What have a really said about my ZJ? It’s been good… I like it. I’m not entirely fond of it though. Ryan bought a YJ shortly after I bought my Jeep… and it’s been a total nightmare, breaking every other week, catching on fire, causing serious bodily harm to it’s owner. Apparently it’s a Jeep thing. I guess… in someways I get it.
I think I may have been living in denial. I’ve been telling myself that Ryan’s nightmare YJ was not a nightmare because it was a JEEP engineered and built in America, but rather because it was a modified, well driven trail rig. After all… I’ve owned my JEEP for the better part of a year now, and the only work I’ve done on it has been typical maintenance: tires, fluid changes etc. But now… almost a year in, I can see a LOONNG list of items piling up.
The transfer case has never been perfect. The shift linkage actually broke shortly after I bought the truck. It has never gone smoothly in and out of High/Low. I’ve fixed the linkage, adjusted the linkage, changed the TC oil… and still no luck. Apparently it’s not uncommon… likely a result of the wrong fluid being used for a very long time. As we all know… your local repair shop is full of hacks and lazy asses. I know how it works… they only stock one kind of transmission oil.
The AC blew nice and cold when we bought it, but it’s not there anymore. I used to think AC was unneccasary, and I guess it is, but it sure would be nice in a gigantic all black truck that sees most of it’s action on the highway. Windows down at 100+ isn’t really appealing.
The rear window… on the lift gate… FELL OUT at one point. FELL OUT! The adhesive holding it just gave way I guess. Luckily no damage was done… except to my wallet. $180 was spent at Speedy. If I was smart I would have just gone to PNP at grabbed a lift gate from a kouki ZJ. One with a separate lifting window that is actually bolted on, rather than glued.
I’m developing some drivetrain whine. I think it’s coming from the front diff. I’ve been telling myself I’ll just leave it until I want to re-gear and lock it. I hope it lasts that long.
When it’s gets really cold, the alternator doesn’t supply enough juice to heat the mirrors, rear window, heater blower and radio. That’s an important fix. I like to think I’ll fit a winch at somepoint too so… it’s not going to be a cheap fix either.
And then there is the simple stuff like the tie-rod end that’s noticably getting sloppy, a rattling exhaust and the door hinges I replaced yesterday. Why the hell should you need to cut off and weld on hinges? Only on American machinery.
All these things aside, we’re still planning on long term ownership. The 318 is really nice, and it’s a good size for comfort and driveability. I’m still looking forward to it and am hopeful that it’s going to be a decent expedition type rig when it’s all done. Dual batteries, LSD’s and light armour… complete with leather and climate control… all for about 5k. I hope. Afterwards, I’ll have no excuses not to visit my family in Northern Alberta though.