New KJ Owner - Looking for advice

[BugNuker]

Hello all.
I recently bought a 2002 jeep liberty. This liberty already has a lift on it, but I have no idea what kind. It runs ok sized tires, but I'm looking to get some bigger tires that have a more aggressive tread for some nice traction.

My liberty has the selec-trac 4x4 system. I recently read about this, and its totally different that the dealer explained.

My liberty has a hard time stopping it seems to me. I really have to push on those breaks sometimes. I took it to the dealer, they said nothing is wrong. Is this just normal?

I'm looking to build a car pc into the liberty, anyone here done that yet?

has anyone here put a locker into a 2002 liberty?

Thanks guys, I hope to visit this forum often.
-shane

 

[Marlon_JB2]

From my experience, the '02s brakes leave much to be desired, so they might be right about that. Check your pads and brake fluid levels. The '03+ models have much better brakes, discs on the rear that help out a LOT.

 

[icarl]

The liberty is heavy for its size so it naturally takes longer to stop than say a car. I find the drum brakes in the rear to be an advantage in mud because disc brakes tend to get packed in with mud while the drums keep the mud out.

As for a car pc I prefer a laptop. You can take it wherever you go and plug it in when you get in your car.

 

[desertkj]

1.) I still recommend the BF Goodrich At/KOs to anyone. Aggressive tread, good on-road ride, great all around tire.

2.) What were you expecting from the Selec-Trac? Have you been impressed or disappointed?

3.)The drum brakes aren't as good as discs, but I have always considered the braking to be adequate. Perhaps so a full overhaul on everything that should be serviced.

4.) I think LOST may be a better place to ask about the CarPc. I don't remember much talk about that over here.

5.) A lot of people have lockers in the rear differentials of the KJ and swear by them. However, don't put on in the front end as the aluminum Dana 30 cannot reliably handle the additional stress.

 

[Kevin]

I've never done a Car PC before but look into the gOS Development kit: http://www.clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=A4842001

Its power efficiency should be great for cars but don't expect a processing juggernaut.

 

[BugNuker]

RE:

Thanks guys.

As far as what some people have said:
The selec-trac is wonderful, I just was using it like the dealer told me. I was told this:
Part time 4x4 is for driving on any road. the system will only use 4x4 part of the time. Full time 4x4 is for when you need 100% 4 wheel drive. Then 4 lo is for all the rest. Well bull crap. I read the good ol user manual (should have read it first) and its not that way at all. I figure i would not have gotten stuck twice already if i knew. As far as the breaks, it does suck to have drums in the back. As far as lockers, I had not heard about the front dana not being strong enough. Good info. I was told to maybe get an "OX" locker? Cable locker? I live in Utah, and full time or even auto lockers will kill me on the ice.
I need cable or air i think.
The lift I have on this thing (when i bought it, it was like this) seems to only have spaces in the springs both front and back. The tires i run right now are 245-65-16
TOYO's
there not BAD, but i'd love some 245-75-16
emmm yummy

As far as the car pc, I am a software developer and computer geek basically. I got the software and hardware stuff down. The problem I am having is only one person I've seen so far made their bezel in the front look great. the rest just stick add on crap everywhere. I want to full remove the stock system and put in a 8inch lcd touch screen. mp3car.com has some cool stuff

I am also trying to figure out how to use the steering wheel controls with the car pc system.

Thanks for all your guys help. I hope to maybe one day go one some jeep trips with some people from here. If anyone lives near Provo, UT, hit me up!
-Shane

 

[-=JoN=-]

get a whole new brake job.....get the old fluid out..get the pads replaced and rears adjusted.....then get new tires..(tires do help in that dept too..if they are bad now that is..)

car pc..billforde from here did one....

 

[Corwyyn]

Yeah the D30a has been known to 'grenade' under heavy stress, most commonly when a front tire gets air while spinning and then comes down and grips hard; it's not a pretty sight. There are those who say that a front locker will take care of this since it would force the airborne tire to maintain the same rotational speed as the one on the ground, while others say it won't help at all. Myself, I think it's all in the hands of the Jeep gods, and when you displease them, they let you know

As for the salesman's pitch, well what can I say but he's a salesman - he'll blow smoke out his rear or offer you his first-born if it'll seal the deal

On the lift, if you can get some decent pics underneath we can probably figure out which one you have, could be a Daystar, Revtek, BDS - the only way to know for sure is to see it.

And since you're in Provo, here is some info on next years LOST Jeep Safari in Moab. Lots of fun with really great people

 

[JeepJeepster]

Yea, using 4part-time on hard surfaces can destroy the drivetrain over time. Glad you figured out that full-time is made to use FULL TIME. Green=all time; yellow =part-time.

They probably did away with part-time on the KK's since no one knew how to use it(IE, salesmen telling people wrong).

 

[J-Thompson]

The stoping problem is the drums
some think that the KJ is heavy ,this is not so
it is larger than a TJ by a long shot and only out weighs them by ~400#
our '03 KJ stops on a dime our '02 TJ ***** ,rear drums
we run 245/75 MTR's loud but look's cool
as far as a locker ,if you want a selectable for the rear then the only chioce you have is ARB
that is what I plan to run when the KJ becomes my DD
I unlike others plan to run them front and rear
I have never heard of any one who was taking their time explode a front diff ,every time it was 1 front wheel spinning
or attempting some thing that their rig was not built for and the use of the stupid pedal got out of hand

 

[NomadKJ]

Hello all.
I'm looking to build a car pc into the liberty, anyone here done that yet?
-shane

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/d04305f2dbbf1110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html