STUPID things you've done while working on your JK
#131
I was installing spacers on my '12 jk and put my jack under the axle to raise the frame. I put my jackstands under the frame. After disassembling the shocks and sway links, I lower the jack to pull the coils. My jack bottomed out and I still couldn't remove the coils. Tried raising the jack again to add height to the jack stands with no more room to travel. I'm stuck! So, I ended up getting the POS OEM jack to raise the frame higher and that was a chore and a real PITA not to mention dangerous. Finally got it high enough to do the coil removal... Learned from mistake for the passenger side and used the pumpkin to give me additional jack clearance.
#132
JK Super Freak
It looks like I installed the fog lights upside down and on the reverse side of each other when I installed my OR-fab bumper and winch, so now I get to pull them back out and re-install them with them on the Jeep (much less room to work) so that I will quit blind folks every time I use them. They are currently pointed up higher than the headlights.
Before anyone says it, I know I could just adjust them back down, but the adjustment screw is almost unreachable, and there seems to be a much more sharply defined cut off to the pattern on what should be the top side (which is now the bottom) to help prevent blinding folks.
Oh well, now I have an excuse to go buy either a set of stubby or crowfoot wrenches!
Before anyone says it, I know I could just adjust them back down, but the adjustment screw is almost unreachable, and there seems to be a much more sharply defined cut off to the pattern on what should be the top side (which is now the bottom) to help prevent blinding folks.
Oh well, now I have an excuse to go buy either a set of stubby or crowfoot wrenches!
Last edited by tjkamp; 02-26-2015 at 12:55 PM.
#133
JK Enthusiast
Hella ordeal
Round 1: Decide to install the Hella E-Code headlights to replace the wimpy stock units. Find them on Amazon fairly cheap where it says they will fit my JK and other buyers also purchased these particular wiring harnesses. So I did too. Take the grill off and headlights out and start to install the new ones when I notice the harnesses are just H4 extensions not H13 to H4 adapters. Go around to the parts stores and no one has adapters. Put Jeep back together and order correct adapters.
Round 2: Get adapters and remove grill and headlights. Try to install adapters and left one just won’t click into the H13 plug. The right one is a struggle but it finally clicks. Go back the left one and break the H13 plug on the Jeep wiring harness. Go to the a couple parts stores, finally find a H13 plug and wire it in. The adapter works and I plug in the headlights. They look OK but it’s daylight. Put Jeep back together and wait for dark. Try out the lights and the low and high beams are reversed.
Round 3: Remove grill and headlights. See there is really no way to rewire the adapters without cutting wires. Check the H4 extensions I mistakenly ordered and see the male ends can be reversed easily. Flip the connectors, tuck up all the extra wire, reinstall the headlights and grill. Works great. My buddy loves them and wants me to install them on his. I told him as long as he orders the right stuff, it should take me no time at all with my extensive experience.
Round 2: Get adapters and remove grill and headlights. Try to install adapters and left one just won’t click into the H13 plug. The right one is a struggle but it finally clicks. Go back the left one and break the H13 plug on the Jeep wiring harness. Go to the a couple parts stores, finally find a H13 plug and wire it in. The adapter works and I plug in the headlights. They look OK but it’s daylight. Put Jeep back together and wait for dark. Try out the lights and the low and high beams are reversed.
Round 3: Remove grill and headlights. See there is really no way to rewire the adapters without cutting wires. Check the H4 extensions I mistakenly ordered and see the male ends can be reversed easily. Flip the connectors, tuck up all the extra wire, reinstall the headlights and grill. Works great. My buddy loves them and wants me to install them on his. I told him as long as he orders the right stuff, it should take me no time at all with my extensive experience.
#134
JK Super Freak
my turn
i have an ARB air compressor which i love. i ordered some switches from 12Vguy. really slick looking. take out the old switch replaced it with new switch and NOTHING HAPPENS!!!
Hmmm..let's check the voltage. yep-have current. how bout the solenoid--current on both sides, but still no compressor. put old switch in and still nothing works. just for the hell of it i replace the solinoid. still nothing. but i have voltage and good grounds all around..what the F is going on. could the compressor suddenly have burned out? holy crap, lemme research that. after about 2 weeks of thinking thru what the problem could be i have a lighting strike moment. if the small at tank is full, THE COMPRESSOR DOESNT RUN!!!!!!!
i run out to my jeep, hook up the air hose and........there's AIR IN TANK!!!!!!! i let it all escape, start my jeep, flip the switch and like magic, the compressor runs!!!!!
doh!!!!!
Hmmm..let's check the voltage. yep-have current. how bout the solenoid--current on both sides, but still no compressor. put old switch in and still nothing works. just for the hell of it i replace the solinoid. still nothing. but i have voltage and good grounds all around..what the F is going on. could the compressor suddenly have burned out? holy crap, lemme research that. after about 2 weeks of thinking thru what the problem could be i have a lighting strike moment. if the small at tank is full, THE COMPRESSOR DOESNT RUN!!!!!!!
i run out to my jeep, hook up the air hose and........there's AIR IN TANK!!!!!!! i let it all escape, start my jeep, flip the switch and like magic, the compressor runs!!!!!
doh!!!!!
#135
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Bothell, WA
Posts: 356
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Decided to pull all my wheels off to clean the insides of them and wash all the components you can't usually get to with the wheels on.
So, in driveway with slight incline, I start jacking the rear off the ground and as soon as one wheel looses contact, it all starts rolling downhill. (Jack had wheels on it too). I grabbed onto the Jeep thinking I could stop it, but no.
Fortunately, the jack turned sideways and tipped over inches before the Jeep hits our fence beside the driveway.
So I have since gotten in the habit of using the parking brake and chocking the wheel when ever I jack anything up.
So, in driveway with slight incline, I start jacking the rear off the ground and as soon as one wheel looses contact, it all starts rolling downhill. (Jack had wheels on it too). I grabbed onto the Jeep thinking I could stop it, but no.
Fortunately, the jack turned sideways and tipped over inches before the Jeep hits our fence beside the driveway.
So I have since gotten in the habit of using the parking brake and chocking the wheel when ever I jack anything up.
#136
Had to get a new drag link because the old one was wiggly and bushings were gone so I decided to do it with some help from my uncle (who is a transmission mech, not a front end guy) and when we were done my steering wheel ended up upside down and cruise control, ESP, and turn signals didnt work because my Jeep had no idea where I was going. So we resolved the problem after driving a few days with an upside down steering wheel. Rookie moves.
#137
Using loctite when installing the JKS quick disconnect sway bars. No clue why instructions call for it because the nuts are already nylock so it's just redundant.
Holy crap does that stuff dry fast and hard. Broke 2 different tools and bent the shit out of 3 others trying to loosen the loctite and eventually blasted the damn bolt with my butane torch to melt it off and finally was able to unscrew it.
Loctite...never again.
Holy crap does that stuff dry fast and hard. Broke 2 different tools and bent the shit out of 3 others trying to loosen the loctite and eventually blasted the damn bolt with my butane torch to melt it off and finally was able to unscrew it.
Loctite...never again.