Trying to stabilize a sagging skid plate

[John D]

Hello, I have a 2001 Wrangler TJ with serious frame corrosion. I’m not handy with major repairs so to there’s not much more I can do with it. The skid plate is holding on to the frame by only one side, meaning 3 bolts. So the transfer case is sagging a little. Of course I’m nuts driving it in this condition, as gentle as I am with it, but I don’t have an alternative just yet. Sometime soon I will sell it for parts.

But to get to my question: are any reasonably inexpensive ways to stretch out the life of this vehicle, even by just the few months I need to save for another vehicle, by at least stopping the above skid plate situation from getting worse, as in a quick-and-dirty emergency repair? For example, I saw on some forum that someone had used a chain to hold up the skid plate, but I’m not knowledgeable enough to know how to do this correctly and safely. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[CodaMan]

Let us see some pics of the problem area so we can better access a possible fix.

 

[Rob5589]

If it is that bad it really isnt safe to drive. If those other 3 bolts come out, things will get interesting to say the least. Either have it repaired or put her out to pasture.

 

[tworley]

If it is that bad it really isnt safe to drive. If those other 3 bolts come out, things will get interesting to say the least. Either have it repaired or put her out to pasture.

X2. If it's that bad it's time to retire it

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Since you've already admitted to being nuts and that you need to keep it going until you can afford a replacement maybe three large C clamps could hold the low side up against whatever frame is left there. Another option would be a couple tie down straps wrapped around the whole Jeep if you have a hardtop. If no hardtop, just run the straps over your seats (before you sit on them).

More seriously, you may be able to find someone to weld a piece of angle iron about 2 feet long to both the frame and the skid plate. It might look ugly but would probably buy you some extra time. Adding some angle iron to the side that still has bolts wouldn't be a bad Idea either.

 

[Chris]

Here's what not to do:

@MaloStapalo spotted this and posted a thread about it here the other day: Appearances can be deceiving

We'd have to see pictures of your frame to see what you're dealing with.

All I can tell you is that if the rust is so bad it's rotting out, it's not safe to drive anymore. At that point you need a new frame, plain and simple.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

In the mean time take it to a welding shop and tell them to weld some reinforcement on there. Tell them you also need them to install some threaded inserts aka nutserts so the skid plate can be bolted into place.

That skid plate is also the support for the transmission above it so it's an important piece

 

[JDS123]

The upper half of the frame should be fine. The bottom will be the trouble area. I would go to a welding shop as @Jerry Bransford recommended. Have them fashion some sort of U-shape or full box that goes around the top of the frame and then in between the skid plate and the bottom of the frame. Put the nutserts on the new welded in piece. You may have to cut the bottom of the existing frame out, but it’s rotted anyway. You should have some time if you do it right.

 

[tomtaylz]

oof it’s rust week on TJ forum

 

[Chris]

The upper half of the frame should be fine. The bottom will be the trouble area. I would go to a welding shop as @Jerry Bransford recommended. Have them fashion some sort of U-shape or full box that goes around the top of the frame and then in between the skid plate and the bottom of the frame. Put the nurserts on the new welded in piece. You may have to cut the bottom of the existing frame out, but it’s rotted anyway. You should have some time if you do it right.

X2. This would be the way to do it, assuming the top of the frame is fine.

I still would like to see photos though!

 

[JDS123]

oof it’s rust week on TJ forum

I’ve noticed that as well. Seems like every thread I’ve commented on this week has been about rust. I guess people are checking for the winter or something?

X2. This would be the way to do it, assuming the top of the frame is fine.

I still would like to see photos though!

Photos would definitely be useful. Some frames are so bad there isn’t a thing you can do to fix them besides replace them!

 

[MaloStapalo]

oof it’s rust week on TJ forum

It is the day of spookiness. Fitting I guess.

 

[ElectricWizard]

It is the day of spookiness. Fitting I guess.

Nothing scarier than a rotten TJ!

 

[tquig01]

Google safety cap frame repair patches. There are a couple companies that make them fairly cheap. Here is a link to one:
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...MIgda-tJ2x3gIVAY3ICh2WLw_7EAQYBCABEgIfnvD_BwE

Make sure that is the only area of the frame that is bad. You may have to get a longer one that covers more of the frame. Find someone to weld it in and problem solved. Is it a perfect fix? no. Is it hella better than what you have now? Absolutely. Once repaired you may be able to coax several more years out of the Jeep or at least sell it as a safe, driveable vehicle.

Edit - please don't drive your vehicle with some goofy, half-assed fix. It just isn't worth it to hurt yourself or others.

 

[John D]

Here is a photo of it. Yes, it's bad, but I'm getting another car within a couple weeks, so I'm just looking for _emergency repairs_ that might possibly just get it to someone who's buying it for parts.

 

[billiebob]

Understand that if you get pulled over they will deck it and leave you stranded with a towing bill to pay ... at best. Anything is better than driving it. And thats the rust you see, where else is it rotten?

 

[Chris]

Oh man... that's bad... like really bad. It looks as if the top may be close to rotted out as well. The only way you can really fix that is to either get a new frame or cut that entire section out of the frame and weld new sections in. Even with SafeTCaps, I don't think there's anything left to weld them to!

 

[Thunderhead]

Here is a photo of it. Yes, it's bad, but I'm getting another car within a couple weeks, so I'm just looking for _emergency repairs_ that might possibly just get it to someone who's buying it for parts.

Um yea. Nope. Can’t fix that for parts. Your probably trying to flip it. Guess just try to sell low and hope they don’t look at the frame

 

[Squatch]

Um yea. Nope. Can’t fix that for parts. Your probably trying to flip it. Guess just try to sell low and hope they don’t look at the frame

Dude. I wouldn't recommend selling that to any unsuspecting individual. He could sell it for parts (as a "parts car"), or at the very least, specifically point out the rust and the inherent dangers of driving it. But in no way should he try to skirt around it, and hope it goes unnoticed. Just because a potential buyer is ignorant of such things doesn't mean they deserve to be sent down the road in a dangerous vehicle. Sorry, man. That's just my way of seeing it.

 

[Thunderhead]

Dude. I wouldn't recommend selling that to any unsuspecting individual. He could sell it for parts (as a "parts car"), or at the very least, specifically point out the rust and the inherent dangers of driving it. But in no way should he try to skirt around it, and hope it goes unnoticed. Just because a potential buyer is ignorant of such thing doesn't mean they deserve to be sent down the road in a dangerous vehicle. Sorry, man. That's just my way of seeing it.

Yea that’s what I was pointing out I thought. That frame is gone.