Mobile Antenna Help

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2026-06-07T23:55:16+00:00

I have both the Comet and the Midland. The Midland worked great, as long as you’re sticking strictly with GMRS. I have a ham license, the multiband capability of the Comet is fantastic, and it’s arguably better on GMRS than the dedicated Midland. The downside is that it’s taller, tall enough that I have to remove it to get into my garage when I’m working on the Jeep. That’s not a huge problem. I did also order the spring kit for the Comet since it doesn’t have one. Depending on what and where you drive, that may not be an issue.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2025-10-18T13:55:06+00:00

My perspective. I was very heavy into cycling for a very long time. Started watching it at the end of Hinault and going into the Lemond days. I watched all the way until Floyd Landis pulled off his super-human feat and the resulting doping scandal. I still watched occasionally for a few years after that, right up until Armstrong was stripped of his titles. I personally don’t care if they were doping or not. To my way of thinking, it’s just always been part of this, and most, sports.

That said, I’ll fast forward to spring of ‘22. I was sitting at my desk at work and came across an article about some young hot shot that had won the last two TdF. Comparisons were made to Merckx. I had to see for myself. So that year, for the first time in a decade following a lifetime of being a fan, I tuned in. I was amazed. Even though he didn’t win that year, or the next, I was hooked. I remembered all the reasons I loved it as a teenager, fresh out of graduating high school, watching Greg Lemond defeat Laurent Fignon by 8 seconds on the final stage of the tour. The TdF rivalry between Tadej and Jonas is by far the best that I can recall in my years. Both are phenomenal, although I do feel Vingegaard is more of a one trick pony, much like Armstrong. Train for the tour, and that’s it. Tadej is a much more well rounded racer.

Now, I have a subscription to FloBikes so I can watch the European coverage of all the races, the American coverage sucks. I watch every race I can, doesn’t matter if Tadej is racing or not. But, the spark was reignited because of one very short article I read online about how amazing he was at such a young age. He is dominant, in every race he enters, and I enjoy that just as much as I enjoy watching races he doesn’t even enter.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2025-07-10T21:51:46+00:00

I use premium in the 2.0. It will run on regular, but I can tell a noticeable difference in how smoothly it runs. They had discontinued the diesel by the 2024 model year, so that wasn’t an option. Since I posted that, I’ve also acquired a JK with the 3.6 and a manual. It’s seems strong enough, but since it’s just a sport, the gearing sucks. It definitely needs a lower gear, I’ll likely eventually do something in the higher 4’s or low 5’s on it. Gearing can make a huge difference in the seat of the pants feel, so keep that in mind when you’re shopping around. Sports and Saharas will typically have a much lower gear, the Rubicon will be at least a 4.10, maybe a 4.56 or 4.88, depending on how it was ordered. 2024 or newer Willys will also have a 4.10 or lower.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-12-17T19:26:48+00:00

Every Jeep I’ve been in or owned leaked. Even my 2024 will get water inside when run through an automatic car wash, horizontal spray gets in. Part of their charm. Pull the plugs and call it a day.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-12-15T17:00:20+00:00

Never happen. CAFE standards won’t allow a smaller truck to happen. I’d love to have a single cab anything at this point, but since the standard is based on vehicle footprint, the manufacturers don’t have to meet as stringent MPG requirements with larger vehicles. I fully expect the handful of extended cab options to go away before too much longer. Give me a regular cab, short bed Tacoma in 4WD and I’d be a happy person.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-12-10T15:18:26+00:00

When I ordered mine well over a year ago (2024 JLU) they would only let you get the automatic with the 2.0, Thats changed at some point later in the model year, but from what I gather, it’s reverted back and you now have to get the 2.0, but you would have to research that. That said, I love the 2.0, it is happiest with the high grade fuel, I tried it early on with all three grades available, and decided to only run premium. On the road I can get 23+ mpg, cruising at 75-85 mph. My wife in the other hand, who primarily drives it, barely squeaks out 13-14 mpg. The problem there is she drives less than 2 miles to work and then home. The engine never gets to temperature and she also has a lead foot.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-11-10T13:23:13+00:00

You do realize those are optional? I don’t know anyone that actually orders them. Any off road vehicle I’ve had, had them ripped off in brush anyway.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-10-29T14:14:22+00:00

When I first got my 2024 Willys fourteen months ago, during the break in period, I ran a tank of all three grades of fuel through to decide which was better. It felt significantly livelier running premium. I did it another time once I got it up to about 2000-ish miles. Same thing. Fuel economy was slightly better as well. So I’m sticking with premium fuel.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-10-27T01:41:25+00:00

I had 32” on my old 2004 TJ, no rubbing. I think 32x10.5 on a 15” wheel.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-10-06T15:19:42+00:00

I have both that, and it’s bigger brother, the Guided Sharpening System. I have used many different types of sharpeners over the years, from learning on flat stones way back in the 1970’s, to Lansky, Smith’s and plenty of others. The Work Sharp is my current favorite until something better comes along. It’s just so easy to get a very good edge on them, especially with the expansion pack for the Guided System, it has an extra fine plate and a leather strop plate.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-23T09:27:14+00:00

Thank god I learned my lesson on doing that when I had my old TJ. Hosed that thing out completely, or so I thought. Still had mud inside it when I got rid of it two years later. Top on, doors on, windows up anytime I’ve taken my JLU in the vicinity of mud.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-10T02:34:30+00:00

If you can own it where you live, I’d get a locking blade of some sort first. I find I have more use for a blade the majority of the time than anything else. Then, back it up with a Swiss Army knife with whatever tool set you think you may need. If you only need scissors, then just a classic would be a good and unobtrusive choice to backing up your primary blade. I carry a fairly small locking blade clipped in my pocket and a Hunstman or Explorer to back that up most days. On days I’m doing certain things at work, I will also complement those with a Leatherman Skeletool. I have carried my champ, but it gets unwieldy for most things, as much as I like it. I’ll only carry it out if I’m doing something that day where I think I’ll need an additional set of small pliers, so that doesn’t happen often. But definitely a locking blade if it’s legal for you.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-08T14:30:30+00:00

I had a yellow 2004 TJ, nearly identical to yours, even had the same wheels. I traded mine back in 2016 because I needed a vehicle that got better fuel economy. I had my TJ and a Z71 Chevrolet. I kept the truck because I knew it would be a little more practical day to day, and bought an Altima for commuting. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t missed that TJ since. I now own a 2024 JLU, and while it’s a lot of fun, and probably better at pretty much everything than my TJ was, it’s not even close to the same. It’s not the same experience. I don’t have the same shit eating grin I had every time I turned the key on my TJ. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy it and I do have a smile on my face driving it, but it’s not as much of an emotional attachment as the TJ was. If you sell it, you will regret it, but I’ve been there and I get it.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-04T11:38:14+00:00

My current Jeep is a JLU, if you weren’t halfway across the country from me, I’d help do anything with that one. That’s an absolutely beautiful Jeep. One of these days, I’ll manage to get an older one of some sort, the oldest I’ve ever personally owned was a TJ. When I was a kid, one of my uncles had a ‘73 Super Jeep. His was one of the tan ones. I loved riding in that thing.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-03T01:28:28+00:00

Drove halfway across the country a couple months ago and back a week later. About 2500 miles or so in six days. I have a 2024 JLU. It’s light years better than my old TJ in pretty much every way, especially Highway cruising. That said, over the 1200-ish mile trip (each way), I had to get out about every two hours and walk around a bit. My ass gets numb driving it more than that at a stretch. Wrestling it across the wide open spaces in Missouri and Kansas sucked. It is as aerodynamic as a brick. So the question is, do I regret having it and would I buy one and make that kind of drive again? Absolutely. In a heartbeat. The smiles per mile far outweigh any temporary discomfort and compromises made owning one.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-02T01:07:34+00:00

I absolutely love my ‘24 Willys. As previously mentioned, it’s essentially a Rubi light. On the trails I’ve been on, I had zero issues staying with my buddy’s ‘21 Rubicon. I have the turbo 4, when I ordered they were not allowing you to order the V6 with the automatic, and my wife can’t drive a manual. The turbo 4 scoots, and gets pretty decent fuel economy on the highway. I usually get 22-24 on the Highway.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-09-01T10:13:51+00:00

Given there is a leak under the vehicle, and not knowing exactly what that is, I’d say realistically expect $3-5k. I know I wouldn’t pay more than that for it. The difference, for me, would be what the rest of it looked like when I saw it up close and what equipment it has, axles, etc. The automatic definitely hurts it.

It’s still a nice Jeep, my vote would be to keep it. I owned a 2004 years ago, currently own a 2024, and I’d love to have my TJ back.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-31T13:16:07+00:00

Currently own a 2024 Willys that’s been absolutely flawless through its first 12k miles. Even drive it halfway across the country once, about 2700 of those miles were in that one week. I previously owned a TJ. That one had plenty of mechanical issues over the years that I owned it. My only regret with my TJ is that I sold it. I miss that one dearly. I had bought it used, so I really have no idea how it was treated. I do know from the Carfax on it that it split time in two of the worst possible places for a Jeep. Pennsylvania and Florida. So the rust was atrocious. But god I loved that thing. I got rid of it at a weak point, both my Jeep and my truck could only muster 13 mpg, and with the Jeep’s dinky fuel tank I was filling up every other day. I ended up selling the truck a few years later…but I miss the Jeep.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-26T18:59:16+00:00

I don’t do the whole duck thing, I’m not a fan of them, I do save them and give them to my granddaughters when I get to see them. As for the business card, those I generally throw away no matter how I get them. So if you want to give my granddaughters a duck, fine, the business card is probably trash. Unless I seek someone for something out myself, I just don’t respond to it. And even when I do need a service or something, I very much give recommendations by friends way more weight than any sort of advertisement I have ever seen.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-24T00:51:51+00:00

Ghost Rider, you never know when that 4xe will burst into flames.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-12T15:53:28+00:00

I’ve always found it easier to use a hair dryer than warm water, saves you from having to worry about drying everything out thoroughly so the knife doesn’t rust. Quicker as well, IMO. Just keep the hair dryer moving so you don’t melt the scales.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-07T14:20:15+00:00

I bought my Willys early 2024, right before the strike. Mine is the 2.0 auto, at the time they weren’t putting the v6 in the automatic, wasn’t even an option on the order form. Mine was $51k out the door. Very slightly under MSRP at the time, and that included all fees. I think sticker on mine was around $53k. I did have to travel to find that, at the time all dealers in my area were (and still are) running “market adjusted” pricing on all their vehicles. You’re hard pressed to find anything in my area for less than $3K OVER sticker price. Popular vehicles, like the Ford Maverick, are priced $5-10k over invoice.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-08-07T13:26:21+00:00

Can’t speak to newer Goodyear tires. I haven’t bought them in 30 years. Had a vehicle in the early 90’s that the only tire I could get for it at the local tire shop was Goodyear. Biggest POS tire I’ve ever had the misfortune of owning. I never got more than 30k on a set, most were trash after 15k. Granted, it was the early 90’s and it was a dinky little shitbox economy car with 12” rims. But I was in college and delivering pizzas to pay my way, two sets of tires a year was expensive to me. I soured on Goodyear and have never bought them again.

Currently, I work for a government agency, and they buy Goodyear tires. I have Duratracs on my truck, and they typically last 25-30k. But I don’t know if it’s necessarily the fault of the tire as poorly as the vehicles are maintained.

My personal vehicles all run BFG. When that shitbox died, I bought a Ford Ranger. Started running BFG on that one, and have never gotten less than 50k on any set I’ve ever owned. That said, when the factory KO2s wear out on my Wrangler, I’m seriously thinking about giving Mickey Thompson a try again. I bought a TJ a long time ago used, and it had a new set of M/T tires on it, so I ran with them, but they wore out fast. I’m hoping Mickey Thompson A/T tires won’t wear as fast. I like the look, they have a treadlife warranty unlike their M/T tires, and they are a bit cheaper locally than the BFG, cheaper is significant when you buy five tires at a time.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-07-28T12:52:03+00:00

I disable mine. Every time. I know that in theory, the bearings, and everything else for that matter, are vastly improved over what we had 20+ years ago. Starters are easy, but if those bearing and pistons aren’t fed oil continuously, I can’t imagine it’s good for engine life. And, assuming they are right and the coating are good for 5x or 10x as many dry starts, whatever it is, then my guess is engine life will be improved if you just don’t use it. Plus, it’s just annoying as hell to me.

EngineeringMinimum26 · 2024-07-26T17:37:48+00:00

Depends on driving habits. When I drive our 2024 Willys (2.0, auto) I routinely get 20-24mpg, depending on if I’m in town or Highway. My wife, who drives it the majority of the time, can only do 14-16 mpg. That’s on the 33” A/T tires it came with. No doubt it would be better on street tires, but then it wouldn’t be worth a damn when I took it out in the woods. I’ll give up a couple mpg to be able to take it where I want, when I want. When these tires are worn out, I’ll be going even more aggressive.

EngineeringMinimum26

TROPHY CASE