I was wanting to take care of some basic maintenance on my WJ today. Oil, drain the coolant & refill, spark plugs, brake fluid, and rotating the tires. My WJ is RWD. I was planning on doing like the lower upper forward rearward cross pattern pictured. What would be the reason for doing like the rearward cross pattern pictured above? I am having trouble for some reason trying to picture why one pattern is recommended over the other? I know the forward cross pattern is recommended for front wheel drive, and the rearward cross is reccomended for rear wheel drive. I don't understand why though, or if it really makes a difference? Either way, I am planning on going with the rearward cross pattern.

 

I guess I have to first figure out if my tires (Cooper Discoverer AT3) are non-directional first, and then reevaluate my plans?

 

One pattern is for front wheel drive and one is for RWD. Your Cooper ATs are non directional.

 

Oh, good.. Rearward pattern it is!

Curious if anyone has tried the Yokohama Geolander AT tires. I need to replace the tires on my ZJ. I will probably be linking back up with it again in Ohio in about a week or two. I was thinking of ordering a set of these to put on the ZJ when I get there. I like this brand of tire on my camaros, and thought to give these a try on the Jeep. I cannot fault the Coopers though. They have been an excellent tire for me on the WJ. They are wearing very well too.. I may fall back to them on the ZJ instead?

I can't swap rims from the WJ to ZJ back n forth can I? I wish I could? They are both 5-lug, but I might remember reading something about their spacing, or something about the lugs is different?

Thanks

 

Yeah, ZJ is 15" 5x4.5 lug pattern and WJ is 16" 5x5. Also if you have Teves brakes the 15's won't fit the WJ. I've heard they will clear the Akebono, but they may be really close. Maybe with adapters.

The trick with tire rotation is to alternate the drive direction so the tires wear evenly. That's rotational drive direction.

 

All squared up

Got the tires rotated around onto the different corners. I am glad I decided to do that. The only thing I did not get to do was the brake fluid. I don't know why, but that is the one maintenance item I seem to always put off? It just got to being too late last night, and I got a little tired and went to bed.

Anyway, it is time to head back out. Not too far to go. It'll be a 550 mile run this time. Got to get going though...

Still need to wash this thing!

 

Any good thunderstorm will take care of the wash, LOL! Godspeed on the rest of your trip. "Fair winds and a following sea."

 

yep, that's my usual method of washing.. Besides, I think these Jeeps get angry when you go and purposely take the dirt off them! Made it in good time. Met the County. Put my signature on some papers. Held a pep meeting. Done with Louisiana for the time being. I'm back on the road again heading northeast 'supposed' to be up in Ohio again by Thursday. Diverting myself over to Wilmington in North Carolina first though to visit my ex. Raised my nephew for 14 years with her. He's 15 now, and he still lives with her. I will of course be sure to update when I make it over there to the beach. The next time I am in the Wilmington area I should have the white Jeep with me, and maybe be able to get a shot of it on the sand by the water..

Picture above of the WJ in Lafayette, Louisiana

 

Looks buggy on the front! At least clean off the headlights! Or are they foggy?

 

I can't really see good at night. Soo many bugs! Would have to stop and wipe off all of the dragonfly carcasses out from underneath and stuck to both windshield wiper blades often. The fog lights dissapeared. There is light, but no real light illuminating outward from either of them.. I need new headlights.

 

One good thing though is that I was looking at the photograph above under the cabin deck next to the river. In that picture, you can see where on the Cooper tires, the lettering was raised outlined white.. it's all basically gone now in that photograph. From all of the sand, dirt, and clay it's been driven through the last 30 - 40-thousand miles. Especially when all that stuff is wet, and there's puddles and sink-holes many times. This really does make me think of a funny story if you want to hear?

Out on the far side of the country down this one particular set of dirt roads is the setting. I had been out there working for a decent amount of time at least four to five days. Knew the roads well. This one had a set of large puddles several car-lengths long. Some of those puddles would run the entire lengths of these long dirty sandy clay back roads. The roads also had sink-holes along the way. A manager from somwhere came there in I don't know what, but it was low and even electric battery type of hybrid compact front wheel drive. Wants to go out. I tell him look at my Jeep right. I was plowing sand with my grill from the center of that road man I was worried and had to keep it rolling on that one.. If were to end up slowing down too much, or stop it was over. Would be stuck. Told him not too go. He did. He got stuck and was calling because we had to hook him and the car up to a semi tractor with chains and he got pulled out. But with the tires, going through all of that dirt wore the white letters off..

 

BTW, if you've got really dirty and corroded aluminum wheels, you know what cleans them really well and fast? Easy-Off Oven Cleaner spray and a high pressure car wash. If you've got lots of brake dust, a little scrubbing with a bristle brush helps. Spray it on dry wheels, then wait about 20 minutes, scrub and spray wash.

 

I didn't hit the button triggering the trip meter to record until I was already over two hours into the drive. It's nice and warm out, so going to head down to the beach soon. Go there and jump in the ocean. The best thing ever is there are no gnats here in this area!!! Got a picture of the WJ down below, in Wilmington, North Carolina

 

That's just dirt on the rims. It's not corroded any at all. Maybe just some rust on the rotors like is normal. I think I will leave North Carolina and drive half-way to Ohio later on in the evening? Not sure? Otherwise, I'll be doing that run all tomorrow, starting early in the morning..

(edited to add):
Lots of brake dust on them though

 

This thing looks nice. I am starting to think that these may have a whole lot of potential!