Road trip in 4" JBA lift

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:28 am

I have been in ohio for a week now. Another week and a half to go. I wanted to let everyone know that I had no problems with the 1290 mile road trip with the lift. Road smooth and comfortable all the way even with the rain storm I went through. The Maxxis Bighorns are nowhere near as loud as the MTR's at highway speeds.

Gas mileage was bad. I am estimating (since I forgot to make my appointment to get my Speedo calibrated before I left) only 14-15 mpg on the highway. I watched the odometer as I completed 100 miles (mile markers) and it showed the odo to be short ~8 miles per 100 miles. I set the cruise control on 65mph the whole way, but that means I was going about 70-71 mph in reality.

Sure wish I had a cool front bumper to showcase off to the locals. I have seen a few KJ's in my hometown, but 9 out of 10 were women drivers and they were oblivious to my KJ. I had one woman, in a stock KJ (which is all of them in this town), gawk and point at my KJ when she was waiting to turn.

I did have a window issue last Sunday. Had windows down coming home the night before and rolled them up. Started up the KJ the next morning and all four windows were dead. Using my highly tuned Jeep and electrical intellect collected from years of LOST forum browsing and being an electrician in the Navy, I knew it had to be the fuse. Yep, it was a blown fuse. I am glad it blew after I had the windows up. Lots of thefts in the neighborhood.

So overall, my JBA 4" lift has been shown to be off-road worthy (for one hardcore trail) and highway-worthy for the long trips. I still need to get the adjustable rear control arms to move the axle back. Need to get the bigger bump stops installed so my rear springs won't fall out on the trails, and cut out the metal area where the front upper control arms hit when they are coming down to max extension.

Signcutter21 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:42 am

Dave, good news. Glad you like it. 15mpg isn't bad, is it? lol I get the same.

Haven't been active lately, got pics of it on? Guess I will have to go check out the Rockies section.

later,mike

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:08 pm

So is the home town pretty much the way you left it? You know nothing much changes in most smaller towns in Ohio, just a different day :lol:

Would like to lay eyes on ya before you go back, will have to see if I can sneak a peak before you leave!

Tom

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:38 pm

Got the time to make it down to the Eastern Jeep Safari this weekend?

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:10 pm

Easter Jeep Safari? I may have to look into that. Lancaster is growing but in the wrong way. It has nothing but restaurants (mainly fast food). More per square mile than anywhere. The town needs a factory or corporate business not customer service/food establishments.

A quick rundown (not all of the places) for a town of 35,000 people (not a suburb)
Rax Roast Beef
2 Arby's Roast Beef
3 Wendy's
3 McDonalds
2 Burger Kings
Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips
Long John Silvers
3 Taco Bells
Chipotle
2 Tim Horton's
Nearly ALL of the big chain restaurants (i.e. Applebee's, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden)
Then the ones that didn't survive (i.e. Chi Chi's, Red Lobster)

And so many more.....geesh!

More Mom & Pop pizza places here than where I live ( Aurora, CO population of 300,000+).

I am exercising a lot to burn off all the food I am eating (White Castle's, Steak N Shake, Rax Roast Beef, all of the mom & pop pizza places).

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:25 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

Easter Jeep Safari? I may have to look into that.

Meant to say EAST COAST Jeep Safari
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=106

And thanks for mentioning Chipotle, I suddenly feel the urge for a burrito...

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:56 pm

Lancaster does have some of the best mom and pop type pizza joints, miss living there :wink:

About time to go back through town and get a Fat Cats Pizza, greasy, fattening, messy to eat but the best :lol:

Back to the road trip and the lift
So after driving it on road for that far anything you can see that would or could be changed for the better? You have the Gen 5 arms correct? Did you ever do anything with the CVs?

Tom

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:51 pm

What's wrong with Chipotle?

meh_kick · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:41 pm

RespectMyLibertay wrote:

What's wrong with Chipotle?

Absolutely nothing.

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:44 pm

Wow a Rax Roast Beef? I thought they went out of business 25 some years ago... mmmm memories.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:48 pm

Yes, There are only 25 franchise Rax and 2 corporates stores left in existance. My town used to have two until Wendy's had bought Rax. Turned one into a Tim Hortons.

I forgot to add Rally's, Rooster's, Spaghetti Shop, Ponderosa, Bonanza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Starbucks, Tee Jayes, Bob Evans, Frisch's Big Boy, Panera Bread, and two each of Donato's Pizza, Pappa Johns, Domino's, and Pizza Hut. Just added Pappa Murphy's take home pizza, and a Massey's Pizza. Two Fat Cats Pizza and Christy's Pizza locations.

I still only touched about half the restaurants. Now you know why Ohio is a fat state. Fat Cats rocks! I make it a point to make my rounds with my favorite places when I am in town. Fat Cats Pizza is a must!

Pizza in Colorado is bland and all the same. I need to open up a Donato's Pizza or a White Castle's in the downtown area. Any investors?

Back to the Lift. Tom, yes, Gen 5 UCA's. Nothing noticeably differnt since the drive. I have had a noise from the front area that I can also feel when driving but that started back when I had the original strut assembly (450lb springs) installed and was standing at max capable height. Issue has not gotten any worse but still lingers. Original CV's. They did not get shaved. JBA says the shaving of the CV's is to reduce issues when off-roading. Nothing mentioned about while staying on the road. Regardless, no problems besides the one I had way back in January. I am sure it is the CV's or bearings, but can't pinpoint it. The sound and vibration feeling changes completely from day to day.

I will say this, my KJ smells like cat urine really bad now. My cat missed the litterbox (while I was driving) back in 2005 when I drove to Ohio, but it was winter so the smell died off. Back in Clorado where it is so dry, I never could smell it so I didn't bother with it, but now that I am in a hot and humid area.....wow! I have to remove the rear seat to get to the contaminated area.

As for making it to Eastern Jeep Safari, that will be a no go. The cost of fuel there and back would cost me ~$200 (>375 miles to the lcation in Tenn). That eats into my budget too much. I am spending over $600 in gas just to drive to Ohio and back to Colorado.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:56 am

Tokyojoe wrote:

I will say this, my KJ smells like cat urine really bad now. My cat missed the litterbox (while I was driving) back in 2005 when I drove to Ohio, but it was winter so the smell died off. Back in Clorado where it is so dry, I never could smell it so I didn't bother with it, but now that I am in a hot and humid area.....wow! I have to remove the rear seat to get to the contaminated area.

I know it would make a mess but do you ever have the urge to hit the brakes while its using the litter box? :lol:

My cat is rounding 16 years and misses the litter box all the time. He doesnt even bother covering anything up anymore.

daspes · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:00 am

Tokyojoe wrote:

I will say this, my KJ smells like cat urine really bad now. My cat missed the litterbox (while I was driving) back in 2005 when I drove to Ohio, but it was winter so the smell died off. Back in Clorado where it is so dry, I never could smell it so I didn't bother with it, but now that I am in a hot and humid area.....wow! I have to remove the rear seat to get to the contaminated area.

Everyone remember this if Tokyojoe ever puts his KJ up for sale :roll:

rangerd77 · **Joined:** Sat May 03, 2008 10:48 am **Posts:** 512

or just take notice if he ever puts his rear seat up for sale. if he does i got dibbs, for that bonfire i always wanted to have worth of old jeep interior from prior ones that ive had

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:30 pm

Aw! I will never sell my Jeep. It will most likely suffer a worthy death up in the Colorado Rockies after decades of use.

The cat pee is not on the rear seat. It is on the carpet under the seat. It slipped down through the space near the door when the seat was down. I have the organic enzyme stuff. That should do it. If not, I will be back in Colorado where it is arid and I won't smell it anymore. :lol:

Joe Jeeper · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:21 pm

It's good to hear all is going well with your lift. Mine has been good as well. I had one problem with the "Y" link extention loosening and took all the bolts out and applied blue lock-tite and torqued to 80 ft lbs and haven't had a problem since!

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:01 pm

Hey tokyojoe I'll be in Lancaster late tonight. and will be there for about 2 weeks.... I'll be staying at the lancaster inn.... I have the black kj with www.lostkjs.com on the front and back.. pretty hard to miss.... Give me a hollah...
Chris

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:59 pm

OK all I have been through Lancaster twice this weekend and din't see any cool KJs besides............MINE!!! :lol:

Joe Jeeper · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:10 pm

Shoulda ventured further east to Quakertown!...............lol

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:07 am

Ill that way sometime in september , I have to take my Little guy to see Thomas, maybe Ill get to see a Cool KJ's besides mine..

Road trip in 4" JBA lift

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