Just noticed this frame rust above the skid plate. Both sides are rusting but fortunately it’s the only rust along the entire frame. For you seasoned Jeep guys how concerning is this? It’s a 99’ and I’ve had it for almost a year and I know next to nothing about issues like this.
Is this rust a cause for concern?
- Thread starter StarrK
- Start date
Water and/or salt was trapped between the frame and transfer case spacer causing the frame to rot. Personally I'd lower the tcase slide and check to see how badly rotten the frame is in that section.
Definitely a concern because that section is particularly vulnerable with nutserts that can break free due to rust. If that happens the bolts holding up the skid will just spin and they’ll be a pain to remove. I would clean up that area and use a different spacer that allows for easier drainage.
Once you have the skid plate lowered; I would inspect the affected area, removed any flakey rust and TREAT the rust with rust converter.
You should also do a thorough inspection of the inside of the frame rails to see IF there is any rust and IF there is; how extensive the rust is…
You should also do a thorough inspection of the inside of the frame rails to see IF there is any rust and IF there is; how extensive the rust is…
Dylan_See_TJ
TJ Enthusiast
Depends on how permanent you want/need the fix to be. Anything but replacing the metal (unless it's just really superficial surface rust) is going to be a band-aid over a bullet hole. Some guys on here have done rigs with drill attachments to spin wire brushes for pipes or chimneys in their frame rails, or filled their frames with used motor oil. I generally just wire brush or grind off what I can and coat everything with rust converter, which slows it down quite a bit. that being said, my frame is a flaming turd that I'm limping the next few years until I'm not DDing my TJ and can stomach another full teardown for a frame swap. I'm mostly keeping it alive with patches gobbed onto it and very frequent rust removal and repainting, but yours looks much better than mine. Definitely drop that skid and try to keep those nutserts working, because when mine stripped out, I had to cut chunks out of the frame to weld nuts inside it (mrblaine's Black Magic Brakes sells a kit to fix them if the steel is good, but I couldn't use it because of how rusted and warped the inside of my frame was). Whatever you end up doing, getting to the issue sooner rather than later is the right idea. Rust doesn't sleep.
Dylan_See_TJ
TJ Enthusiast
Heed this advice. I butter mine in the stuff every time they come out to work on the drivetrain, and it works like a charm at making it so I can get them out and in again without ripping the nuts off the inside of my frame.
Makes sense. These spacers were added back in January and up until then there was zero rust
Over the years dirt collects in there just from driving. Lots of jig holes in the frame. This dirt gets wet and stays wet causing the rust.
First you need to buy a sewer line cleaner (mine is called Cloghog) and a endoscope that attatches to your phone.
Attatch the cloghog to your pressure washer, take off a bumper and clean the living crap out of it. Use the endoscope to inspect.
Eastwood has cans of internal frame coatings.
Also, drill the two hole that have been recommended a thousand tomes on here. Clean the frame every several years.
Thanks. Based on all of these replies I think I can develop a good plan. I really had no clue beforehand
Yep,same,seemed like the silver stuff gets gummy,I have been using the copper hi heat stuff,seams thinner.
Go to hobo freight and get the drill powered drain cleaner (16bucks)and attach a couple links of thin chain and go to town,and drill 4 1/2 inch drain holes
The bottom of the frame behind the skid plate in your first photo looks suspicious to me. You may not like the results, but I would give that area a good whack with a hammer to determine how solid, or not, it is. Repeat along the entire frame bottom. If the bottom is rotten, I think your frame is a good candidate for Safe T Cap repairs since it looks like you have plenty of solid metal to work with.
Been there done that recently
Wire wheel stripped
Phosphoric acid etched
Painted with Eastwood 2k epoxy primer and rat rod satin black.
And finally after that cured for a few weeks I coated it with Blaster Surface Shield, which is messy to work with, but keeps it clean. The inside of the frame was treated with KBS Cavity Coater.
Wire wheel stripped
Phosphoric acid etched
Painted with Eastwood 2k epoxy primer and rat rod satin black.
And finally after that cured for a few weeks I coated it with Blaster Surface Shield, which is messy to work with, but keeps it clean. The inside of the frame was treated with KBS Cavity Coater.
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