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Jeep LJ

lhracing

lhracing

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
So I am thinking about looking for a Jeep LJ. I want a Rubicon with the 6 speed manual transmission and a hard top.

What input do you have as to the good and the bad on the LJ?
 
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glockman

glockman

I hate Jeep trucks
Location
Pleasant Grove
The good - They are small, agile, capable, highly sought after and getting more collectable every year.
The bad - They are getting really expensive, they are still a Jeep with limited power, poor fuel economy and death wobble is just a worn bushing away.


The 6 speed should be much better in the power department and the 05/06 auto's have transmission controller issues. Luckily there are solutions for that now in the $500 range not the thousands. The 05/06 also have OPDA (ignition/distributor) issues so that steers some people towards the 04, but they didn't come in the Rubicon flavor in 04, I'm not sure they came with the 6 speed in 04 either.
Hard tops are getting really expensive ($2500ish) if you have to buy it ala carte.

We have had ours since 2014 and it's been a really great rig. I'd never go back to a TJ and the wife refuses to drive a 4 door. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited buy/sell/trade group on Facebook is a great resource to find one.
 
moab_cj5

moab_cj5

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
The Village of Kay
I had an 05 years ago. The 6 speed was making noise at 50k miles and I had the OPDA issue mentioned above. Ask @DAA about his 6 speed manual issues... My cats also had to be replaced at 65k milles because they were plugged. The rear factory locker developed a leak at 66k miles and was non serviceable, so I cut my losses and sold it in 2011.

If it were me, I would look for 2004 and then put better axles with ARB's and an Atlas rather than look for a Rubicon.
 
lhracing

lhracing

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
moab_cj5 said:
I had an 05 years ago. The 6 speed was making noise at 50k miles and I had the OPDA issue mentioned above. Ask @DAA about his 6 speed manual issues... My cats also had to be replaced at 65k milles because they were plugged. The rear factory locker developed a leak at 66k miles and was non serviceable, so I cut my losses and sold it in 2011.

If it were me, I would look for 2004 and then put better axles with ARB's and an Atlas rather than look for a Rubicon.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the good news Dave.
 
DAA

DAA

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
West Bountiful, UT
Lane, mine is on jack stands right now for some axle PM's. I'll have the axles back in, and it should be driving again tomorrow though.

Should be good to go for you to inspect and drive to your hearts content on Sunday, if you want.

@glockman and @moab_cj5 hit all the high points and low points.

The OPDA issue is real, but it's also a 20 minute $120 permanent fix.

I have really liked the six speed a lot, actually. Right up until it broke and was very expensive to repair. Now that it is repaired, I like it a lot again :D . I've had no issues with my lockers. I did have a burnt exhaust valve, which wasted my cats, at about 110k miles. So I had to to a valve job and replace the cats at that time.

Current prices are stupid though. Just, plain, stupid. Based on a recent unsolicited offer I got for mine and the current trajectory of prices, within another year, I should be able to sell mine for more than I paid for it brand new 16 years ago. If I wanted to (but I don't). Seriously.

- DAA
 
lhracing

lhracing

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
DAA said:
Lane, mine is on jack stands right now for some axle PM's. I'll have the axles back in, and it should be driving again tomorrow though.

Should be good to go for you to inspect and drive to your hearts content on Sunday, if you want.

@glockman and @moab_cj5 hit all the high points and low points.

The OPDA issue is real, but it's also a 20 minute $120 permanent fix.

I have really liked the six speed a lot, actually. Right up until it broke and was very expensive to repair. Now that it is repaired, I like it a lot again :D . I've had no issues with my lockers. I did have a burnt exhaust valve, which wasted my cats, at about 110k miles. So I had to to a valve job and replace the cats at that time.

Current prices are stupid though. Just, plain, stupid. Based on a recent unsolicited offer I got for mine and the current trajectory of prices, within another year, I should be able to sell mine for more than I paid for it brand new 16 years ago. If I wanted to (but I don't). Seriously.

- DAA
Click to expand...
Thanks Dave, I had a 2003 Rubicon and had no issues with it. I look at yours and think it would be the perfect offroad vehicle for my use. I know about the pricing and it is not something that I have to have but if one came along at a semi-reasonable price I might snag it. I may want to come and look yours over sometime, I would like to take some measurements and see how it might fit in an enclosed trailer that I have.
 
gijohn40

gijohn40

too poor to wheel... :(
Location
Layton, Utah
I loved my but seemed to break every joint on it. Ilean redid my front end with heavy duty parts and the knuckles off a 04 wj which gave me dual piston calipers You could put someone thru the windshield braking hard! I had to replace all the brackets on the rear axle (shock mounts, trackbar mount). Mine wasn't a rubicon but after a few thousand in axle parts it could have been! lol

When I sold it a couple years ago no one wanted it. ended up selling to some kid for 11K. I think he had the transfer case go out on him shortly after he bought it. guess I'm ruff on vehicles....
 
UNSTUCK

UNSTUCK

But stuck more often.
Mine will likely be up for sale in the next week or so. 😕
We LOVE it.

611649DC-313C-4011-958D-B03BCDF2B3B8.jpeg

912E0668-5A0D-4C02-8C27-5E028F386F40.jpeg

It’s cleaner now. These are the only pics on my phone right now.

2006
6 speed
Runs, drives, works great.
Hard top and three different soft tops including a frameless.
180k miles.
 
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