Not to state the obvious but, but let him drive yours until he finds the right one. I did that when I was looking for a new wife. Her sister didn't appreciate the test drive, but I realized what "I DIDN'T WANT"Exactly, he just wanted to get out and enjoy it, scooping one up at the first slight opportunity and then having to wait around while you get it ship shape would be a bummer.
And same, with as hard as they're getting to find lately I still look nearly every day. I can dream.
New or newish lower control arms as well. It is very odd for sure. The steering gear and pitman are not as rusty as you'd expect for something in that area. Also the stuff in the background isn't rusty unless they have replaced a whole bunch of stuff and I've seen far worse transmission corrosion even around here where stuff doesn't really rust.i'd go look at it for sure. looks like i see new ball joints. body looks really good and low miles, but like has been said if that rust aint too bad inside the frame at $7800 it aint a bad deal !
thats what i noticed also, hell that frame doesn't look bad to me at all. if i was close by i'd go look at it for sure and i just bought another tj in DECNew or newish lower control arms as well. It is very odd for sure. The steering gear and pitman are not as rusty as you'd expect for something in that area. Also the stuff in the background isn't rusty unless they have replaced a whole bunch of stuff and I've seen far worse transmission corrosion even around here where stuff doesn't really rust.
OH MY.... You are just too funny....Not to state the obvious but, but let him drive yours until he finds the right one. I did that when I was looking for a new wife. Her sister didn't appreciate the test drive, but I realized what "I DIDN'T WANT"
p.s. Divorce #2 for some unknown reason.
Based on all the recent responses, it's sounding like maybe I ought to reconsider. I as well thought a lot of the components underneath looked fresher than I'd expect from a jeep with a rattle canned frame, but figured it was just a weird fluke. I mean then again maybe he replaced everything and then realized the frame was bad. But you'd think he'd have realized that or at least looked closer before doing all that work.
Endoscope ... that a rent or buy kinda thing? Chances are he'll never use it again. But if it ensures a clean jeep, guess that's a drop in the bucket.
I didn't buy it, nope. But hope somebody got lucky with that one.It sold, did you buy it? Being in Mass I know rust all too well. That one was certainly one to go look at. Someone mentioned an endoscope, these are a huge help when trying to evaluate these frames. When you're looking at jeeps in the rust belt you just have to take your time and go over everything carefully. With the TJ, 90% of the time its obvious. Stick your finger in the access holes, if its filled with scaly rust, its probably not very good. A ball peen or a chipping hammer to tap on the known problem areas (don't piss off the seller, ask first!). If the hammer sinks thru the frame, you have your answer. Run the endoscope in all the known areas first, where the skid mounts, the transition points on the frame where the control arms mount, steering box area etc. You can find a good one, but its not easy. The frame on mine is excellent, but it doesn't look anything like the ones from California and Arizona that get posted. Those just make me jealous!
All that being said, if there is any doubt in your mind after going thru all the work to inspect the frame, just walk away. Rust completely sucks. I won't consider any TJ with even a repaired frame, never mind a rusted one. I looked at two today, one had scale inside it that concerned me but appeared pretty solid but found an area that was repaired by the steering box.
Pass.
The second one was obvious. Guy had it listed as having a good frame with some pics that I just couldn't tell if it was or not. I get there to look at it and one of the nutserts for the skid had pulled thru the rusted out frame and the skid was drooping.
Junk.
Youd be amazed at some of the crap i've looked at thats been posted as solid frame. I went to look at one a few years ago that said it had a new frame under it. I get there and it looked like the thing sat on the ocean floor, but the dude had a receipt that said "new frame" Good for you.
The ad lost me at "We recently did a ton of work to it and brought it back to life". Head towards Va.https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:d626100a-8449-412b-9391-5255a1a75cd5
another one. Frame is repaired, undercoated but got an internal frame coating as well. Jeep looks clean but that shit makes me nervous, like very.
Yup, I won't touch anything that is rusty, was rusty, or was repaired. I'll wait or travel for a better one.https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:d626100a-8449-412b-9391-5255a1a75cd5
another one. Frame is repaired, undercoated but got an internal frame coating as well. Jeep looks clean but that shit makes me nervous, like very.
Yeah, I hear ya loud and clear. I also know that there are plenty of people who simply don't know that the frame is bad, but it certainly appears a good number of them know they are bad, and hope you don't know how to inspect it and will just take them at their word. This just pisses me off. Can you imagine a father who is not well versed in vehicles buying one of these for his daughter and she gets hurt or killed due to this?I didn't buy it, nope. But hope somebody got lucky with that one.
And yeah. Far more frustrating than the lack of good frames out there, is the way sellers make it so you pretty much have to go check it yourself. I mean I'd obviously look myself regardless. But I wouldn't look at half the ones I had if they were honest or accurate up front. I looked at a 4runner a few years ago before I bought my first TJ, dude said frame was clean except some professionally repaired shock mounts, I said fuck it, 5-speed 3rd gens are impossible to find, and drove a state away to find the entire inside of the frame was completely rotted away, could stick my whole fist in for the entire length of it.
And then repeated that experience numerous times once my interests shifted to a TJ.
I mean why bother lying? If I knew enough to ask, you know I'm gonna come and see it and walk away.
that's the thing - I think it's usually just a case of them hoping someone ignorant to frame concerns will make it easy for them to unload the thing. Cause otherwise, parting out is a whole bunch more legwork. And then wash their hands of it. But like you said ... this is a case where that dishonesty or ignorance can be life threatening. It sucks.Yeah, I hear ya loud and clear. I also know that there are plenty of people who simply don't know that the frame is bad, but it certainly appears a good number of them know they are bad, and hope you don't know how to inspect it and will just take them at their word. This just pisses me off. Can you imagine a father who is not well versed in vehicles buying one of these for his daughter and she gets hurt or killed due to this?
\End of rant
...but yeah, finding one with a good frame is a chore. I've looked at some up at the $10k range and some of them even had bad (though not obviously falling apart) frames. I've been looking for one to do a hemi swap on and at this point, I may just give up and sell the parts because its too frustrating.
This keeps seeming like it's gonna be the easiest route. I've heard in the PNW the prices are worse than they are here. Where are all the good rust-free jeeps these days that aren't 15k or more?Don’t be afraid to look out of state and have it shipped. That is how got mine. In addition to detailed pics the guy did video call with me to go over everything. Just factor shipping into your budget.
Heck ask on here you might find someone willing to look at one for you if is few states away.