Not sure where you're located but I have seen frames pop up on Facebook marketplace fairly often in my search for a Dana 44.
2001 Jeep TJ frame rot: Should I fix it or swap the frame?
- Thread starter jws123
- Start date
Not sure where you're located but I have seen frames pop up on Facebook marketplace fairly often in my search for a Dana 44.
I capped mine with Pocono Metal about a year and a half ago. I picked thiers since it was a little thicker material. I also had to replace three of the body mounts on the tub, so I found it was easier to weld on the caps with the body lifted an inch or so. If you have a lift to work under, it will likely be easier, I did it from a creeper on jack stands. Just take your time and as always, do a good job prepping the frame before welding! Good Luck!
+1 to capping. Frame swap sounds elegant, but it’s such an incredibly laborious task. Unless you can do the work yourself, it’s silly IMO to pay a shop a small fortune to do the work—unless of course money isn’t really an issue.
I think frame swapping a Jeep is worth it over caps, but not on a $300 Jeep. Get it running well and around town before you dump a whole bunch of a money into it. If you decide later on to frame swap it, that is a good route. But I wouldn't just jump into that right away. Doesn't seem worth it to me.
Jackman
TJ Enthusiast
That frame is ugly but looks like it can be saved with the safetcaps.. mine wasn’t much better than that one and I had the caps welded on about a year ago.. holding on strong so far
To answer one of the OP questions, there are several schools of thought on how to protect the frame. One of the biggest contributing factors is that Jeep did not put any drain holes in the center section of the frame. Most recommend drilling a hole through the existing hole in the lower control arm mount and through the bottom of the frame. The idea is to give the water, salt, dirt, etc. some place to go to get it out of the tubular structure. Once you have a new frame or have capped this one there are, again, several different thoughts. Personally, I am a big fan of Fluid Film. I buy it a gallon at a time (this is enough to do three cars twice in a year's time). I spray my LJ and my crew cab F350 long bed once in the spring and once in the fall. I bought the $40 spray gun and just go to town on it after it has been thoroughly rinsed and allowed to dry for a day. I am also contemplating trying the automotive cavity wax made by 3M. I think it may be similar to Fluid Film, but I am not sure.
Sorry for the big delay I got side tracked/busy was working on a few jet skis 
I got the frame caps from pocono metal. I just got the jeep off the trailer today next is to get it up on jack stands and lift body up a bit and have at it. I also picked up another Real nice 2003 TJ with a mint frame but its a 4 cylinder the thing is spotless with low miles but someone screwed with the wiring and some other really odd things will have a new thread for that.
I got the frame caps from pocono metal. I just got the jeep off the trailer today next is to get it up on jack stands and lift body up a bit and have at it. I also picked up another Real nice 2003 TJ with a mint frame but its a 4 cylinder the thing is spotless with low miles but someone screwed with the wiring and some other really odd things will have a new thread for that.