Jeep pics

[tjZ06]

Here’s my 1974ish circus of a jeep. 74 frame, 76ish body, 90’s l98 engine, Dana 60/44 rear and front, wilwood brakes, still sitting on 38s that are starting to wear down pretty good, but off the shelf 38s aren’t easy to come by.  
 

It likes to run hot on the freeway, rides rough, and has that pre smog no cat stank to it.  But if I throw tiny tires on it, I can fit my toyhauler, and if I go light on water I don’t go over gvwr, so that’s cool.

 My biggest gripe with it, other than over hearing on fast drives, is the crappy driveline angle likes to take out the rear u joint at flex, and I absolutely need to remove the spill in the rear diff. That’s next months project, get that spool out. 
 

as far as where I wheel? It’s Crapty, but I hardly have time to go to the desert. That’s why I sold my sandrail to fund this project. Work takes all my time, wife and kids take the rest. At least I can cruise the coast and enjoy this mall rated jeep more often than my rail. Glamis, ocotillo, Parker, and el mirage have all been good to me so far though.

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Super cool rig, you nailed the stance/look (other than the last pic ).  I really dig the rear fender openings just being brought straight back for the axle relocation, some might not like it, but I dig it.  

Can I join the club?

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The first time your credit card melts you're in!

Sold this commando 2 years ago.

Just spoke to the new owner a couple days ago and he's selling it due to lack of use.

Tempted to buy it back. Such a fun rig.

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Do it, do it!  Buy it back, that thing is sweet. 

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Nice. 



-TJ

 

[wapawekka]

Picked it up yesterday. Want to do a 2.5 inch lift on 35s and wheels. Not sure what else I’ll do. Mostly used for towing behind motorhome. 

 

[tjZ06]

Finally got the WJ back out to do some more testing.  All-in-all it works great.  It's incredibly comfortable to drive on the pavement, cruises along at 80 MPH like a regular soccer-Mom Grand Cherokee, then does stuff like this:





To be fair, I didn't drive all the way over right there, I was just using the rock to test flex and clearance.  With the fender work we've done, it cleared everything even flexed out:





I did drive all the way over that rock too, but a little lower down:



Anyway, just some Jeep pics 'n stuff:

























-TJ

 

[tjZ06]

 

[ElCaminoManT]

 

[tjZ06]

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How'd it do towing?  I just did about 2k miles towing with one of our WK2s, about 700 of those were off road.  It did wonderfully! 





-TJ
 

 

[Joey]

My stretched wrangler on 42s, kp 60 front with Reid knuckles,14b rear, air lockers front and rear, atlas tcase ,linked front and rear on coil overs, hydro assist steering, gen right tank

 

[Poule43]

Can I join the club?

Yes...... BUT......Only because there is a cool :atc70:  on the front of that trailer and your wife is a sweetie.....otherwise the answer would be NO !  

oule:

 

[zilla68]

my buddy just finished this jeep. no expense spared, all new interior, suspension, hell don't think he reused anything off it, replaced it all. 

 

[ElCaminoManT]

How'd it do towing?  I just did about 2k miles towing with one of our WK2s, about 700 of those were off road.  It did wonderfully! 

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-TJ
 

No idea. Without a brake controller in the new Jeep, I didn’t feel comfortable to even go around the neighborhood as even in the yard it felt HEAVY on it. The ZJ on that trailer is about 6500lbs together and the WK2 is only rated to tow 6200lbs anyway. I was doing some mods/upgrades to the trailer and wanted to test them out so it was the perfect opportunity for a picture. 28 years between those two, first year of the ZJ and the last year of the WK2.

 

[tjZ06]

No idea. Without a brake controller in the new Jeep, I didn’t feel comfortable to even go around the neighborhood as even in the yard it felt HEAVY on it. The ZJ on that trailer is about 6500lbs together and the WK2 is only rated to tow 6200lbs anyway. I was doing some mods/upgrades to the trailer and wanted to test them out so it was the perfect opportunity for a picture. 28 years between those two, first year of the ZJ and the last year of the WK2.

Ah, gotcha.  I added a brake controller on my Trailhawk even for my little camping trailer (weighed 2800lbs with the front basket full of hardwood firewood and the water tank full, with all my gear/food/etc. for a ~week trip).  The nice thing is it's a plug 'n play harness, there's an open connector up under the dash by the e-brake for it.  I just used a couple self tappers to mount it on the dash bellow the headlight switch area.  I really didn't want to drill into the dash, but at the end of the day it's needed and I've tried things like this: https://www.amazon.com/CURT-51180-Controller-Bluetooth-Enabled-Proportional/dp/B07JQ99SDD and it just didn't work well enough for me to be comfortable with it.  

-TJ

 

[ElCaminoManT]

Ah, gotcha.  I added a brake controller on my Trailhawk even for my little camping trailer (weighed 2800lbs with the front basket full of hardwood firewood and the water tank full, with all my gear/food/etc. for a ~week trip).  The nice thing is it's a plug 'n play harness, there's an open connector up under the dash by the e-brake for it.  I just used a couple self tappers to mount it on the dash bellow the headlight switch area.  I really didn't want to drill into the dash, but at the end of the day it's needed and I've tried things like this: https://www.amazon.com/CURT-51180-Controller-Bluetooth-Enabled-Proportional/dp/B07JQ99SDD and it just didn't work well enough for me to be comfortable with it.  

-TJ

I'm definitely going to install a controller at some point, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Thinking about this one: https://www.amazon.com/CURT-51170-Equipment-Controller-Proportional/dp/B07CZTXL8P Otherwise a trusty Prodigy unit since I have been using them for YEARS now.

I see Mopar has come out with an integral retrofit unit for the Gladiator now. No idea if it would be possible to install into a WK2, I doubt they'd do that for a now-old platform.

 

[wapawekka]

Santiago Peek in OC then dropped down on to Ortega Hwy by Lake Elsinore. I’m definitely getting the Jeep itch. Got plenty of things on order, just waiting for manufacturers to catch up. Anybody got any local So Cal trail suggestions? 
 

 

[ElCaminoManT]

GC’s first dirt last week up Silver Canyon outside of Bishop. Then out on Owens Lake. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s not Ol Flakey and I can’t just point it and shoot down whatever bushy trail like I’ve become so used to. The low front bumper is another thing. But, it’s not a trail rig by any means. Sand mode impressed me when I got into a jam tho, jumped right up and out of the sand pit I inadvertently got myself into.

 

[Kraut_n_Rice]

GC’s first dirt last week up Silver Canyon outside of Bishop. Then out on Owens Lake. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s not Ol Flakey and I can’t just point it and shoot down whatever bushy trail like I’ve become so used to. The low front bumper is another thing. But, it’s not a trail rig by any means. Sand mode impressed me when I got into a jam tho, jumped right up and out of the sand pit I inadvertently got myself into.

If you are a regular of Matt's off-road recovery, this is a feature most other manufactures should look into...

 

[Rockwood]

 

[wapawekka]

Idyllwild today.

 

[1HasBeen]

GC’s first dirt last week up Silver Canyon outside of Bishop. Then out on Owens Lake. I had to keep reminding myself that it’s not Ol Flakey and I can’t just point it and shoot down whatever bushy trail like I’ve become so used to. The low front bumper is another thing. But, it’s not a trail rig by any means. Sand mode impressed me when I got into a jam tho, jumped right up and out of the sand pit I inadvertently got myself into.

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We bought a '20 WK2 as my wife's daily driver. Have you looked into skid plates? I only browsed a little, but came up empty. That plastic ZF transmission pan is a wee bit scary on a rock strewn trail.

 

[ElCaminoManT]

Idyllwild today.

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Rouse Ridge/Thomas Mountain, nice trail!

We bought a '20 WK2 as my wife's daily driver. Have you looked into skid plates? I only browsed a little, but came up empty. That plastic ZF transmission pan is a wee bit scary on a rock strewn trail.

I haven't however I swear I've seen some things online somewhere. Maybe in a YT vid or something, can't remember. But yes, that plastic pan hanging down is a bit unnerving 

 

[tjZ06]

We bought a '20 WK2 as my wife's daily driver. Have you looked into skid plates? I only browsed a little, but came up empty. That plastic ZF transmission pan is a wee bit scary on a rock strewn trail.

I've looked into it for my Trailhawk a bit, and it seems like Chief's setup is the way to go combined with some Mopar parts: https://www.chiefproducts.com.au/pages/wk2-protection

You can get the Mopar stuff here (among other places): https://www.rocky-road.com/wk2-front-skid-plate.html

-TJ