Factory Side Steps Welded to Frame?

[JawnieBGood]

So I'm the very happy new owner of a 2000 manual TJ Sport. The only previous owner has had her since she rolled off the factory line, and says that it's essentially bone stock besides an upgraded radio head unit and a few minor accessories. No lift was ever put on, no aftermarket parts.

But here's the weird thing. The side steps, which appear to be factory, aren't bolted to the frame. They appear to be welded directly to it.

Has anyone else experienced this? A forum search doesn't appear to have turned anything up.

I'm looking to just remove them completely to put on some much lower profile rock sliders on there, but I'd prefer to bolt whatever I go with directly to the frame, but that space is taken up by the welded on brackets of the factory steps. There do no appear to be any holes drilled.

Could this just have been a wacky day at the factory where they decided to weld on instead of drilling and bolting?

For context, the previous owner has known my father in law for a few decades and is considered pretty trustworthy. He sold us the jeep for, honestly, almost nothing. So I don't think this is a case of him trying to get one over on us.

 

[JawnieBGood]

Here's a shot where you can see the welded on side steps bracket. They all look like this.

 

[Feralkid]

Not factory welds.

That frame is in such bad shape rust-wise. If you want to remove the steps the easiest way would be to take a swazall across the tubes. I advise to avoid cutting near the frame welds because you don't want to weaken the frame any more than it already is.

You're also missing trans skid nutserts and it doesn't look like it can be fixed properly without cutting out the cancer and welding in new steel.

Just from that one picture it looks like you bought a vehicle that should be used for parts and scrap.

 

[JawnieBGood]

Appreciate it! We were thinking the sawzall might be the way to go as well.

As for the missing nutserts, we dropped the skid plate to replace all the nutserts on both sides. Bought the kit recommended here in other threads and that seems to be working out great. This was an older photo.

We definitely know we have a project on our hands for sure. The frame itself looks rough, but we tested it throughout and it's solid. Definitely needs sanding and remediation, but there are no soft spots at all.

The main parts that need cutting out and welding are the drivers side front floor pan, and 4 of the 6 body mounts. We're prepared to make those repairs.

I just can't stress enough how affordable this thing was. We paid 800 for it, and it starts right up. And it came with a ton of brand new parts that the previous owner just never had time to do himself.

 

[cpwolf]

Appreciate it! We were thinking the sawzall might be the way to go as well.

As for the missing nutserts, we dropped the skid plate to replace all the nutserts on both sides. Bought the kit recommended here in other threads and that seems to be working out great. This was an older photo.

We definitely know we have a project on our hands for sure. The frame itself looks rough, but we tested it throughout and it's solid. Definitely needs sanding and remediation, but there are no soft spots at all.

The main parts that need cutting out and welding are the drivers side front floor pan, and 4 of the 6 body mounts. We're prepared to make those repairs.

I just can't stress enough how affordable this thing was. We paid 800 for it, and it starts right up. And it came with a ton of brand new parts that the previous owner just never had time to do himself.

Run with it all day, ha.

I was wondering how in the heck your Trans wasn’t falling to the ground.

I’m in Texas with a Texas TJ, luckily zero frame rust. I’f flip out if my frame started to even hint at this, ha.

But, watching guys on this site….it doesn’t seem anywhere near as bad.

I’m. Not familiar with this welded like that either, but I would take a grinder to it and get it off.

There is a great thread on sliders, in the How To I think.

Avoid ones that use the body mounts. You want them to bolt to the body.

 

[macleanflood]

I bought a new frame and tub in Oregon...rust free...for $1300.

I'd do a tub and frame swap.

I did mine after an accident...

Oh and I recently bought a 2000 for parts...it had steps welded to the frame and hacked off. Could have been dealer installed too.

-Mac

 

[JawnieBGood]

Run with it all day, ha.

I was wondering how in the heck your Trans wasn’t falling to the ground.

I’m in Texas with a Texas TJ, luckily zero frame rust. I’f flip out if my frame started to even hint at this, ha.

But, watching guys on this site….it doesn’t seem anywhere near as bad.

I’m. Not familiar with this welded like that either, but I would take a grinder to it and get it off.

There is a great thread on sliders, in the How To I think.

Avoid ones that use the body mounts. You want them to bolt to the body.

That's the plan! The whole point of this was the have a project for my father in law and I to tackle together, so we're definitely in for the long haul. Very jealous of you southern/western owners with your lack of rust on everything. The northeast is great for a lot of things, but rust ain't one of them for sure.

Yeah, we have the trans up on jack stands for the time being while we remediate the skid plate, fix the nutserts, and replace the mount. Should be surefooted as a mountain goat after that and a replacing the transmission fluid. Hopefully that will smooth out the shifting a bit. If not, well we'll just move on to the next possible cause.

We're going to take things little by slow and make sure it's done right. I'm newer to working on cars, but my father in law was damn near born with a wrench in his hand and never one to back down from a challenge.

 

[JawnieBGood]

I bought a new frame and tub in Oregon...rust free...for $1300.

I'd do a tub and frame swap.

I did mine after an accident...

Oh and I recently bought a 2000 for parts...it had steps welded to the frame and hacked off. Could have been dealer installed too.

-Mac

Iiiiinteresting re: the welded on steps. Maybe mine was the dealer and not the factory because the previous owner really didn't do much other than let this sit for a long while. Either way, I think they're coming off for sure. Great video!

 

[wigsajumper]

There is a guy north of you in MA or CT that occasionally has Southern Frames on facebook marketplace

 

[JawnieBGood]

There is a guy north of you in MA or CT that occasionally has Southern Frames on facebook marketplace

Nice! Yeah if we ever decide to go the full frame swap I'll definitely keep an eye out. Thanks!

 

[Feralkid]

We paid 800 for it, and it starts right up. And it came with a ton of brand new parts that the previous owner just never had time to do himself.

Nice!

I live across the river in Montgomery County PA. NJ vehicles are always way more rusty compared to ones of the same age only 50 miles away in PA. It's got to be that most people in NJ just don't look after their vehicles at all. It's amazing what spraying off the road salt from the undercarriage with a hose after winter can do to slow down the rust.