuit]

what cameras do you have? my wife's JKU came with a Pioneer head unit with a large screen. the rear camera is "hooked up" but the unit doesn't show anything when you put it in reverse. I'm guessing the dealership took it off at some point. I'd like to get one so it's not totally useless.

J.

Car Backup Camera, Rear View Camera Ultra HD 12 LED Night Vision, Waterproof Reverse Camera 140° Wide View Angel with Multiple Mount Brackets for Universal Cars, SUV, Trucks, RV and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VDCJWVL/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_WYF44HK7VNSA9J5JEH1D?_en coding=UTF8&psc=1

Reverse Backup Camera,RAAYOO L002 HD 170 Degree Wide View Angle Universal Car Front/Side/Rear View Camera,2 Installation Option,Removable Guildlines,Mirror Non-Mirror Image,12V only https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074P45P7G/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_5KJHD9CY96EHWABHCBGK?_en coding=UTF8&psc=1

[TDash]

wow it's so cheap i'm skeptical it's too good to be true, how have they performed for you so far?

[open_circuit]

Haven't been wheeling with them yet. They're fine around town. And yes, they are so cheap I spent far more time on this than money.