Time to start offroading again.

[ironbelle]

So after a couple of years of unemployment and now being on the job for over a year now, I want to start taking the Jeep out again. Since it's my DD I needed to be careful with it while being unemployed. My TJ is lifted and has been since 2006 and I want to know what kind of maintenance is needed for a lifted a Jeep. Aside from the rearend that grenaded(freak of nature and still don't know how it happened) being fixed, oilchanges and regular maintenance, is there any suspension maintenance that needs to be done? I ask because when I got the Jeep, the first 4 years I had it I was taking her offroad at least once a month and now it's been a couple of years since I've been on a trail. I'm no mechanic so I apologize for this basic question.

[Jeeperator]

For one thing the reason the dana 35 rearend blew up is because they are really weak. Seen about 5 on different jeeps break on different trails (ALL BROKE AXLES). What lift do you have on your jeep?

[ironbelle]

There is an RE 3.5 lift on it. Some bolt that usually never gets loose was the culpret and as time went on, it blew. No offroading was involved because I had not been offroad in over a year. Mechanic says he's not seen anything like it. I was wanting to do D44 on front and on rear but I had just started a new job and had to get the Jeep running ASAP.

[6spdYJ]

Be real careful with the Dana 35. My spiders exploded on a paved road.

[Jeeperator]

Typical. 35's suck. The RE arms have a johnny joint on one side so you need to pump a few of grease in them about every oil change. Not sure how old your kit is but RE now has daystar making new poly urethane bushing for the other side of the arm that are suppose to last alot longer I highly recomend getting those.

[HB Jeeper]

As an ex mechanic for 15 years working on damn near everything, Regular maintenance is the key. Depending on your mileage and transmission type would define what you would need to do. Getting grease into every zerk fitting is important. That will lengthen the life on all of the tie rods, idler arms and u-joint. Differential fluid has a long life and I would only change every 60k under the harshest of abuse. Transmission (if A/T) every 30 and engine oil every 3-5k.

If you post the specifics of your TJ; Engine size, mileage etc, i can give you some rule of thumb timelines that may help you out.

[ROBERTK]

Differential fluid has a long life and I would only change every 60k under the harshest of abuse. .

I Like people that think this way :-) pays for my hobbies and allows me to find new ones.

For all those reading this and dont know any better, Diff fluid is 15-19$ for a gallon of cheap stuff (no brand name basically) that is still GL-5 certified. A gallon will do both diffs. Spend the 15-19$ on a gallon and 7$ on a tube of RTV, and change you diff oils every 20-30K miles. AND if you have submerged the diffs (water above the top of the diff cover, more then a few times, change the oil.

That 40$ for 60k miles (2x @30k miles each) of maint. will significantly help, to prevent you needing my services or someone elses, to replace bearings, or spidergears, etc, due to contaminents in the oil.

You do know that engine oil is fine for 6-10K miles right? But do you want to risk it?

[Materdaddy]

I Like people that think this way :-) pays for my hobbies and allows me to find new ones.

For all those reading this and dont know any better, Diff fluid is 15-19$ for a gallon of cheap stuff (no brand name basically) that is still GL-5 certified. A gallon will do both diffs. Spend the 15-19$ on a gallon and 7$ on a tube of RTV, and change you diff oils every 20-30K miles. AND if you have submerged the diffs (water above the top of the diff cover, more then a few times, change the oil.

That 40$ for 60k miles (2x @30k miles each) of maint. will significantly help, to prevent you needing my services or someone elses, to replace bearings, or spidergears, etc, due to contaminents in the oil.

You do know that engine oil is fine for 6-10K miles right? But do you want to risk it?

I agree with Robert.

I'm no mechanic, but I err on the side of caution, especially since (a) it's only around $20 for a fluid change, and (b) I had about 60k on my truck's diff when the pinion bearing was shot. Towed to IDTT and then the truck whined the whole way home, pinion bearings were shot. Oceanside Driveline said the likely problem was the old fluid, not something like too much weight (I was about 1k under capacity), especially since I towed using an aluminum trailer.

[brokenujoint]

There is an RE 3.5 lift on it. Some bolt that usually never gets loose was the culpret and as time went on, it blew. No offroading was involved because I had not been offroad in over a year. Mechanic says he's not seen anything like it. I was wanting to do D44 on front and on rear but I had just started a new job and had to get the Jeep running ASAP.

Im in Lakeside and know my way around a jeep pretty well. I've been on hiatus with jeeping for a bit to since I changed careers. If you need any help with anything or just need someone to go jeeping around with , let me know and I'll go play... Jeeps arent that difficult at all, just expensive and high maintenance. Ditch the 35 asap. Craigslist has a ton of xj 44's for sale. a dana 30 is just fine and is under rated. My 30 has lasted me since 97 and I am rough on my jeep but controlled with the roughness. Dont drop a dollar on your 35, just get a 44, a 9 or even a xplorer rearend... hit me up if you need help.

[JeepGal]

Welcome back to the fold Ironbelle!

Looking forward to seeing you on the trails soon

Tam

[ironbelle]

Never let Tam. Just couldn't chance Jeeping while being unemployed. Tires is next (with the retro paycheck I'll be getting)

[Jerry Bransford]

Good to see you ready to get back into offroading! Regarding the uprading of your axles, just save up for the rear Dana 44 upgrade since the front Dana 30 is more than strong enough for how you'll be wheeling. Unlocked, the Dana 30 is usually fine up to 35" tires. Locked, you really only need to change out its OE carbon steel axle shafts to hardened alloy axle shafts.