I bought a TJ because why????

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

I'm still perplexed with this.

It's a 2000, 4.0L and 5spd (not sure if that's an AX-15 or NV3550 at that point). Runs pretty nicely, shifts good, shakes a bit between 85-100km/h, might be tires but feels more like driveshaft.

I've been asked by multiple people why I purchased this. I have no answers as of right now.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

There is a certain amount of WTF going on from what I've seen so far. Which is to be expected.

The hard top is held on with zipties. At least they used the big ones.

The right bolts/pins (I honestly don't know what they're supposed to be) for the hood latches aren't present. More weird, they bought new (I believe likely brand new) front fenders for it and had them professionally painted, but not painted the correct colour. Apparently they bought all new fender flares for it, stock ones, which I'm guessing cost them a bunch of money, to do what a propane torch would have done in 15 minutes.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

The whole hatch and tailgate needs seals or something.

I'm not sure how this was supposed to work, but I believe there's as seal missing off the tailgate at the minimum.

Anyway, I don't know why I bought it or what I'm doing. There probably won't ever be any updates as it will rot in my driveway.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

I had a chance to look it over, and it needs a few things, but it's not bad.

Main thing is the front driveshaft took a big hit at some point.

So I guess I'll see if I can get one from somewhere. Junkyard probably.

It also has this IAT or MAT (not sure what Chrysler calls it) fooler on it. Personally I think these things are rarely a good idea, so I'll probably cut it out.

[pointsnorth]

You couldn’t be bothered to let me talk you out of this one ? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

You couldn’t be bothered to let me talk you out of this one ? Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This one was in PG so I didn't ask you.

I think I got it cheap enough it won't matter. Unless I dump a ton of money into it. Which I might.

[Snowracer]

so

you will look great in this down at starbucks with all the other jeep folks

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

so

you will look great in this down at starbucks with all the other jeep folks

I've already booked all my weekends off so I can go for ice cream with them. No sense in wheeling when you can just have ice cream.

[Snowracer]

i like ice cream but not cool enough to get invited

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

I decided I wanted a bikini top thinger for this, so some lockable storage would be nice. Most of the specific fit options are expensive, and I'm not that committed to this thing.

Enter the PA trailer tongue box that was on sale for father's day.

I wanted a reasonably clean install, so I made some little flat bar hooks/feet that catch into the footman loops on the floor:

Installed:

Then it just bolts in with one bolt, which was previously for the rear set belts:

This way nothing was permanently modified. Not that it really matters. I *think* this will be strong enough that as long as I don't fill it was too many dildos it won't come free in the event of a rollover. The lid only having a single latch is probably weaker than anything else. I put some weatherstripping on the inside of the lid too, so it doesn't rattle.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

The hinges for the back glass were disintegrating, so I replaced them with some Amazon specials:

I also put a new seal and seal holder on the bottom of the glass, so you don't need to tape it shut anymore. It turns out these brackets are for the soft top, and maybe that's why they took the seal off. The screws were to rusted there was no hope of getting them out, so I just drilled them until they were flush.

New seal and hinges:

Yes, I know, I'm fixing the hard top when I've already said I plan to take it off.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

I'm really debating buying a crappy Rock Crawler long arm lift kit for this thing. Pros, it's cheap. Cons, it's crappy. But if I just run the stock axles I can't see the lift being any worse than they are. Same even if I upgrade to an 8.25 or 8.8 rear axle.

I think with some 35s on it it I would have a better snow wheeler than my 1 ton XJ that only fits 37s.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Continuing with the hardcore nature of the build, I replaced the K&N air filter with a Baldwin/Hastings paper one.

Okay, I wouldn't normally mention this, but I was thoroughly dissatisfied with the job they did of making this filter:

They really fucked up with molding the seal. I thought they were a better brand than that. Maybe I'll actually clean the K&N one and put it back in.


Also, I got some sweet LED headlights on Amazon for $60 because they were returns (opened box but not used):

My tube doors wound up not existing, despite a vendor claiming they had them and stringing me along for two weeks. Kinda wanted them for when I took the top off, it just seems goofy with full doors.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

The new front driveshaft (Ten Factory TFF1310-2148) showed up. I am not impressed. This part is listed as being an upgrade and being stronger/better than a stock shaft. I probably wouldn't have spent the extra money to buy it but getting a stock replacement shaft wasn't really an option either, as the wrecker was useless and nobody had stock on a new one.

New shaft beside the old one:

As you can see it's a smaller diameter. The slip spline is bigger (I didn't cut the boot off the old one, but it clearly is if you're familiar with these shafts). The tubing is probably the same .120" wall thickness (what Spicer calls "heavy wall", which is pretty chintzy) as the stock shaft. The working length of the shaft appears to be about an inch shorter. They did install Spicer joints in it though.

Weight of the new shaft, to confirm it isn't thicker:

Weight of the old one:

Basically no difference. The slip spline weighs more on the Ten Factory one, but the tube and double cardan body is lighter.

Installed, it looks short:

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

I emailed Ten Factory to ask that it is for sure supposed to fit this configuration of engine/trans, but everywhere that lists it says it does. There is still a bunch of spline in it, but it's just not great. The good news is it doesn't really get longer on a TJ, rather it gets shorter. So it will probably be fine, but overall I'm unimpressed. It still was way cheaper than getting a shaft made, so there is that.