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2004 1-ton TJ Build

No negative vibes felt. And to be honest, I have no real idea of knowing either way. Did I mention the seller said it needed a water pump? I drained and pulled the radiator. Lets take a look.

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New pump installed. (Free, came with the jeep)
Definitely going to clean all that out.
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Yeah, I'm 100% not reinstalling this... Heading to Autozone.
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NASTY!
Id try to force air through the heater core hoses too while had them off.
 
Id try to force air through the heater core hoses too while had them off.

Way ahead of you there. I took my car was station and gave that heater core a good cleaning. The same kind of nasty came out of the core and radiator as you would expect to see. I'm quite proud of my "car wash". Allow me to brag a bit.

I decided to put this in back when I put in my water softener.
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All I did was purchase a cheap electric pressure washer and yank out the only part that mattered, the pump. $169 on Amazon. ($139 back in 2019)
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I welded up a bracket and mounted it to the wall. Then I took it's on/off switch, slapped it into a Junction box and called it good.
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The water softener needed a brine drain. I made it my wand stand. Perfect!
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I even repurposed the mounting bracket from the plastic housing to keep my different tips from getting lost.
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And I repurposed the soap hoses too.
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The hose reel is really what makes or brakes the set up. $50 on Amazon here.
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This really is a game changer. If anyone is on the fence about doing something similar, wait no longer. Think about how big a PTA it is to use your pressure washer...
  1. Get the pressure washer out from under the shelves.
  2. Get the garden hose and unwind it.
  3. Connect the hose to the pressure washer
  4. Connect the hose to the house.
  5. Connect the wand to the pressure washer.
  6. Get the extension cord (or gas).
  7. Plug in the extension cord.
  8. Turn the water on.
  9. Purge the air out of the hoses.
  10. Turn the pressure washer on (or start).
  11. Commence Pressure Washing.
Now when I want to use the Pressure Washer it's just a matter of turning the water on, flipping a switch and pulling out the hose. Makes cleaning the SxS, Wife's car, The truck, The driveway, heater cores, etc. a breeze!

If you don't have one, get one!
 
Way ahead of you there. I took my car was station and gave that heater core a good cleaning. The same kind of nasty came out of the core and radiator as you would expect to see. I'm quite proud of my "car wash". Allow me to brag a bit.

I decided to put this in back when I put in my water softener.
d14bbeef-d9e4-4bea-b38b-6a11a8a2df31.jpg


All I did was purchase a cheap electric pressure washer and yank out the only part that mattered, the pump. $169 on Amazon. ($139 back in 2019)
81O2-xDWJyL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


I welded up a bracket and mounted it to the wall. Then I took it's on/off switch, slapped it into a Junction box and called it good.
ea89d1c1-5e1d-47aa-bde7-4c3f2c9deee2.jpg


The water softener needed a brine drain. I made it my wand stand. Perfect!
c88a2711-fc67-4e3a-80c6-86a46c555276.jpg


I even repurposed the mounting bracket from the plastic housing to keep my different tips from getting lost.
cc135bf3-69ef-4b8b-9c15-693c2586ea6a.jpg


And I repurposed the soap hoses too.
e7e3be40-6926-4a01-b94a-21f69d2aaec2.jpg


The hose reel is really what makes or brakes the set up. $50 on Amazon here.
61GVRrHDl8L._AC_SL1500_.jpg


This really is a game changer. If anyone is on the fence about doing something similar, wait no longer. Think about how big a PTA it is to use your pressure washer...
  1. Get the pressure washer out from under the shelves.
  2. Get the garden hose and unwind it.
  3. Connect the hose to the pressure washer
  4. Connect the hose to the house.
  5. Connect the wand to the pressure washer.
  6. Get the extension cord (or gas).
  7. Plug in the extension cord.
  8. Turn the water on.
  9. Purge the air out of the hoses.
  10. Turn the pressure washer on (or start).
  11. Commence Pressure Washing.
Now when I want to use the Pressure Washer it's just a matter of turning the water on, flipping a switch and pulling out the hose. Makes cleaning the SxS, Wife's car, The truck, The driveway, heater cores, etc. a breeze!

If you don't have one, get one!
If you've got a good sized tankless water heater you can plumb it in hot water . I know a guy that did something similar to this . When he built his house he had two water spigots on his outside wall , one hot , one cold . Instant hot water pressure washer for a fraction of what one costs.
 
HELP!!! TJ Owners! HELP!

I just went to the DMV for a VIN inspection to get the title put in my name and they said the could not Verify the VIN in 2 places. Yeah, there is the obvious one in the dash, but they wanted one on inside the door. There isn't one. We looked all over. I looked all over. There is no partial VIN other than stickers all of the thing. And guess what they don't accept... STICKERS.

I was able to find this, and the VIN inspector said if that would have been in the correct location then they could have "Verified" the VIN. Can anyone help me find out where this is supposed to go? Preferably with a verifiable photo that I can reference?

I don't want to get into a pissing match about why they should have accepted it, or other possible locations of VINs. I just want to know where this is supposed to go. Authority is authority and I don't have any. My only option is to return this plate to it's rightful location and go back to the DMV.

Someone, please. Preferably a TJ owner. Please, take a look under the hood of your jeep and find out where this tag goes then post it! PLEASE.

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if it hasn’t been mentioned look up the Astro Van steering box. It is forward swing. I THINK it is bolt on, and it puts the pitman arm out in front so you can move the front axle even more. Just know you’ll have to change shock Mount locations which might impact your towers.
 
HELP!!! TJ Owners! HELP!

I just went to the DMV for a VIN inspection to get the title put in my name and they said the could not Verify the VIN in 2 places. Yeah, there is the obvious one in the dash, but they wanted one on inside the door. There isn't one. We looked all over. I looked all over. There is no partial VIN other than stickers all of the thing. And guess what they don't accept... STICKERS.

I was able to find this, and the VIN inspector said if that would have been in the correct location then they could have "Verified" the VIN. Can anyone help me find out where this is supposed to go? Preferably with a verifiable photo that I can reference?

I don't want to get into a pissing match about why they should have accepted it, or other possible locations of VINs. I just want to know where this is supposed to go. Authority is authority and I don't have any. My only option is to return this plate to it's rightful location and go back to the DMV.

Someone, please. Preferably a TJ owner. Please, take a look under the hood of your jeep and find out where this tag goes then post it! PLEASE.

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That tag is in the same place on mine. Screwed to the bottom flange of the grill, right?

You probably just need to get another dmv person. Stickers should be 100% acceptable as long as they are factory.
 
That tag is in the same place on mine. Screwed to the bottom flange of the grill, right?

You probably just need to get another dmv person. Stickers should be 100% acceptable as long as they are factory.
Could you possibly take a pic? Please? Please???
 
So I went out to take the pic and it isn't there. I remember now that it was bugging me hanging off of there after I pulled the factory sway bar off so I removed it. I did take a picture of the spot where you can see that it clearly lived. I also have another grill with the same unpainted spot on it. I'll edit with pictures in a few.

Ebay with the save. Here are pictures from when I bought my replacement earlier this year.

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Why not remove it and screw it where they say it's supposed to be on the door? That's what I'd do. I believe you can order new VIN tags online, so if you do that and get one screw or rivet it on the door.
 
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This is so crazy. I almost feel like a drama queen. The lady at the DMV had to ask her manager if each VIN was acceptable. The manager was adamant about there being a VIN on the door.

I spent over an hour outside the managers office window crawling under the jeep looking for another VIN when she came out and said, "None of my 'girls' are going to crawl on the ground to verify a VIN. It has to be visible in one of 3 places; 1.) the dash, 2.) the door, or 3.) the firewall."

This is the VIN under the seat. It's a "STICKER" apparently.


I showed her the tag on the front, another full VIN under the seat, a partial on the door, a partial on the Hood. None of them were "adequate" for this... Bee. She said the one on the grill "was fraudulent", and someone obviously tampered with its original location. She called the screw a "home depot" screw. Looking at the photo, I can see Green Factory Paint on the screw.

This F-ing Bee... even flapped the tag as she said my jeep was "obviously souped-up and tampered with".

Partial on the Door. But her girls "aren't going to crawl on the ground."


At that point she told me I had to have the State Police inspect the vehicle. I livid in inside. And if you think I was probably being rude to some degree, believe me. I wasn't. I had my wife with me and all the ladies that came out at this point were very polite. The boss just wasn't having it.

Anyway, that rage has got me begging fellow Jeepers for VIN tags, surfing Google, Watching every YouTube video and calling auto collision centers, dealerships and Sticker venders to see if I could get this stupid sticker. Ever professional I talked to in the past hour said this lady was either on a total power trip, or just plain ignorant.

  • Now I have to rent a trailer to get this jeep across town to get its VIN inspected by another DMV and hope a repeat situation.
  • If that doesn't work, I'll have to take it to a dealership so they can inspect the VIN and order me a sticker.
  • If that doesn't work, I'll go to a body shop and see if they'll "fix" my jeep.
  • If that doesn't work, I'll have to wait over 3 months for the State Police to inspect my vehicle.
  • If that doesn't work, I'll be parting the thing out.
Absolutely nuts.
 
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Why not remove it and screw it where they say it's supposed to be on the door? That's what I'd do. I believe you can order new VIN tags online, so if you do that and get one screw or rivet it on the door.
I thought about all about that. The lady said the tag is supposed to be attached with special tamper proof rivits. I was just thinking to myself how stupid this Manager was. It isn't a full VIN anyway. No Partials.


In regards to having one printed...
I have to have a picture of the one on the door for them to make a new sticker.
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Another place want's my "automotive repair license.
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Stay Tuned.
 
Why not call a state police for an inspection, and go back?

edit: 3 months. I’d call them first and start that process now.
 
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your background or at least automotive background? I’m impressed that you just jumped into a fairly large project vehicle and seemingly know little about Jeep’s/crawlers (no offense meant) but at the same time you seem to be at least aware of what you don’t know and have mechanical skill.

Basically I’m confused haha. But props to you and I hope you stick it through and the Jeep is the fun you’re imagining!
 
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your background or at least automotive background? I’m impressed that you just jumped into a fairly large project vehicle and seemingly know little about Jeep’s/crawlers (no offense meant) but at the same time you seem to be at least aware of what you don’t know and have mechanical skill.

Basically I’m confused haha. But props to you and I hope you stick it through and the Jeep is the fun you’re imagining!


No offense taken whatsoever. Great question. And an easy answer.
  • I love learning. 🤔
  • I love teaching. Want to teach my two daughters how to wrench.
  • I want to get my girls into 4-wheeling. They like horses for some weird reason... ugh. HELP!
  • I love 4-wheeling. I've just never owned a jeep, or anything with solid front axles.
  • I love working.
  • I live in prime wheeling territory. Competition crawlers everywhere.
  • Sometimes you just have to take the plunge.
  • This deal was just to good to pass up.
  • My wife always wanted a jeep. Not me however. I'm 6'4 and always felt cramped in them. I'll address that in this build.
  • My coworker has a Tubing bender and a CNC Plasma cutter that I really want to use. :cool2:

Something attracts me to things that strike that perfect balance beauty and performance (corvettes, jeeps, well designed home, etc).
  • Many can build. Many can design. Few can marry the two.

My background is Engineering. I was a design draftsman, then a Project Manager. I started off wanting to (still want to) build a side-x-side or mini-buggy. I could design and dream for free and that's where is started. I'm an absolute PRO at AutoCAD. Wish I still had a copy. Check out this thread if your interested in my designs.

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Problem was, I could never afford any of them. So I started off small. RC to the rescue! Click here for some more info or here for some other info.
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Love the idea of building a custom roll cage. I've started small (what I could afford) and gradually moved up. My first "buggy." I wish I had some before photos. I picked it up for $800. Way under powered China Crap. But I was determined. I bought a welder and put a Harbor Freight 420cc engine in it. NO, I didn't fit in it. Check out this forum for some of my early troubles.
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I sold that and got this gem for $5,000. It's a Yamaha Viking IV. I still own it. Was a total POS when I bought it. Click here to see more on this the build progress. I'm actually taking it out to Glamis in a few weeks!
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And now here I am Trying to build a 1 ton TJ. Trying to build this jeep. It's been a fun journey!
 
The "VIN on the door" is the tire pressure/vehicle information sticker, same as countless other vehicles. They should've given you a medal for still having that tag on the grill.

Manager was an imbecile, and I can't imagine anybody else won't immediately pass you.
 
Welcome 67stingray.... I will respond to your question about my jeep here in your thread as to make my answers pertain more towards your build...
Love your build. Love the name SH!T BOX even more!

Do you have a front axle stretch on your SB? Are you running a full hydro steering or do you still have mechanical connections? Sorry if it's in a previous post. I didn't see anything about it. I have a TJ and I'm looking at what others have done to get their front wheel out further.

PIcs if you got any! :)

My jeep is running fully hydraulic steering, single ended ram 2x8. I am running the factory pump, some cheapo autozone tranny cooler as the cooler for the system and what looks like a generic orbital valve. I looked at your setup and that angle on the drag link is not pretty. You either need to relocate the box, get a drop pitman arm or join the cool kids and just go full hydro. But keep in mind that full hydro is not legal in most states.

As for the front being stretched... I'd say my jeep is about 5-6" in the front. It's a completely custom built 4 link suspension. It's the easiest way to move the front axle forward. One thing you could do if you have the way to support your jeep. You could get the jeep on stands, remove the shocks, links, steering and roll your axle forward to where it looks good and then just start rebuilding your suspension to accomodate. That is how I have done all my builds, I get the body sitting on stands at the ride height I like and then roll the axles in and then figure out how to make it all fit... lol


I see this is your first buid... It's going to be overwhelming and at times you feel like you royally fucked up... but as long as you keep doing home work, listen to what people tell you and dont be scared to fuck up and then fix your fuck ups you will be fine.

I built my first jeep back in 2006 (thats when I started) it took several years and lots of re-doing shit, but when it was done it was a fucking un-stoppable tank!

My first crawler project when I bought it... It was slapped together, but had good parts like yours... I had no clue what I was getting into.. Prior to this I did a lift kit on a CJ5...

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After several years I was helping people build jeeps, I have installed R&P in about 20 differnt jeeps now...

This was that same jeep after I figured out WTF I was doing.... lol... I miss this jeep, but had to make room for kids...

So, good luck and stick with it!

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First builds are great in the ‘I didn’t know what I didn’t know’ way of learning. Make sure to just go slow, write down more than you think you need to, and consider 2 years to be fast for someone doing it ‘when I have time.’
 
Welcome 67stingray....

I see this is your first buid... It's going to be overwhelming and at times you feel like you royally fucked up... but as long as you keep doing home work, listen to what people tell you and dont be scared to fuck up and then fix your fuck ups you will be fine.

A grinder and paint make me the builder I aint!
Thanks for the encouraging words. I need to know more about your front setup. I can't even tell your white jeep has Hydro. I want to keep my street friendly, or at least 25% Road Warrior, 75% Hard Rocker.

First builds are great in the ‘I didn’t know what I didn’t know’ way of learning. Make sure to just go slow, write down more than you think you need to, and consider 2 years to be fast for someone doing it ‘when I have time.’

Won't have to worry about going $low...
I think most real men are kinetic learners. We force ourselves to be literate learners on forums like these.

The "VIN on the door" is the tire pressure/vehicle information sticker, same as countless other vehicles. They should've given you a medal for still having that tag on the grill.

Manager was an imbecile, and I can't imagine anybody else won't immediately pass you.

Manager was a completely useless.


pulling for you...

Check out my update below.

🍎🍎🍎
 
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🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎

well, It's good news. Great new actually. Redemptive even.

  1. I rented a Trailer.
  2. Towed the Jeep to another DMV.
  3. Got the VIN inspected.
  4. Got the title Transferred.
  5. The end.
Now this is where it gets good. 🍎

While at the DMV I opted NOT to get it registered. On the way home, my wife tells me to get it registered and just be done with it. So I pull into the same DMV that I was at yesterday. Events went as follows:
  1. I take a number.
  2. Manager and I make eye contact. She heads into her office.
  3. A new lady calls my number. I tell her I'm here for plates.
  4. Lady asks "Weren't you here yesterday?"
  5. "Yes." I reply as I hand her the paperwork from the other DMV.
  6. Lady starts processing my plates. It takes a few min.
  7. Manager comes over as I'm paying.
  8. "How did you get a vehicle level three VIN Inspected so quickly?"
  9. I reply, "I didn't. The other DMV knew how to inspect a VIN."
  10. Lady processing my plates puckers up.
  11. Manager puts her hands on her hips and says something to the effect of, "It's their office on the line, not ours."
  12. I pay. The lady hands my my plate. I thank her and get ready to leave.
  13. I sand up and hesitate. The managers staring at me, the lady siting on her stool. They know something up.
  14. I look the manager in the eye, slightly smile, and calmly ask, "Do you like apples?"
  15. She tilts her head slightly, thinks and answers "yes."
  16. I take the license plate and hold it to my chest and boldly respond, "I got my souped-up jeep registered. How do you like them apples!"
  17. I quickly turn around and leave, happy as ever.
🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏


Life is good! Thanks for reading!
 
That’s F’n great…. Who else has gets the opportunity to stick it to the DMV????
Congratulations!!!!!
Balls in your court now…. Has to feel good!!!!
 
Welcome 67stingray.... I will respond to your question about my jeep here in your thread as to make my answers pertain more towards your build...




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Is this jeep missing the front driveshaft? And steering?
 
Rebuild the front frame section and just move your steering box forward. That is what I did on my YJ.
 
Rebuild the front frame section and just move your steering box forward. That is what I did on my YJ.
I assume you have photos of your build. I'll have to take a look at what you did.


Yesterday the power steering lines, and OEM radiator fan/clutch from flebay came. The jeep had this electric fan and everything I've read about the 4.0L said the OEM cooling was it was plenty efficient. My brother in law agreed.

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Now that I have the jeep titled and registered I can't decide if I want to break out the OBD2 and tackle codes 1 by 1, or pull the body off the frame and work on suspension geometry. I know the engine codes isn't as sexy to read about, but if I got the jeep running like a top prior to pulling unplugging everything I might save myself some troubles down the road.

Both are big projects which would cost me little $$$. A bonus during the x-mas season.

Engine ccodes it is. 🤕
 
Go for codes and getting it running. Drive it around and then mess with links and geometry later. Except steering, maybe fix that now too
 
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