1992 Jeep YJ, the Wrongler

I've grumbled about these wheels plenty but tonight was the last straw.

Mrs. Sparks and I were out cruising some back roads when the left front wheel lug nuts loosened up a bit.  After a few tries and some cooperation we got them tight enough to get back home without any real drama (just delay).  (shame on me for not having a lug wrench in the vehicle.)

I'm honestly just waiting on a good sale on some tires I want.  Once that happens (or maybe before) I'll get the steel wheels put on here.

I'm done with these cheesy ones.  They've pissed me off, lol.

In reply to ClemSparks :

Sounds like its either time for safety wire or those indicators they put on buses!

Right?

They were loose on me once before and I figured I just had spaced out and not got them tight when doing all the suspension work this spring.  But I KNOW they were tightened after that.

I'm notorious (if only in MY mind) for not overtorqueing fasteners.  If these wheels can't deal with my torquing practices then they can be someone else's wheels... or beer cans.  

CrustyRedXpress said:

You're gonna love it!

Running around with the doors off is a automotive experience that you can't easily get anywhere else.

This is a funny sentiment lots of people like to say.  For me...it's exactly what I expected it would be.  I mean...maybe the first trip down a gravel road was a little novel, but it's not like "Oh wow...this is SO much cooler than I thought it would be!"  Maybe I'm weird.  (Ok...it's well established that I'm weird.)

I'll tell you what I learned this week though.  Driving in town with no doors or top just puts you that much closer to all the other asshats in traffic.  The dipE36 M3-to-driver ratio in traffic is that much more obvious in an open vehicle.  I'm also not surprised by this as much as reminded.  I tried riding small motorcycles for a time before I decided it wasn't worth the aggravation and risk.

These musings were a result of the weather cooling off a bit so I insured the Jeep for legal alternate-fun-driver duty for a while.  (Up until now, I've mostly just been poking around on gravel roads nearby... the same way the neighbors do with side-by-sides and 4 wheelers.) 

One thing I do like about it is the operational experience.  It's between tractor and car.  I like the bouncy (but not jarring) suspension and lots of driver input.  This is a vehicle that needs to be operated.  I like operating machines.  So at this point, I'm still quite tickled with YJ ownership.

You're right! It is getting cooler, almost time for me to take the doors and top off mine!

Ha...yeah.  Since this one doesn't have A/C it's definitely not a good heat-of-summer daily driver (considering I need to be presentable to customers on a daily basis).

So on my first driving-around-town foray, I came out of the hardware store and saw a small puddle of fluid under the Jeep.  I got down into parking-lot-diagnosis position and quickly found the drip was coming from the transfer case.  Specifically from the new tail housing that I installed as part of the slip yoke eliminator kit.  Huh.

So I pulled it into the barn, dropped the driveshaft, pulled it apart, cleaned it up, resealed it (with different stuff this time) and put it back together.  Cleaning the Ultra-grey off took about as long as all the other steps combined.  

I should mention that ALL of this was performed (diagnosis to completion) without the use of a jack.  There's something to be said for that.

Well, there's the problem see:

Tailhousing removed:

Cleaned and all gooped up with good stuff.  I'm not messing around this time.  Permatex #2.  if this doesn't work, I'll just fill it with axle grease or something:

Back together ready to fill when I pick up some ATF tomorrow:

Man as time-consuming as that was, I wish fixing my leaky transfercase was that easy 

Another thing I did.  

I can't believe it took me this long to remove this monstrosity.  I don't think I've ever used the word "Monstrosity" in a more literal way than this time.  This is the rearview mirrow that some PO installed in the Wrongler:

"I AM AWAITED!"?       No?      I heard that somewhere.

Really it took me so long because the parts cars from which I was going to harvest a basic, generic, dare I say classy rear view mirror were all parked with the chiggers.  They're starting to slow down a bit now.  This will be more my style:

"MEDIOCRE!"     Now that's just my game.

jfryjfry said:

Man as time-consuming as that was, I wish fixing my leaky transfercase was that easy 

I won't complain a bit.  It was pretty easy.  Like I say...cleaning the RTV off was the most difficult part.  

And you can just roll under there.  No dragging jacks around.  No setting up jackstands.

In reply to ClemSparks :

Wow, that that mirror was hideous!

It will ride eternal, shiny and chrome

I'm just not sure in what.  I went to put it in the little Subaru my daughter is driving (as a joke, without telling her) but forgot that Subaru's use a mirror mounted to the roof instead of a lug on the windshield.  Bummer (and smart)

This evening I pumped the transfer case full of ATF and took it for a spin.

The dog and I both approve of the new rear view mirror:

Immediately after the drive everything looks good at the tailhousing seal:

Here's hoping I got it right this time.

While I was under there this time I checked the transmission to see if it had any fluid in it.  It's full so I left it as good-for-now.  I just hadn't ever looked into it until now.

This past weekend we took a fun trip in the Jeep.

My wife had learned that a certain Conservation Area in our state has an event each year where, for that one day, they open the service roads up for a driving tour.  This happens in October to coincide with the leaves turning to non-green colors (this year the leaves were mostly all still green, though).  7 miles of gentle gravel road that could easily be traversed in a minivan.  Still, it was a nice time.

The most challenging spot on the trail, lol:

That's another YJ up in front of us a ways:

The area was 2 1/2 hours from home, though, so the drive up and back were a bit brutal (particularly as it got quite cool when the sun went down on the drive home).  This confirms my expectation that the wrangler is best suited for non-interstate type driving and staying closer to home.  On the other hand...it made the round trip with no reliability issues.  Win!

Unfortunately my Permatex #2 sealant did not appear to be the right product for sealing the tail housing on the transfer case.  So I have it pulled apart and will load it up with ultra-gray again and see if I can finally get it to seal.  

I've had some people recommend Permatex "The Right Stuff".  A little pricey, but it supposedly lasts longer.  It hasn't failed on my one use, but it's only been a few months.

The proper product to use on your transfer case is Loctite 518 or Permatex 51813.  My buddy who turned me on to it does a lot of transfer case work at the dealership and that's what GM specifies. GM also rebrands the product as Goodwrench  anaerobic sealer pn 1052943.

Read the description.

https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/product/flexible-sealants/loctite_518.html

Never had any leak issues whatsoever using this stuff. A tube is under 15 bucks and goes a long ways.

Thanks for the tip on the anerobic sealer.  

If the ultra gray I slathered on there today doesn't do the trick, that'll be my next move.  I always wondered what the anerobic sealers were good for...now I guess I know at least one application.

Regarding "the right stuff".  I never looked into it too much because it reminds me of aerosol cheese and I don't think this is the right application for cheese ;)

As mentioned, I have it reassembled with ultra gray for now.  I took great precautions to try to make sure I get it right this time.  Cleaned all surfaces well and made sure they stayed clean until assembly.  I let the stuff set up for 15 minutes before assembling, I finger tightened, waited an hour and did final torque.  I'm even letting it cure overnight before I fill it.  Hopefully it'll hold this time.  I can say though, I sure wish this thing had come with a paper gasket...sheesh.

ClemSparks said:

Another thing I did.  

I can't believe it took me this long to remove this monstrosity.  I don't think I've ever used the word "Monstrosity" in a more literal way than this time.  This is the rearview mirrow that some PO installed in the Wrongler:

 

I picked up a tacky hubcap that matches that mirror at a junkyard in Columbus Ohio many years ago.  Its been garage art in 3 states now and we used it on the front of the van during the Texas Lemons Rally.   We call it the Wiener Skull.

Nothing says "Im hardcore" more than plastic chrome skulls!

Oh wow!

If you ever want this rearview mirror to ride eternal in your van, I'd be honored to contribute.  

That hubcap is epic.  It is awaited in Valhalla, to be sure.  Strike up the music wagon!

    *  

(* logdog's van IS this cool)

I finally took a deep breath, broke out my wallet, and bought some tires for this thing.

I put them on the wheels and had them balanced and put them on the Wrongler today.

31x10.50-15 (same size it had before) on the stock Jeep wheels I prepped earlier in the thread.

Nothing like Wranglers on a Wrangler!   Looks good.

This thread reminds me I need to drive mine more. I've developed a lovely vibration above 45MPH that goes away around 60. Haven't jumped into it because of other projects.

How are those tires? The BFG KOs I put on it about 13 years ago are in great shape, but they're now 13 years old. They show no signs of breaking down, so maybe I'm still good for a while longer. The same can't be said the Duratracs on my truck. Less than 30K on them and they're already bulging and cracking all over the sidewall.

So far these tires have literally not been off of my property, so I can't speak to how I like driving on them yet. 

They LOOK pretty cool, lol.  

Evidently these are a walmart exclusive Wrangler Authority something-or-other.  They're an A/T rated tire but by looks alone, they're at the M/T end of the A/T spectrum, I'd say. 

I've been wanting to buy tires for this but the prices just went nuts after I bought the Wrongler.  I picked these up on a black friday special for *only* $16/tire MORE than they would have cost back when I bought it, lol.

Today I picked up a Parts Jeep to support the Wrongler.

I love the title of this thread and it puts a smile on my face every time I see it pop up.