1998 Wrangler TJ - SOLD

  • I’m the 2nd owner, and it’s been garage-kept since I bought it in November 2007. In no particular order, here are as many details as I can remember:


    • Drive train: 4.0L 6 cylinder married to the 3-speed 30RH auto transmission and Command-Trac NP231 transfer case (both totally rebuilt in 2016). Transmission cooler with stainless braided lines added.
    • Axles: Front is Dana 33 (spline? Pinion?), which has a Richmond “lunchbox” locker. Rear is Ford 8.8” with a Solid diff cover. Axle swap gave the TJ 4.10 gears (better for 33” tires), as well as rear disc brakes. As part of the swap, added a Tom Wood’s drive shaft.
    • Lift: Fabtech 4” suspension lift.
    • Armor: Rocker guards are AtoZ Fabrication. Steering box guard is Skid Row brand.
    • Bumpers: Front is my own custom design ¼” square tubing with D-rings welded on, in addition to the factory tow hooks. Rear is Warn brand with recovery hitch. A 7-pin electrical connection was custom mounted into the bumper in order to have zero impact on departure angle. (Though Warn advises against towing, this bumper’s frame attachment and the receiver itself have been strengthened with special gussets. I’ve towed a popup camper long distances with no problems.)
    • Lighting: Main lights are Quadratec LED Replacement Headlights. Driving lights mounted to bumper are KC brand 7” round, and offroad lights mounted at windshield base are 6” LED units.
    • Steering: Tie rod was upgraded to heavy duty Rugged Ridge brand in 2010.
    • Tire carrier: Warn brand that has been customized to hold Hi-Lift jack, an ammo box and the CB radio antenna, in addition to the tire itself. Third brake light is integrated into the spare.
    • Interior: The tub has been coated with Rock-It Liner. At that time, I also added some tie-downs to the rear, and I built a wooden platform that stays in the back when the rear seat is out. The platform provides two-tier stacking, and it also gives a measure of security as it hides what’s beneath it. The factory dash and instrument panel lights have been replaced with blue LEDs. The front seats have seat covers; I forget the brand, but they’ve done a nice job of adding comfort and protection. The seats are in good shape.
    • Sound: Kenwood KDC-X395 head unit. I play all my music via MP3 files on a small thumb drive plugged into the Kenwood’s USB port. I’ve added extra tweeters, and have replaced the speakers in the dash and the factory overhead sound bar.
    • Tops: The factory black hard top is on the vehicle about half the year, and a Bestop “safari” top is on the rest of the time. (The safari top is similar to a bimini top, but it extends farther back to over sun and rain protection for the rear seat.) I never use a soft top. In addition, sale will include an extra windshield channel, which I have just for backup.
    • Doors: Main doors are full factory painted doors with rollup windows, but sale will also include summer Bestop partial doors. (This is for the benefit of those weenies who are too chicken to ride with you with doors off in the summer. For me, they have been rarely used.)
    • Tires/wheels: Wheels are 15x8 Mickey Thompson Classic II alloy. Tires are 33” Goodyear Wrangler with plenty of tread left on them. (I’ve added 6” fender flares to keep those tires legal; there is no issue running this TJ through DMV inspection as is.) I have the Jeep on 35" tires, and it looks pretty good, but when the time came for new rubber I decided to go back down to 33".


    You need to know: I added a Safe-T-Cap frame repair kit (Aaron did the work) to the DS rear to bolster the frame where I detected some rust. This was done as a precaution; there was no sagging. I believe the rear main seal has a small leak. About four years ago I learned about Red Devil sealant, and I’ve added this whenever I’ve done oil changes; it has done a good job of almost eliminating any seeping. One of the tires has a very slow leak, but Mr. Tire has told me it’s actually something with the wheel that’s causing the leak. I really don’t understand how that could be. But, it’s a non-issue for me; I add a little air from time to time – maybe every 2-3 weeks when I visit Wawa. There is rust on both front fenders. I actually own steel flat fenders that are ready to go, but I’ve never pulled the trigger on the install. Will discuss this with a potential buyer.


    Miscellaneous: The Jeep has been painted Mercedes/Hyundai “Jasper Blue.” Touch up paint is included. An AtoZ vent/louver has been added to the hood to enhance both performance and looks. In addition to what’s listed above, I’ve kept up with the usual maintenance, such as replacing the spark plug wiring, battery, radiator, starter, steering box, heater core and other items that tend to wear out over time. I have a shop manual and other incidentals that I can throw in on this purchase.


    Most long-time DEJA folks know this Jeep, and, indeed, some have played a role in helping me maintain and improve it. I like that it can be a fun daily driver during the week, and then a very capable Rausch Creek workhorse on the weekend. It’s also proven its mettle as a rescue vehicle in deep snow.


    FYI, I’m not leaving Jeeps or DEJA! My plan is to move to a 4-door Wrangler that, with a longer wheelbase (trailer tow vehicle) and four doors (larger family) will better suit my needs. With all the emotional, sweat and financial equity I have built up in this vehicle, it pains me to see her go....but the time has come. Price: $6500

  • This is a very well taken care of TJ. If I had the cash I would be interested. Good luck with the sale Jim.

    Thank you Andy. I'm grateful for your generous help over the years and would really love to see this mean machine parked in your garage.

    When engaged in conversation with a fool, be sure he is not similarly engaged.
    Chief, DEJA Grammar Police

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