So, what do you do when your travel vehicle dies?

[sleazy rider]

You go to the dealership and buy a new to you Jeep.

Long story short, we’re wintering in Houston and I drove my van loaded with belongings south. As I pulled into Houston, the trans started doing funny things and smelling real bad. It just made it to the apartment and crapped the bed.

I bought this to replace it. 2016 Wrangler Sport with all the goodies.

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[tommudd]

but as long as you like it

 

[sleazy rider]

but as long as you like it

I still have my Liberty at home. It’s staying in the fleet.

 

[sleazy rider]

Getting familiarized with Wrangler accessories. This Sport Unlimited was farkled pretty well for my tastes. Teraflex 2.5” lift, *new* 33s on black 5 spoke wheels, older $mittybilt bumpers and spare tire mount, side step rails and other stuff I’m still researching like the electrical distribution box under the hood and all the lighting attached to this beastie. I’m sure there’s more to discover yet.

Took it out for a speed run to see if there was a death wobble. Rock solid to 75.

 

[sleazy rider]

Oh, the wife wasn’t happy to discover it didn’t have power locks or windows. I’m good with it! Less to fail.

 

[sleazy rider]

Thank goodness for Google! Trying to decipher how to raise and lower a manual adjusting seat. Well, I almost got it right, but it was too high for longer trips. The right hip started whining about an hour into the run to Austin from Houston. Fixed height at my son’s house by lowering about an inch. We’ll see on the ride home tonight. lol

Also found and searched spod since there’s one under the hood. Me likey the answer! Super slick and neat wiring of accessories.

 

[sleazy rider]

1st mod is on the way. Ordered a set of LED headlights and driving lights from a company I’ve used before with good results because OEM light output is simply pathetic.

Pleased and shocked how easy the front grill is to remove! Lights will be here later this morning. Should easily be done by dinner with basic hand tools.

We did a 500 mile short weekend to my son’s place in Austin and 15.9 mpg ain’t too shabby with the current tires and gearing at superslab speeds. OEM 3.73s with Trac-Lock rear.

 

[sleazy rider]

Bezos’ bozos strike again. Package shows delivered at 6:50am. Hmph, i was awake and sitting next to the front door watching tv and drinking coffee. Nope, ain’t there. No delivery picture either.

 

[JRB]

Bezos’ bozos strike again. Package shows delivered at 6:50am. Hmph, i was awake and sitting next to the front door watching tv and drinking coffee. Nope, ain’t there. No delivery picture either.

Yeah, that can be frustrating for sure. In a world where about every business messes up, they've at least done well for making it right every time, many times for me.

 

[sleazy rider]

Yeah, this is second time this week. First one was a charger for my MacBook. That ended up on the apartment next door’s porch. This one’s nowhere to be found. Just four buildings in the complex and I can see all the porches.

 

[sleazy rider]

Got adventurous today and popped the top panels off for a quick ride. Very fun!

 

[sleazy rider]

Some people should not be allowed to use power tools. The spare tire on the rack has the lug nuts so tight I can’t break them loose with a two foot breaker bar. The swingaway spare tire mount needs to be lubed because it’s been ignored for at least two years. Can you say stiffer than a woodpecker’s ******?

 

[JRB]

Many should not be allowed to use power tools, or operate vehicles, lol.

 

[klc]

Many should not be allowed to use power tools, or operate vehicles, lol.

Yeah, how are there still people that don’t know how to use the card terminal at the grocery store?

 

[sleazy rider]

There's a Discount Tire just up the street and I'll be stopping there for some Snap On Brutus impact wrench powered help. No compressor or access to my big box back home otherwise this wouldn't be a thing. Probably spend some $$ and have them rotate and balance all the big wheels just for my peace of mind (not to mention wallet security) while I'm there. At least the PO left the splined lug nut socket in the vehicle. Them dang oversize tires got even more expensive than I remember.

Swapped out the rusty windshield light brackets yesterday for some quality parts. The lights need aiming stat. lol Flipped them on while driving home last night and they're great for night owl spotting.

In other news, the headlights/driving lights appeared on my doorstep last night after having a stern conversation with an Amazon serf about their delivery lackey's inability to read apartment numbers. Ordered a set of matching smoked turn $ignal$ last night and Saturday will be installation day for all of it. Before and after pics to follow.

I still want to lose the angry bird grille for a stocker in gloss black. The matte black plastic does nothing for my aesthetic opinion of the cheap junk.

 

[lfhoward]

I still want to lose the angry bird grille for a stocker in gloss black. The matte black plastic does nothing for my aesthetic opinion of the cheap junk.

I can’t stand the angry birds grilles on Jeeps! Good call replacing that. Car-part.com probably has what you need if Craigslist doesn’t.

 

[sleazy rider]

And the headlights don’t fit. Shipping back today. First issue with this company’s stuff. Used their lights on motorcycles and other vehicles. Sad.

But first, need to reinstall the grille.

 

[sleazy rider]

Scrubbed the s*c*u*m off the plastic grille shell with a scotchbrite pad and Dawn, then wiped down with real mineral spirits to remove the road oils. Almost looks clean now. All lights are as it started and Amazon got a shipment. Review left on headlight product, it probably won’t be approved for viewing. Ordered some LED headlight bulbs. They really are pathetic for light output at the moment. I’ll tweak the aiming of the KC lites tonight.

 

[sleazy rider]

New LED bulbs delivered by an actual Amazon driver today. Grill came back off for install since it’s so doggone easy. KC windshield lights are twisted back to useable direction too.

Gotta pick up the wife from the airport in the dark tonight. We shall SEEEEEE!!

 

[sleazy rider]

Texas threw me a curveball yesterday when picking up the permanent plates for the JK. They run two plates down here and my winch bumper doesn't currently have a plate mount. Rough Country to the rescue via AMZ. Fairlead plate mount ordered that goes under the fairlead and puts the plate below the winch. More wrenching!

The Nilight headlight LED bulbs are perfect. Bright enough to see, but not blinding to oncoming traffic with a well defined cutoff. Liked them so much, I ordered the matching fog lamp bulbs. Practicality in accessories first, then >maybe< a few more fancy things.

I do want a roof panel bag to store them without scraping paint. Just like the t-tops on my old '86 IROC Z-28 back in the day.