Preventive Maintenance - What and When?

[Fcgeek]

After an eventful trip to Rausch, I have learned that I definatly don't have a good PM plan to help extend the the life of the new TJ (I have been more worried about making it safe to drive.) I was able to drive home and had a great time out there, but the end result could have ended differently due to not having enough Antifreeze. Does anyone have a suggest list of PM items that I should be doing and how often each should be done? I was lucky this time and I don't want to be the idiot who breaks something because I didn't do PM on it.

[BlackNBlue-ISH]

I don't have one currently, but am working on developing my personal one this season. I won't be wheeling because of the lack of maintenance I've done the last couple years, so my plan is to touch each of the systems on the wrangler and just make a list of all the stuff I do. I'll start with an oil change, filters, and work my way through the engine, and then onto transmission with a fluid change, transfer case, Shifter cables, then driveshafts. Check the ujoints and make note of which joints I have. Then move to the axles, checking brakes, axle joints, ball joints, fluids etc. Then the suspension, shocks, springs, sway bars, disconnects and steering components. I'll be keeping an excel sheet noting which tools I use for each thing, the fluids or sealants, and the maintenance intervals for service or checking tolerances. Grease each of the items. Once all that has been documented, I can create a different list of things to check/grease during oil changes, or pre-trip stuff. A list of tools, fluids and spare parts I may need.

That's my plan, only time will tell if I'm as thorough as I plan to be.

[Frank]

Mine is not a DD so its easier for me to maintain . When I get home Even if its tomorrow . I powerwash under it while its on the trailer. When its off I finish the upper parts. I then grease every joint on the Jeep. I really think grease is cheap and do it every time I wheel. If I was at Rausch for for days , it would have gotten grease 3 times. May I say I dont have proof as an engineer would but I have never lost a U-joint or ball joint on the trail. Thats my proof. I would then check the engine fluids . I have a stick so I dont check the Trans and T-case but 2wice a year. My vent lines from them run high in the engine bay. The rear axle vent is inside a tube I put in the back corner of the body. If you noticed any weird noises on the trail , now is the time to search. As a DD I personally do all this every oil change (3k) so your never behind. Hopefully you checked the coolant when you got home. If it was low again Id think about the thermostat orwater pump and or the rad cap. If your losing coolant there is a reason and usually unattended , it will bite you. Being a new owner to this TJ , you need to catch up to the other guys laziness . FjR68

[Fcgeek]

Thanks guys, this looks like a good start.