For the steering, the factory drag link isn’t the issue but the tie rod is, a cheap upgrade for a TJ is the tie rod off a V8 ZJ as it was a solid bar not a hollow one like the factory TJ tie rod. The brakes aren’t horrible, remember the TJ is a small vehicle, it wasn’t designed for big tires. So running the factory axle on 35’s or smaller is really all that’s recommended. It’s not just a issue of the brakes but also the ball joints and unit bearings. The TJ was peak jeep but you need to understand it’s limits with factory components, if you are on 37’s or larger you need to look at a axle swap. The wheelbase isn’t really a issue either as long as you keep it on 35’s or smaller. People get so stuck on tire size now a days and they don’t understand that a TJ with a 4” lift on 33’s that’s setup properly and has a good driver will go anywhere. It’s not meant to be a big jeep. The axle housings on both the jk and the JL are technically weaker than the TJ. JK’s like to bend c’s and housings and the JL has a CAD which is proven to be a weak design. To me it sounds like you don’t understand what makes the TJ so great. The rust issue is a serious issue. Other than that the TJ is peak wrangler
My frame rust was ahead of the rear tire, in the frame elbow. I opened my frame and cleaned it out, and painted the inside before I welded the patches back in. I haven't had steering problems, but I'm running 33s. Not huge tires. I love the short wheelbase. Yes, ledges can be tricky, but so can squeezing in tight spots, when 4 doors are just too big. Jeeps weren't supposed to be that big.
My dad is getting up there in age. He sold me his 2000 TJ with the inline 6 for $3.5k ( the father-son discount) with 140k miles, zero frame rust (no snow here in the California bay area )and all original. I must say this thing is a joy to work on and drive. I love its small size and nimbleness. I owned a 3rd gen tacoma before getting this TJ and I must say its growing on me very fast! Am I slowly being converted to a Jeep guy?? lol
Define or what do you call "getting up there in age?" I am the original owner of a TJ, and, let me tell you, I would never part company with it. Give me an age number. The last time I recall, there was not an age number stamped on a person's forehead.
Best way to address several of your negatives....do an axel swap. That also brings you better gearing and a much beefier setup overall. Those axels go really well in my '06 TJ that has been re-powered with a GM LT350 motor.
Here in Australia I'm thankful that we don't have the same common frame rot issues, but the rest of the list is definitely relatable. One major downfall I think is the slip yoke on the non-Rubicon TJ's. Another would be the D35 in the back, not an issue here in Aus since all TJ's came with D44's, but still notable. With the brakes, some people here adapt later model Ford Falcon discs and rotors to the TJ/XJ knuckles. A decent upgrade over stock. Great video all round!
Issue #6 would be the _weakling Dana35c rear axle_ : anything above stock tire size and it'll grenade = mine broke at a stoplight after Jeep TJ hit a patch of new pavement paint for a crosswalk...it was raining heavily causing tire spin on the new water drenched new paint...rear aftermarket locker caused 30.8" tires to break the carrier after Jeep got traction again.
I have a 2004 TJ. I’m the original owner. It has about 125,000 miles on it and it’s been great. No rust. I keep it oiled and I drilled a hole in the frame to drain. 🤷♀️
@@kieranwright8723at the low points i also sprayed linseed oil thinned a little with paint thinner. also plug the factory frame hole especially in the rear
I moved to New Mexico.... fortunately you can leave something sit out in the weeds for 50 years and it won't rust. I own a 2006 rubicon and a 2001 tacoma 4x4. Zero rust issues. Both have the original mufflers even
@@chrisniner8772 i spent some winters in the sw would see old cars/trucks on the road where most of the paint was gone but no rust...dry air and no salt
In regards to the breaks you are able to upgrade to WJ knuckles and brakes and run and lager rotor and a dual piston setup. There is not lot of options due to the dana 30 being such a weak axle.
Was fortunate to find an immaculate frame on my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn 4.0L after passing on many '00-'02 TJ Saharas with rotted out frames. Rear main seal is always an issue. Had to address that week one. My heater core needs to be replaced yet again after just getting it replaced in late '19! 🤨 I love the short wheelbase, it just harkens back to the amazing MB, my '05 Rocky Mtn is amazing off-road, so nimble and very capable. I see all these 4 dr limos just getting hung up all the time. Not fun dealing with limo winching, it's like watching flies ***k. I can't stand the site of 4 dr limos, especially ones with hardtops, seeing these types cocooning its passengers. That's not a f n Jeep! I got rid of that pathetic toothpick stock steering immediately, Chrysler absolutely sucks! Thank God they didn't replace the best engine ever put in any Jeep, the AMC 4.0 My last grip is the crows feet that are notorious especially on black TJ's like mine. Fortunately, my hood is mostly a hood vent now. Still, I have to paint this Rocky Mtn due to the lousy Chrysler paint. Jeep Born: 1941 Died: 2006
Wish I could get a gen5 G26 with gray, battlefield green, or least FDE frame, want another but want something other than black. Like the Gray, wish I could swap all Mine out for it but don’t feel like losing money selling Glocks and having to buy night sights just for color frame.
Used prices is a problem if you're a guy like me trying to find a quality TJ. Lots of junk out there for $13K+... very frustrating to get a quality one with no frame rust for under $16K,
Took me nearly a year but I found a 98 TJ with low miles and no rust for under $7K, new top, winch and tires with 5 speed, some small issues but it is 25 yrs. old, they are out there.
Thanks for stating the obvious. This video was about the Jeep Wrangler TJ, which happens to be one of the more notorious frames for rust. Not all vehicles suffer from rust as severe as these.
False... I've had cars with almost 300k miles with no rust. My jeep rusts just by looking at it... and I live in Dallas Texas... I have to coat the frame yearly and still find spots. Its a rust bucket
6, the battery sensor underneath the battery. On a hot day it lowers the charging rate and causes your battery to die. I called interstate battery and checked. The temp management is not needed and was taken out of the later year designs. I replaced the sensor with a 14k ohm resistor and no problems for over a year.
@@jeepsblackpowderandlights4305 the test engineer at interstate battery said the batteries now prefer 14V constant charge, and that there will be no issues caused by this. You are just tricking the system into thinking it is 80 degrees outside. In the CA heat it is an issue +100F days it causes the charge rate to be too low, draining the battery. You don’t notice because guys usually try swapping in bigger alternators because they don’t realize the issue is the sensor.
@@JDelta777 i have the facyory 150 amp alternator on my 98 Grand Cherokee.. notice no diff. But hey maybe ur right. Maybe youre not. My older Jeep grand wagoneer doesnt have it. And charges constantly at 14.0-14.4v and its battery leaks from the caps a little i suspected its from overcharging it. As its the same battery and same amperage alterbatir 150a
I’d just posted a question on the other TJ-flaws- video and I think I read a comment here about the gauge clusters going on and off. So must be a known issue?
2004 Rubi factory except warn front bumper, brush guard, winch. I push my jeep to its limit, never felt the need to jack it up all crazy. My jeep is all kinds of beat up. People with their rigs all jacked up never seem to have many trail battle scars. 😂
you have to upgrade ALL Jeep steering if you put gigger tires on, so how is that a Major Flaw for the TJ's ? Nothing wrong with the wheel base, it is what you do with it. I know people that make the wheel base shorter then stock
@chriscarpenter5139 It's a well known issue and there's rust on pretty much every single one you're interested in buying. Takes a LONGGGGGG time to find a good condition one.
Most of these aren't flaws of the TJ. They're flaws of your modified Jeep in a poor climate. But instead of complaining, here's a few real flaws of the TJ (when left as jeep designed it) that I have encountered one way or another in my three years of ownership. The 00-06 4 liter cylinder heads can crack between the #3 and 4 cylinders (TUPY heads included), though its likelihood is a bit overexaggerated. The gauge cluster contacts can be intermittent causing cluster to turn on and off randomly. The cast iron engines water jacket is prone to rust formation and releasing sediment into the radiator core, requiring frequent back flushes. The heater core hoses are above the rad cap, requiring a vacuum fill or a very large funnel to bring coolant level above hoses in order to burp the system properly. The voltage regulator is not a part of the alternator like many Japanese cars, it is soldered to the ECU and the ECU is potted, making rework extremely difficult if it fails. The oil pressure gauges on the later TJ's are not accurate and instead function like an idiot light. Always point at 40psi unless extremely low or high. The fuse panels vary greatly by VIN, making troubleshooting electrical rather difficult. The rear track bar bolt on the axle side is extremely close to the gas tank, and requires a T55 torx. Extremely difficult to remove, and should never be reused as it was fully threaded rather than having a shank for the bushing to ride on. The threads get wallowed out by the bushing over the years. Not sure why Jeep made that mistake. Pretty big oversight. Overall they're great vehicles. I daily drive mine. 218,00 miles. Roughly 12,000 miles a year for the last three years.
Im not a fan of wranglers. Any of em.. Too small. No utilitarian use. Everyone has one. Narrow wheel base and flip too easily. I prefer FSJs or ZJs myself The frame rot on those though. If yours doesnt have it. Id consider drilling holes in the frame to help prevent it
Ethan stop making videos as if you know much of anything.. More wheeling and action content. Thankfully for yourself you finally replaced that terrible lift.
@@_everydayoffroad_ you’re welcome for the support, hope you make a million. More wheeling less talk. Your latest walk around of your TJ with your new lift explanation is lack severally. TJ wrangler fcbk group isn’t going to give you all the info you need. But good on you for finally replacing that terrible lift. You talking and giving bad information because of your lack of understanding won’t do you any favors. Just wheel and keep learning.
@@_everydayoffroad_ on a other note, you’re still too high. Uptravel lowers center of gravity, gains stability, and is more capable. Your factory rear sway is still of a hinderance. Far better than before though. Looks much better.
For the steering, the factory drag link isn’t the issue but the tie rod is, a cheap upgrade for a TJ is the tie rod off a V8 ZJ as it was a solid bar not a hollow one like the factory TJ tie rod.
The brakes aren’t horrible, remember the TJ is a small vehicle, it wasn’t designed for big tires. So running the factory axle on 35’s or smaller is really all that’s recommended. It’s not just a issue of the brakes but also the ball joints and unit bearings.
The TJ was peak jeep but you need to understand it’s limits with factory components, if you are on 37’s or larger you need to look at a axle swap.
The wheelbase isn’t really a issue either as long as you keep it on 35’s or smaller.
People get so stuck on tire size now a days and they don’t understand that a TJ with a 4” lift on 33’s that’s setup properly and has a good driver will go anywhere. It’s not meant to be a big jeep.
The axle housings on both the jk and the JL are technically weaker than the TJ. JK’s like to bend c’s and housings and the JL has a CAD which is proven to be a weak design.
To me it sounds like you don’t understand what makes the TJ so great.
The rust issue is a serious issue.
Other than that the TJ is peak wrangler
Might be bad things on the TJ, but I’d take one over a JK any day of the week!!! TJs we’re the last REAL Jeeps made
Yes!
I completely agree!
Second this
Agree
With the JK, I’ll take the 3.8 over that POS 3.6
My frame rust was ahead of the rear tire, in the frame elbow. I opened my frame and cleaned it out, and painted the inside before I welded the patches back in. I haven't had steering problems, but I'm running 33s. Not huge tires. I love the short wheelbase. Yes, ledges can be tricky, but so can squeezing in tight spots, when 4 doors are just too big. Jeeps weren't supposed to be that big.
My dad is getting up there in age. He sold me his 2000 TJ with the inline 6 for $3.5k ( the father-son discount) with 140k miles, zero frame rust (no snow here in the California bay area )and all original. I must say this thing is a joy to work on and drive. I love its small size and nimbleness. I owned a 3rd gen tacoma before getting this TJ and I must say its growing on me very fast! Am I slowly being converted to a Jeep guy?? lol
I had a rear ujoint go on my rear driveshaft - took all of 5 minutes to pull the tiny driveshaft and cruise home in 4h. Miss it, frame rust got it.
Define or what do you call "getting up there in age?" I am the original owner of a TJ, and, let me tell you, I would never part company with it. Give me an age number. The last time I recall, there was not an age number stamped on a person's forehead.
Best way to address several of your negatives....do an axel swap. That also brings you better gearing and a much beefier setup overall. Those axels go really well in my '06 TJ that has been re-powered with a GM LT350 motor.
Thank you for this excellent educational video. I learned a lot!
Here in Australia I'm thankful that we don't have the same common frame rot issues, but the rest of the list is definitely relatable. One major downfall I think is the slip yoke on the non-Rubicon TJ's. Another would be the D35 in the back, not an issue here in Aus since all TJ's came with D44's, but still notable.
With the brakes, some people here adapt later model Ford Falcon discs and rotors to the TJ/XJ knuckles. A decent upgrade over stock.
Great video all round!
Thank you! And I didn’t know that all Tj’s in Australia came with the Dana 44. That’s cool!
@@_everydayoffroad_ yeah, I think we are pretty lucky. I just wish all our fronts were D44’s too. 😂
Black magic brakes makes an upgraded knuckle to run a dual piston caliper with a 15 inch wheel and all the way up too 17 inch wheel
Good to know. Black magic makes some good stuff for our TJ’s
The stuff is pricey but top quality
Immediately came in here to say that! 👍🏼
Issue #6 would be the _weakling Dana35c rear axle_ : anything above stock tire size and it'll grenade = mine broke at a stoplight after Jeep TJ hit a patch of new pavement paint for a crosswalk...it was raining heavily causing tire spin on the new water drenched new paint...rear aftermarket locker caused 30.8" tires to break the carrier after Jeep got traction again.
I have a 2004 TJ. I’m the original owner. It has about 125,000 miles on it and it’s been great. No rust. I keep it oiled and I drilled a hole in the frame to drain. 🤷♀️
Where did you drill if you dont mind me asking
@@kieranwright8723at the low points i also sprayed linseed oil thinned a little with paint thinner. also plug the factory frame hole especially in the rear
I moved to New Mexico.... fortunately you can leave something sit out in the weeds for 50 years and it won't rust. I own a 2006 rubicon and a 2001 tacoma 4x4. Zero rust issues. Both have the original mufflers even
@@chrisniner8772 i spent some winters in the sw would see old cars/trucks on the road where most of the paint was gone but no rust...dry air and no salt
In regards to the breaks you are able to upgrade to WJ knuckles and brakes and run and lager rotor and a dual piston setup. There is not lot of options due to the dana 30 being such a weak axle.
Yeah but when you go to WJ knuckles you have quite a bit of modifications because you have to move the track bar then
Good looking rig! What is the front bumper you have? Who makes it? Thanks.
Great video.. regarding wheel base. Any plans on stretching the rear or front? Would like to see that in one of your project. Thank you
We will stretch a Jeep on the channel one day, but not this one. Thanks for watching!
Was fortunate to find an immaculate frame on my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn 4.0L after passing on many '00-'02 TJ Saharas with rotted out frames.
Rear main seal is always an issue. Had to address that week one.
My heater core needs to be replaced yet again after just getting it replaced in late '19! 🤨
I love the short wheelbase, it just harkens back to the amazing MB, my '05 Rocky Mtn is amazing off-road, so nimble and very capable. I see all these 4 dr limos just getting hung up all the time. Not fun dealing with limo winching, it's like watching flies ***k. I can't stand the site of 4 dr limos, especially ones with hardtops, seeing these types cocooning its passengers. That's not a f n Jeep!
I got rid of that pathetic toothpick stock steering immediately, Chrysler absolutely sucks! Thank God they didn't replace the best engine ever put in any Jeep, the AMC 4.0
My last grip is the crows feet that are notorious especially on black TJ's like mine. Fortunately, my hood is mostly a hood vent now. Still, I have to paint this Rocky Mtn due to the lousy Chrysler paint.
Jeep
Born: 1941
Died: 2006
Wish I could get a gen5 G26 with gray, battlefield green, or least FDE frame, want another but want something other than black. Like the Gray, wish I could swap all
Mine out for it but don’t feel like losing money selling Glocks and having to buy night sights just for color frame.
The 2.5 L engine mated to a 3 speed auto is the biggest downfall.
Used prices is a problem if you're a guy like me trying to find a quality TJ. Lots of junk out there for $13K+... very frustrating to get a quality one with no frame rust for under $16K,
Took me nearly a year but I found a 98 TJ with low miles and no rust for under $7K, new top, winch and tires with 5 speed, some small issues but it is 25 yrs. old, they are out there.
Rust is NOT a jeep problem!! Rust is EVERY car's problem.
Thanks for stating the obvious. This video was about the Jeep Wrangler TJ, which happens to be one of the more notorious frames for rust. Not all vehicles suffer from rust as severe as these.
Nonsense. It just your opinion unless you back it up with data.
False... I've had cars with almost 300k miles with no rust. My jeep rusts just by looking at it... and I live in Dallas Texas... I have to coat the frame yearly and still find spots. Its a rust bucket
6, the battery sensor underneath the battery. On a hot day it lowers the charging rate and causes your battery to die. I called interstate battery and checked. The temp management is not needed and was taken out of the later year designs. I replaced the sensor with a 14k ohm resistor and no problems for over a year.
Good info, didn’t know that. I completely removed mine during the high line fender install.
That's a super handy tip! I'll look into this with one of mine, it's a 1996 build. Cheers!
Hmmm our ZJs have it. No issues. You dont want your battery to charge too high when its hot out
@@jeepsblackpowderandlights4305 the test engineer at interstate battery said the batteries now prefer 14V constant charge, and that there will be no issues caused by this. You are just tricking the system into thinking it is 80 degrees outside. In the CA heat it is an issue +100F days it causes the charge rate to be too low, draining the battery. You don’t notice because guys usually try swapping in bigger alternators because they don’t realize the issue is the sensor.
@@JDelta777 i have the facyory 150 amp alternator on my 98 Grand Cherokee.. notice no diff. But hey maybe ur right. Maybe youre not.
My older Jeep grand wagoneer doesnt have it. And charges constantly at 14.0-14.4v and its battery leaks from the caps a little i suspected its from overcharging it. As its the same battery and same amperage alterbatir 150a
I’d just posted a question on the other TJ-flaws- video and I think I read a comment here about the gauge clusters going on and off. So must be a known issue?
I live in texas and my jeep rusts by just looking at it without any mud.... its a jeep crappy metal problem, not a "northeast state" problem
2004 Rubi factory except warn front bumper, brush guard, winch. I push my jeep to its limit, never felt the need to jack it up all crazy. My jeep is all kinds of beat up. People with their rigs all jacked up never seem to have many trail battle scars. 😂
Are the roll bar. Oversized stock? I need to replace mine
Meant to say are the covers stock?
you have to upgrade ALL Jeep steering if you put gigger tires on, so how is that a Major Flaw for the TJ's ?
Nothing wrong with the wheel base, it is what you do with it. I know people that make the wheel base shorter then stock
Flaw 3 isn't really a flaw. TJs will have the Dana 30 or Dana 44. 38-40" tires you need Dana 60 axle anyways, so not a flaw if you're rolling Dana 30
I've never heard of frame rot on the tj I've owned several lol
Have you been living under a rock? Lol. Any TJ from up north is likely to have rust
@chriscarpenter5139 It's a well known issue and there's rust on pretty much every single one you're interested in buying.
Takes a LONGGGGGG time to find a good condition one.
Wish they would invent something to make jeeps out of that did not corrode.
Frame, frame, frame, frame & frame.
Most of these aren't flaws of the TJ. They're flaws of your modified Jeep in a poor climate.
But instead of complaining, here's a few real flaws of the TJ (when left as jeep designed it) that I have encountered one way or another in my three years of ownership.
The 00-06 4 liter cylinder heads can crack between the #3 and 4 cylinders (TUPY heads included), though its likelihood is a bit overexaggerated.
The gauge cluster contacts can be intermittent causing cluster to turn on and off randomly.
The cast iron engines water jacket is prone to rust formation and releasing sediment into the radiator core, requiring frequent back flushes.
The heater core hoses are above the rad cap, requiring a vacuum fill or a very large funnel to bring coolant level above hoses in order to burp the system properly.
The voltage regulator is not a part of the alternator like many Japanese cars, it is soldered to the ECU and the ECU is potted, making rework extremely difficult if it fails.
The oil pressure gauges on the later TJ's are not accurate and instead function like an idiot light. Always point at 40psi unless extremely low or high.
The fuse panels vary greatly by VIN, making troubleshooting electrical rather difficult.
The rear track bar bolt on the axle side is extremely close to the gas tank, and requires a T55 torx. Extremely difficult to remove, and should never be reused as it was fully threaded rather than having a shank for the bushing to ride on. The threads get wallowed out by the bushing over the years. Not sure why Jeep made that mistake. Pretty big oversight.
Overall they're great vehicles. I daily drive mine. 218,00 miles. Roughly 12,000 miles a year for the last three years.
Sounds like a piece of shit
Is the gauge cluster contacts an easy repair?
Fenders are a ticket waiting to happen 0:28
Ha. Good luck getting pulled over in Alabama for that. There are way worse things on the road here than a Jeep with 2” flares.
Im not a fan of wranglers. Any of em.. Too small. No utilitarian use. Everyone has one. Narrow wheel base and flip too easily. I prefer FSJs or ZJs myself
The frame rot on those though. If yours doesnt have it. Id consider drilling holes in the frame to help prevent it
Ethan stop making videos as if you know much of anything.. More wheeling and action content. Thankfully for yourself you finally replaced that terrible lift.
😂 this may be my favorite one yet. Thanks for the support!
@@_everydayoffroad_ you’re welcome for the support, hope you make a million. More wheeling less talk.
Your latest walk around of your TJ with your new lift explanation is lack severally. TJ wrangler fcbk group isn’t going to give you all the info you need. But good on you for finally replacing that terrible lift. You talking and giving bad information because of your lack of understanding won’t do you any favors.
Just wheel and keep learning.
@@_everydayoffroad_ on a other note, you’re still too high. Uptravel lowers center of gravity, gains stability, and is more capable.
Your factory rear sway is still of a hinderance. Far better than before though. Looks much better.