Just joined up cause i bought a ridiculously yellow '15 Sport 2dr about 2 weeks ago and know I'm gonna have questions. I wanted to get back onto a bike, but people can't drive and i don't want to get killed by some moron playing on their phones, so this seemed like the next best thing. I had a white CJ7 25+ years ago. Never had a top or doors, 6" lift springs, 36"x14" super swampers, 4.0 with an intake and header, 5 speed, 4.56's. It was a death trap, I loved it and have wanted another one since i got rid of it ( big mistake).

This is a nearly stock 6 speed with only 56K miles. 2 documented owners with dealers records of maintenance and all scheduled services up to 42K. Pretty sure it was a personal use plow and babied, cause this thing rides tighter then other Jeeps i test drove that were half as old and it's virtually rust free. It's still got remnants of some oil undercoating, so that tells me it was cared for. Only mod i see is mounts for some cheaper doors off mirrors that weren't with it, and obviously the plow.

Planning on doing all the 60K service stuff at the next oil change. I'm gonna deal with any rust on the bottom over the summer, then get it NHOU'd. Even though the shocks on it are all dry, they're all original and I'm thinking of throwing some new ones on. It doesn't really ride bad, but it could ride better.

Already bought a soft top, doors off mirrors, sill guards -cause i dragged my boot that had steel chips stuck in the sole across it and scratched the crap out of it the first day i took it to work, a 2"/1" leveling puck kit and some 1.25" wheel spacers which I'm not sure if I'm even gonna use. Rear seat came out the day i brought it home, it'll be a 2 seater as long as i own it. I'm considering bed lining the interior, or at least the rear half, since i plan to use the back like a truck bed. Before next winter I want to get a heavy rear bumper/tire carrier to add some rear weight to offset the plow. At some point it'll get some 33-34" tires.

And i need to get some secure storage. I want something within reach of the drivers seat, but somewhat discrete. I wanted the under seat lock box, but I have the flip seat and it won't fit. Looking at "console vault" type safes doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, seems like someone could easily smash the console and either get in through the big openings in the side,or just take the whole safe. I also think i want a shallow deck box for the back

I'll be wrapping it at some point this summer, because i hate the color. Not sure what color i want, but I'm thinking a dark green, root beer brown, or maybe a flat gray

I'll be around....

 

Welcome! It sounds like you found a nice specimen and have some well-thought-out plans. I love the JK platform. It was a nice improvement over the TJs without going as soccer-mom'ish as the JLs went. The 3.6L has been a decent engine in general IMO, and the common issues (valvetrain and oil cooler) aren't too complex to fix when there is a problem. As with most vehicles, the plastic radiator ends are what they are.

If you have no plans to have a rear seat, maybe you should contemplate swapping that driver's tumble seat base for a base from a JKU, then you could easily use an underseat lockbox.

I built a shallow "trunk" in the back of my JKU to keep all my trail tools and whatnot secure when topless. One of the most functional things I did over the years. I bedlined my tub and then bedlined that structure (just made out of wood) so that it blends in seamlessly. I get real tired of the dirty bedlined tub after a year or so and threw in some Bed Rug which I've been extremely happy with. It's so durable and easy to slip in and pull out. Just nice to have something other than bedliner in the footwell and that factory carpet is terrible IMO.

Anyhow, lot of good information on the site and there are still some knowledgeable folks hanging around to help support you if you should run into an issue along the way. Thanks for taking the time to register and introduce yourself!

 

Welcome. One of the fastest ways to screw suspension is to have a snow plow on the front. Just sayin as every joint and mechanism gets worked to the hilt with the crashing and banging. Why up here the snowplow trucks are older junkers.