Posts by Chief57

Is anyone going to the Jeep Races today and tomorrow? I've never been before, but I'm planning to go for awhile today. I think my 9-year-old son will get a kick out of it. I just learned they've been holding these races for 37 years!

A couple of days ago I visited the "racetrack" and spoke with the organizer. It appears to be quite the event. The races are just south of Dover in Little Heaven. There's a big homemade sign on Rt 113 telling you where to turn. I think the admission is $8 for adults, and kids are free.

One of the first things I did when I bought my 98 TJ last November was to upgrade the sound system. I'm happy with the Boston Acoustic speakers I had installed at Sounds of Tristate. The TJ happened to come with a Kicker amp, so the speakers have been handling plenty of power.

FYI, I also purchased a Kenwood head unit with a USB port. I listen to 99 percent of my music through the thumb drives I just plug in...very nice.

Quote from jaytj01

how can i inprove the gas mileage on my 2001 wrangler?

Since I'm a rookie, I've asked this same question. I recommend two things:
1. Put your windshield down.
2. Wear goggles.

I've tried driving only downhill, but I found that really didn't work for me. But seriously, had I known six months ago what I know now, I believe I would have delayed the purchase of my Jeep (98 TJ 3-speed automatic), saved up some more cash, then bought a newer model with a 5-speed (or 6-speed?) manual tranny. Believe me, I really wish there were a way to swap out my tranny for an after-market one with more gears for improved mileage, but I don't think that option exists -- at least not for a guy like me with limited auto mechanical skills.

Quote from Wolverine

Too bad I sold it to Chief57 as I don't have a hard top anymore

Yeah, I'm the guy who bought it! It's serving its purpose as I type this, holding my hard top in the garage.

I don't think using a manual winch that's meant for a boat trailer is a good idea. Think about it... cranking the hoist up would be relatively easy, especially if you get a winch with a long handle. It's the lowering part that would be very difficult. You would have no way of controlling the descent. A boat trailer winch is designed to allow gravity to pull the boat off the trailer, and that happens usually slowly and gently. You'll have 200+ pounds dropping to your garage floor the instant you release the gear lock. An electric winch (as described by Wolverine) is the ticket.

Thanks everyone for all the excellent information. Ian, I'm not really dead set on welding; it was just one simple idea and Scott nicely volunteered to do the job. I guess I'll follow the advice some of you gave for me to just live with it for now. I really had two concerns with the leak. The first was the increased noise. The second, though, was my perception that it's decreasing my gas mileage. The consensus seems to be that that isn't the case. So, if it's just about the noise, I'll hang in there until earplugs are needed.

Also, Ian, at the next club get-together you'll have to explain to me what a ratcheting box end and crowsfeet are. ;D

Quote from naughty

Since I am a girl, I don't know if you would want my help.

Actually, I'm counting on you! After all, you knew where the header was and I didn't, and that makes you the Team Leader in my book.

As I was leaving the April DEJA meeting in the parking lot, Naughty informed me that she thought the manly rumble my 98 TJ has was due to an exhaust leak from my header. Being that Naughty's a girl, I wanted a second opinion from a man!! ;D I got one alright! Certk9 even showed me the crack in the header pipe. And here all along I thought the manly rumble was due to my Flowmaster muffler. Bummer. Naughty, good call!

Assuming that duct tape, hose clamps, Crazy Glue and witchcraft have already been tried unsuccessfully by the DEJA gang, it looks like I've got to fix this leak the old fashioned way -- actual effort. Certk9 has offered to weld the crack for me when I get the pipe off. Is anyone willing to lend me a hand (read: expertise) removing the header pipe so I can get it to him? I'd like to get this repaired before the big GWNF trip in June. Thanks.

I'm planning to attend with girlfriend Cheryl and son Michael (9). This will be my first real outing with DEJA and I'm really looking forward to it!

Here's an update....the connector is behind the rear passenger side wheel well on my 98 TJ. I had to undo the sticky-foam wrapping to get to the connector, but then it went fairly smoothly. There was a handy little torx head screw nearby, but my handy little torx screwdriver couldn't budge it. So, I had to drill a new hole and use the self-tapping screw to mount the white ground wire. I snaked the harness behind the bumper, under the rear door and into the back of the Wrangler -- where I hope it'll be somewhat protected from the weather until needed. But, from the rear you can see about 4 inches of the harness, and that looks bad. So I'm looking for a better way to store the harness when not in use.

All,
Well, I went to Advance Auto Parts yesterday and picked up the harness. It's by Hopkins Towing Solutions -- $15.94 and part number 42615 for all of you keeping score. As soon as possible I'll crawl under the rear of the TJ and look for where it ought to connect. There's a crude drawing that comes with it, so hopefully I'll be ok. I'll also pick up the lock, as you all have recommended. Keep those tips coming! ;D

As an aside, I had never noticed before that hitch balls (at least 1 7/8) come with two different sized diameter bolts. So on a whim I bought one yesterday that was thinner than the one I bought the day before for my Jeep. Sure enough, if fits nicely on my John Deere lawn tractor. So, now my little 4x6 trailer can pull double duty. (Wish I could say that I'm the first to discover this, but I know certk9 beat me to it!)

One last thought....I'll post some feedback here once I register it. I've been warned already to be ready to bend over. >:( Jim

Today I bought a 4x6 utility trailer ($389 at Tractor Supply in Camden) to pull behind my 98 TJ. It came with a straight 4-pin electric connector for the brake lights. (I tested the lights and they work fine.) My TJ does not apparently have a trailer wiring connection ready to go, so that's my next project.

Now I need some DEJA expertise. Rather than pay someone at a shop to do it, how difficult is it to make my own wiring connections? Do I go buy a kit at Pep Boys? Is anyone willing to give me a hand with this project? There could be a six-pack of your favorite malted beverage in it for you! Thanks.

Quote from Quantum73

FWIW my bikini top uses the same windshield channel so that works even better. I tend to switch between my soft top and my bikini top pretty often in the summer...

FWIW, Quantum73 you're now where I hope to be one day. Sounds like you've got a good thing going!

Maybe at the next meeting I'll have some of you ol' pros take a look at mine, and then we can have a "hands on" discussion so it'll sink in better for me.

I would hope he'd have the presence of mind to put a screen on that door. How else is he going to keep the mosquitos out?!

A couple of weeks ago Captain and I installed my Bestop soft top on my 98 TJ. It was my first experience with a soft top. We were both surprised and disappointed to see that it mounts to the top of the window frame with two bolts rather than an OEM-style quick release paddle handle. See pics below:
<a href="http://www.delawareja.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9594&g2_GALLERYSID=65d893728dd4e0014c80d4338609615e"><img src="http://www.delawareja.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9596&g2_GALLERYSID=65d893728dd4e0014c80d4338609615e" alt="Bestop window latch 1a" /></a>
<a href="http://www.delawareja.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9597&g2_GALLERYSID=65d893728dd4e0014c80d4338609615e"><img src="http://www.delawareja.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9599&g2_GALLERYSID=65d893728dd4e0014c80d4338609615e" alt="Bestop window latch 2a" /></a>

So, simply lowering the soft top takes a wrench -- a royal pain. Does anyone know if there is an after-market device that converts this to a quick-release mount? Or is there another workaround for this problem? At this point, I'm not looking forward to dropping the top once those nice summer days roll around!

(p.s. Per Captain's advice, I'd like to switch to a factory soft top. First step: get the frame. If anyone has a used OEM soft top frame that you'd like to part with, please PM with detail, price, etc. Thanks.)

Can anyone in the club do this?!

This is my new goal in life.

Quote from deadfeat

Dude $275 ticket for driving on a milk crate... LOL ,, You could have left 1 seat in and the roll bar with 1 bolt and drove fine and popped them out when you got there,.

True, but then he wouldn't have a funny story to share...

Surfrider, yes that's what I'm talking about -- except not quite so wide of a strip that it reaches all the way to the bottom of the door. So the total package would be the fender flares, side steps, and that.

I'm not certain, but I don't think this is the same guy who used to be at the Tudor Industrial Park. This guy used to be just down the road on Horsepond Road, but he just moved his operation to Cheswold on U.S. 13, right next to Shooter's Choice. I'm pretty sure his product is called Superliner.

Quote from Chief57

I'm specifically looking at one called Superliner, which is a competitor of Rhino-liner, Herculiner, etc. The guy is in north Dover near Cheswold. I was quoted $150 (if I don't mind waiting a bit).

Wolverine, thanks. So, any thoughts on the price quote for what I described? I imagine he'll do the rocker panel (about 4-5 inch wide strip) for another $50 or so.

That's a pretty good testimony. I imagine it gets a lot of intense sun on the beach. Being a cheapskate, I'm tempted to go the do-it-yourself route, but something tells me that wouldn't be the same.

I have a two-fold purpose in going this route. First, I asusme these coatings will help hide any minor blemishes. Second, and probably more important, I think this will tie these different elements together. As of 24 hours ago, I was just going to do the fender flares and the side steps. But last night I took off that little OEM plastic piece that goes in front of the doors and behind the front fender flares. It's sort of like a little rock/splash guard. Well, now I have three little holes on each side of the jeep where the damn things were fastened. So, not only am I going to do those other two pieces, but now I'm going to also do about four inches of my rocker panel -- basically down below the doors going from fender flare to fender flare. Jim