I have a 2003 TJ with 140,000 miles. It is a manual transmission. I do several off roading trips a year. It is my daily driver. Other than having a limb go through my radiator, no mechanical issues at all. Never experienced death wobble, nor have I done anything to avoid it. I will never sell my Jeep.
@@efs83dws your track bar bushing will wallow out and allow side to side play. Its happened to all 3 of my TJ's. If you do ever develop death wobble the easy thing to do to fix it, go on ebay get a full bushing kit for 250. Replace your control arm bushings, track bar front and rear along with the say bar bushings them throw a new stabilizer on there. The ride is day and night different. Also of you have a "dead" spot on your steering wheel when turning or driving that is tie rods and drag link issues, you can also look up the "cure" its a metal bushing that connects the tie rod to the drag line to help prevent roll from a worn out joint. Hopefully you never need to do any of it but i know on my 98, 03 and 04 they all needed it.
Reliable is a relative word. TJs are very reliable for the engine and transmission, but even the staunchest Jeep defenders will admit the check engine light is on far, far too often compared to something well built like a Toyota. Love my TJ, but reliability is not one it's perks unless you are referring tot eh drive train. And Jeeps are loud AF, that is just the nature of the beast. Know your limitations and you will be happy.
I bought my first 06 TJ at 63K miles and when I turned 18. Fast forward 10 years later, it's still chugging along at 170K miles. Definitely keeping it for life.
Wranglers aren't what gave Jeep the unreliable reputation. It's the numerous electrical problems on the Grand Cherokee and all the dumb gadgets they'd throw on them.
It's not bad reliability that gave US cars a bad reputation, it's the piss poor materials used in the interior and build quality coupled with garbage fuel economy. Ford Taurus, crown victoria were all very reliable, probably just as reliable as toyotas. Let's face it, if the interior of a TJ wrangler was in a sedan, it would be unacceptable haha.
I’ve had a 97 TJ for 10 years it’s the most reliable automobile I have ever had. I have a new aftermarket soft top which is thicker than my factory top it fits better and is quieter. I’m also running 32’s with a 4 inch lift and although it’s a bit more a struggle on steep hills on flat on gradual inclines even with 3.07 gears it still really goes, there is a slight decline in acceleration but it’s very little and doesn’t affect my ability to pass other vehicles quickly if I have to. It runs straight but I do feel holes in the road but it’s no different with the lift as it was factory, I love my TJ.
The TJ wheelbase is about the same as the YJ and CJ7. The track width isn't very different either. The YJ and TJ use axles of the same width. The CJ7 used narrower axles, but rim backspacing and tire width may have made up a bit of the difference. CJ springmounts were more inboard than on the YJ, but this may have aided articulation. TJs have front and rear anti-swaybars. YJs and CJ7s only have a front anti-swaybar. CJs had no trackbars, and didn't need them. YJs had them, but didn't need them. Live-axle coilsprung Jeeps should have triangulated upper linkage, IMO. Trackbars are BS engineering for Quadracoil. They are prone to deathwobble, bumpsteer, etc. Leafsprung Jeeps had live axles and trackbars were unnecessary. My CJs and YJ never wobbled, even without any trackbars. 2dr SWB Wranglers are still more prone to rolling than most passenger cars. The COG is higher and the wheelbase is shorter. Cars like Corvettes also have downforce, a very wide trackwidth, and STIFF anti-swaybars, so they are very stable during cornering. This isn't to say that Wranglers are unsafe. Just don't try to drive them like a sportscar.
I agree with you.... I drive a 2018 JK w 35 with lift, and it runs perfect I've been driven on 80 and 90 miles per hour and runs perfect, like you said if you do erratic driving or it is windy you might have some issues but winds give issues to mostly every car
For death wobble, check the front track bar bushing. Have someone turn the steering wheel while you look at the attachment point of the track bar to the frame. Do this carefully with the vehicle in park and the engine running. If there is a lot of play, the bushing is bad. Replace the track bar.
yeah iv had my TJ for 13 years and it has a little engine noise but its a daily driver and still runs great. soft top is a bit loud but not much more than the hard top i had in a earlier jeep. i love my TJ though!
Another huge contribution to death wobble is alignment, especially caster. On another note, I don’t know how or where you found a tj with 9k miles, but that’s amazing!
I love the chats about the TJ. Love my TJ 4.0. Never getting rid of it. Was cleaning out the interior of my frame tonight. Never ending battle. But I wont give up the fight. Yes! Wind is not fun in the TJ. I was pulling a small trailer and was being pushed around. Little sketch but I made it safe and sound. Thanks for the videos brother!
I really enjoy your channel. I bought an 05 Jeep TJ with straight six and six speeds. I didn't know it had AC until I saw a leak under the engine and realized it was condensation from the AC condenser, which I was happy to discover. I am inspired by your videos and am having fun customizing our Jeep. Thanks....
I have a 06 jeep wrangler se 4.0 automatic with the stock daina 34 back and 30 front with stock gears on a 4 inch lift with 35's grabber x3 tires and it runs great! I also have a superchip installed running in tow mode and it still has a lot of power I live in hawaii and it's a perfect island vehicle.
Hey, I’ve been taking notes, your jeep is exactly my jeep when i was kid . Anyway, Injust copped one, I pushed 80pmh plus, no death wobbles driving all the way from New Hampshire. I love it. I have an 02, 4.0, got it for 2k. Just needed a crank shaft position sensor and some rust work done to the frames. After, I will come back for some mods ideas and stuffs. Beautiful Jeep.
You surely glance at your Jeep(when no one is looking haha). It,s beautiful! Agree 100% for not getting to technical, all is in the hands of the driver who knows his vehicle and not abusing it over its limits.
I have an 06 with the 2.4, 6 speed, 3.73 with 33s. Runs fine as long as I'm not on a hill on the freeway. I will upgrade to 4.88 before I switch to 35s.
Wyatt Flamont oh yeah i like yours! metal cloak fenders too i see, nice nice. i have a black one as well. 98... not as many upgrades as you yet tho haha, soon hopefully
I drive 95 Yj four banger,leaf spring suspension,its lifted around 2 inches front and with heavy duty shackles and 2 and !/2 inch springs in the rear, I removed the front sway bar and the rear pan hard rod, the front has caster wedges. When I bought the jeep the previous owners had the axles under the springs, to raise it, and it was all screwed up,gear ratio,s are 375 with 29 inch tires,my issue is ,I have plenty of low end torque but I have never been able to hit 5000 rpm I had the computer reflashed with an emission delete, this jeep has no converter but still has the sensor, the engine was rebuilt at some point ( rtv) on the pan, oil pressure cold is 65 lbs, then drops to 25 after its warmed up, at idle but stays at 60 when your on the highway (compression is 160) they only thing I did was replace the timing gears and chain, I do all the repairs and maintenance myself,im 67 and have worked on foreign cars most of my life, but this thing is a blast, in the summer the roof and doors come off, and I dont have to worry about rain because there is no carpets on the floor pans, after blasting in the mud, I just remove the drain plugs on the floor,put a garbage bag over the one seat, and hit the car wash ( I remove the passenger seat so I can stuff my kayak in it
My old tj was tippy past 60. Broke down constantly and my soft top was so loud you couldn't hear anything while driving. But man was it fun to drive. Terrible on the highway okay to put around town. But amazing offroad
Even the idea that the early jeeps were prone to tipping is mostly a myth, and comes primarily from a very misleading episode of a TV show called 60 minutes (hey did a very similar thing in the late 80's about SUVS being easy to tip, which was largely debunked at the time). The re-gearing one has always bothered me. Literally MILLIONS of people the world over have put bigger tires on their jeeps without re-gearing and not had problems.
The reliability problems are from jk and jl models. When the tj was around it essentially was still an AMC blueprint but with a new 4 link dash and slightly different body lines in hood front fenders and grille. This is why when I buy another 2006 is the newest I would ever consider buying
Good vid to dispel these unfounded myths .A lot of people that had to sell there Tjs had regrets of selling them Im going to keep mine as long as i can.
I very much agree with you Kyle. It's also true that the majority of those who criticise Jeep,are people are people who don't have a Jeep and many of those cases they criticise themselves of envy,let's be clear. I don't waste time criticising Toyota,Mitsubishi,Land Rover,etc,i don't care,I enjoy my Jeep. Thank you Kyle for your video and waiting to see your half doors in red colour 😍
I have an 05 with an automatic transmission. I was having issues with shutter on takeoff. WranglerFix fixed everything I was having an issue with in the stock PCM. I’m running Netto Mud Grapplers 33-13.5-15 and it has a 2 inch lift. I replaced the rear 35 with a Dana 44 and installed an E Locker with 4:56 ring and pinion. I put a Power Trax Lock Right in the front Dana 30. I live in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and my Jeep gets me everywhere I want to go. I spend a lot of time in the Sequoia National Forest because I live here, and my TJ has been the perfect trail rig. It turns on a dime, and the 4.0 has all the torque I need to get up and down these mountain roads without any issues.
i made the mistake of driving our TJ through the Mojave with the top off in 40 mph winds with a bikini top and an old tire cover and at night. It made it one of the most sketchy drives ive experienced and that's saying a lot considering the shit we've done in my buddies Ghia lmao
I run 32's with 3.07 gears in a Dana 44 rear axle, also with a 4" lift. I previously had 28's and everything else was stock. I notice a difference but its very small, if I wanna drink a gallon of gas in a few seconds it'll still really move if I put my pedal to the floor. Love both your Jeeps, red and black looks very cool.
Running 33's on 307 and it sucks on freeways going up hill. Gotta drop into 1 low sometimes 2 low and get in the slow lane with the semis. 4.10s would be good for 33's a freeway driving and I want to drive to Moab, not trailer queen it. 307s can be lived with, but 3;73s or 410 would be a lot better for low end torque and keeping the RPMs in a good range for those long commutes to the trails.
I would have liked to have gone with 33’s but for that reason which I’ve heard others say too, I went with 32’s. Though I do dislike getting stuck behind slow people on hills because I do have to drop sometimes down to 2nd because of the loss of speed.
Bought one in VA today , 5 hour ride home and the winds where up and that shit is no joke . Textin and driving my ass , not in a jeep had my hands 10 and 2 o’clock took like a hour plus to get the feel . Rollin on 33s 4 inch lift.
My JK wandered a lot at higher speeds on the freeway on 35s. The issue was I had too much air in the tires! Once lowered to 28psi from 35psi it was perfect!
Great videos man, i'm searching for my first Jeep, looking for a TJ of course! Found one locally, 2004 sport. Softop, 75k miles, 5speed, looks very clean from the pictures. I'll be using some of your tips to see if it is the right one
In 2008 I put new shocks on my '97 Wrangler( not modified at all) with(120000) mile. I started to get the death wobble this year 2021( 170,000miles now). I put new Goodyears P235-75-15 on it, new Monroe shocks & steering stabilizer, drives like brand new! I live in StL and drove it down to Tampa last month(3000 mile r/t)........Perfect! also it's a 2.5
Kyle - just found your videos, love them, I am restoring a 1998 TJ for my kid, and she LOVES your rims and tires - what are they? and What lift have you done
gears are important. if you are only in town maybe. but if you want to drive highways of offroad gears are a must going up to 35 and up. i have drove my tj for 16 years and have drove it in all configurations from stock to lifted,
Just a couple of points to mention, Boss. Tippy was from the width, not the wheel base. When the Jeep boys went to the Wide Track axles, it fixed many problems. Adding the wider tires helped, but the larger diameters stole back some of the helping part. Center of gravity and all. 4 inch lift, 2 inch wider tires each side, balances out basically. Reliable? I got 390k on mine, regular maintenance. I repeat, REGULAR! maintenance. Oil changes, brakes, tune ups. And check the fluids, the clutch, belts and rad fins. Sure I've done repairs.... Water pump twice, rad once. Soft top noise? Sure. They stretch. Period. Summer warmth, they stretch, spring and fall, cooler temps, they stretch less. Unless they're brand new, they're gonna make noise. My personal belief is, if the soft top is too noisy, drive a car, or a mini van. Death wobble, you got right on. Worn parts and alingnment 90 percent of the time. Gearing, again, right on. One Jeep, stock 3.31 gears, 33's. all is good. Other Jeep, 35's re-geared to 4.10. Stocker has a tuned up 4.2. Second a warmed up 4L. Both handle the hiway fine. And, both handle the hills and rocks fine. Good vid though. Keep 'em up. Educating other people is always a good thing. I've done the same thing off a stop light in town. People thinking the Jeep was slow.............. HA!
Planning on buying a tj in a week went and checked it out yesterday. It’s a tj 4 cyl but I really loved it needs some work but I definitely think I’m getting it for a good price. Appreciate your vids tho man!!
Ive no experience with new jeeps but have had some cj’s and Jeeps drive on the highway like trying to run with a piece of plywood and unless your driving on flat and level pavement with the solid front axle they wander in and out of the ruts making the driver constantly correct to drive between the white and yellow lines. My jeep scrambler drive pretty nice compared to the others
99 TJ with 35's, super reliable and loud, ITS A JEEP!! but I'm running 456's and it made a huge difference (wouldn't pull 5th gear at all). I rock crawl a little, hunt and fish and still drive it to work. best of all worlds. I do shift a lot in town though. Nice jeep by the way. SOOO pretty, come to AZ and I'll help you put some scratch's on it.
I, 99 TJ 4.0 in-line 6cy had it for 10 yrs over a hundred thousand wabble for me bad tires replaced Radeader speed control solenoid at 80,000, and an exhaust crack in the header. It drove better than my now 2017 JKU. 99 great vehicles.
I have a 2002 plane Jane TJ on 33s Dana 30 front Dana 35 rear 373 gears sitting on 33s. I can't get better than 65 mph and that's rolling down hill with the wind blowing on the back of the Jeep. I need 456 gears to run 35s
Jason, I bet its a good looking rig too! You know what, who cares about going 70 lol. I love the fact that you still have to "drive" the vehicle. To me that is what is missing in todays vehicles to be honest. The noise, the feel, the handle. Just my 2 cents though
@@vigilantemotors just a update. I just put a new to me motor and trans in it. I have 307 gears. I thought they where 373s. Went from the NV3550 manual trans to the AX15. About to head up north to Drummond island in Michigan. Hoping I can maintain 70ish with her now. Crossing my fingers otherwise it's gonna be a 6hr drive one way. Either way I'm gonna do it with a smile on my face. It's not about miles per gallon it's about smile per gallon. :-)
@@jasontanner5656 Hey even at 60 or 65 its all about the smiles my man. You have got one good set up going there. Camping? Off-roading? What is up that way?
@@vigilantemotors both. I'm excited. I haven't really tested my which out to pull myself out yet. I'm looking forward to testing it out in the morning. Super excited
@@jasontanner5656 Awesome man. I hope you have an amazing trip. Let me know how it goes if you like. Check my channel out on here you can message me anytime. Id love to know how that gearing does on the highway.
I have a 97 Wrangler sport with 217,000 miles on it. Original engine and I am the original owner from the factory. Still chugging along. Problem free? Uh no, but, what do you expect after 26 years? It still drives and looks pristine though and no frame rust. In fact, mine looks like it was undercoated at the factory.
I got Jeep lj (tj unlimited) I got 373 gears 4 speed automatic transmission and 33 inch tires. I want to lift it and run 35s but the thing drives amazing off and on road so I don’t see myself doing it anytime soon. The rag top is a little loud on the highway going 55-70 but it’s not as bad as some make it out to be. Definitely recommend Jeep’s they really are capable vehicles.
On gearing it has everything to do with your transmission, if you have a manual you can get away with not re gearing but if you drive a automatic you probably will want to re gear. That is true with any vehicle that you add larger tires too.
If I were to rate your Jeep, I'd say it's awesome! Such good taste. Not flashy, just classy. What would I change if it were mine? Go with the hard top, just tint the windows! Thanks for the video.
Only time I ever got death wobble was when the stabalizer bar link broke. Hit a bump and holy crap, front end felt like it would shake itself apart. If ball joints, tie rod ends, ect, causes death wobble, then I'd think there would be more than just jeeps getting the death wobble 🤷.
I DD / offroad a 92 YJ w/ 4.0 lifted , 35's ect.. and it's very reliable, the 4.0 is one of the best motors ever.... My Heap drives like an old beat up truck , the tub is rotted , repaired the frame in a few spots ....keep up maintenance and have fun.
We've replaced basically every steering component on our jk including the steering box and every linkage in the front end. It still wanders. But I think we've found our culprit. When we test drove it it drove ok but definitely needed all those parts replaced but when we picked it up we noticed it wandered really bad and didn't before. Upon further inspection the dealer trying to make it drive better replaced the ball joints with cheap Napa ones that are known to cause all sorts of weird drivability issues. We are going to replace those with teraflex ball joints to see if that could actually be the problem. Anyone have some thoughts about it?
Never heard of ball joints in the axle causing bumpsteer. But anything could be possible I guess. I've always found a drop pittman arm to cause bumpsteer. Or steering angles between track bar and drag link.
Hello, Sorry i don't know how to send a private message, but looking at the tires, it appears that they are installed backwards, the tread pattern should look like a V from a front view, this allows for the tires to direct water out from the center of the the tire to the sides. It appears that yours is instead directing water/mud/sand directly to the center of the tire, increasing the chance of hydroplaning. If you review the sidewall of the tire it should have a rotation arrow. However, i don't see a up close shot of the tire, so perhaps they have enough tread sipes and separation to allow water to be dispersed regardless. Good luck and great videos, Miller
I’m gonna disagree with the gears. 3.73 with 35’s and 4.0L wouldn’t pull a dead cat out of the road I just swapped to 4.56’s and that’s not enough!!! I’m going 5.13’s
I don't know why but actually i like whan is strong wind and little noise in TJ because u know that u are driving a car and enjojing in ride ... not like this modern car with all electric sh... ps like your video as always!
3.73 and 35s with the 4.0 is a bad idea if you plan to drive anything beyond a dirt road. It also made my 6th gear completely useless. Gearing to 4.88 for 35s is best from my experience.
I've highway commuted with hard and soft tops. Sometimes soft is quieter. Hard can bounce road noise around so it comes at you from all sides. Soft pops a bit more in the wind but the upward body and engine noise dampens or just passes up and out. Hard needs a little sound damping, IMO.
I grew up around the CJ7 and YJ era and I can honestly say that I have seen TWO on the side of the road my entire life. Something happened after the YJs. 😢 Owner of 1 YJ, 2 TJs, and 1 WJ. And the 4.0 liters after 1995/1996 are junk!
I’m currently looking to buy my first Wrangler! I have around $10k to spend and am looking for the 4.0, manual, with less than 100k miles. Fingers crossed when the time comes I end up with one that was taken care of, how much should I have set aside for maintenance and tuning up so it can be daily driven?
Ever since Fiat bought Chrysler, Jeeps have become less reliable since quality has become too cheap that’s why lots of people make fun of Jeeps but they don’t know the real Jeeps are the best before FCA
I agree with the regear myth. I have an 04 sahara with stock gear ratio on 33's and standard transmissio . Its fine going on hills. You just downshift. Its just loud because like yours, mine is also straight pipe😂
Love your channel, particularly everything Tj.. love the look of yours.. I noticed you don’t have rock sliders (at least that I can see), what your thoughts on not having them? It looks a lot clean/minimalist without. Thanks.
My Jeep wasn’t taken care of properly and honestly it ran really smooth with how bad everything was before I fixed them all. The TJ definitely won’t let you down
I want one so bad. I remember my brothers friends TJ from when I was 12 and now I’m 17 and 7’1” so there is no way I fit in these otherwise it’d make a great winter car to keep my mustang safe in the garage.
@@jimvo69 yeah the jeeps have very very small cabins especially the old ones. The old ones also didn’t have telescoping steering wheels. I had a neon srt4 and GTI and it had a way bigger cabin than a wrangler
My first Jeep was a 06 TJ and I ran 31's with a 2in suspension lift with front leveling kit and stock bumper and Warn winch. Never had a problem until I mounted a HiJack Jack onto the hood. The extra weight from the base mounted on the side of the passenger side because viewing was better begin the TJ Jeep Death Wobble. At first it unevenly wore my tires and a slight wobble began. Corrected with new tires. But after a year it unevenly wore the tires again and passenger side shock weaked from weight and began the full death wobble. Not sure what else it created but I'm sure that passenger side needed alot. I'm a strong believer of proper weight distribution now when it comes to mods. I just picked up a 2020 JL 4DR, so being a little wiser this time around. OlllllllO
A big reason Jeep had such a reputation for rollovers is because Consumer Report magazine falsified a bunch of tests made it look like it rolled over to easy that's why jeep got rid of the CJ and replace it with a YJ and sued Consumer Report but the damage was done already. The YJ had the same wheelbase as a CJ7 they did widen the track. They lowered it used sway bars front and back plus panhard bars to keep it more stable.
one thing about jeeps that isn't a myth, is that once you start modifying you just cant seem to stop :)
JEEP =Just Empty Every Pocket.
Very true. I pumped so much money in my TJ. But I am NEVER parting company with it.
@@migellwedderburn5706 that is me , I love my 98
Me who’s putting a Cummins under my tj’s hood (6bt 12v)
or fixing it lol my problems
Officer I'm not drunk! It's just windy.
No shit right ,
True that. 😂
Lol that happens in my pajero too
I love my TJ, and yes only issue (minor) is driving in wind.
Yeah they suck ass on a windy day, but hey all the more fun!
I have a tj had a cj and I miss the leaf springs !!!!
Dude has directional mud tyres. And 2 on passenger side are on backwords!
Goodyear wrangler MTR are non directional tires. Do some research before spreading fake news
I learned that lesson in 2004 when I drove my beloved Jeep TJ through an active fire zone in Aguanga and Anza, CA.
I have a 2003 TJ with 140,000 miles. It is a manual transmission. I do several off roading trips a year. It is my daily driver. Other than having a limb go through my radiator, no mechanical issues at all. Never experienced death wobble, nor have I done anything to avoid it. I will never sell my Jeep.
Then you will experience death wobble. Front tracbar
@@perrystaton548 not likely.
Keep Good shocks, Steering stabilizer & balanced tires!
@@davidmechler5333 agreed. Basic preventive maintenance.
@@efs83dws your track bar bushing will wallow out and allow side to side play. Its happened to all 3 of my TJ's.
If you do ever develop death wobble the easy thing to do to fix it, go on ebay get a full bushing kit for 250. Replace your control arm bushings, track bar front and rear along with the say bar bushings them throw a new stabilizer on there. The ride is day and night different. Also of you have a "dead" spot on your steering wheel when turning or driving that is tie rods and drag link issues, you can also look up the "cure" its a metal bushing that connects the tie rod to the drag line to help prevent roll from a worn out joint.
Hopefully you never need to do any of it but i know on my 98, 03 and 04 they all needed it.
I can agree with the wind statement 😂
The wind can be your enemy at times😂😂😂
Quick fix on the wind issues. Drop the top and lose the doors. Works fer me.
JeepAnimal real pleasant in the winter too
I’ve found Jeeps to be extremely reliable as well. I’ve had several and they’ve been amazing.
Why did you get rid of the other 2
Reliable is a relative word. TJs are very reliable for the engine and transmission, but even the staunchest Jeep defenders will admit the check engine light is on far, far too often compared to something well built like a Toyota.
Love my TJ, but reliability is not one it's perks unless you are referring tot eh drive train. And Jeeps are loud AF, that is just the nature of the beast.
Know your limitations and you will be happy.
In general its amazing how many automobile myths stick around for decades.
Says right on the side of the tire which side to mount inboard look on the tire
Not trying to be a jerk but it makes the rig look silly is all
dude all the tires are mounted properly
KyleSVT burn
Ya, especially the one about 4 liters being bullet proof.....
I had my TJ since 2004. The only issue I had was a clutch that failed. Beyond that, the TJ is a pretty solid vehicle.
I bought my first 06 TJ at 63K miles and when I turned 18. Fast forward 10 years later, it's still chugging along at 170K miles. Definitely keeping it for life.
Wranglers aren't what gave Jeep the unreliable reputation. It's the numerous electrical problems on the Grand Cherokee and all the dumb gadgets they'd throw on them.
It's not bad reliability that gave US cars a bad reputation, it's the piss poor materials used in the interior and build quality coupled with garbage fuel economy. Ford Taurus, crown victoria were all very reliable, probably just as reliable as toyotas. Let's face it, if the interior of a TJ wrangler was in a sedan, it would be unacceptable haha.
I agree with this 100%. This is also the case with trucks...
I think the YJ kinda helped the idea where it had plastic engine parts making it unreliable.(I'm not so sure)
And the FIAT Wranglers hurt too
@@MCGaar yup modern jeeps suck..... The tj is the last real jeep.... It's the E46 M3 of the jeep brand
Just got my first TJ, 2005 with 4.0. Love it. I am happy to have this, cant wait to use the 4x4 side of it.
I’ve had a 97 TJ for 10 years it’s the most reliable automobile I have ever had. I have a new aftermarket soft top which is thicker than my factory top it fits better and is quieter. I’m also running 32’s with a 4 inch lift and although it’s a bit more a struggle on steep hills on flat on gradual inclines even with 3.07 gears it still really goes, there is a slight decline in acceleration but it’s very little and doesn’t affect my ability to pass other vehicles quickly if I have to. It runs straight but I do feel holes in the road but it’s no different with the lift as it was factory, I love my TJ.
Where did you buy your top?
9,000 miles is crazy !!! I love my Tj and I couldn’t agree more with everything you said
I really liked this video. I’m deciding on getting a TJ and I need videos of people that own TJs right now.
Have you found one yet that you are thinking of buying?
The TJ wheelbase is about the same as the YJ and CJ7.
The track width isn't very different either. The YJ and TJ use axles of the same width. The CJ7 used narrower axles, but rim backspacing and tire width may have made up a bit of the difference. CJ springmounts were more inboard than on the YJ, but this may have aided articulation.
TJs have front and rear anti-swaybars. YJs and CJ7s only have a front anti-swaybar.
CJs had no trackbars, and didn't need them. YJs had them, but didn't need them.
Live-axle coilsprung Jeeps should have triangulated upper linkage, IMO. Trackbars are BS engineering for Quadracoil. They are prone to deathwobble, bumpsteer, etc. Leafsprung Jeeps had live axles and trackbars were unnecessary. My CJs and YJ never wobbled, even without any trackbars.
2dr SWB Wranglers are still more prone to rolling than most passenger cars. The COG is higher and the wheelbase is shorter. Cars like Corvettes also have downforce, a very wide trackwidth, and STIFF anti-swaybars, so they are very stable during cornering. This isn't to say that Wranglers are unsafe. Just don't try to drive them like a sportscar.
I agree with you....
I drive a 2018 JK w 35 with lift, and it runs perfect I've been driven on 80 and 90 miles per hour and runs perfect, like you said if you do erratic driving or it is windy you might have some issues but winds give issues to mostly every car
For death wobble, check the front track bar bushing. Have someone turn the steering wheel while you look at the attachment point of the track bar to the frame. Do this carefully with the vehicle in park and the engine running. If there is a lot of play, the bushing is bad. Replace the track bar.
I've seen where the track bar bracket has the hole wallowed out too. Egg shaped
I have had 3 Jeeps, found all to be very reliable.
Biggest TJ downside may be interior space, but the agile,compact chassis that creates that can get you near anywhere.
Small trailer
yeah iv had my TJ for 13 years and it has a little engine noise but its a daily driver and still runs great. soft top is a bit loud but not much more than the hard top i had in a earlier jeep.
i love my TJ though!
anyone else likes when he reviews other peoples jeeps!
Another huge contribution to death wobble is alignment, especially caster. On another note, I don’t know how or where you found a tj with 9k miles, but that’s amazing!
Isn’t there no castor adjustment on a TJ? Only toe in or out.
I love the chats about the TJ. Love my TJ 4.0. Never getting rid of it. Was cleaning out the interior of my frame tonight. Never ending battle. But I wont give up the fight.
Yes! Wind is not fun in the TJ. I was pulling a small trailer and was being pushed around. Little sketch but I made it safe and sound. Thanks for the videos brother!
Thanks man!
I really enjoy your channel. I bought an 05 Jeep TJ with straight six and six speeds. I didn't know it had AC until I saw a leak under the engine and realized it was condensation from the AC condenser, which I was happy to discover. I am inspired by your videos and am having fun customizing our Jeep. Thanks....
Thank you! Very cool!
I have a 06 jeep wrangler se 4.0 automatic with the stock daina 34 back and 30 front with stock gears on a 4 inch lift with 35's grabber x3 tires and it runs great! I also have a superchip installed running in tow mode and it still has a lot of power I live in hawaii and it's a perfect island vehicle.
Very cool!
Hey, I’ve been taking notes, your jeep is exactly my jeep when i was kid . Anyway, Injust copped one, I pushed 80pmh plus, no death wobbles driving all the way from New Hampshire. I love it. I have an 02, 4.0, got it for 2k. Just needed a crank shaft position sensor and some rust work done to the frames. After, I will come back for some mods ideas and stuffs. Beautiful Jeep.
Very cool! Thank you!
I taught my daughter how to drive a manual in my ‘00 TJ and it drove great.. 👍🏻
That’s what I am doing currently with my daughter. Same year and manual as well.
i do not wanna sound basic but this is the car i will want forever
I have a 05 TJ with the 4.0 and 4 speed auto. Factory 3.73’s and 33’s are perfectly fine.
You surely glance at your Jeep(when no one is looking haha). It,s beautiful! Agree 100% for not getting to technical, all is in the hands of the driver who knows his vehicle and not abusing it over its limits.
Thanks!
I have an 06 with the 2.4, 6 speed, 3.73 with 33s. Runs fine as long as I'm not on a hill on the freeway. I will upgrade to 4.88 before I switch to 35s.
literally one of the best looking tj’s i’ve ever seen!! what fenders do you have??
Thanks! They are metalcloak overline
havent seen mine then lol
Wyatt Flamont what you got? i just got my first jeep two weeks ago. love it
@@nickallen5170 05 tj. Look up s33k3rj33p3r on IG
Wyatt Flamont oh yeah i like yours! metal cloak fenders too i see, nice nice. i have a black one as well. 98... not as many upgrades as you yet tho haha, soon hopefully
I drive 95 Yj four banger,leaf spring suspension,its lifted around 2 inches front and with heavy duty shackles and 2 and !/2 inch springs in the rear, I removed the front sway bar and the rear pan hard rod, the front has caster wedges. When I bought the jeep the previous owners had the axles under the springs, to raise it, and it was all screwed up,gear ratio,s are 375 with 29 inch tires,my issue is ,I have plenty of low end torque but I have never been able to hit 5000 rpm I had the computer reflashed with an emission delete, this jeep has no converter but still has the sensor, the engine was rebuilt at some point ( rtv) on the pan, oil pressure cold is 65 lbs, then drops to 25 after its warmed up, at idle but stays at 60 when your on the highway (compression is 160) they only thing I did was replace the timing gears and chain, I do all the repairs and maintenance myself,im 67 and have worked on foreign cars most of my life, but this thing is a blast, in the summer the roof and doors come off, and I dont have to worry about rain because there is no carpets on the floor pans, after blasting in the mud, I just remove the drain plugs on the floor,put a garbage bag over the one seat, and hit the car wash ( I remove the passenger seat so I can stuff my kayak in it
My old tj was tippy past 60. Broke down constantly and my soft top was so loud you couldn't hear anything while driving. But man was it fun to drive. Terrible on the highway okay to put around town. But amazing offroad
Even the idea that the early jeeps were prone to tipping is mostly a myth, and comes primarily from a very misleading episode of a TV show called 60 minutes (hey did a very similar thing in the late 80's about SUVS being easy to tip, which was largely debunked at the time).
The re-gearing one has always bothered me. Literally MILLIONS of people the world over have put bigger tires on their jeeps without re-gearing and not had problems.
The reliability problems are from jk and jl models. When the tj was around it essentially was still an AMC blueprint but with a new 4 link dash and slightly different body lines in hood front fenders and grille. This is why when I buy another 2006 is the newest I would ever consider buying
Good vid to dispel these unfounded myths .A lot of people that had to sell there Tjs had regrets of selling them Im going to keep mine as long as i can.
Thanks Brad!
I very much agree with you Kyle. It's also true that the majority of those who criticise Jeep,are people are people who don't have a Jeep and many of those cases they criticise themselves of envy,let's be clear. I don't waste time criticising Toyota,Mitsubishi,Land Rover,etc,i don't care,I enjoy my Jeep. Thank you Kyle for your video and waiting to see your half doors in red colour 😍
Well said Nacho!
I Love your vids Kyle, you have the best Jeep TJ channel on RUclips and it has really helped me out a lot! Thanks!
Thank you! Glad I could help!
I have an 05 with an automatic transmission. I was having issues with shutter on takeoff. WranglerFix fixed everything I was having an issue with in the stock PCM. I’m running Netto Mud Grapplers 33-13.5-15 and it has a 2 inch lift. I replaced the rear 35 with a Dana 44 and installed an E Locker with 4:56 ring and pinion. I put a Power Trax Lock Right in the front Dana 30. I live in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and my Jeep gets me everywhere I want to go. I spend a lot of time in the Sequoia National Forest because I live here, and my TJ has been the perfect trail rig. It turns on a dime, and the 4.0 has all the torque I need to get up and down these mountain roads without any issues.
i made the mistake of driving our TJ through the Mojave with the top off in 40 mph winds with a bikini top and an old tire cover and at night. It made it one of the most sketchy drives ive experienced and that's saying a lot considering the shit we've done in my buddies Ghia lmao
I run 32's with 3.07 gears in a Dana 44 rear axle, also with a 4" lift. I previously had 28's and everything else was stock. I notice a difference but its very small, if I wanna drink a gallon of gas in a few seconds it'll still really move if I put my pedal to the floor. Love both your Jeeps, red and black looks very cool.
Thanks Josh
Running 33's on 307 and it sucks on freeways going up hill. Gotta drop into 1 low sometimes 2 low and get in the slow lane with the semis. 4.10s would be good for 33's a freeway driving and I want to drive to Moab, not trailer queen it.
307s can be lived with, but 3;73s or 410 would be a lot better for low end torque and keeping the RPMs in a good range for those long commutes to the trails.
I would have liked to have gone with 33’s but for that reason which I’ve heard others say too, I went with 32’s. Though I do dislike getting stuck behind slow people on hills because I do have to drop sometimes down to 2nd because of the loss of speed.
Got an 07 JK Sahara, and love it!Got the factory mopar soft-top, and a slight lift.
Love the TJs, I just like the size of the JK
Bought one in VA today , 5 hour ride home and the winds where up and that shit is no joke . Textin and driving my ass , not in a jeep had my hands 10 and 2 o’clock took like a hour plus to get the feel . Rollin on 33s 4 inch lift.
My JK wandered a lot at higher speeds on the freeway on 35s. The issue was I had too much air in the tires! Once lowered to 28psi from 35psi it was perfect!
Dude, finding this out was night and Day for me. Aired down to 25psi from 40psi and it’s like butter at 55-60 now.
This is a huge factor that people don’t realize! I run 35s at 26 psi
Great videos man, i'm searching for my first Jeep, looking for a TJ of course! Found one locally, 2004 sport. Softop, 75k miles, 5speed, looks very clean from the pictures. I'll be using some of your tips to see if it is the right one
Thanks Greg!
Nice video! I'm so jealous of your beautiful TJ can't wait to find my own 💕
Thanks Alondra!
May I ask what year, trim, and tire is on your red Jeep?
2001, sport, 35inch goodyear mtr
@@KyleSVT I'M LOOKING TO BUY MY FIRST WRANGLER. THERE IS A 2001 SPORT, 4.0L L6 OHV12V, 4WD UPSTATE NY. ONLY ASKING $8000. 121K MILES
i have a 2003 wrangler Rubicon and i love the way it handles, in fact no complaints at all . great informative video, thanks
In 2008 I put new shocks on my '97 Wrangler( not modified at all) with(120000) mile. I started to get the death wobble this year 2021( 170,000miles now). I put new Goodyears P235-75-15 on it, new Monroe shocks & steering stabilizer, drives like brand new! I live in StL and drove it down to Tampa last month(3000 mile r/t)........Perfect! also it's a 2.5
I think people say they are unreliable because they hear about all the parts people break while off roading
Kyle - just found your videos, love them, I am restoring a 1998 TJ for my kid, and she LOVES your rims and tires - what are they? and What lift have you done
Thank you! They are black rock defender 905 15x10 (discontinued) Tires are Goodyear MTR 35x12.5x15 and no lift just the metalcloak overline fenders
Death wobble is, indeed, easy to stop. However, changing the steering stabiliser is a little too easy a fix for it to work.
Will have to say the 2.4l 4cyl in the 06 models is lot better as far power than the earlier models .
gears are important. if you are only in town maybe. but if you want to drive highways of offroad gears are a must going up to 35 and up. i have drove my tj for 16 years and have drove it in all configurations from stock to lifted,
Just a couple of points to mention, Boss. Tippy was from the width, not the wheel base. When the Jeep boys went to the Wide Track axles, it fixed many problems. Adding the wider tires helped, but the larger diameters stole back some of the helping part. Center of gravity and all. 4 inch lift, 2 inch wider tires each side, balances out basically. Reliable? I got 390k on mine, regular maintenance. I repeat, REGULAR! maintenance. Oil changes, brakes, tune ups. And check the fluids, the clutch, belts and rad fins. Sure I've done repairs.... Water pump twice, rad once. Soft top noise? Sure. They stretch. Period. Summer warmth, they stretch, spring and fall, cooler temps, they stretch less. Unless they're brand new, they're gonna make noise. My personal belief is, if the soft top is too noisy, drive a car, or a mini van. Death wobble, you got right on. Worn parts and alingnment 90 percent of the time. Gearing, again, right on. One Jeep, stock 3.31 gears, 33's. all is good. Other Jeep, 35's re-geared to 4.10. Stocker has a tuned up 4.2. Second a warmed up 4L. Both handle the hiway fine. And, both handle the hills and rocks fine. Good vid though. Keep 'em up. Educating other people is always a good thing. I've done the same thing off a stop light in town. People thinking the Jeep was slow.............. HA!
Planning on buying a tj in a week went and checked it out yesterday. It’s a tj 4 cyl but I really loved it needs some work but I definitely think I’m getting it for a good price. Appreciate your vids tho man!!
Ive no experience with new jeeps but have had some cj’s and Jeeps drive on the highway like trying to run with a piece of plywood and unless your driving on flat and level pavement with the solid front axle they wander in and out of the ruts making the driver constantly correct to drive between the white and yellow lines. My jeep scrambler drive pretty nice compared to the others
Great Video Com-rad
спасибо товарищ
99 TJ with 35's, super reliable and loud, ITS A JEEP!! but I'm running 456's and it made a huge difference (wouldn't pull 5th gear at all). I rock crawl a little, hunt and fish and still drive it to work. best of all worlds. I do shift a lot in town though. Nice jeep by the way. SOOO pretty, come to AZ and I'll help you put some scratch's on it.
Thanks brother! haha yea I want to avoid the scratches
Your TJ looks great. Your channel is making me want one!
Thank you sir!
9000 mile TJ is unheard of! Nice find
Thank you
I, 99 TJ 4.0 in-line 6cy had it for 10 yrs over a hundred thousand wabble for me bad tires replaced Radeader speed control solenoid at 80,000, and an exhaust crack in the header. It drove better than my now 2017 JKU. 99 great vehicles.
I have a 2002 plane Jane TJ on 33s Dana 30 front Dana 35 rear 373 gears sitting on 33s. I can't get better than 65 mph and that's rolling down hill with the wind blowing on the back of the Jeep. I need 456 gears to run 35s
Jason, I bet its a good looking rig too! You know what, who cares about going 70 lol. I love the fact that you still have to "drive" the vehicle. To me that is what is missing in todays vehicles to be honest. The noise, the feel, the handle. Just my 2 cents though
@@vigilantemotors just a update. I just put a new to me motor and trans in it. I have 307 gears. I thought they where 373s. Went from the NV3550 manual trans to the AX15. About to head up north to Drummond island in Michigan. Hoping I can maintain 70ish with her now. Crossing my fingers otherwise it's gonna be a 6hr drive one way. Either way I'm gonna do it with a smile on my face. It's not about miles per gallon it's about smile per gallon. :-)
@@jasontanner5656 Hey even at 60 or 65 its all about the smiles my man. You have got one good set up going there.
Camping? Off-roading? What is up that way?
@@vigilantemotors both. I'm excited. I haven't really tested my which out to pull myself out yet. I'm looking forward to testing it out in the morning. Super excited
@@jasontanner5656 Awesome man. I hope you have an amazing trip. Let me know how it goes if you like.
Check my channel out on here you can message me anytime. Id love to know how that gearing does on the highway.
From the TJ back, is where you will find reliability increases if properly maintained (properly being key).
I have a 97 Wrangler sport with 217,000 miles on it. Original engine and I am the original owner from the factory. Still chugging along. Problem free? Uh no, but, what do you expect after 26 years? It still drives and looks pristine though and no frame rust. In fact, mine looks like it was undercoated at the factory.
The 2.5L in the early TJs are also damn reliable if taken care of.
Also, these things are super easy to work on.
They sure are!
Thanks for this video i am getting 35s on mine this week. Perfect timing with a video kyle!
Thanks for watching John!
I got 35s and 4 cylinder and it does it good
I got Jeep lj (tj unlimited) I got 373 gears 4 speed automatic transmission and 33 inch tires. I want to lift it and run 35s but the thing drives amazing off and on road so I don’t see myself doing it anytime soon. The rag top is a little loud on the highway going 55-70 but it’s not as bad as some make it out to be. Definitely recommend Jeep’s they really are capable vehicles.
On gearing it has everything to do with your transmission, if you have a manual you can get away with not re gearing but if you drive a automatic you probably will want to re gear. That is true with any vehicle that you add larger tires too.
I love my TJ . Not many of them around anymore
Lots of rust free TJ's driving on the roads of California.
If I were to rate your Jeep, I'd say it's awesome! Such good taste. Not flashy, just classy. What would I change if it were mine? Go with the hard top, just tint the windows! Thanks for the video.
Thanks Matt!
Only time I ever got death wobble was when the stabalizer bar link broke. Hit a bump and holy crap, front end felt like it would shake itself apart. If ball joints, tie rod ends, ect, causes death wobble, then I'd think there would be more than just jeeps getting the death wobble 🤷.
Love that stanced look on your TJ!🍻
I DD / offroad a 92 YJ w/ 4.0 lifted , 35's ect.. and it's very reliable, the 4.0 is one of the best motors ever.... My Heap drives like an old beat up truck , the tub is rotted , repaired the frame in a few spots ....keep up maintenance and have fun.
Your a cool guy. Thanks for all the help u give .
Thank you! Glad I can help out :)
We've replaced basically every steering component on our jk including the steering box and every linkage in the front end. It still wanders. But I think we've found our culprit. When we test drove it it drove ok but definitely needed all those parts replaced but when we picked it up we noticed it wandered really bad and didn't before. Upon further inspection the dealer trying to make it drive better replaced the ball joints with cheap Napa ones that are known to cause all sorts of weird drivability issues. We are going to replace those with teraflex ball joints to see if that could actually be the problem. Anyone have some thoughts about it?
Never heard of ball joints in the axle causing bumpsteer.
But anything could be possible I guess.
I've always found a drop pittman arm to cause bumpsteer.
Or steering angles between track bar and drag link.
Hello,
Sorry i don't know how to send a private message, but looking at the tires, it appears that they are installed backwards, the tread pattern should look like a V from a front view, this allows for the tires to direct water out from the center of the the tire to the sides. It appears that yours is instead directing water/mud/sand directly to the center of the tire, increasing the chance of hydroplaning. If you review the sidewall of the tire it should have a rotation arrow. However, i don't see a up close shot of the tire, so perhaps they have enough tread sipes and separation to allow water to be dispersed regardless.
Good luck and great videos,
Miller
I’m gonna disagree with the gears. 3.73 with 35’s and 4.0L wouldn’t pull a dead cat out of the road I just swapped to 4.56’s and that’s not enough!!! I’m going 5.13’s
You need some metalcloak rock sliders
Soon!
I don't know why but actually i like whan is strong wind and little noise in TJ because u know that u are driving a car and enjojing in ride ... not like this modern car with all electric sh... ps like your video as always!
Thank you!
my 2001 4.0 3 speed auto No overdrive , 33s regeared to 3.73 perfect for Daily Driver, 70 mph on freeway no problem,hills no problem
Me riding around with my 04 TJ that rides like a 1985 dump truck 👁 👄 👁
The new jeeps today look like the range rovers and there the new soccer moms car 😂🤣😅😆
@@555pa555 It seems like moms as a collective just decided to start driving wranglers over night. This past year I've noticed so many of them lol.
3.73 and 35s with the 4.0 is a bad idea if you plan to drive anything beyond a dirt road. It also made my 6th gear completely useless. Gearing to 4.88 for 35s is best from my experience.
3.07 gears vs head wind on the highway vs 3 speed auto. Ha!!
I run 33’s on my Jeep and I have the auto with the 3.07 (for now) it’s tough 😂
@@MrRaDclan got the 32rh? It's bad ...
I've highway commuted with hard and soft tops. Sometimes soft is quieter. Hard can bounce road noise around so it comes at you from all sides. Soft pops a bit more in the wind but the upward body and engine noise dampens or just passes up and out. Hard needs a little sound damping, IMO.
Had a 2008 JK, had to get rid of it because of the transmission rebuild it was going to need in the near future. I want a TJ or maybe Cherokee
I grew up around the CJ7 and YJ era and I can honestly say that I have seen TWO on the side of the road my entire life. Something happened after the YJs. 😢
Owner of 1 YJ, 2 TJs, and 1 WJ. And the 4.0 liters after 1995/1996 are junk!
I’m currently looking to buy my first Wrangler! I have around $10k to spend and am looking for the 4.0, manual, with less than 100k miles. Fingers crossed when the time comes I end up with one that was taken care of, how much should I have set aside for maintenance and tuning up so it can be daily driven?
Ever since Fiat bought Chrysler, Jeeps have become less reliable since quality has become too cheap that’s why lots of people make fun of Jeeps but they don’t know the real Jeeps are the best before FCA
I agree with the regear myth. I have an 04 sahara with stock gear ratio on 33's and standard transmissio . Its fine going on hills. You just downshift. Its just loud because like yours, mine is also straight pipe😂
Love your channel, particularly everything Tj.. love the look of yours.. I noticed you don’t have rock sliders (at least that I can see), what your thoughts on not having them? It looks a lot clean/minimalist without. Thanks.
Thank you! I eventually want to get the metacloak rock guards
My Jeep wasn’t taken care of properly and honestly it ran really smooth with how bad everything was before I fixed them all. The TJ definitely won’t let you down
I want one so bad. I remember my brothers friends TJ from when I was 12 and now I’m 17 and 7’1” so there is no way I fit in these otherwise it’d make a great winter car to keep my mustang safe in the garage.
So, you fit in a Mustang but not in a Jeep? Interesting 🙄
@@jimvo69 yeah the jeeps have very very small cabins especially the old ones. The old ones also didn’t have telescoping steering wheels. I had a neon srt4 and GTI and it had a way bigger cabin than a wrangler
My first Jeep was a 06 TJ and I ran 31's with a 2in suspension lift with front leveling kit and stock bumper and Warn winch. Never had a problem until I mounted a HiJack Jack onto the hood. The extra weight from the base mounted on the side of the passenger side because viewing was better begin the TJ Jeep Death Wobble. At first it unevenly wore my tires and a slight wobble began. Corrected with new tires. But after a year it unevenly wore the tires again and passenger side shock weaked from weight and began the full death wobble. Not sure what else it created but I'm sure that passenger side needed alot. I'm a strong believer of proper weight distribution now when it comes to mods. I just picked up a 2020 JL 4DR, so being a little wiser this time around. OlllllllO
Hard tops are crazy loud. So yes, soft tops are loud too
Always love the Jeep video Kyle, keep it up! 👍🏻🤘🏻
Thanks man!
I have a 2004 LJ soft top I have had it for 15 yrs now
dude your jeep is sick
Thanks!
A big reason Jeep had such a reputation for rollovers is because Consumer Report magazine falsified a bunch of tests made it look like it rolled over to easy that's why jeep got rid of the CJ and replace it with a YJ and sued Consumer Report but the damage was done already. The YJ had the same wheelbase as a CJ7 they did widen the track. They lowered it used sway bars front and back plus panhard bars to keep it more stable.
I have a shot at an 05 LJ soft top manual 6 for about $10k. Can’t tell if that’s high or about right. Appreciate your thoughts.