she bought a 98 TJ (picture below) recently and has been driving it and she says it feels like being on a boat in the ocean while driving.  Has a long arm lift on, not sure of the size, but have concluded she is missing the sway bars connects.

Does anyone have a set they’d like to part with?  Let me know

Betty Lou has had an intermittent starting issue/weirdness going on for a little while. I noticed it mainly happens after she sits for a bit, but I have not been tracking it religiously. As you see in the video sometimes it takes her a bit to get started. 

• The engine turns over way more than the normal few cranks.
• If I let go of the key when this happens it keeps going until stops cranking. I was told this was normal.
• I do not hear any grinding or obnoxious noises coming from the starter. 
• I tested the battery for grins and it is healthy. 

Any help is appreciated!

What I mean is if I let go of the steering wheel while driving down a street or the freeway, she immediately starts drifting to the right. The steering wheel turns to the right as it happens.

It's a much more aggressive movement than I would expect from just the crown of the road and none of our other vehicles have this issue on the exact same stretches of road.

Alignment:

My camber isn't horrible (and is fairly close to equal). Caster is about as far as I can go (without creating major driveline vibes even at lower speeds when the hubs are locked). I have cross caster at -0.6* which I was expecting would offset the road's natural crown. Thrust is ever so slightly negative too. I reduced the toe just a tiny bit after getting the following readout, which made no detectible difference.

Brake/bearing drag:

I free-spun each tire and don't feel any more drag at a particular wheel. I also checked the temperature at the center of each wheel/hub after a bit of freeway driving and they are all within a few degrees of each other. Therefore, I don't think I have anything dragging causing the pull.

Sway bar tension:

I noticed the front and rear sway bars had a little bit of tension on them from the adjustable links not being set just right. I adjusted a link on each bar till they both sit perfectly neutral with the Jeep parked level. This fix made no detectable difference in handling either.

Tire rotation:

Also makes no difference.

What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I need to replace factory jack, it is bent, rusty, bad, and a bit small. 

I have a hi lift jack for off road/emergency but want an "everyday" jack. 

What are others using?? Bottle Jack? Replace with OEM  jack? other scissor jack? 

Suggestions?

Thanks, 

Jason

any brand of traditional disconnects are simple and effective, but i've really missed the SmartBar's convenience when i'm out wheeling alone and have to try and perfectly level the rig to reconnect.

and so i was super excited to try out these new AutoLynx "just turn 2 knobs" style disconnects! 😋

those 2 pieces replace your existing sway-bar's fixed or disconnectable links. the fancy machined aluminum and blue knobs on top of each one make it obvious these aren't your grandpa's disconnects!

with the knobs in the locked position, they pretty much act like standard links - letting your sway bar do its job cutting down major body roll when taking corners like Ricky Bobby or driving a lifted rig on the freeway in the slightest breeze.

however, with a quick half turn of each knob, they unlock and can then independently vary in length allowing your mall crawler to mad-flex on even the tallest urban parking obstacle!

they work much like a shock, just without any dampening effect - a photo explains better than i can:

for most folks, it will only takes a few minutes to adjust them to match the length of your existing links and then bolt them in.

my Clayton track-bar bracket had changed where my passenger-side link was mounted to the axle, and so i had a little more work to do. the mounting hole on that bracket was so low that the end of the AutoLynx was hitting the bracket. i couldn't just space it out with washers as that put the new link on a big lean and looked like it would still hit during full articulation.

so the first step was to drill a new mounting hole up a little higher in that track-bar bracket. i ended up having to buy a new step-bit and use a right-angle drill to fit in there.

of course i then needed to raise the mount on the driver side to match. i didn't have a piece of 1/4" or 3/16" thick metal handy to make a new bracket out of, so i had to butcher my existing tab.

with those slight changes to my setup, the AutoLynx fit as expected without any rubbing.

the AutoLynx are available in 2 sizes, an 8.5" stroke and a 10.5" stroke. i purchased the longer ones since my shocks have 12.1" of travel.

you might be thinking: "hey, those numbers don't match!" - good point, so what happens? well, during extreme articulation, if one shock is fully compressed, then during the last 1.6" of extension on the other side, the sway bar is going to start acting "connected" again. 🤨

that might not matter depending on your exact setup - but i just so happen to have my junk dialed in pretty damn well so that i was using all but the last 3/8" of travel on one shock and completely extending the other when in a full-flex-for-the-instragram situation. and so yes, i did lose some articulation after installing the AutoLynx - about one inch it turned out.

i found when the nose is down, i lose that inch on the droop side (that shock doesn't fully extend)...

and when the nose is lifted, i lose that inch on the compressed side (that shock leaves an extra inch of travel unused).

the convenience of the simple 2-knob connect/disconnect system outweighs that loss of flex in 90% of the wheeling i do.

however, it is going to bother me that i'm limited when doing extreme trails or trying to look good on an RTI ramp!

hopefully Apex will come out with a third, longer-stroke version. i'm strongly considering making mine fully disconnectable for crazy trails though. i think i'd just need to fab some appropriate size lower studs for them to attach to instead of the bottoms being bolted in - we'll see how that works out.

the convenience doesn't come cheap, but they are easier to install and still cheaper than full replacement systems such as the SwayLOC, the G2 CORE Sway System, or the Teraflex Sway Bar System. some of those products do offer multiple rate bars though, so it's not an exact apples-to-apples comparison.

i also can't comment on longevity yet. they are supposed to be fully rebuildable (beyond just the rubber bushings). however, Apex doesn't have any individual replacement parts listed for sale yet on their website.

in summary, the AutoLYNX are a new solution to a common annoyance. they're simple to install and use, and do work as advertised - but they can limit a really flexy rig just a bit.

My question is what is a realistic price range that some of ya'll have seen for these?

Many of the aftermarket bumpers require that you remove the OEM hitch receiver as the bumper uses those bolt holes as a mount point. It is critical that you review the bumper's documentation and be aware of any negative towing limit changes. Aside from the bumper manual, also make note if the bumper's integrated hitch receiver is itself directly wrapped around the frame cross member. If it's not, it is not secure enough to handle trailer load stress.

Rear bumpers from budget manufacturers like SmittyBilt often only mount to the rear side of the frame cross member (no wrap) and clearly state in the manual that the integrated hitch receiver is not intended for towing, but only for light cargo loads like bike racks and luggage carts.

I have personally seen such bumpers fail on the trail under light(*) trailer load stresses.

(*) eg overland RTT style trailer

"After installing the update, owners reported their Jeeps suddenly losing power, lighting up a bunch of dashboard warning lights, and coming to a stop. A message would appear instructing drivers to put the transmission into park, after which it refused to shift back into drive, leaving them stranded. "

- this was my previous setup... 

- and some small tweaks i made a little later...

the new version will have a permanent drawer. i've always preferred just using multiple Pelican style cases before, but i've found certain tools & supplies stay in my rig. this meant that to sleep in there, i always had to pull out 2 of my heaviest cases and set them outside at night. 

the new sleep platform will be at the same height as the drawer case and should be faster/simpler to deploy.

here's the start of it all:

i could have re-used some of the existing stuff like the base and fridge slide, but i've decided to just start over and incorporate several improvements.

i'm using 1/2" plywood for everything instead of King Starboard/StarLite. i really liked working with the plastic, but it's just not as rigid as the same thickness plywood and was also slightly heavier.

here's the bottom of the new platform. the 1/2" strip towards the front of the rig keeps it level along with the square of 1/8" hardboard which rests on the subwoofer grill (2015 and up JK's with the Alpine Speaker option). the double strips near the back of the Jeep are just to fill a hole visually.

to prevent any bass rattles i'm re-using the little neoprene matt i incorporated previously on top of the subwoofer grill.

i went a little shorter this time on the whole base. at 32" deep i am able to use the rear seat mounting bolts that stick up through the floor as locators. this platform presses right up against the back edge of the bolt in each corner.

this puts the rear edge where i can still remove the factory plastic cover that hides the jack.

i went with 39" wide again, which meant i still needed to shave off a little material from the bottom in one spot on each side.

that little cutout allows it to sit flat where the factory side plastic sticks out most.

i again mounted the base to the 4 factory tie-down holes plus the same 2 extra spots where i had inserted U-nuts before. this time i used a flat wood bit to make recess in the plywood and will use pan-head screws along with washers for extra strength.

for the top of the drawer's case, i followed the factory plastic/carpet curves. not so much for visual reasons, but since i'm sleeping on it, i didn't want a hole between the edge and side of the Jeep to let the mattress squish down into.

i bought a contour gauge to help get this part done, and first made a template out of some 1/8" hardboard.

here's the whole structure assembled with just a few screws for a test fit.

i also cut the pieces for the new folding sleep platform that will attach and sit level with the drawer case.

i learned some new stuff already. be sure to see my other post on how to make stronger corners easily with pocket holes. and my tip about buying plywood!

i got over my issues using a router and found a way i could remember which way to feed it. i used to get confused over clockwise/counter-clockwise depending on whether you're routing inside or outside of a shape... but i found this easier to remember: just always PUSH the router AWAY from you and keep it to the RIGHT side of the wood that's being cut.

and so i was able to use a 1/8" round-over bit to ease the edges on everything i made so far.

currently waiting on some locking drawers slides and piano hinges that i ordered before i can go any further, but i'm very happy with the progress so far.

I read that there is a motherboard of sorts somewhere in the area but am unable to validate that or track the part down. Maybe my new part is a lemon? Is this normal?  If anyone has had this problem before I'd appreciate some thoughts on  it.  It is quite befuddling to say the least. 

-Marty

i found my 2016 JK Unlimited Rubicon's transfer case (NP241J 4-1 / NP241OR) uses a M22-1.5 size drain plug (the fill plug is the same). i think most of the modern NP/NV cases like the NV242 and maybe newer NP231's all use the same plug.

the Fumoto standard drain for that size is a FG7BN or FG7BNS, however i wasn't sure that one would thread on - the part of the valve with the handle looked like it might hit the aluminum protrusion to the left of the t-case drain hole. so i went with Fumoto's SX series (FG7BSX), which allows you to rotate the body of the valve wherever you need and then just tighten a hollow bolt to finish mounting it.

the SX valve works just like any other Fumoto with a spring-locked little handle and an optional secondary plastic clip should you be extra paranoid about it somehow coming open. it also has a rotatable plastic elbow on the end to attach a 5/8" I.D. hose when it's time to drain.

there are other types of drain valves, like this Femco or a Stahlbus, but i've had no problems with the Fumoto on my oil pan or the one custom installed on my transmission pan, so i stuck with them.

I was thinking it could be a battery issue, my current AGM battery is about 2 1/2 years old. I am considering replacing it anyway because of the landscape we live in called Phoenix. Thoughts on that are welcome.

Back to the crank issue,  the more I think about it I am leaning towards something being stuck. Any thoughts on that? The inter-webs have all kinds of conflicting info so I thought to ask here too.

-Marty

I am pretty handy and can build things myself so DIY will also be an option

Details: https://www.mlive.com/news/2024/09/more-than-780k-jeeps-being-investigated-because-they-can-catch-fire-even-with-the-engine-off.html

thanks Brian @pksk431 for passing this on!

Intake rockers and one lifter were shot on the pass side. Buttoned it all back up and it won't start. My buddy (SteveO) said he heard something hitting the valve cover.

Are there common errors to look for as we tear it back down again tomorrow?

We didn't have the chain tensioner tool handy but managed to get enough slack in it to put the intake phaser on by turning the exhaust cam clockwise. Everything else seemed pretty straightforward. We triple checked tdc and turned the crank by hand a bit and all seemed fine. 🤔🤔

https://moparinsiders.com/final-edition-of-the-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-will-debut-later-this-year/

I am clueless on where to start, so any help or advise appreciated!

This led to lookup the recommended torque specs for various bolts to see what might line up.  Seems very little matches the recommended bolt specs.  Keep in mine for the chart below that these are the bolt diameters, not the Wrench/Socket size like the above chart.  Most of the bolts on the Jeep suspension are M12-16.  

Anyone have any info to add to this?