Water pump is out, as well as the fan clutch.

The wife and I went to the OMB brewery in Charlotte for lunch. So I'll be finishing the install once we get back home. I never miss an opportunity to eat German food and drink German bier.

 

The water pump and fan clutch is in. The heat is finally working correctly.

 

Just been putting miles on her here lately trying to get the suspension settled. There are some very bad vibrations making an appearance now, so I've parked her until after the holidays. Family takes priority, especially this time of the year.

List of near future parts:

SYE
Drive shaft
CB
Motor mounts
Trans mount
Coil spacers (to get rid of the rake)

Near future-ish parts:

Tires (32s or 33s)
Wheels
Replacement hood or hood vents

Down the road project:

Paint
Gears
Bumpers

 

The vibration turned out to be loose lug nuts. I told my wife not to drive the Jeep the other week because of the vibration until I could verify the problem, but do you think she listened? She called me to let me know that the front drivers side wheel flew off while she was going down I 85. Luckily, no one got hurt.

The Jeep has just been sitting for the last 2 plus weeks since this happened. It chewed up the lugs, the rotor (since it slid and flat spotted), the tire, and the wheel. I have all new brakes for the front and rear, and ordered another Ravine wheel. I was just going to get some black Steelies, but I really like the Ravines.

 

Ouch, that sucks. Glad to hear no one got hurt.

I had a wheel flying off an old Ford I had going full speed on the highway, and since then lug nuts are the first thing I check if there's a vibration or clunking noise. Not something I want experience again. I actually had to tighten the front right wheel on the XJ this morning. Not the wheel nuts, but the once holding the spacers.

What brand of motor mounts are you gonna get? I think I'm gonna go for Brown Dog when I get the time to replace mine.

 

That will be the first thing I check from now on as well.


I just bought OEM motor mounts for now. After all of the unexpected expenses of getting it back on the road, I cant justify the expense of buying the Brown Dog's right now, and they need to be changed ASAP.

 

This post is to condense what I have done to the Jeep in the last 3 months, to include all parts I have but have yet to install:

Expected expenses:
Lift
Extended brake lines
Brakes at all 4 corners
Front rotors
Left front caliper
Flushed the brake fluid
Left rear brake line to the wheel cylinder
Water pump
Thermostat



Unexpected replacements:
Left front Ravine wheel and new tire

Parts, stuff I have yet to do, but have bought already:
Drop pitman arm (may not since I have no bump steer)
New turn down for the exhaust
Motor mounts (OEM)
Oil change

I'm sure I'm missing something.

(Today is tattoo day for me as well. More Star Wars stuff is being added.)

 

I don't think you'll need a dropped pitman arm as long as the trackbar and draglink are parallel. There was a dropped arm installed on mine, but I replaced it with a stock one and it actually improved my angles. Steering feels better now.

 

Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot. First sitting.

 

Today I fixed a vacuum leak that had developed. It was not changing the vent selection like it was supposed to. Easiest thing I've done to the Jeep.

 

I don't know if you already caught this, but I noticed on a post from a while back that you put your trackbar on backwards. The adjustable end should be on the frame side, and you want to make to it's set to the right height, could be why your still getting wobble.