Cheap Jeep Hacks! Show 'Em Off Here!

[LittleDog]

I don't know if this would be considered a cheap Jeep hack or not.

Normally I do my own oil changes and tire rotations... but the Rubicon I bought used had the dealership oil change sticker on the windshield and l had the tires balanced and rotated to try to get rid of the thrumming on the highway. I hate the clutter of those stickers on the windshield, so I moved them where they are still noticeable to remind me when they are due.

When the door is closed, you can't see them.

Oppositely, but relatedly, I wrote the heights of my tallest and next tallest antennas, and roof box on the A-pillar in grease pencil. Rail bridges, parking garages, and drive-throughs don't needlessly scare me anymore.

Also, hooray for white Jeeps, but why are there so many now? I got mine for heat mitigation for camping and the dog, and don't remember if I had ever even seen a white Wrangler beforehand, but now I see them everywhere.

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[Rhinebeck01]

Great LED Lighting under the hood hack.... $10+- hack...

Ever been out at night and needed to do a deed under the engine compartment hood.. You need to do something, need light and also needed your hands free..

Anyway, rather then wire up lights under the hood I chose a different approach. Ya see wires lights often just don't hit the right area..

With said, I bought mini metal mount plates that have 3M adhesive on the back... THEN, I took those circular metal plates and stuck them on the inner hood in strategic places, just outside of the black hood insulator....

THEN took 2, $3.00+- Harbor Freight LED lights (sometimes Harbor Freight gives these lights away) and glue-ed a strong magnetic onto the back of each.. NOW, when I need light under the hood, I can take one or both of the LED lights with the magnet on them ,and just place them on any one of the circular metal plates I have installed/ stuck on the inner hood...

Remember, you can take and move the lite to any of the metal plates, so you get the light right in the right place or you can take the lite off of the metal plate and use it to say look down under, etc..


Works great! Have done this with my last 4 Wranglers and recently a JT.

https://www.amazon.com/Ozgoe-Adhesive-Collapsible-Magnetic-Compatible/dp/B0823FLL2C/ref=sr_1_18?crid=PVG6ONWXK8ZP&dchild=1&keywords=cell+phone+metal+plate&qid=1617559691&sprefix=cell+phone,+metal,aps,169&sr=8-18

 

[LittleDog]

You can use your Freedom panel latches to hold things. I stuff a wool cap in the centre during the winter, and my driving gloves are always above my visor.

And for you forgetful folks like me, I hang a tag on my door handle to remind me to take my phone out of the cradle.

I clip it to the door when I put the phone in the cradle, and onto the cradle when I get out. I only forget my phone 30% of the time now.

 

[Overkill]

Also, hooray for white Jeeps, but why are there so many now?

I hear ya. I live in the county about 6 miles out of my hometown and my next door neighbor has a white JKU and another neighbor 4 houses down the other way has a white JLU. They both had theirs before I got my white JLUR though. There's also one other JLUR in my town of 9,000 that I never saw before I got mine. Now I see it all the time.

 

[AlgUSF]

Free carabiner that I made into a keychain to keep me from leaving my Jeep key in the vehicle. I've done this an embarrassing number of times. This is my first push button start vehicle. The other side of the carabiner has the name of an an insurance company on it.

 

[LittleDog]

Free carabiner that I made into a keychain to keep me from leaving my Jeep key in the vehicle. I've done this an embarrassing number of times. This is my first push button start vehicle. The other side of the carabiner has the name of an an insurance company on it.

I feel your opposite pain. I wish now that I had gotten keyless entry, but I've vehicles both with and without, and thought that I was alright with either, and besides "Jeeps don't need all these fancy electronics!" -Past LittleDog.

The problem is, the Wrangler has keyless ignition no matter what. On a fully manual car, I know that I need to pull the key out to crank it anyway, so I automatically grab it. With this thing, I only think of pushing the little "Start" button, pull the handle fruitlessly, then have to search for the key fob 70% of the time.

A carabiner might be a good idea though; I've already lost one off the roof, and spent a few hours into the night searching the side of the highway before someone called the cops on me for "suspicious activity".

My keys look like this now:

Reflective tape, and one of those lost item finding chips, ironically adding more fancy electronics.

 

[AlgUSF]

The problem is, the Wrangler has keyless ignition no matter what. On a fully manual car, I know that I need to pull the key out to crank it anyway, so I automatically grab it. With this thing, I only think of pushing the little "Start" button, pull the handle fruitlessly, then have to search for the key fob 70% of the time.

I wish the ignition was keyed like my other cars. Both of my Hondas have the "immobilizer" system which embeds a RFID into the head of the key.

It also has the reinforcing signal once you take the keys out of the ignition, you already have them in your hand to put into your pocket. My wrangler has manual everything as well and a softtop, so I don't lock my doors.

 

[LittleDog]

I wish the ignition was keyed like my other cars. Both of my Hondas have the "immobilizer" system which embeds a RFID into the head of the key.

It also has the reinforcing signal once you take the keys out of the ignition, you already have them in your hand to put into your pocket. My wrangler has manual everything as well and a softtop, so I don't lock my doors.

Hey, I can dig the full manual stuff. Do they still make those C-cell moter attachments for the window cranks?

You mean your Hondas are keyed and chipped like the older systems, yes? Where you can still get a passive RFID "chipped" key copy for fairly cheap, as opposed to $200-$500 for the new keyless entry fobs.

I have not been keeping up with the technology, but I thought the keyless systems nowadays still had an RFID backup for if/when your key fob dies, so you can just push it against the button; the proximity allowing the automobile system to wirelessly power the transmitter in order to confirm the code. What is the "reinforcing signal" that you speak of?

Personally, I would have been happy with an actual, regular, keyed+RFID system for those of us that did not opt for keyless entry.

 

[AlgUSF]

Hey, I can dig the full manual stuff. Do they still make those C-cell moter attachments for the window cranks?

You mean your Hondas are keyed and chipped like the older systems, yes? Where you can still get a passive RFID "chipped" key copy for fairly cheap, as opposed to $200-$500 for the new keyless entry fobs.

I have not been keeping up with the technology, but I thought the keyless systems nowadays still had an RFID backup for if/when your key fob dies, so you can just push it against the button; the proximity allowing the automobile system to wirelessly power the transmitter in order to confirm the code. What is the "reinforcing signal" that you speak of?

Personally, I would have been happy with an actual, regular, keyed+RFID system for those of us that did not opt for keyless entry.

About the "Honda keys", I wouldn't know as I've never lost a Honda key. I have all 3 factory keys (2 black keys, 1 valet grey key) for my 2002 Civic and 2013 Odyssey. I always like when a dealer tries to sell me "key insurance", I laugh as I haven't lost a key ever in my entire lifetime of being an automobile owner. One thing I don't like about the push button ignition on the Jeep is that you have to hold the button down until it actually starts, but then the ESS system is able to crank it to a start during an Auto Stop/Start event.

The crank windows of the Jeep don't annoy me, the kids seem to think it is quite a novelty. For FCA to need a 4K upgrade for power windows, door locks and mirrors is kind of silly. Like I said in my earlier post, I don't lock the doors as I have a soft top and I feel that door locks are a bit pointless. Even without cutting my top, someone could just open the tailgate window and get right in. No overt vandalism necessary.

 

[LittleDog]

About the "Honda keys", I wouldn't know as I've never lost a Honda key. I have all 3 factory keys (2 black keys, 1 valet grey key) for my 2002 Civic and 2013 Odyssey. I always like when a dealer tries to sell me "key insurance", I laugh as I haven't lost a key ever in my entire lifetime of being an automobile owner. One thing I don't like about the push button ignition on the Jeep is that you have to hold the button down until it actually starts, but then the ESS system is able to crank it to a start during an Auto Stop/Start event.

The crank windows of the Jeep don't annoy me, the kids seem to think it is quite a novelty. For FCA to need a 4K upgrade for power windows, door locks and mirrors is kind of silly. Like I said in my earlier post, I don't lock the doors as I have a soft top and I feel that door locks are a bit pointless. Even without cutting my top, someone could just open the tailgate window and get right in. No overt vandalism necessary.

Ha, the only key I've ever lost is for this current Wrangler. I thought I lost the valet ket to my first new car, '98 Purple Accord sedan, but I found them a few years after I sold her. (After 5 years and 250k+ mi., and zero problems, aside from me going through rotors more often than usual)

Man, that was a great car, I loved her; big steering wheel, built for cruising, 6 CD in-dash changer, awesome leather seats, and sure-footed in the snow, albeit FWD only.

But my jeep seems to start with a single button push; I can't even count the number of times that I've opened the door, stick my foot in to push the brake pedal, and hit the button once in order to start the jeep for AC or heat for those passengers who "need" it.

Are you holding the button down for a long while, and chugging the starter, like cold-cranking in frigid weather with goopy oil, or like with a weak battery? Thinking about it, I probably automatically hold the button unit I hear the engine turn over, but probably not much more than a second and a half.

I've got the 2.0 with e-torque, and initial cranking and ESS start/stops sound the same.

 

[zouch]

is it different for the gassers?
i never hold the button to start my diesel; just a quick push, and it figures out how much it needs to glow and start itself.

AAMOF, i usually start it with the remote fob as i walk towards it, then unlock the doors after it starts, and put the (monsterously large) fob back in my pocket. but on the rare occasion that i do get in before i start it, the Start button usually just gets a quick poke, and it does its thing.

One thing I don't like about the push button ignition on the Jeep is that you have to hold the button down until it actually starts, but then the ESS system is able to crank it to a start during an Auto Stop/Start event.

 

[NoahVD]

is it different for the gassers?
i never hold the button to start my diesel; just a quick push, and it figures out how much it needs to glow and start itself.

AAMOF, i usually start it with the remote fob as i walk towards it, then unlock the doors after it starts, and put the (monsterously large) fob back in my pocket. but on the rare occasion that i do get in before i start it, the Start button usually just gets a quick poke, and it does its thing.

My 3.6 rubicon starts with a poke of the button. No need to hold.

 

[iamstillvince]

My 3.6 rubicon starts with a poke of the button. No need to hold.

ditto, and same on renegade before it

 

[JLTruman]

Triple ditto

 

[sanman357]

My 3.6 rubicon starts with a poke of the button. No need to hold.

2019 3.6 Manual JLUR, have to hold it to start.

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