2003 Jeep Liberty Sport

[03GoingStrong]

Hello. Name is Jim. Retired Navy Chief. Bought the Liberty brand new in 2003 while stationed in Damneck, VA. Soon after purchase, bottomed out going over a freakin' curb. Don't do much off-roading but wanted some clearance when needed, so had a Revtek spacer lift installed front, Daystar rear with Ranchos. That lift is still on there after about 17 years.

Soon after the lift, I installed Rubicon wheels, skid plates, hitch front and rear, clear front corners, fog lights, boulder bars, chrome grill, roof basket (since removed), chipped it (since removed), tried a couple of different catback exhausts but put stock back on, thried both platinum and iridium plugs but am back to NGK copper, didn't need brakes but installed Napa Gold pads and rotors, 20% front window tint, Husky liners and Jeep cargo tray, debadged the doors ... debadged the whole Jeep but added the hood and tail gate ones back on, and joined a couple of Liberty forums including this one (i think). I quit hanging out on the forums about 14 or so years ago and have no idea what my screen name was back then and my ISP and email have long since changed, so I can't retrieve that info.

All recalls are up to date. Things that have gone wrong over the years: Passenger side valve cover oil leak, 4-wheel light stayed on even when not in 4-wheel drive, so pulled the center console and selector lever to change the position switch. Low beam headlights went out and the dealership determined the fault was internal to the fuse block. The fuse block is no longer available and rather than pull a salvaged on, I just jumpered the low beam relay and put a toggle switch on the dash. Several vacuum hoses replaced, mostly the ones at the firewall on the driver's side and one down by the transmission. Replaced the seat covers a couple of years ago because of wear on the driver's seat.

I only run non-ethanol gas in the Liberty. While expensive, I find in retirement (soon be 67), I don't fill up but once a month or so. Sometimes only every couple of months. Tires are Michelin LTX P245/70-16. Last week I replaced the Rancho shocks with Old Man Emu N132L. Since doing so, I like OME so much, I will be putting OME struts and coils and OME rear springs when I get motivated enough to do it LOL. I don't have or need a cell phone, so I installed a VicTsing FM transmitter with my song collection on a micro SD card. MUCH better than the in dash 6-CD changer.

I don't normally name inanimate objects but this Liberty has served me well for 17 years and earned a name. Meet "Ruby".

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[03GoingStrong]

AH HA !!! ... figured out I originally joined this forum Apr 23, 2005 when stationed in Florida. Screen name was "habitTrail" and I only made like 6 posts before I stopped hanging out on forums.

 

[tommudd]

Looks good, sorry about the spacer lift
as far as OME, how much height do you want, 3 variations to choose from
and we have coilover shocks in front, no struts
struts are on cars with no upper control arms

I remember the name habitTrail from years ago
Been on here and LOST since late 2004

got me beat a bit on age, turning 66 in August, retired from two jobs so far, but still working 5 days a week

 

[03GoingStrong]

Thanks for the correction @tommudd ... coil over coil over coil over ... what was I thinkin' !!! I got it now LOL.

Yep, I spent more time on LOST. Joined there well before I joined here too. Still have a sticker from back in the day that I never used. When they changed the forum software years ago, I "lost" my login. As mentioned, I've changed my ISP and email, so none of that matches the member credentials there anymore and I can't reactivate the registration. I tried to rejoin as if I'd never been there, a couple of days ago but the link emailed to me for account activation noted, "You do not have the necessary permissions to complete this operation." So I tried to login anyway and got a prompt, "The specified username is currently inactive. If you have problems activating your account, please contact a board administrator." ... SOooo I emailed the administration at lostjeeps dot com for assistance and haven't heard a peep back. Didn't tell them I was a former member. Since that happened I came over here and rejoined. Wasn't sure if I could or should even mention another Jeep forum here on not.

Yeah, spacer lift = not good. BUT ... it has served me for about 17yrs now LOL. I want to go with a spring lift and OME sounds right for me. I want to stay within steering geometry without having to go with Jeepin' by Al 4.5 UCA.

I have a few questions and will probably start a thread at some point in the lift forum. For example ... does anyone sell an assembled OME coil over besides RRO? ... my reasons for wanting it to me assembled ready for installation are two fold, 1) With the RevTek spacer lift on the front, I no longer have the OEM top plate and the RevTek top plate would not work with the OME configuration ... will it might "work" but I don't won't to be in the 5-6in range and 2) NO WAY am I going to assemble the coil over. Too dangerous. And since the Liberty is the only vehicle I have, don't want to get on a bicycle and pedal my butt all over town trying to find someone to do it.

Other questions too about required/needed spacers in the coil over assembly and/or conduit nuts (prolly none on the passenger side and maybe one or two on the driver's side to level up. Dunno). And the dang hockey puck bump stop in the rear. Had no idea about that. And how many hockey pucks on each side? Then got to thinking well maybe when I put the OME coils in, maybe I could turn that Daystar puck sitting in there now, turn it down to fit inside the coil. That sounds like a lot of work though and I don't have a lathe or anything.

I just want to figure out what I need to go completely OME, stay within OE steering geometry and not reinvent the wheel so to speak. If I really SHOULD put in the Jeepin' by Al arm in, then so be it. I will.

Again Tom, thanks for the welcome and I will be pinging you for knowledge after I do a little more research ... or sooner

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[03GoingStrong]

Thought of a couple more repairs and issues with the 03 KJ over the years.
- Three or four years ago, had to replace both shocks/gas cylinders on both the hood and rear glass. They just wore out and wouldn't hold up the hood or rear glass anymore.
- When getting new tires, I have to check the lug nut torque. Bought new tires once and the nuts were impact wrenched on so tight it warped the brake rotors slightly, causing the brake pedal feedback and steering wheel shudder to feel as though a brake job was needed. Re-torqued the lug nuts to 100 ft. lbs. and everything with the brakes miraculously smoothed out. Cheapest "brake job" ever.

 

[LibertyTC]

Welcome as well.
Good looking low mile Jeep. Well optioned.
You have really kept it in beautiful shape.
You have many useful miles ahead !!

 

[Billwill]

Nice clean and shiny KJ you have there!
My 2002 Export CRD 5 speed Manual is in serious need of a good clean but under our Lockdown here in South Africa at the moment it is a bit difficult to get a decent clean anywhere and the complex I am living in does not allow me to use my Kaercher High-pressure cleaner!

I also was on LOST years ago..probably about 2002...and also lost my original User Name.."Billwill" as used here on jeepkj. No amount of pleading with LOST to get my original User ID back helped so now I look like a Newbie there under the Billybob ID.

I also had to replace the "shocks" for the Hood and rear glass a few years ago...used some Pirate items which work reasonably well!

Replaced the shocks on all for corners as well with Monroe shocks...not the greatest but we are a bit limited for choice here in SA.

 

[MarksmanAkula]

Dude! I gotta say thats one beautiful jeep! reminds me of my truck (Sorry, unrelated to this forum) an 01' F-150 with only 56K miles. All factory everything, no body rust, only usual maintenance. But holy hell, your jeep looks clean as can be. You definitely got a keeper, hope she chugs for many more years!