So this happened today

[astjp2]

I am getting to the age that I would junk that fucker or rob it for parts and be driving it sooner than later. Scabbing a patch on that frame is like putting lipstick on a skinny pig..there are still enough GOOD jeeps out there that you can find one for a reasonable price. I just saw an 98 for sale locally with a good frame for $5k...prices are coming down with the JL becoming more popular...
https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/55642390

 

[fourpointzero]

Looking at the photos of your frame, I wouldn’t trust anyone but the AutoRust guys to assess the extent of the frames rust cap-abilities. You may not have enough good steel there. Another thing a lot of people fail to note as well, is their tubs. Take a look above the frame. Looks like that rot has already started to spread to tub of your Jeep. The body mount areas are corroding too. At that point, its really time and cost consuming.

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[TJ Hunnicutt]

I am getting to the age that I would junk that fucker or rob it for parts and be driving it sooner than later. Scabbing a patch on that frame is like putting lipstick on a skinny pig..there are still enough GOOD jeeps out there that you can find one for a reasonable price. I just saw an 98 for sale locally with a good frame for $5k...prices are coming down with the JL becoming more popular...
https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/55642390

Sheesh! That may be a really great thought at this juncture. Heck, you could look at base model SEs, just going for frame and body.

Seriously, I wonder if you could look for a nice TJ in the South, have someone local give it the once-over (maybe a fellow TJ Forum member) and then fly down, grab it and drive it back up North for less than trying to get (gamble on) a low-rust Jeep "up thar".

There is also the option of looking at salvage vehicles like those that @astjp2 started a thread on. Just find a good frame and pay the shipping. Thinking a cheap un-wrecked unit might be better in your case, though.

 

[astjp2]

No tj's in my email today, but I can look at the other auction site...

View all Photos

29530229

1998

JEEP

WRANGLER /

0

AZ - PHOENIX - / CD038

04/08/2019 01:00 pm MDT

157,811 A

CT - AZ

MECHANICAL

$9,000 USD

Current Bid : $625 USD

Buy It Now Price : $4,300 USD
	View all Photos	31720459

1999

JEEP

WRANGLER /

0

CA - SO SACRAMENTO - / F070

04/08/2019 01:00 pm MDT

186,256 E

CQ - CA

REAR END

Current Bid : $0 USD

 

[astjp2]

View all Photos

26872239

2001

JEEP

WRANGLER /

0

ID - BOISE - / B050

04/11/2019 12:00 pm MDT

127,941 E

SC - ID

FRONT END

$7,563 USD

Current Bid : $525 USD

 

[bromel]

I'm not sure i agree with the roof analogy. The plywood would rot bc of water intrusion, which means a bad spot in the roofing material. If the rest of the roofing is in good shape there would be no water intrusion.

I guess i assume since the whole frame had been exposed to the same elements as that particular section since the Jeep was brand new the rest of the frame would have rusted at the same or similar pace.

Perhaps that section of frame is more susceptible to rust than the rest of frame. That's the part i am not familiar with.

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TJ frames have a design flaw wherein salt and water and debris can enter the frame through holes located near the tires but cannot exit. There are no drain holes. Over years, this causes severe rot under the skid plate and near the rear control arm mounts. In most cases, the rest of the frame remains OK, though certainly not always. That's why Safe T Caps are a viable solution, since rust belt TJs tend to rot in very specific locations.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Because one area is bad does not make the rest bad. That's like saying you had a leAk on the roof of your house and it rotted ONE piece of plywood then the whole roof is bad... Definitely not the case. I will repair what's needed and assess the rest of the frame. I'm sure there will probably be one or two more bad spots but not the. Whole frame.

This won't be the popular opinion by many but considering you put eyes on this part of the frame and failed to understand the danger in the choice to continue driving it makes me think maybe you should have an expert take a look at your entire frame and body. This break/rot is a pretty big deal. Am I the only one who thinks this?

I knew it wasn't in great shape but had no idea it was that bad.. the p.o. had coated the frame with a fairly thick coating... I have recently noticed it was peeling in spots.

Am I being more dramatic than calls for @Chris ? Is it wrong of me to propose that an expert evaluate the frame instead of looking it over himself ?...which he already did before this happened...

I dont mean this in a condescending way.

 

[Mike_H]

Not sure what your plan of attack will be, but some guys relatively local to the Grand Rapids, mi area would probably help you out, if you need it. Jeep Armory. I've had a few guy I know take their junk there. Reasonable prices, and very good work.

 

[Jackman]

Plan if attack is get a good look at it and go from there... When this happened last night it was getting dark out and I had worked all day. Soi really don't know what I'll be doing with it until I get home tonight. The patch pieces from safetcap look a little short, like they don't go far enough forward.

 

[PJOJeep]

There are patch pieces that do both the rear control arm mounts AND the center section for the transmission mount/skid plate. There are even pieces for the front control arms if it goes that far.

 

[matkal]

Glad you made it home safe, sorry about your frame. There’s a guy in frankenmuth that might have a good frame. I can pm you his # if you want. Or you can look/ post on FB, either in marketplace or in a “ Jeep parts for sale group “ that’s how I found this guy.

Name of the group is Michigan Jeep parts for sale

 

[Jackman]

I

This won't be the popular opinion by many but considering you put eyes on this part of the frame and failed to understand the danger in the choice to continue driving it makes me think maybe you should have an expert take a look at your entire frame and body. This break/rot is a pretty big deal. Am I the only one who thinks this?
Am I being more dramatic than calls for @Chris ? Is it wrong of me to propose that an expert evaluate the frame instead of looking it over himself ?...which he already did before this happened...

I dont mean this in a condescending way.

I agree..it's a huge deal. Myself or someone else could have been seriously injured had the driving conditions been different. I am capable of checking the frame out myself. I had never given it that good of a look. As I said I knew it wasn't in great shape but did not know it was that bad. Now that I see what happens I will definitely take a good look at all suspected problem areas and go from there.

 

[Jackman]

Crawled around under the TJ after work and thus is what I found. The driver's side is also in rough shape by the track bar....
Found a shop not far from me that has the raer half of the frame.. from the skid back. Going to be getting prices and see if it would be worth it to get that in the safeTcaps for both sides.
Everything up front from this looks to be in good shape but it is hard to tell with the undercoating the PO put on it. So I'll have to do a little more exploring..

pop

 

[Fouledplugs]

Crawled around under the TJ after work and thus is what I found. The driver's side is also in rough shape by the track bar....
Found a shop not far from me that has the raer half of the frame.. from the skid back. Going to be getting prices and see if it would be worth it to get that in the safeTcaps for both sides.
Everything up front from this looks to be in good shape but it is hard to tell with the undercoating the PO put on it. So I'll have to do a little more exploring..

View attachment 86465

View attachment 86466

View attachment 86467pop

I am no expert, but I would advise not driving your Jeep anymore. Personally I am not aa fan of the Safe T Caps, is that import or domestic steel? IMO the frame needs to be replaced. That TDK frame doesnt look so bad now.

 

[superduty]

What does the body of the Jeep look like?

Is it worth investing a few Grand into a frame?

I said it earlier that if the frame looks like that in one spot the rest of the frame can't be good (and numerous ppl said that's not necessarily true).

I would venture a guess that when a frame looks like that the body will also have considerable rust. Maybe I'm wrong.

Is it worth putting a few thousand dollars into a frame?

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[Fouledplugs]

What does the body of the Jeep look like?

Is it worth investing a few Grand into a frame?

Good questions. It would suck to get a new/good salvage frame to only find that the body mounts and other random areas of the body are shot.

 

[Packrat42]

Here in Michigan rusty cars are the thing. It can't be prevented. I have a creak in my frame somewhere under the passenger seat but have found nothing ....so far. Mine is only a "beach Jeep" used to chase ice cream and such, all chrome and buffed up. ..use it to tow parade floats

 

[tworley]

I'd be parting that out or if I was sentimental about it, a frame swap.

 

[MaloStapalo]

Sheesh! That may be a really great thought at this juncture. Heck, you could look at base model SEs, just going for frame and body.

Seriously, I wonder if you could look for a nice TJ in the South, have someone local give it the once-over (maybe a fellow TJ Forum member) and then fly down, grab it and drive it back up North for less than trying to get (gamble on) a low-rust Jeep "up thar".

There is also the option of looking at salvage vehicles like those that @astjp2 started a thread on. Just find a good frame and pay the shipping. Thinking a cheap un-wrecked unit might be better in your case, though.

If anyone finds one near 81657 I would be happy to go take some pictures and hit the frame with a ball peen.

 

[astjp2]

There is an 05 locally with 45K miles, lift, winch for $17k...and no rust...