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[gato]

If you truly mean cleansing the JL of technology and not needing to be street legal it's not that difficult. Buy a salvage (e.g. flooded) manual transmission JL Sport, with manual locks and windows. Replace the head unit with a Height 10 or similar aftermarket one. Start disconnecting and bypassing modules one by one with a service scanner.

A lot of things like traction control, ABS, etc will stop working, but you can unplug the chime alerter and tape over the lights.

In the end, with a manual, you only need the ECU, starter and fueling, ignition and cooling systems to work.

But I doubt very much that this is really the vehicle you will want to drive. We all bitch about complexity, but the truth is that we all want it. When our daughters and sons borrow our Jeeps or learn how to drive in one, we want them to be surrounded by airbags, have ABS, traction control, auto wipers and auto headlamps so they don't get distracted or forget to turn them on, etc.

The answer is not less technology. The answer is technology done right, how Tesla uses redundant central processing with remote SW updates to avoid the dozens of control units in legacy vehicles. BMW Neue Klasse is trying to do the same. That is how you reduce complexity - with more computing power and more powerful software define functions.

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[roaniecowpony]

In my opinion, what the OP is asking for should be offered as a model/trim from the manufacturer.

...
rak2

I doubt they could offer such an animal with all the regulations and liability concerns.

For example, eliminating the Drive Train Control Module and making those functions manual, might allow swaybar disconnect at high speeds, creating an unacceptable liability at this point, since FCA is aware of the risks associated with that. The DTCM also addresses the death of the Star Trek actor, by getting information from the BCM. There are modules that monitor emissions systems like the O2 sensors, fuel vapor system, etc, that alert the instrument module, and provide the trouble codes to the OBD2, which is a required system. There's so much interconnected that I have doubts that you could eliminate much and still have a compliant vehicle, that also addressed liability issues.

 

[azwjowner]

Remember that Mahrinda sells the Roxor, which is essentially a new CJ. In many states (such as Arizona), you can register them to drive on the roads.

Funny though, despite all of these types of threads, people don't seem to actually put their money where their mouth is and run out and buy Roxors.

 

[swampflyer]

Can’t never could do anything until it tried

 

[Pape]

If I take a step back on this thread, here what come to mind: If you read the forum for a certain period of time there is certain trend on the posting with technology issue. I for once look at all the onboard tech and feel overwhelmed in the event I need to fix it. Some time dialing the tech down a little actually improve your chance of being able to fix your rig and not depend on the dealer.

On the other hand my previous JK was 15 years old and 150k mile on the clock. At the end the factory radio was starting to be a issue. Did not have anything else on the electronic side happening. So rationally speaking I cannot say my experience was bad at all but I can sure say other have bad one.

Further more in perspective I drove a 20 years old CJ-7, the thing was as basic as it come. On that one electronic stability control would have be nice but you learn to adapt your driving. Other than that did not miss any of the today engine wizardry, give it some gas start the thing wait a little give it a other gas pedal push to get the choke off and you are ready to go. The thing was dependable until the wiring harness started to give issue.

 

[Deleted member 111301]

xxx

 

[autotragic]

You might be happier (and wealthier) buying a nice, reliable used Honda and then building up a great side-by-side just for true off road use. My manual JL is pretty damn basic. But even my speedometer is a de facto computer, and pretty much everything runs on a bus. No manufacturer home-runs every last light bulb wire pair like in the ol’ days.

No side by side prices are absolutely insane. My Rubicon cost less than a lot of people spend on side by sides now. And I have a license plate.

 

[Ol’ Timey Manual SWB Guy]

OP, you’re saying that you basically want a c. 2005 TJ. So you might wish to keep an eye on Gilbert’s outside of Huntsville, Alabama. Grant Gilbert runs a longstanding family business of seeking out especially TJs and “long jeeps” (LJs) and then doing some gentle rehabbing. They keep a fairly steady flow of ~2005 Jeeps, and (from what I saw in person) they’re pretty choosy about avoiding rusty frames.

I’m not affiliated in any way. I just liked what I saw down in Alabama a few years ago. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 111301]

xxx

 

[autotragic]

I doubt they could offer such an animal with all the regulations and liability concerns.

For example, eliminating the Drive Train Control Module and making those functions manual, might allow swaybar disconnect at high speeds, creating an unacceptable liability at this point, since FCA is aware of the risks associated with that. The DTCM also addresses the death of the Star Trek actor, by getting information from the BCM. There are modules that monitor emissions systems like the O2 sensors, fuel vapor system, etc, that alert the instrument module, and provide the trouble codes to the OBD2, which is a required system. There's so much interconnected that I have doubts that you could eliminate much and still have a compliant vehicle, that also addressed liability issues.

So what you're really saying is we need to start higher up...

Jeep isn't the problem we have cuts somewhere else we need to make first.

 

[autotragic]

OP, you’re saying that you basically want a c. 2005 TJ. So you might wish to keep an eye on Gilbert’s outside of Huntsville, Alabama. Grant Gilbert runs a longstanding family business of seeking out especially TJs and “long jeeps” (LJs) and then doing some gentle rehabbing. They keep a fairly steady flow of ~2005 Jeeps, and (from what I saw in person) they’re pretty choosy about avoiding rusty frames.

I’m not affiliated in any way. I just liked what I saw down in Alabama a few years ago. Good luck.

Bookmarked.

 

[Deleted member 111301]

xxx

 

[Touchingstone]

Sorry, the JL is the wrong platform, in my opinion. If you want XJ level, go with an XJ, TJ/"LJ", ZJ

The JL depends on many separate computer modules networked together, to achieve basic functions. You would still need many or all of these. If you want airbags, you need that module and the BCM, which you need for the dash, turn signals, etc

If you want a dumb vehicle, start with one. Or, get a JL tub with no electrics and put absolutely everything in it from aftermarket or donor vehicles.

I agree with that, XJ is the way to go if you want a simple 'Wrangler'. Preferably one with the bombproof 4.0 & manual trans. My 1990 2-dr is all stock, still has the factory A/C and radio/cassette with knobs and levers that you can adjust or change stations without even looking. Hell, it may even outlast my new Wrangler!

 

[gato]

I think a lot of people here are over estimating the repair complexity of electronic systems.

What dooms JLs is the mundane hinge/doors/hood corrosion, the stupid, low tech dual battery system, the poor steering and death wobble even in stock configuration, leaks and wind noise everywhere.

The electronic systems are fairly well monitored and spit out proper error codes most of the time.

 

[txj2go]

Obviously, since the tech isn't open sourced, it's hard to say exactly which thing does what in the Wrangler, but, I'm curious how close a person could get the current JL to the technological sophistication of, say, a 2001 XJ.

Is this just hypothetical? What is your goal?

I don't think it is feasible to do this. Likely it is an all or nothing deal. If you separate out the engine controls I don't know if you can keep the security system, radio, things like that. Maybe you can, maybe you can't. You could put a new motor and transmission in it, add a standalone control module for that, add your own engine gauges, add an aftermarket radio, add switches for the lights. You're pretty much creating a new wiring diagram for the whole vehicle. I don't know what other systems would need new controls.

I had trouble with my security system recently where neither of my key fobs would unlock the vehicle. So what do we do in the future if some of these systems start to fail? Does that render the vehicle useless, i.e. does that "total" it? Do we even know how long some of these systems will last? Most electronic components have long lives- I bought a Taurus SHO new in 1990, I heard from the current owner recently that he used it to teach his son how to drive a manual transmission. That car had needles in the dash but had a lot of electronics including engine controls and vehicle security system. So if the electronic systems in it can last 35 years maybe the Jeep can last 35 years. If we get to a point where systems in popular vehicles start failing then the aftermarket would provide solutions, solutions that could be fairly expensive. OTOH I've had quite a few wifi transmitting devices fail in the past 10 years so if the thing in the Jeep that reads key fob signals fails that could pretty much kill the vehicle right there.

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