More Distraction #3

I'm keeping the same "Distraction" numbering from my previous posts:

Distraction #1 = 99 TJ

Distraction #2 = Car Hauler

Distraction #3 = 95 YJ

Distraction #4 = coming soon, I'm sure!

More Distraction #3

Not many pictures, but fixing some odds and ends on the 95 YJ...

Battery

The 95 YJ battery was removed because it was going bad, so I cleaned, primed and painted some minor surface rust in the battery box area.  I put in a spare battery that was born in 2018, so I'm guessing that I'll be replacing it soon.  

Tube Fenders

After 9 years, the YJ tube fenders are looking a little ragged.  The black paint is faded, and some surface rust showing through the joint lines.  The driver's side is worse than the passenger, so I removed it to make cleaning and painting easier.  I'll try to fix the passenger side with it still on the Jeep.

Brake Booster

The brake booster was replaced...you could hear it leaking vacuum on startup when cold.  The leak was easily fixed by just pressing on the brake pedal, and then it wouldn't leak again until the next day.  Probably just a bad shaft seal, but annoying, and easily fixed with a new booster.  This was easier with the fender off.

Firewall

I cleaned and painted an area of surface rust on the firewall under the brake booster.  It looks like it was from sloppy brake or clutch fluid eating away the paint in that area.  This was easier with the fender and booster removed.

Steering and Suspension

No great pictures, but the YJ steering and suspension are getting some attention.  

I bought pair of new brackets to more accurately measure toe in.  

There's an identical bracket on the other side, and then two tape measures give you the toe in dimensions.

A rusting, but still good, steering stabilizer was replaced.  Some rusting hitch pins on my sway bar disconnects were replaced.  I believe that a trip to PINS (Padre Island National Seashore) a couple of years ago caused the surface rust that I'm seeing on various parts.  It's very minor, and easy to correct.  

PINS 2021 - bay side

New hitch pins.  You can also see how I mark the lock nuts on the tie rod and drag link with a paint pen, so I can be confident that they don't move:

Lots of other stuff...I went back to a Pittman are with more drop, replaced all the leaf spring bushings, re-torqued the u-bolts, painted any surface rust, rear brakes were checked, front and rear diff fluid checked, etc.  

More work is planned...the goal is to get it (1) driving better (2) steering better and (3) braking better.  

Question of the Day...Remove the AC System?

The AC in my 95 YJ has never worked that well, even after several attempted improvements over the years.  The vents are too low, the volume of air isn't great, and the leaking soft top lets all the cold air out.  It also constantly gets in the way of maintenance up under the dash - this picture shows the behemoth evaporator pretty clearly.

I have found the AC useful at stop lights during the hot summers, when I'm running no doors and no windows.  The little blast of cold air is nice.  Similarly, I've used it when off roading at slow speed before, when you aren't moving fast enough to get substantial wind blowing through the Jeep.  Other than those two situations, it's been pretty worthless.

And it's been really worthless over the past two years, as it hasn't been working.  I believe that the expansion valve is defective.  I could definitely fix the valve and get it working again.  It would cost time and some money.  

Or should I just remove it?  And save some time...save some money...and make maintenance easier?

Distraction #1 Bonus Edition - 99 TJ:

I thought I was done with my daughter's TJ after replacing the transmission, but a few test drives showed some other issues:

Lock Cylinder

The steering column lock cylinder was worn (227k miles), and it wouldn't always allow the key to turn without a lot of manipulation (and cursing! lots of cursing!😈)

So I replaced the lock cylinder, which was really a pretty easy 5 min operation. AND I was able to keep the same key.  Dorman makes a neat replacement TJ lock cylinder that automatically sets the tumblers for the existing key.  Removing and installing the lock cylinder into the TJ steering column is also very easy - there's just a little clip to remove it.  

Dorman Lock Cylinder

Things went downhill from there, as the new lock cylinder would only work with one key 😡.  Cothron's (locksmith) said something about 8 tumblers vs. 7.  More work is needed to solve this one.  

IAC

The TJ's IAC was also intermittently acting up and causing the Jeep to die.  It was only about 18 months old.  I thoroughly cleaned out the idle air passages and also used a more expensive Mopar IAC.

Mopar IAC

I haven't seen any issues after replacing the IAC - it seems to be working fine.  

Fan Clutch

The TJ coolant temperature was creeping up on hot afternoons after running the AC, but only at stop lights.  The radiator is brand new, so it was ruled out pretty quickly.  The fan clutch seemed to be pretty wimpy when manually turning it, so it was replaced.  

A few more parts, and the TJ will be completely new!  

But wait, there's more!

The TJ started it's way back to Little Rock with my daughter, but it began to overheat in Salado - this was at 7am when it was cool outside.  I flat towed it back home to Round Rock, and they continued on their way back to Little Rock in their other vehicle.  It had been fine for me except for the stoplight issue mentioned above.  I haven't seen any issues on the highway.  But I have just driven it 15-20 minutes at a time to/from work.  

To be continued...   

The tow bar worked well: