My YJ with general renovating info.

[digger]

Hi,

I'm continuously improving my 94  4.0l YJ too. Thankfully I have my own workshop . This first bit of this write up has been posted before but I thought someone might be interested if I put all my bits together in this main topic and added as I went along.

I bought  a few years ago. I looked at a dozen before buying. If you don't know what to look for, learn or get someone to go with you who does. Out of the dozen only two were basically good. Do not be influenced by recent MOTs.  Some of them were very  poor despite the MOT. One of these was in a  dangerous condition.  My YJ to be  was low miles, very good chassis due to underseal from new and reasonable body and interior. At my age I couldn't face yet another total rebuild, I wanted to enjoy the car before it was too late! She was SORN for 6 months during which time I began an overhaul, having been mechanicing, car building etc in motorsport   most of my life. Being fairly original I wanted my YJ to stay that way. I believe there are only about 63 still on the road so YJ's are rare and a future classic I think. The car had been laid up for many years. The previous owner had plans to convert into off road only use but it never happened apart from a few bits of strengthening and a 2" body lift (gr8 )

I began with the steering, about 15" play at wheel. Fun but crap. After dismantling I replaced joints as needed. I tried to adjust the steering box but it was at end of adjustment. A new one  was expensive so I bought a recon from WPS ,Bristol. I visited them . They seemed to be doing a good job and their service was excellent. Steering transformed!

Next brakes. All stripped. New discs, calipers , rear shoes and  small parts. All good.   Replaced clutch hydraulics. Tip . Mine exterior slave. You can buy the two units seperately which saves a lot over the' ready bled'kits  etc (often LHD pipe anyway) I went for solid metal jobs not the plastic . Suspension. Not bad but springs tired, bushes worn etc.. Shocks had been replaced I think 'HD Crown Gas' (poss OMIX hd).  These made the ride very  hard but kept for now. Bad move! Next mistake. I had leafs refurbed to save . This can be good if done properly ie. retempered and reset, but I don't believe mine were. I think they were cold bent despite the companies  denials and they are already resettling all over the place. Now about to go for new all round, probably OME as the road comfort/performance is important to me travelling long ways to JOC events etc.

Have now fitted OME set leafs /shocks etc. Terrific result. On road ride as good as many modern cars. Potholes were a crash/bang horror but not now. Off road much improved too. The softer springs are much more flexible.

The body work is pretty good . A few minor chips etc but nothing serious. So, touching up polishing etc in the main. There was a nasty deep scratch on the front offside so I've redone the whole wing and wheel arch to tidy it up.  I have touched up the undersealing where necessary and visible.   Inside the chassis is difficult to see so I assume it is beginning to peal here and there. I have made the mistake in the past of spraying in more u/seal on an XJ. I later stripped the rusting  sills etc that I had treated years before. All that it had done was seal in any rust beginning and had therefore not worked like it does when  the car is new. So, I fall back on the old fashioned but very effective internal oil spraying once or twice a year using my secret recipe(lol). The interior is good but I had the seats restuffed. Really good now. I made up a set of side protection bars (still have the jig if anyone is interested) which have already proved their worth.

Electrics needed a bit of sorting. I got rid of modern non working spotlamps, sourced a correct period pair and fitted them and h/lamps with upgraded bulbs. (I had crawled home from Slindon behind a pair of candles)   Engine. Checked all. replaced TP sensor to cure tickover probs. Currently uses no oil , good pressure but compression test revealed variable figures for each cylinder.  I guess due to standing so Its off with the head for a top end o/haul in the winter.

Any way , that's a fair chunk of what I've done so far. Hope its of interest. Will add more as it happens.

[frosty]

great write up thanks, some pictures would be nice to see. 

[digger]

Thanks for interest, give me a few days , I'll see what I can do

[digger]

Something (amongst many others things I expect) I forgot. Whilst I like the roof off, for general use I prefer the hardtop. Old gits like me don't like getting wet its bad for me arthritis and  sunburn on the bald bits isn't fun either. The hardtop also offers a little more security. However, whilst cosy in winter with the  furnace heater it was awful in summer. A real greenhouse! I decided to insulate it. I turned it upside down and cleaned it .Then applied two layers of double foil (bubbles in between type, used for attics) fixed in with high temp spray glue. This was followed by a good quality matching spicy colour velour  roof liner material from the net. Result looks gr8, professional finish and the difference is fantastic, In the hottest sun the roof ,which is black, hardly  gets warm inside whereas the outside is untouchable!

Lots of folk seem to think Yjs aren't comfy.  Mine is 'cos its sorted properly. An ole croc like me couldn't go to Kielder/Jeep camp etc unless  the ride was reasonable. In my opinion there are plenty of modern cars that are  much worse with board like seats and rock hard springs. One of the reasons I'm a big Jeep fan is the comfy ride . Jeep is also one of only a couple of brands that offer non backache seats which are important to me. Dare I say none are german or L/R.