probak118

Is it not hard to change your battery yourself, just takes a little more time.  Make it easier and remove the tire first, remove wheel well liner the battery is right there. Soak the battery bracket nut with penetrating oil and let it sit a little while before loosening it. Now if the store offers to change the battery for you with the sale, jump on that for sure ! 

1 hour ago, Airtray said:

2017 Crossroad Plus w/3.6AWD.  Just put on BFG T/A Advantage Plus and initially it looks like I’m dropping 2-3 MPG down to 23 highway. These are auto/light truck tires and are replacing the Kumho OEM at 30k. Headed out soon for an 800-1,000 mile round trip so I’ll have a better read on what kind of MPG I’ll be in for longer term.  Got these because i live in NW PA and don’t want the expense of separate snows and rims. Tires have a specific snow rating and tread is aggressive, though that seems to be coming at the expense of a few MPG. Time will tell.

WOW, only 30K on the original Kumho tires, just my opinion but I found the Michelines I bought were a lot better handling the the Kumhos they replaced. I think regardless what tires are on now, you will be happier.

2012  3.6L FWD, new plugs installed a months ago, suberbs driving 30 -45 mph with some stop signs and odd traffic light I average about 10 L/ 100 kms  - 23.5 mpg (us). Highway 60 - 70 mph I get about 8 L / 100 kms - 29.5 mpg (us). After a fill-up ( I top another 2-3 L in it ) my dash estimated 630 kms - 390 miles.  I think the AWD is about 1-2 mpg less / gallon  if I recall ? 

getting changed this morning , some jobs are just not worth fighting with as a DIY......$300 CDN out the door including top of the line plugs. Will update

Amazon link is not working, for me any way.

I purchased and installed the standard "Moog" brand on the both fronts ( only the right was bad ) from Rock Auto, the link to them was in post #9 and see below. Attached is what I am thinking of buying for the rears total about $ 280 cdn after exchange. My  2012 journey has 130, 000 kms. I am a volunteer firefighter so I must admit 0 - 100 kms /hr is done often and cornering to the station is a little faster than perhaps most.

MOOG 513286 {#68184748AA, 68184748AB} Info 

Go figure, changed both front hubs / bearings and now you can hear some noise from what appears to be the rear(s) tires.  Oh well, will do a tire wiggle test and verify but, makes sense, new ones are now quieter than the originals. I assume pretty much the same work involved, time to watch utube videos maybe ?

We are close , I live 30 minutes away from Windsor / Detroit crossings, getting colder now, get it done sooner than later. I used a manual syphon too and the temperature may affect tube flexibility. I used empty washer fluid jug to store and mark how much fluid I removed,  refilled jug to line with new fluid , same amount removed and replaced. This is the gasket material I used after cleaning old gasket materials from both faces, try to get an even coat all the way around. Make sure you hear and feel the new plastic filter snap when pushing it back into place, ensuring it is seated correctly. Easy job just takes some time next weekend looks good for doing this work. Good Luck

22 hours ago, DodgeaWrench said:

Thanks for all the advise.  You've psyched me up to do it myself.

I'll order up the parts this weekend and do it next weekend weather permitting.

I need to hurry a bit as its getting colder here in the Detroit area and I'm a driveway mechanic.

 

My plan is to do the filter change, then a syphon weekly for 2 weeks.  I'll buy 10 liters of fluid total and when that's gone, I'll be done.  (Assumption is 5-6 liters on the filter change then 2-3 liters for each of 2 syphons.  Another assumption is that the trans oil removed is not burnt or gritty, which is a whole another story if it is. ).  Luckily I do have a pump/syphon for extracting the trans fluid for the followup syphoning.  I'll do a lot of measuring of the fluids removed to accurately replace with the same as well as look for that bolt that address the level and I'll order up a trans dipstick too.

 

As a side note, one thing I'm realizing is that probably like most average Joe drivers, I've been neglecting my trans maintenance.  We usually keep our vehicles for 10-11 years. That is usually right around 200,000 miles, and I've never had a fluid/filter change.  Lucky?  Going forward I'm definitely going to make this a higher priority to stay on top of.

 

More to come.

 

Thanks again.

Advise welcomed.

 

 

 

 

 

Dodgeawrench,

It may have cost me $120 to do myself for the filter, gasket material and 11 litres of fluid in total. Things being cheaper in USA maybe $80 for you... LOL. If I remember the pan held about 5-Litres and I syphoned out 3 L weekly / twice from the "dealer only" tube and back in the same way, until the fluid was a bright redish -pink again overall. So yes it is thrifty to do it yourself if you do not mind the time doing is in steps.

Not a bad deal considering a lot of times they don't get put back on, or are rusting away.  Someone who needs them will get a good deal.

DonnyJerry,

Are you talking about adding the clear daytime driving lights into the designated spots ? If so as 2late4u mentioned they really do not do much for adding light down the road, but, do add a lot of light  around the front down low much like traditional fog lights did. I wondered if replacing the clear bulbs with orange or yellow would do more to help in foggy / snow fall conditions ? 

 A coworker told me about how just pushing the parking brake on. Just enough to activate the light and not brake the vehicle, he said that was how his wife was able to watch videos while driving . Not sure if that was on an older RAM 1500 only ?  

My wife still hates that I park a little further away in a open area. told her walking 100 more steps is good for the car and us too. Tells you about some peoples upbringing when they know and still drive away. Just got our DJ back a week ago today, $2700 paid by his employer...the guy blamed it on the fact his truck did not have a backup camera !  Maybe remove your ball hitch and you just should try pretending reverse does not exist in your vehicle from this point on !.Sorry to hear OhareFred

Finally tackling the changeout Friday after work, seen some article posted that the bearing hub nut is designed for one time use, is that true and you must replace with new nut ? Lastly, can someone confirm the following torque settings for me to be safe;#1-  axle nut is 32 mm and torqued to 118 ft/lbs .

                                                                                                                    #2 - the four bolts fastening the hub to the knuckle are 35 ft/lbs 

Thanks all in advance for the comments, been told journey's are not the first choice when changing bearing hubs and should take about an hour / side. Time to watch a utube video a few times.

There's a low battery indicator light ? 2012 DJ bought new, never seen a light , thanks for the info I always wondered if battery was ever getting low.

Do you think possibly that feature is meant for the kids in the back seat only ? 

If a bearing, turn you wheel when driving left then right, if humming stops one way or the other; the opposite side bearing is the issue. 

I can get OEM Mopar from neighbour, his cost $220 out the door. John / Horace, thanks it seems Moog is the cheapest ( standard) quality. I have 120, 000 kms on the DJ and will be changing the front(s) myself. Just to make sure attached below is the part correct. Thanks all

MOOG 513286 {#68184748AA, 68184748AB} Info 

Passenger side front bearring starting to make noise, pretty expensive here in Canada. I would usually change both sides but the cost is telling me no, what experiences have you had with only changing the one bearring hub as apposed to doing both ?

Just curious, how do you know the fluid level is fine ?  Unless you made a dipstick and previously marked the proper level using the "technician only" tube. ?  Other than that method transmission fluid level is not measurable to the eye.( on my 2012 anyway ).

Test the sun roof drains with a garden hose and a controlled flow rate. Should drain behind one of the front tire(s) my 2012 has similar lighter coloured marks at top of both A posts from a plugged sunroof drain. I think that is not the cause way at the back of the DJ ? I also noticed the rubber deflector strip coming off of top rear body panel, under my rear hatch upper area runs parallel to the roof line. It looks like it is supposed to deflect any water entering the seem to the sides of the body / rear hatch door. Mine did not leak but I caught it before it completely came loose and attached again using gorilla glue. Just a thought if other suggestions dont work.

Cheapest try at a fix seems like dry out and try silicone on all the seems. I also think the suggestion of keeping that rubber vent tube free and clear is good too but, would that not mean in order to vent there must be air circulation so it can vent out humidity and stop water droplets from forming. Would sealing all over with silicone not prevent this air venting ?  What actually causes this, water entering the lens or humid air being trapped inside the lens ; or both ? 

At idle sounds nice, what about a video with a few revs in there ?

Question , what did you pay for the used car...how much have you spent so far . At some point one will outweigh the other.