Why bother investing the time or energy into an older Jeep?

For me, there are several reasons. First of all, its significantly more affordable to work on these Jeeps than it is a much newer one. Its also, generally, easier. There is such a HUGE aftermarket for these Jeeps that its also really easy to find parts. I source some of my parts from the salvage yard, which is a great way to get OEM upgrades at a fraction of the cost of new OEM or aftermarket. That's not to say you shouldn't go aftermarket - on the contrary! Adding a small lift, changing the rims and tires, upgrading the interior, replacing just about any part... well, the list goes on. And that brings me to my final reason for doing all of this work - I enjoy it! Sure, there are times when my Jeep will fight me when I'm trying to work on it... but eventually we come to an understanding and my Jeep, and myself are much happier in the long run.

Are you looking to do some work on your Jeep?

It doesn't take a garage full of tools... or even a garage! I live at an apartment and I've done nearly all of my work myself and in my driveway. There have been times where I borrowed a friends garage or a tool here and there, so that I could keep working after the sun went down, or because of restrictive fluid rules and regulations. Otherwise, I'd be camped out in my driveway working on my Jeeps. Having a friend with a different tool chest is handy tho... sometimes you need a tool that you don't have and they do. Sometimes it's cheaper to borrow than to buy. That being said, having a good, well rounded tool bag is very important. Do you need to spend thousands of dollars with the Snap-On truck - probably not. But having a good set of wrenches, sockets and drivers is definitely a must. Keep an eye on "big-box" tool sales, flea markets, garage sales and pawn shops for great deals on tools.

Can you really do it on your own?

YES! Although I have had help from friends, family or neighbors occasionally, everything that I have done on my Jeeps, I could do on my own. I don't need super expensive tools, I don't need a fancy shop lift, I don't even need a shop or garage! If you have resources like friends or neighbors that are willing to help, they can be a great asset. Just remember that working on YOUR jeep with YOUR hands is far more rewarding than paying the 4x4 shop down the road hundreds of YOUR dollars.

When you work by yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Take Your Time - its slower to work by yourself so don't rush it and don't be surprised when something takes longer than you thought it would.
• Be Safe - don't do a task or repair that you CAN'T don by yourself. Changing the fluid in your transmission is easily a one person job... changing the transmission entirely would be a good time to get your friend to lend you a hand.
• The Buck Stops With YOU - the good thing about working by yourself is that you don't have to worry about someone else's work quality... but that also means that if something is done wrong, your know exactly who to blame ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

JEEP®, WILLYS, AMC, WRANGLER, CHEROKEE, GRAND CHEROKEE, LIBERTY, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Mopar® and SRT, CJ, YJ, TJ, JK, JT, XK, XJ, MJ, KL, JL, KJ, KK, ZJ, WJ, WK, WK2 and other names used in/on this website are registered trademarks or trademarks of FCA US, LLC or their respective owners. We are not affiliated with FCA US, LLC or any other companies whose products or part numbers shown here as a reference. These terms are used for descriptive purposes only, and not to denote affiliation or connection with FCA US, LLC. We just love Jeeps.

Thanks for Stopping by! This page is meant to be a resource for ordinary people looking to make some improvements, add some upgrades or install a modification or three to their Jeep. I have owned 3 different Jeeps, including a 2000 XJ, a 2004 WJ and a 2005 KJ.

If you stumbled upon this page, WELCOME! Please check out my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDXTtiuIrDkxM0elgosQ7TQ/videos.

If you came here because of my YouTube channel... WELCOME! This page will be a constant work in progress, and I'll do my best to have supplemental information for my videos posted here as well. 

Remember - I have no special skills, tools or training.

If I can do it... So can YOU!

 
JEEP®, WILLYS, AMC, WRANGLER, CHEROKEE, GRAND CHEROKEE, LIBERTY, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Mopar® and SRT, CJ, YJ, TJ, JK, JT, XK, XJ, MJ, KL, JL, KJ, KK, ZJ, WJ, WK, WK2 and other names used in/on this website are registered trademarks or trademarks of FCA US, LLC or their respective owners. We are not affiliated with FCA US, LLC or any other companies whose products or part numbers shown here as a reference. These terms are used for descriptive purposes only, and not to denote affiliation or connection with FCA US, LLC. We just love Jeeps.

More info to help you with a Cruise Control issue!

This is by far my most popular video so far. I have some more supplemental information regarding this fix, and some of it is only going to cost you your time.

This is the exploded view of the vacuum system in the front clip of a V8 equipped WJ

This is what the vacuum system looks like under the passenger side headlight with the headlight and then the plastic grill support removed

And this is the actual vacuum reservoir. Note the vacuum line attachment - this is facing back (towards the firewall) when installed.

All of those items should be checked if you are having a cruise control issue and/or a heater/AC blend issue (only for standard HVAC systems found commonly in the Laredo trim, not the dual climate control systems)

There are a few other, less common, items that can be checked for a non-functioning cruise control:

1) If the cruise control light fails to illuminate when pushing the ON · OFF button, it may be a bad clock spring, which I cover how to replace in THIS video,

2) The PCM (Powertrain Control Module) may need to be reset - disconnect the battery for at least 20 minutes (alternatively, you can disconnect for a few minutes and then touch the disconnected positive and negative leads together for a few moments to drain any stored capacitance in the system - do this at your own risk however) and then reconnect.

I'll edit this page and add to it as I learn more! If you have any comments or suggestions, please reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

JEEP®, WILLYS, AMC, WRANGLER, CHEROKEE, GRAND CHEROKEE, LIBERTY, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Mopar® and SRT, CJ, YJ, TJ, JK, JT, XK, XJ, MJ, KL, JL, KJ, KK, ZJ, WJ, WK, WK2 and other names used in/on this website are registered trademarks or trademarks of FCA US, LLC or their respective owners. We are not affiliated with FCA US, LLC or any other companies whose products or part numbers shown here as a reference. These terms are used for descriptive purposes only, and not to denote affiliation or connection with FCA US, LLC. We just love Jeeps.