The Everyday TJ build. Alternative to high cost JL daily driver / overland set up.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2023
- With the high cost of EVERYTHING, sometimes getting back to basics is what the doctor ordered. This simple "everyday" TJ build is an example of managing cost while still having a very capable jeep.
Remember, "It's Your World, Explore It". - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I'm definitely a Jeep traditionalist.
Jeep
Born: 1941
Died: 2006
Build Wise:
I've shared this with a few other good Jeep channels and this is certainly another.
The TJ is the best generation of Jeep with its classic military rugged, utilitarian looks and stance, and the off-road prowess of its MB grandfather, only the TJ is far better. There's nothing like the military 2 door, short wheelbase from '41 - '06. Add in the coil suspension, you have the best and most fun Jeep ever built in the TJ.
I thought about a 3" lift w/ 33's but fortunately very early on getting into off roading Jeeps, many told me, their TJ became very sluggish going from just 32's to 33's in addition to a domino effect of needing additional expensive parts. And I'm glad I listened! Because I drove a TJ with this set up and it didn't have that excellent low-end torque and was very slow off the line. And most of them returned to 32's while some fell for the aftermarket bait, very expensive bait.
I get many who want to know what the perfect build is. Which is not easy to answer because everyone does different things with their Jeep.
But I would like to share mine since my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn drives and handles absolutely amazing on and off-road.
Keep in mind, I am NOT a rock crawler, I'm an adventurer who takes the family beach wheelin, beach camping, surf fishing, and we hit fun, moderate trails in the fall and winter getting to our favorite fishing holes and camp sites. Which is why the build is for what's near and for what we do, nothing was put on this TJ unnecessarily for show. I see too many "spotless Jeeps" with 33's - 38's.
As long as you have good off-road instincts and common sense, a modest, high-quality build will allow you and your family to have a lot of fun!
All in, I'm at $29k with my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn. And I can honestly say build wise, I'm done!! I might Raptor line it since the TJ has a few rough paint spots and won't ever have to worry about off road pinstriping again. The best part is, this TJ not only keeps up, but outperforms a lot of these $45k - $95k JK's & JL' s. Due in part to people's inexperience and just "over building". The '05 TJ has a modest build, yet is extremely capable, durable and best of all, affordable. And you don't need a 2nd vehicle or rental to take that long out of state trip anymore because this build affords you excellent on road manners too besides being an off-road animal.
I encourage any Jeeper to search for a rust-free TJ 4.0 I6, preferably stock, 3.73's w/ LSD and a Dana 44. The later '04 - '06 models have the 4 speed auto trans that are far better than the earlier 3 speed. Instead of 3,000+ rpm's at 65mph - 70mph, you're at 1,800 - 2,200 rpm's. Just a much better, higher quality transmission. And to use my build as a "guide". Although I highly recommend this build for anyone who is an adventurer, not a rock crawler. Best of all, it will eliminate you from chasing your tail, and the aftermarket will have one less "just empty every pocket" victim out there!
It was a lot of trial and error, but it has been well worth it.
2" Old Man Emu coils
32" KO2's or 32" BFG MT's
Quadratec Baja alloy rims - perfect backspacing - no rub!
Currectlync steering
Freedom Off Road front adj track bar
Napa Heavy Duty gearbox - very stout!
M.O.R.E gearbox brace
JKS quick disconnects
PPR Industries 32 Teeth Speedomoter Gear - if you have 3.73 gears and 32" tires
Freedom Off Road front lower Adjustable control arms
The rest are Fixed Detroit Axles
Transfer case drop kit
Fox 2.0 Shox
Fox steering stabilizer
Professional 4x4 shop to do the alignment
*If you have an '05 or '06 TJ, I highly encourage getting a Wranglerfix.com PCM. These 2 years are notorious for having erratic shift point and "so-called trans issues". Keep in mind, the 42RLE auto trans is actually very good, it's the lousy Chrysler pcm's that have given them a bad rap. Since installing this Wranglerfix pcm, it's like having a new TJ out of the showroom, excellent, smooth shift points and very nice acceleration now with no goofy, unwarranted codes. Thank God, because replacing a trans is something no one wants to do. Coupled with the best engine ever put in any Jeep, the 4.0L I6, and you have one of the best TJ's out there.
Since doing this, I have had the best experience with any vehicle I've ever had.
Staying with 32's allows us Jeepers to maintain that great low-end torque, saves us a lot of money on unnecessary aftermarket parts and still be able to wheel most anywhere. It's the best of all worlds!
One of my favorite mods was added a Banks cat back exhaust giving it a throaty growl, but not obnoxiously loud. Absolutely perfect for the 4.0 I6.
I might add front and rear ARB lockers and 32" BFG Mud Terrains if the family moves to a place with trails, but for now this is perfect for OBX beach wheelin', beach camping, surf fishing, fresh water fishing and camping. 😎🏖🌊🎣🏕🏞🐟
Most importantly, be honest with yourself, build your TJ for what you will be using it for. And know YOU CAN do great trails and much more with just a 2" lift and 32" ko2's or MT's!
DO NOT let the aftermarket pushers fool or shame you into thinking you "need" 33" - 40" tires and a 5" lift to wheel. That's 🦬💩! They know full well, once they get you at 33's, it's a freaking cash cow for them! Because you just embarked on their multi thousand dollar build conveyor belt. And it's 100% unnecessary for moderate wheelin'! Your axles, drive train, drive shafts, engine, gearing and a host of a lot of other stuff now "needs" to be upgraded. The aftermarket pushers feast on naive people. Don't be that guy! Like cereal companies saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the aftermarket will continue to take advantage of the misinformed.
Thanks for reading this, my intention is to help as many Jeepers as possible, and to assist with avoiding making the mistakes I did.
O|||||||O
🇺🇲Only in a 2 Dr🇺🇸
'41- '06
Thanks so much for the comment and checking out the channel. As I also state to many, "build for your intent and know your intent (or as much as can know) before you build.
Great video!! Love the quick pace, excellent editing and overall theme/idea. 👊🏼👏🏻 This channel will go FAR!!! Keep it up!! 😊
Thanks I appreciate it. Just having fun, but we'll see what happens. Like you I'm not able to put out content frequently but I do enjoy figuring it all out. God Bless you brother.
@@JEEP-N-DIRT keep it up! Whatever you are doing - it’s working!! 😃👏🏻👊🏼
The Jeep looks great, and I bet your Dad is going to have blast in it, exploring and going offroad! Just subscribed to see more. Safe travels!
Thanks. Hoping to put together additional content with it soon. I appreciate the support. Starting doing this for fun, but interested in more. Just waiting to take the time off from work and weather to clear (warm up). Lol.
This video is basically a description of my 98 Sport TJ. Great vid!
Thanks. More content coming on that one and my YJ that I've owned for 26 years. Just can't seem to get a break from work to film and put content together. LOL. Glad you enjoyed.
DUDE YOUR YJ IS AMAZING the green with tan wow!
Thanks. I've owned it for 26 years. Video coming soon on that one.
@@JEEP-N-DIRT big fan of that one subbed to see it
Very cool! I also just bought a TJ also, but my purchase was a sentimental purchase. I won’t be building mine, but restoring it to truly stock (it’s nearly stock now so it’ll be quick). I’ll wheel the 💩 out of the stock TJ tho as I was kid when I last owned one… I want to see what it can truly do.
Yeah, a set of sway bar disconnects and the world is yours. Thanks for the comment.
Awesome TJ and that YJ looks epic too
Thanks. I'm an old schooler who believes in tub on frame and "tingy metal fenders. Lol. I'm planning more content for my dad's TJ and on my YJ later this season plus content on my JLU and a really nice crawler LJ and the CJ seen in my AOP video.
Great sound and good tech on video.
Thanks!
Awesome looking TJ!!! Great job
Thanks 👍 Despite having recently added a JL to the family, I'm still an old school jeep guy. LOL.
Nice video, good looking Jeep
Thanks. It's my dad's jeep.
Those Cooper tires seem great until getting into some nasty weather. Have an 03 Rubicon with a 3.5" lift and had white knuckle experiences with those tires (35x12.5x15) on the roads up here in MN in wet and snowy weather. Switched to 33x10.5x15 BFG KO2's and am a lot happier - does great in snow and rain and yes, is a daily driver and sees much off-roading.
Yeah I think they're a little too firm as well, but he got those as part of the " budget" desk. His part of the world here in the south doesn't see the same kinda stuff as you guys up north but i think there will definitely be a different tire if those ever wear out. Lol.
Thanks for the comment.
Yup, this is the ideal balance. I am still rolling 31's and they work, for trail riding. A lot of the overland builds seem more built out for rock crawling than for overlanding.
Agree. There's always a balance and my advice to most folks is know your intent before building. I'm also a YJ and JL guy as you may have seen on my channel and I've learned (after 26 years of wheeling) there's no perfect build, but there's always a great all around build that anyone can build to suite their needs. Thanks for the comment.
So lucky to live in the States, where parts are plentiful. I just bought my TJ for 6.5k here in Australia, but parts are harder to come by, for example a hardtop 2.5k if you want a second hand one, but anyway life goes on. Nice build really looks good
All the way from Australia. Wow, Thanks. We still have issues here in the states getting parts also, but getting better.
I appreciate the comment and compliments.
I had copper tires just like yours. And a belt broke. Tires were just passed warranty. Had 35,000 on them. I had them rotated and balanced every six thousand miles. Never again.
Yeah I've heard of a few issues, but generally they seem O.K. These were my Dad's choice at the time and honestly so far they've been o.k. but personally I think they're a little bit too hard of a compound but we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the view and comment.
Nice Jeep !!!
Thanks. It's my dad's jeep. The goal was to keep it simple for his needs.
I have a 1999 tj just learning bout it
They are good Jeeps. Know your intent before you build and you'll make the right decisions on how to build it.
Now we want one of these!!
Thanks for the comment. Trying to get him exploring a little more. Working on additional content on his jeep, my YJ that I've owned for 26 years and my JLU. Hence the reason I noted I wished I lived closer to the areas near you guys. Such a blessing to have that as your back yard "jeep" playground.
@@JEEP-N-DIRT if you ever find yourself in our neck of the woods, reach out and we’re happy to show you some cool spots!
@@TheRMBLOffRoad Thanks. Will definitely keep that in mind.
Only in a 2 door '41 - '06
Jeep
Born: 1941
Died: 2006
I also use the phrase "Tub on frame, hood, grill, and 2 tingy fenders". Lol. Admittedly I've added a built JLUR to the family and can say they did a great job incorporating design elements from the YJ and TJ but in a bigger modern package, but there nothing like the good old two door tub on frame.
Thanks for the comment.
@@JEEP-N-DIRT I get the practicality of the '07 - present but those are suv's, not Jeeps. Way too big, suv wide, not nimble like the '41 - '06 Jeeps. And way over techno, not a true utilitarian rugged Jeep of old. All these bells and whistles, certainly never meant for any pre Wrangler or Wrangler.
Almost got an '02 white Sahara but the frame was rotted, and always thought these Saharas were the coolest of the TJ's. And I definitely like the riveted fender flares on this white Sahara. I have the same ones on my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn 4.0L, Line X them and they look great. A lot of people argue and give reasons why they "need" these 4 dr limos. I have a wife and our 2 sons and we take the TJ to the Outer Banks for beach wheelin, surf fishing and beach camping. The 2" hitch with the cargo rack gets the job done. I'm a minimalist and most men are or at least were when I was growing up. Today unfortunately, we're a very rare breed.
I built this TJ to be great on and off road. I see all these off-roaders trailering their Jeeps to trails. If you're rig is not on road worthy, it sure as shit isn't off-road worthy.
Anyway, just got back from a 14 hour round trip with my sons to visit their pop pop out of state in the TJ. It handles absolutely amazing for a short wheel base. I'll share the build on here soon. I built this TJ exactly for what's nearby, beach and moderate trail wheelin, nothing unnecessary on it. I posted this build on many other channels with very good feedback, like minded people who are adventurers, not rock crawlers. Sorry but rock crawling is like watching paint dry, mostly a bunch of idiots destroying their axles, suspensions and even worse flipping their rigs. Absolutely asinine and extremely boring. There's an old saying in tv prod, hurry up and wait. That's rock crawling to me.
Anyway, I really dig that Sahara, perfect, modest build.
@@JeepTJWheelin Thanks for the comment. Agree and see that you're a true old school jeeper at heart. People like you will hopefully keep our old jeeps alive and well far into the future. My 95 YJ Sahara pictured in my channel will be getting a video soon. I know many never cared for square headlights BUT the YJ brought a few things to the table that every jeeper now and in the future should always remember. That will be the trivia question i pose in the video. Lol. hint. ... You stated the answer above to one of the things.
Thanks again for the comment.
@@JEEP-N-DIRT I never cared for the YJ but recently have grown to love 'em. They're just old school in every way from the instrument cluster to the guages and the old leaf springs. My ole college roommate had an '89 YJ and that Jeep was cool. Use to help him carry the doors and soft top windows to the dorm. One night coming back from a kegger with some chick, we fell over the door mirror jutting out from under the beds. Your '95 YJ is badass like the Sahara TJ. I'll wave at any Jeep who waves but sorry to say not too keen on any 4 dr limo, especially one with a hardtop cocooning its passengers. A jeep is a 2 dr with a soft top that can easily be unbuttoned in 5 - 7 minutes for that great open air experience. 😎|||||||😎
@@JeepTJWheelin Lol 😆
Awesome tunes!
Seriously? Was gonna comment on how bad they are.
"none of those trails were hard bro" 😂😂 (inside joke for those that don't know, I'm not being mean I'm being funny) awesome build, the tj looks so good! Well done!
Lol. Thanks man. He's loving that little jeep. Hard to find those in that good of shape anymore.
Thanks for your comment.
I've currently got a stock 2003 Rubicon. I would like it to be like yours.
Hi thanks for the comment. You likely have a nice set up already and have the advantage of lockers and D44 axles. The only suggestion I'd have for you if you're likely to actually take it off road frequently is to consider a nicer set of control arms from Metalcloak. Their joints are truly an awesome design and VERY flexy. I'm not a fan of the gold color so I coated mine black on my built JLUR featured on my other videos. The joints are also maintenance free and your suspension will be squeak free. These control arms I used here on my dads jeep are a great balance between daily driving and off road adventures but I'd personally prefer it to be far more flexy for the traction aspect. This TJ drives and handles great as is for my Dad and fit into his budget well.
the biggest thing I have noticed is new jeeps the owners are making payments on. Jeep TJ owners paid cash and it is a toy. I couldnt imagine offroading in a 4 door JL.. hard pass...
Lol. thanks for the reply and I couldn't agree more. I'm an old school YJ guy (still have it) and really enjoyed helping my dad with this TJ as it is a GREAT jeep. There will be more content on this jeep as I do plan on showing him the ropes off-road this year so make sure you're subscribed and notification hit. My favorite jeep is the LJ, but hard to come by one of those with today's prices. BUT I have to be completely honest and transparent. I came across the JLU shown in my channel during the worst buying time of the pandemic and got what I call the "once in 30 year deal". After fine tuning the suspension to what it is now, I wheeled it and all I can say is I stopped thinking I'd never wheel a 4 door jeep. My built JLU is pretty incredible in terms of comfort, efficiency, off-road manners, versatility, capability and safety. The design concept from Jeep for the JL platform was to incorporate parts of all the previous model jeeps and they did a great job. Since I plan on keeping this jeep as long as or longer than I've had my YJ, I'm blessed and lucky to have found the deal that I did because as you state clearly, so many folks who buy new are paying so MUCH more than I would have right now, in fact I wouldn't have bought it in today's market. So, I'll never get rid of my YJ, I'm still hunting for an LJ, and if I don't find one within a reasonable time then I may borrow the "Everyday TJ" for a week and "accidentally" stretch and lift it. Lol. Thanks for the comment.
Enjoyed the video! Bought myself a 2006 TJ about a month ago and considering the same setup as yours. You mentioned "mild" lift, how much of a lift exactly? Are the tires 33x12.5r15?
Hi thanks for the support and question. Sorry for the delay in responding this crazy thing called work had me tied up. I actually have a little follow up video with additional details coming soon, but yes those are 33x12.50x15 on a 3.5 inch lift. That particular height is no longer offered by the manufacture (Zone offroad) as they now only have 3 or 4 inch kits offered on their website. The true height of the springs on this jeep ended up being a little over 4 inches. The fenders close down the height a little as well, but the overall look, stance, and clearance work well. Also the rims are 15 X 8 mammoth with 3.5 inches of back spacing.
what head lights are those? they look good, but do they perform good? They got that frog eye looking projector that the new JL Rubicon's have. interesting.
I'm sorry for the delay in responding. Been a crazy work week. Yes they perform great. There is a little funky swirl between the lights when you're adjusting them, but it doesn't take away from their coverage area. I was impressed with the coverage the most. The high beam is fine and covers well also. a.co/d/3ITJtO5. This is the amazon link for them (Auxeden 7inch) They're like $139 bucks. Thanks for viewing and the questions.
hah better late than never. I found that exact one, even tho there are like 3 other sellers with the same thing. I had to make a trim to the holder for the lights on the driver side to make the "frog eye" level, but these lights are fantastic, very crisp cutoff, very good light, no shadows, no murky blurry pattern. And they look nice, like the jeep JL led lights. Im glad I found ur video.@@JEEP-N-DIRT
Thanks. I'm just a little channel kinda started for fun but more content coming on the TJ, my YJ that I've owned for 26 years and my JL (both as pictured on my home page on the channel) and other "factual" stuff so be sure to hit that notification and share. Lol Standard youtube phrase.
Yeah, when I put those lights on I realized there was no need for actual driving lights so I put inexpensive Amazon fog with the flood patter LED's as shown (4inch) and convinced my dad to let me angle those out slightly to use as a ditch light. That works really well especially on curvy dark roads.
Again thanks for the view and comments.@@rmat9023
I'm looking for a replacement wrangler for the one I just had to put down.( It rusted away ) can't find a decent one for under 20,000.
Hi thanks for the comment. Agree the prices are still all over the place for a super clean build like this even with the 30/35 axles. The rust is a whole other story. So many jeeps where the owners never wash out the frame after off road trips and or those who live in the northern states where salt from the roads in the winters just kills those frames. Not sure what state you're in, but if you're not too far from the south, be sure to look in and around Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. Decent deals pop up but you have to be ready to roll as soon as the ad pops up. Good luck and thanks for the comment. If you haven't subscribed be sure to hit that button and notification. I have more TJ, YJ, LJ, CJ, and JL content coming in the near future.
How much is it before rebuilding? I am looking for a 2000 Sahara. What do you think is the reasonable price for this model?
Unfortunately around here in this good of shape its still kinda high priced. $12k to $14k. A good buildable one is around$7k to $8k but it really is area dependent. The market is still crazy.
light bulb head 😂
Sorry Jl guys but TJ's rule !
LOL!!! thanks for the comment. You can't beat a well rounded TJ with the 4.0. Admittedly I have a JLUR as seen in my other videos along with my 95YJ that I've owned for 26 (video's on those builds coming soon) years and can simply say "I'm a jeep guy at heart and all jeeps have their place". Never thought I'd be in a JL, but it truly is the most capable wrangler jeep has ever built. Add lift, 38's, and a few other goodies and it's crazy how "everyday Jeep" it actually is. But do agree TJ's and YJ's rule. My phrase of the day is "Tub on frame, hood, grill, and 2 tingy fenders" is what a jeep is all about. LOL.
Do you have a link or somwthinf on all the upgrades you have on it ?
Finishing that short video now. Will be posting soon.
Still working on the video, but here's a quick run down.
Zone offroad 3.5 inch lift. (no longer available, but is offered in a 3 inch or 4 inch option)
Zone offroad Shocks
JKS track bars front and rear
Transfer case drop spacers (for drive line angle correction)
Note: Front axle castor set at 7.7 with no obvious vibes or weird rumbling.
Rear trackbar relocation bracket
33X12.50X15 Cooper SST pro's
4.10 gearing
Optima red top battery
Aux beam style 6 switch relay panel.
Amazon special 6 inch wide by 2 inch tall rear LED lights mounted on bumper
Amazon special 4 LED rock light pack (white)
Internal LED 5500k bulb conversion on footwell and sound bar.
Hardtop light disconnected and 6000k led .5 inch X 6 inch LED strip added in louvers downfacing.
Tube sliders added (only for use as a step and can be removed for off-roading since it has Warn rock sliders mounted to the tub)
Dead pedal added to driver footwall.
Motor is 4.0 with over 220k and running strong.
Trans is 32RH 3 speed auto, recently rebuilt only due to a crack in the valve body housing.
Rear spare relocation bracket, but no reinforcement for the hinges yet. (coming soon)
Smittybilt 9500 XRC winch with Amazon special winch mounting plate.
Rough country front sway bar disconnects.
Aftermarket (old school) warn rock crawler bumpers with 2 inch receiver in rear.
Amazon special 5500k flood lights mounted on front bumper wired into factory fog light connection but used for "wide" corner lighting.
Headlights are Auxden 7 inch with DRL and are AMAZINGLY bright with a nice wide pattern. So much so that fog / driving lights are not needed and is the reason we have this one set up with the fog lights as corner lights. Here's a link to them on amazon currently at a really great price for Prime day. a.co/d/4a4duia
Thanks for the support.
What percent tints are those?
Hi, sorry for the delay. Those are 25%. Thanks for watching.
3 Speed automatic? That don’t sound right…
Yes sir. 32RH. It's in my 95 yj (that I"ll soon be doing an old school video on) and it was available on the TJ's until the 4 speed came out. Simple and tough little tranny. His was at 212k miles and only had to be rebuilt due to a crack in the housing for the valves. My YJ is as 156k and still going strong.
My 04 TJ has a 4.0 with the 3 speed auto. It's a better tranny than most people think.
Best jeep TJ and LJ platforms can't go wrong last of the real Jeep's got a sport utility TJ last year with 33" 4" adjustable control arms locker in the front manual haven't got stuck or any break down s
Thanks for the reply. Agree, I'm a diehard old school YJ - TJ guy, but the LJ is my most desired build jeep, but just haven't found the right deal yet. Admittedly I've moved into the world of the JLU (as seen in my other videos) and truly appreciate what jeep has done to bring every generation of jeep, specifically the TJ, YJ, and CJ into the design element of the JL platform. It is really a great all around platform but I also can't say enough about my YJ. I've owned it for over 26 years now and will never get rid of it. I also can't wait to take my dad's jeep off road a few times since that set up is very capable and can certainly handle a little more than service roads and water crossings. Lol.
I appreciate the support.