Hi there..
congratulations on an excellent choice of vehicle :-) The TJ comes already equipped with axle breathers set nice an high in the engine bay and fender wells and a pretty well waterproofed electrical system.. you are going to be very impressed with it’s performance especially if you have the optional dyna 44 with trac-loc dif
However there are a few things you need to pay attention to.
1) The power-steering reservoir - this needs to vent to the atmosphere because the fluid gets hot, however if you take the cap off you will see it has no seal. best thing is to cable tie of gaffer tape a rubber glove over the top for the duration of play...
2) Serpentine belt idler pulleys (not the belt!), ... liberal spray of wd40... and put up with the fact you will be shortening their natural life.
3) Alternator and coil... I've not had any water trouble with mine... but you might want to remove the distibutor cover and apply a thin film of Vaseline or grease to the outer edge... or if you plan to be really adventurous use the other rubber glove with the ends of the fingers removed as an alternator cover.... this worked well on my land rover in the past... but have not managed to drown the jeep yet.
4) Air intake... take a good look at where it is... and make sure the bellmouth is pointing down not up !!! make a mental note not to put that corner of the jeep in the water :-)
5) Radiator.... best to put some sackcloth over the grill... this will stop the radiator core becoming clogged with mud and the engine over heating... but remember this will also affect the cooling performance of the engine while playing so keep an eye on it.... should not be a problem this time of year
6) Steering box... under the front left hand side of the bumper.... these are very expensive... don't bash it on things !!!!! they are quite tuff but don't like logs or rocks. They are also prone to leaks if used off road a lot.. a liberal spear of grease on the seals and regular cleaning might help them last a bit longer.
7) carpets and CD changer... they come out easily and are refitted in mins... take them out it's easer then cleaning them :-) but be warned you will need a floor mat for the offside (drivers side on UK models) as the exhaust makes the floor very hot... VERY HOT!
8) Top tip!... attach a recovery line to rear of vehicle before you start... and wind around spare.... it saves all that messy nonsense of trying to connect it once you get stuck :-)
And just to be a real spoil sport.... remember mud is just like grinding paste.... and does as much damage.... clean axels and brakes as soon as possible
