Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0 Build Log

[Martynt74]

Literally calling you a pleb.

Truer words have not been spoken.

Last post for a little while. I ummed and ahhed about buying a roll cage sound bar. Again availability outside the US is scarce. I found one in the UK for £125, it feels excessive since the Jeep has already been upgraded with door mounted speakers/tweeters. However there was an urge to get it anyway.

That should be the end of car purchases for a while. I do also want a head unit. I came across the Blaupunkt Toronto 420BT which is from a "retro" looking Blaupunkt range. This was an older model which came with a rear mounted USB which i'd like. However it was sold by a charity shop on Ebay and seems someone had put the wrong item in the box so it wasn't the above stereo.
Means i now have to decide between a cheaper new model of the Blaupunkt and do without the USB (not *too* important), or keep looking for an older model with USB.

Read a few posts about using magic sponges on the hard top, so curious to see how that works. There's a lot of chemical based stuff i can't get in Spain, so still debating whether to stock up on Lanoguard and Flood Penetrol for the wheel arches/hardtop.

 

[Martynt74]

So i'm back in Spain, now for good. For any readers of my post in GL, we've done a around 1500km the last 3 weeks and this thing isn't the ideal vehicle for that. Have spent around €350 in petrol so far and the journies up the motorway have been fairly unpleasant to say the least! Still an absolute hoot to drive on smaller roads though and i think i'd doing my wifes head in by purposely picking the worst roads possible. One estate agent was cracking up as a house developer took a wrong turn and had to do a 5 point turn. I just mounted the bank to do it in one

Managed to the get the centre console in. Sadly it's got a little warped in transit and the plate for the auto shifter doesn't "click" into place as it should. I'll need to remedy that. It'll be coming out when i dynomat the tub anyway.

Had also been meaning to get a new stereo and this arrived today. The old one was some garish Kenwood non bluetooth head unit. This one adds bluetooth whilst giving a much cleaner look. @Funky-Melon can be thanked for the Carplay unit on the top. This thing fits almost like it was factory fitted (excluding the current cables)

The main issue is that this is our only vehicle and so any jobs i want to do leave us without any means of getting around, and the nearest shop is ~3 miles away along unlit roads. I was supposed to be buying my dads old Citroen C3 off him but for some reason he still uses it the most despite now having 2 other cars he's recently bought. He just seems to love that thing!
I've debated with picking up an old cheap diesel barge for long journeys. However we've had some issues with the mortgage people and so spending €3k on a car means ~€10k off our house purchase due to lending restrictions so think we'll stick with the Jeep till thats sorted.

I've fitted Rivnuts into the frame for the side steps, but need to get a local garage/welders to fit new back plates to the steps as the holes don't line up. Hopefully that won't take long. Installing the Rivnuts was hard enough. I made the DIY tool that everyone swears by but managed to install 2 through luck and could never work out what was wrong. So bought a proper insert tool off Amazon.

Seats should be an easy one. Just need to get some steel holed plats to mount them i imagine.

Have also booked it into a local garage to check alignment. The steering wheel sits off to the left, and given the bent bonnet and door, i want to get the frame checked out and bent control arm. Whilst there i've also asked for any rubber boots/bushings to be replaced. This thing is 25yrs old and with only 56000km on it, i imagine a lot of stuff normally replaced at mileage internals has been left. As such everything rubber is pretty dry and crumbly, especially given the climate here. Something i'd like to do myself in time, however whilst it's our only car we can't afford for me to take ages/risk me not getting things back together!

 

[Martynt74]

Well, dropped the Jeep off on the 21st November and picked it up today. You might wonder what the garage were doing in all that time, and well, frankly, so was i! I've chased them up a few times and it's always up on a ramp in different bays of the garage (they have 6 in total), so i assumed it was being worked on.

On the 29th i chased them up again, only for the guy to mention that they don't actually have a jig that can bend the subframe into shape. So the whole point of dropping it off and at no point did he mention this at the time! They have fixed the lower control arm though, done a general review and replaced some worn out seals. I paniced at first when i came to pay but was less than €100. Fairly surprising as it's certainly been up on the ramps for a long time so had a fair few man hours even if they didn't fix things.

I have also bought an old Kia Sportage for long journeys and hauling stuff around. That means the Jeep can spend time in piece without worrying we have no vehicle. Hopefully can get some bits done this weekend if i manage to get a break from work.

 

[jpaul]

On the 29th i chased them up again, only for the guy to mention that they don't actually have a jig that can bend the subframe into shape. So the whole point of dropping it off and at no point did he mention this at the time! They have fixed the lower control arm though, done a general review and replaced some worn out seals. I paniced at first when i came to pay but was less than €100. Fairly surprising as it's certainly been up on the ramps for a long time so had a fair few man hours even if they didn't fix things

we missed an episode - you had an offroad excursion ?

 

[Martynt74]

we missed an episode - you had an offroad excursion ?

Nah, was like this upon delivery. Can see it on the bonnet in post #44 where the gap isn't even.

The mechanic pretty much said it's an expensive job even if you can find the right place, so i think i'll live with it. It drives well (although fixing the lower control mount has ruined the tracking). The wind noise of the ill fitting roof isn't as big an issue since i've picked up the Sportage.

 

[Martynt74]

Bad times. Was driving up to my parents, and coming off a slip road from the motorway onto a roundabout which was clear so didn't slow as much as usual when the steering completely locked up and the brakes didn't seem to work as well as normal either.

Went straight into a lamppost which luckily stopped me going down a verge and back onto the motorway! Brain didn't process going to the handbrake sadly, but must've all happened in only around 5 seconds from no steering to hitting lamppost.

Front of the Jeep is a bit of a mess, but luckily the axle seems ok, so am hoping it's just a new bonnet/fender. The grill *might* be ok and straighten out. Radiator probably needs replacing and then whatever else needs putting back.

Luckily my wife was following behind so wasn't in the car with me, and my only injury is from jarring my leg as it was slamming onto the brake pedal during the impact. Think she was more shook up than me because must be horrible to watch that happening!

Was still drivable so i made it to a local industrial estate where there's a few garages and even a place with stocks Jeep parts! Will try and find out the extent tomorrow.

Shame about timing really as we're in the process of building a house and so funds are limited. I'll get it repaired, but it would've been a good opportunity to throw in some upgrades/repaint in normal circumstances.

 

[jpaul]

Sad - glad you are OK ... had there only been rain recently so you end up with more greasy roundabouts than normal, and tyre grip not so good,
last off-road I had in UK 2022 winter, might have I thought been helped by proverbial all-season tyres

were you obliged to bring in your insurance company.

 

[Martynt74]

Sad - glad you are OK ... had there only been rain recently so you end up with more greasy roundabouts than normal, and tyre grip not so good,
last off-road I had in UK 2022 winter, might have I thought been helped by proverbial all-season tyres

were you obliged to bring in your insurance company.

It had been raining quite a bit, but don't think it was that (apart from maybe braking performance), but the steering was locked as in the steering wheel wouldn't even turn to let me try and avoid the impact.

Haven't told them. I should probably head back and make sure there's no damage to the post, but it's only insured 3rd party fire and theft so no real benefit i don't think.

 

[Martynt74]

Might not make out the year due to murder by the wife.

Been in contact with the Jeep parts supplier. Having some problems sourcing standard sized "Fender Flares" (the black plastic bits outside the wheel arch). Can get the wider ones easy enough. Wheel spacers are €218 and still wouldn't quite fill the gap properly, but he can sell me a set of wider Chrome wheels and tyres for around €700.

Man maths says I could probably sell my 5 wheels for around €250 (or keep as spares) and then 3 non destroyed fender flares for a bit too.

The Jeep would then look a little better as i much prefer the wider look

Also the Jeep community is awesome. Finding an OEM sway bar is proving difficult. Can only get a Currie Antirock which is €730 and softer and more geared to off roading. I posted about it on a Jeep forum and some guy in the US is willing to send me one for free with postage being around $100. He's then also trying to source some other bits for me which i need to fit into the package.

Then someone in Spain (There's a Jeep Spain Whatsapp group) has 2 spare radiators he's willing to post to me for €50 vs buying a new one at €160


Downside is that the mechanic has said the Jeep isn't drivable as the steering rod is ******. It's currently at one garage, but i'd really like to get it to a 4x4 specialist which is closer to my home around 70km away. I drove it a few miles from the crash site, but don't really fancy my chances over 70km! and it'd be pretty reckless if anything went wrong. Towing is also illegal here i've been told. Need to get quotes from a breakdown company i guess. The upside is at least it drives so can be loaded onto a trailer.

 

[GarethSouthgate]

Has the front slam panel/chassis been pushed inwards?

Lucky escape there. Any idea what caused it? Power/vacuum loss?

 

[Martynt74]

Has the front slam panel/chassis been pushed inwards?

Lucky escape there. Any idea what caused it? Power/vacuum loss?

No. Chassis has escaped unharmed it seems.

A few people on the Jeep page suggest that an engine stall could’ve caused the loss of steering/breaking.
Would be weird because it’s Automatic but limited explanations otherwise.

Garage don’t seem to have offered much explanation either. Again probably slight issue with language barrier.

 

[GarethSouthgate]

Sound dodgy. Not sure I'd trust it again!

 

[Martynt74]

Sound dodgy. Not sure I'd trust it again!

Partly why I’m trying to get it in at this 4x4 place.

They build massive off road 4x4’s every day and so should know these things better than most.

 

[Martynt74]

Well, i spoke to the mechanic who suggested it should be ok to drive as long as it was close and i was careful. I figured i could tackle a few of the repairs myself and then get the garage to check it over afterwards. Good learning for me and saves some cash.

On the way home (<5 miles) it stalled 4 times and needed jump starting each time. Usually at a junction when revs would be low. At each time the same thing happened. With a little more knowledge, it seems the steering didn't actually lock up, just went super heavy as the PS will have gone so felt as if it did during the initial occurrence. Now at least i knew what to expect and so just steered "hard" to get to the side of the road.

The radiator also seems to have got punctured so the engine was starting to overheat, so i pulled over and called the recovery truck. It just wasn't safe. It's now on it's way to a 4x4 specialist down near Alicante.

A sad day but hopefully it won't be too long before it's back on the road.

 

[Rroff]

At each time the same thing happened. With a little more knowledge, it seems the steering didn't actually lock up, just went super heavy as the PS will have gone so felt as if it did during the initial occurrence. Now at least i knew what to expect and so just steered "hard" to get to the side of the road.

It is scary on some vehicles just how much trouble you are in if the PS goes and you aren't prepared for it - some of the vehicles I drive if you aren't in the right position to apply leverage you are screwed :s and I'm reasonably strong.

 

[Lopéz]

Haven't told them. I should probably head back and make sure there's no damage to the post, but it's only insured 3rd party fire and theft so no real benefit i don't think.

Have you got similar rules to us for insurance? Most firms here won't give anything over TPO on a car that's over ten years old unless it's a specialist or by specific agreement.

 

[Martynt74]

Have you got similar rules to us for insurance? Most firms here won't give anything over TPO on a car that's over ten years old unless it's a specialist or by specific agreement.

Yeah. That sounds about the same. Might be slightly older than then but at 25yrs there was no chance unless it’s registered as a classic car, garages and part of a classic car club.

However it also doesn’t meet the criteria for most car clubs!

The main issue was limited mileage of only 3000km a year. Although might be less of an issue since we have the Kia now.

 

[Martynt74]

Funnily i went down to the airport to get my mother in law last night, and on the way thought i'd pop by the garage as since leaving it with the recovery guy last Monday, i've had absolutely no update to say it's been delivered from either the recovery guy/garage!

Upon turning on the industrial estate i knew i was in good hands. The grounds are absolutely rammed with various 4x4's of all varieties. Old Jeeps, new Jeeps (Wranglers and Cherokees mainly), old land rovers. Nissan Patrols, land cruisers. Even a few heavily modded Porsche Cayennes!

This was the first row of cars parked up. There are probably around 3x as many as this (image from Facebook)

I pulled around the back and my tiny little stock TJ looked like when you're in a car park and think you've spotted a space only to find a tiny Smart Car lurking behind an X5 of something! Sadly i didn't grab a photo as it was getting dark. Am heading back Friday so will do then.