Frame Restoration Question

[znims24]

Hello, I was looking for some help while planning to clean up my TJ frame, below are my general plan

TJ frame Strategy
1) Air compress junk out of the frame
2) Wire brush and needle any rust off the outside frame
3) Internal spray application of Eastwood Internal Frame Coating with hose
4) External coating of Eastwood Rust Reformer or Chasis Paint 2 quarts
5) Fluid Film before winter, every year

My question is I know I have junk inside the frame, would it be better to use Eastwood Internal Frame Coating or use the Eastwood Rust Reformer inside as well instead? Thank you in advance

 

[macleanflood]

Pictures? Especially of the inside?

-Mac

 

[znims24]

Pictures? Especially of the inside?

-Mac

I dont have any pictures of the inside atm but if the outside is any indication.

The back is definitely the worst of it imo (and already have new body mount bushings to replace)

 

[macleanflood]

Not sure they make paint thick enough to fix that...

-Mac

 

[tr21triton]

Not sure they make paint thick enough to fix that...

-Mac

4 or 500 good thick coats and it'll be good as new

 

[CJ with a TJ]

That's gone, dude. Not sure if it's worth the time/money to delay the inevitable.

 

[znims24]

I never know what to believe lol Half the people tell me it's toast, the other half tell me it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep lol

 

[CJ with a TJ]

I never know what to believe lol Half the people tell me it's toast, the other half tell me it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep lol

I'm rust belt too, up in Boston. It looks like your transmission skid plate is already starting to separate from the frame, rot at the control arm brackets, etc.. I've been there, I had mine cleaned up and reinforced with Saf-T-Caps

Your rear spring perches are more than likely gone, too.

 

[Ricgowan]

I never know what to believe lol Half the people tell me it's toast, the other half tell me it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep lol

I'm in the same boat, with a frame that has been in either NY or MI since being built in 2001. I have the Saf-T-Caps on hand already, and am looking at options (having a shop do the work vs. me doing all the prep and getting a mobile welder to visit). Some on this forum will chastise you for not waiting on a clean southern TJ, but that frame can definitely be saved and returned to life.

In short, I'd consider reinforcing over cleaning/painting.

 

[macleanflood]

I never know what to believe lol Half the people tell me it's toast, the other half tell me it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep lol

Well that's easy...the answer is yes.

Yes it's toast.

Yes it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep.

-Mac

 

[BlueC]

TJ frame Strategy
1) Air compress junk out of the frame
2) Wire brush and needle any rust off the outside frame
3) Internal spray application of Eastwood Internal Frame Coating with hose
4) External coating of Eastwood Rust Reformer or Chasis Paint 2 quarts
5) Fluid Film before winter, every year

1 - Determine that the frame is good to go. Try to jam (by hand) something like a sharp screwdriver through the rusty areas. If you can poke through, or you find lots of large delamination/scale, it's no good.

2 - Proceed with your #1 and #2, mechanically remove as much as you can and get it as clean as you can.

3 - Before applying any kind of paint, use something like Eastwoods "Pre" and acetone to clean the surfaces. If you have the internal coating nozzle, that works well to get in there deep.

4 - When applying the Eastwood internal coating, just know that stuff is runny, and if it gets on anything, like concrete, it will be there for a while, just be prepared.

5 - Know the rust reformer products don't like clean/raw metal, those typically need iron oxide (rust) to react. I'd save that for places that you can't get to, and mechanically clean what you can, then paint with the chassis paint of your choice. You may want to top coat the chassis paint since those typically don't tolerate UV very well, and a few areas of these frames can be exposed to sunlight in normal usage.

Otherwise, I think your plan is fine.

 

[tr21triton]

Some on this forum will chastise you for not waiting on a clean southern TJ, but that frame can definitely be saved and returned to life.

Not me, I'll thank him for not coming down here and taking a rust free TJ back up there only to have it look like his in 5years !

 

[tr21triton]

Yes it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep.

yep, this is called a rust free jeep in Ohio !

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

... half tell me it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep lol

Yes it's not terrible for an Ohio Jeep.

I'm here in Ohio. It may not be TERRIBLE but it's certainly NOT GOOD but I think I see a torque box that looks better than many I've seen.

Anyway, the best would be to get some frame repair parts from Saf-T-Caps or Pocono Metal Craft. I've never used either but I've heard no bad and I bet they're better than anything from china.

 

[DuckNut]

I would not put any time or money into it. I would drive it until the frame mounts poke through the tub or the frame gives out and then drive it one last time and collect $300 from the junkyard.

 

[Vtx531]

I would leave the inside alone except powerwashing out any debris. Needle scale and wirewheel the outside. Wipe with mineral spirits and spraypaint or brush paint flat black or satin black whatever is your preference. Skip all the gimmicky chassis/rust paints. Won't be much time or money and will look nice.

 

[aston4]

Road salt is criminal.

 

[CJ with a TJ]

Road salt is criminal.

It does the same every winter to the skin on my hands and feet as it does to our poor frames. I go through so much lotion and creams, yet they still crack and bleed.

 

[wigsajumper]

Honestly. I have seen worse. As mentioned earlier whack that frame with a hammer and chisel. I would drop the transmission pan to check on the condition of the frame where the nutserts are. Salt/mud/water love to get stuck there and rot it out. I had the whole middle section of my frame replaced with Poconos.

 

[pocojo]

FYI in ref to the fallen trans, pan, I thru drilled and installed long stainless studs with ss nuts and washers five years ago and still better than new, Now I'm working on replacing body/frame mounts. The frame has a lot of rust scale inside it. I cut "windows" in the bottom of the frame and made a custom sized hoe to scrape an pull out all that stuff. Good luck to you brother as you are not alone dealing with these issues. One word to help you have confidence, Im 76 and doing this on my back in the driveway.

Pocojo