Trail rated?!

zeero · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:16 pm

Ok, this is not something I have had happen to me but three other KJs in my group while we're out on a run.

The exact same problem, and the exact same repair....for something completely minor. Times 3.

While out at a local trail and abandoned quarry, three seperate KJs have all experienced fan motor failure.....a %100 loss of fan cooling resulting in overheating.

The cause? A few tiny specs of grit from a little mud....not even alot of mud....just the smallest splash that could occur on any street near a construction yard or road work....nothing at all really.

All three failures resulted in 2006 Renegades made after January. Not mine, not the earlier Sports or even the CRDs that have been out with us.....just these three.

So now we're getting crappy ball joints, crappy tires, AND now crappy fan motors!!??!

What gives?!?! This is getting a little silly.

I've had my 2006 (made in 2005) Renegade submerged over hood in mud....no issues...these guys...all three barely touched the bottom edge of their front bumpers and all of a sudden....no more fan...due to the fan motor being seized by a few specs of grit.....wow.

Let me tell you how hard it is to fix three overheated KJs in the middle of nowhere....umm yeah.

I hope they have a little more consideration for the Jeep Trail Rated program in the 07/08 line up. Because so far, its failed their own rating system with awful tires, horrible ball joints, and weak useless fan motors.

Rant over....sorry guys. :wink:

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:26 pm

If you get the offroad package or towing pack, it comes with an engine driven fan. :wink:

moose · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:20 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

If you get the offroad package or towing pack, it comes with an engine driven fan. :wink:

trail rated badge not related to those packages though...

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:22 pm

moose wrote:

Jeepjeepster wrote:

If you get the offroad package or towing pack, it comes with an engine driven fan. :wink:

trail rated badge not related to those packages though...

True, I see what hes getting at now. I guess you shouldnt need to get the offroad pack since it has a trail rated badge on the side.

gone_jeepin · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:44 pm

what exactly does trail rated mean? Was it actually trail tested? it wouldn't seem like it with bad ball joints, tempermental front diff thats prone to crack if not pampered!! Don't get me wrong i love my kj, and i trail test mine alot, but i'm always having to worry bout who's gonna come tow me out when my wheel leans over!!!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:04 pm

Your balljoints will be fine as long as you check them. They will not just up and fail for no reason if they were good last time you checked.

Trail tested means they took the libby through a test of different categories, and it also went over the rubicon trail.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:16 pm

Talking about Fans/mud/trail fix
Yes, definetly something wrong with those fans
here in the midwest, I know for a fact that there is at least 4 of us that have had the same problem
a little mud in the fan, and it's gone
fixing it on the trail of course is hard - been there, done that - always fixable
but, for some reason there is another 3 or 4 that have not had a problem - same trail, same mudhole, same day - pixeldzn has never had a mud in the fan problem - he's got the towing package - any reason why he did not have a problem?

If I can carry a power washer on the trail I would not complain as it is the only quick way to get rid of the problem. But that is not possible, so we need to find a solution

4wdParakeet · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:34 pm

I had that happen to me once too. I turned it off let it cool and drove the almost 2 hours home without issue. Now that I think about that, it was the end of Mar. when it happened. I have yet to clean the engine compartment/ fan area and have had no problems with it since.

Parakeet

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:45 pm

Pix has the engine driven fan if he has the towing pack. His electric fan may not even be working.

PitViper · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:58 pm

The KJ is crappy, and you should sell it to me really cheap.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:19 pm

PitViper wrote:

The KJ is crappy, and you should sell it to me really cheap.

What he said.

saxdogg · **Joined:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:26 pm **Posts:** 199

PitViper wrote:

The KJ is crappy, and you should sell it to me really cheap.

meduncan · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:37 pm

I've got an '04 Renegade and have had the fan stop on me twice. The first time was at Camp Jeep after I had gone through the mud hole in the owners playground and the second time was during our last Midwest run at the Badlands. I'd expect the issue from Camp Jeep because the mud hole was deep and I went through it fast enough to coat my engine, and the entire Liberty, in mud but I was surprised when it occured at the Badlands. Both times it was fixed by either blowing air through the radiator or going to the car wash and blasting water through the radiator. I've got a compressor that I carry around now and I may pick up a spray paint attachment for it and use that as a quick fix sprayer to clean the fan/radiator when I'm on the trail.

Mutt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:48 pm

zeero wrote:

Trail rated?!

<.........Smiles slyly.........shakes head east and west........keeps opinion to self.

moose · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:54 pm

PitViper wrote:

The KJ is crappy, and you should sell it to me really cheap.

Take over payments?!?!?!

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:21 pm

If the OE fan is the problem then why not go after market?
I know a few TJ/YJ/XJ guys that when with after market electric and would not look back
I am not sure what size the curent electric fan is but I know that you can scoop up one at any auto parts store for under $75
I would bet with some careful fab work for around $100 you could convert

I have a TJ with the belt driven fan and the cooling power is goverened by engine speed but electric will blow the max even at idel so thats why I plan to swich to electric but I will have a "master off" swich for when I cross water or mud

snow blower · **Joined:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:24 am **Posts:** 69

well my fan was one of the ones that let go on the weekend on our trail run, along with another libby. What one of our group members found out was that a little bit of well placed ATF on the rad fan MOTOR is enough to get ya home or to a point where you can blast the dirt out of it. Than give it another good little spray with ATF, and your as good as new again!

smithstoo · **Posted:** Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:18 am

Jeepjeepster wrote:

If you get the offroad package or towing pack, it comes with an engine driven fan. :wink:

we have a 2006 renegade mfd 04-2006
trail rated badge
tow pkg
skidplate group
yes you are correct about the installation of a engine driven fan on tow pkg
so you wind up having two fans
1 mech
1 electrical
that's what i see with the hood up looking

zeero · **Posted:** Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:10 am

I guess my whole point here was.....that you buy a product in good faith....thinking "Wow its Trail Rated as advertised by a variety of tests, tested on the Rubicon" you go out....wheel it lightly....and end with problems.

You shouldn't have to continuously check on these things or worry that you='re going to get stuck, break down, or fail just from a quick light run.

You shouldn't have to be continuously examining and testing.....I understand wheeling can be hard on a vehicle....but to have it break down its very first time on a trail and it only 3 months old....I mean come on.....

I do love the KJ....but I sometimes think those Wrangler guys have a good point.

If you're going to advertise something as "Trail Rated" and make claims of its ability to surpass the Rubicon....then dammit, make sure that IS what the consumer is getting, and stop letting us down with screwy ball joints, overly sensitive aluminum front diffs, mini van tires that aren't even any good on a mini van, and cheap weak fan motors. I mean really....the most simple little things they could improve upon......

If you don't want to improve upon it....I suggest removing the Trail Rated badge from those vehicles you sell that don't carry half decent equipment.....so the consumer makes a more educated purchase.

DC put so much effort into putting together these new JK Wranglers....they are trail ready out of the box.....yet the KJ is known for its cult following, being the second most popular Jeep, and yet the consumer HAS TO put some wrench time into it just to run a basic trail......Come on Jeep.....live up to your name sake here.....now is not the time to upset your customers.....especially with a new line up for 07/08.

Sorry....rant #2 over.

05JeepKJ · **Posted:** Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:31 am

Being trail rated the rig has to have 4lo, every jeep 4x4 2004+ has the trail rated badge. The WK laraedo 4x4 doesnt have it since it basically has an awd system.

Trail rated?!

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