Soaking bolts before lift kit install

[BBQBOB]

Planning on installing a 2" suspension lift to my 2000 TJ in the near future (BDS springs and rancho shocks)

Its an OHIO rig so soaking all of the shock bolts/nuts in penetrating oil at the moment. I am using Liquid Wrench and PB until the Kroil arrives

There are access holes in the tub from the PO above the rear upper shock bolts, so I am attacking those from above.

Is there anything else I should be soaking with penetrating fluid before getting started? Tie bar or control arm bolts?

I also purchased a 1.25" JKS body lift but am having second thoughts now seeing the rust and reading horror stories online ab install

Some pics below, appreciate any advice from folks with experience

 

[Westtown Willy]

you should be soaking anything & everything your kit comes with to be replaced... and if in doubt, blast it, it won't hurt anything... seriously i cannot believe how much PB Blaster, Fluid Film & break cleaner I've gone through since bringing my TJ home

 

[ElectricWizard]

I got the same year and color TJ, I love it!

I too would recommend blasting every bolt you might expect to remove. Heck blast every bolt on your suspension, you never know.

 

[Westtown Willy]

I got the same year and color TJ, I love it!

I too would recommend blasting every bolt you might expect to remove. Heck blast every bolt on your suspension, you never know.

exactly, and then when you're done that work in reverse by dunking everything in anti-seize before you put it back on

 

[BBQBOB]

Good points - thanks both.

I'll hit all the bolts around the suspension with a liberal dosage of blaster.

Any thoughts on body lift with rust?

 

[Boinked]

Good points - thanks both.

I'll hit all the bolts around the suspension with a liberal dosage of blaster.

Any thoughts on body lift with rust?

Its a tough call without seeing the connection. The bolts go directly into the body. Is it just a bit of frame rust or is the underbody bad too.

 

[tquig01]

Good points - thanks both.

I'll hit all the bolts around the suspension with a liberal dosage of blaster.

Any thoughts on body lift with rust?

The body mounts to the frame by bolting into the torque boxes which are sheet metal tunnels that run along the bottom sides of the tub (3 each side), one centered up by the radiator, 2 by the rear frame arches and finally, 2 in the rear corners. Unless there is significant rust (doesn't look like it in your pic), the front and rear 4 bolts won't be that difficult. You have to look at the 3 along each side. If that torque box is really rusted at the mounting point, you could have a problem. An easy way to tell is if the sides at the bolt location are swollen out. That is a tell-tale sign of internal rust. When that happens, the nut inside could spin while you remove it. This would mean you have to repair the torque box with replacement sections or worse case, the whole piece. Neither of them is an easy fix and both require some cutting and welding. If it just some light surface rust, you should be fine. Post a pic so we can see the torque boxes. BTW- Mine were shot and I repaired/replaced them myself so I have some recent experience!

 

[BBQBOB]

THANK YOU!

Pics attached - interested to know your thoughts

 

[Chris]

Make sure once you get those bolts out that you replace them with brand new bolts, and liberally use anti-seize on all of the new bolts. That's the smart thing to do, and it will cut down on even more rust.

 

[Boinked]

To me it doesn't look terrible. But I only deal with Arizona rust. Maybe someone else might have a better idea.

 

[BBQBOB]

Some pics inside the tub at the bolts using an endoscope camera

 

[Westtown Willy]

I'll be blunt, that frame looks rough, I'd shelf the lift kit momentarily & immediately focus on getting that frame treated inside and out, that is far far more important to the health & longevity of your rig. Research Eastwood Internal Frame Paint & all the related methods of descaling the inside of the rails prior to application, as well as POR-15 external frame painting...

 

[BBQBOB]

I'll be blunt, that frame looks rough, I'd shelf the lift kit momentarily & immediately focus on getting that frame treated inside and out, that is far far more important to the health & longevity of your rig. Research Eastwood Internal Frame Paint & all the related methods of descaling the inside of the rails prior to application, as well as POR-15 external frame painting...

+1 thats my plan for this winter. I am planning to install the lift kit this fall and then over the winter do a full frame clean out (internally blow it out then coat with Eastwood internal frame paint) then use a wire wheel / scraper to the outside, degrease, metal prep, then paint POR15 on the outside of the frame, skid plates and undercarriage

 

[Serbonze]

Having used all of those penetrating oils, I wouldn’t waste my time with anything until the Kroil arrives. Then spray every single bolt that you plan on touching with the lift kit and body lift.

 

[BBQBOB]

Westtown Willy....you have me thinking. Is the frame rust that pervasive and concerning to halt all other projects and address the rust stat?

 

[Westtown Willy]

Westtown Willy....you have me thinking. Is the frame rust that pervasive and concerning to halt all other projects and address the rust stat?

Yes, as in if I had pneumonia my first stop would be the pharmacy for antibiotics & not the mall for a new wardrobe... Rust is cancer and it will be fatal if left to spread, particularly to a TJ. Your frame has open visible rust so every time it gets wet it’s on the move so I would focus on making her healthy first, then pretty. The good news is there are far worse frames still operational, but just remember your frame is as strong as it will ever be today & I would think it would be a priority to arrest the rust process & maintain what you currently have indefinitely. Wait a week, a month, a season or a year & it’ll be weaker.

I like the plan you detailed above I’d just start that today. Also, besides wire wheeling the outside have you looked into getting the rust out of inside (whatever you see outside it may be worse on the inside)? A drill fitted with a chain can help knock the loose rust & scaling off & a long magnet can help get it out too, you don’t want to have anything inside those rails when you Eastwood.

I made the following mistake when I Eastwooded. My TJ came from NJ & the prior owner ran it in the Pine Barrens & in doing such there was a lot of sand/tiny pebbles inside the rails. The metal itself was smooth as glass but the grit was everywhere and was hard to get by spraying water & vacuuming through those tiny little holes; I thought I had gotten it all but it turns out after I shot multiple cans of Eastwood in there it must've picked up some residual from higher up the driver's side rear section that I didn't know was there & it ended up flowing like lava back down & getting trapped by the Eastwood. So now it's bumpy in there. This only occurred in that one section so I think this winter when I've got some down time I'm going to rig the chain to the drill & get it in that section & try to knock all that stuff loose & get it out of there then re-coat that area again with more Eastwood.

Having used all of those penetrating oils, I wouldn’t waste my time with anything until the Kroil arrives. Then spray every single bolt that you plan on touching with the lift kit and body lift.

Where did you find the Kroil, I haven't seen it anywhere but I'd like to try it out. One thing PB is great for is soaking nuts & bolts in during a project. I just had my tc & engine skids out for a week and all those nasty bolts were in a large cup submerged in PB, over the course of a couple days the liquid got darker & darker as the hardware got shinier & shinier, by the time I was ready to reinstall all ten bolts they glistened as if brand new while the PB almost looked like used motor oil. Over time it works beautifully but that doesn't translate as well as a penetrant

 

[Serbonze]

Kano Aerokroil Penetrating Oil, 10 oz. aerosol (AEROKROIL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F09CEA/?tag=wranglerorg-20