2005 LJ Frame Options

FadeToGray

FadeToGray

TJ Enthusiast
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So despite knowing its a bad financial decision, I've decided to do a "restoration" on my 2005 LJ. I know I'll have way more money into it than it will ever be worth, but I'm sentimentally attached to this specific one so I don't want to just buy one in better condition.

Primary reasons for the "restoration" are that I'm OCD and rust drives me crazy, and I want it to be a learning experience. I have a lift, and I'll probably have to outsource some stuff, but I'm going to give it a shot. The body was pulled apart, panels / metal replaced where needed, and painted about 2 years ago.

With that said, my question is around the frame. A few photos are mine are below. It's a New England Jeep, so it's in rough shape IMO.

I'm assuming this frame isn't worth attempting to blast and repair?

If that's the case, aside from a used one, or one from Throttle Down Kustoms are there any other options out there to look at? With shipping the one from Throttle Down is around $5,200 in bare metal.

Any other similar vendors to Throttle Down to look at?

Thanks for the help.

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Take an an angle grinder and flap disc to it first (or a die grinder and those little purple abrasive wheels-those were invaluable for me.) I'm still seeing pretty thick metal at the holes and no huge chunks. Drill holes and flush the inside with a sewer jet. It might not be as bad as you think, unless I'm just missing it in the photos. I thought mine was going to be bad when I started tearing into it this past winter and it turned out to be solid everywhere and looks pretty good now.

Not trying to get your hopes up, but no point in jumping straight to $5k+ options until you've figured out how bad it really is.
 
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I was gonna say the same thing. Theres a chance it looks worse than it is. I'd also pick up a cheap borescope and run it down the inside of the frame rails and see what it looks like in there. You can get one on Amazon that plugs into your phone.
 
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Yeah that looks good from the outside especially for a New England Jeep. Need to wire wheel it down and check inside before you spend 5k on a frame. Even if there is a few soft patches you could always do Poconos Metal or the other frame patches. Occasionally there LJ frames show up on Facebook or Craigslist also. Not often but it does happen. Good luck.
 
Do as others suggested and IF replacement is deemed necessary TDK is who I would recommend. The price people are getting on the east coast for used frames doesn't put you far off the price of a new one. If you do order from TDK you will wait months for it to arrive just FYI
 
Thanks all. I did purchase a borescope and a sewer jet, so i'll give the inside a flush and look and see where I stand.

Would certainly be great to not spent $5K+ on a frame and be able to use that money for other parts instead :)
 
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Got the borescope today and took a few photos using the side access holes. Definitely takes some getting used to maneuvering it around.

Will remove the bumpers, clean out the frame and then redo.

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The last photo is the worst part of it. The others don't seem bad. I would investigate the area of that last photo real well. It may need a Safe-T-Cap welded on there. The rest of it is salvageable with a good de-scaler and a home made internal frame de-scaler then Eastwood's Internal Frame spray paint. Make sure you drill at least a 1/2" sized hole in the bottom of the frame at the lowest 4 corners of the frame.

Once this is all done and dry, I would use a Woolwax or Fluid Film Spray gun kit and spray the inside of that frame each season. We've done this to my son's 2004 TJ since 2014 when he first purchased it. He drives it every winter and there is no issues with rust. That thing gets put up on the lift and gets a fluid film spray under the entire chassis including the inside of the frame every Thanksgiving weekend.
 
Can anyone give me recommendations on a cheap borescope and sewerjet?

I think you might have a nice frame if you remove and blast/paint.
 
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