Any ideas on how to prevent the rust from getting worse?

Morse9988

Morse9988

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Feb 12, 2021
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Massachusetts
Just bought this 2001 Sahara with 40k miles, the frame definitely has some surface rust with that being said I am from the northeast. I went underneath and started poking around anywhere it looked worse and it was solid everywhere.

Any ideas on how to prevent the rust from getting worse?

first time jeep owner looking for any tips and ideas!

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Welcome to the forum!

I understand folks back east spray fluid film inside the frame rails, and also drill drain holes in the bottom of the frame rails at the low points to stop water from pooling and rusting out those areas.

I don’t where to get fluid film, but somebody from the east coast will probably chime in with that info.

And BTW, the Jeep looks like new!
 
I’m in NJ, I also use fluid film. Spray it on the entire underside of your TJ. It’ll smell for a couple days, but that will go away.
 
Not driving during the winter is key. Like mentioned before, drill holes by the control arms and flush the frame out the best you can. Getting a camera to the inside of the frame would be good too since they rot from the inside out. I've read wool wax does not smell as much and oversprays a lot less than fluid film.
 
Fluid film. Spray it on all metal on the underside. Inside the frame & torque boxes. I do mine in the Fall & Spring.

Avoid getting any on the brake discs or inside the brake drums.o_O

I rarely drive mine in the Winter. Have the wife's car for that!! 😅
 
Fluid film is what I do.

Hopefully you have a compressor, it's the cheapest way to go. I just looked on Amazon and see 6 spray cans (about 1/2 gallon) for $47.19 or a full gallon for $36.58 and Prime does free shipping for both. I generally use most of the gallon and two cans for the smaller tighter areas like coating above the wavy metal under the front fenders. I get mine from a local place and last time I was there I saw a 5 gallon bucket of Fluid Film for $110. If I didn't already buy more than enough for this winter I would have bought it.
 
Get everything underneath coated with FF as said. Every nook and cranny. There are a lot of body holes accessible from underneath. Be sure to get a 3' flexy wand (often included with your order of FF if you get enough cans.
Coat everything. Except exhaust and brakes, but do soak the e.brake cables in the middle. Pull your skidplate to get up above it. Soak up and over the fuel tank.
Then come spring you can get under there and get to work removing rust and using g a more permanent type of Cosmoline under to make a more permanent solution. Find any surface rust around the body and get some FF on it too. If you have a heated garage and time (and some cash) to do a more extensive job now, there are many threads about this. Just remember the guys in Arizona have a bit different way of dealing with rust. They call it "Patina" and think it ads character.😉

Welcome to the forum! Always glad to greet a fellow Nor'Easter! 🥳
 
Goatman said:
Pull your skidplate to get up above it.
Click to expand...

"above it" and between it and the frame.


Goatman said:
Just remember the guys in Arizona have a bit different way of dealing with rust. They call it "Patina" and think it ads character.😉
Click to expand...

I think patina is fairly cool and its character is pretty much related to stuff like Rat Rods and any unrestored vehicle that's still being used for whatever reason no matter where it's at.

I also think that any rust in or near AZ is totally unacceptable to them and any vehicle, especially a Jeep, that has it must be immediately sold as parts only.
 
We don't know how much you have and where it is but the thing to understand is that rust is automobile cancer and the only cure is you have to get rid of it. So a general answer to your general question is get it all off, get it all out, get any remainder converted to ferric phosphate, and replace metal where necessary. Mechanical abrasion and products containing phosphoric acid or other converters all have their place depending on what you have. Then use quality recoat products designed for the application followed by products like cavity wax and films as appropriate for your winter climate.
 
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I got my LJ from the U.P. and I scraped all of the rust off with a needle scaler. I then use Loctite Naval Jelly rust dissolver, then coated it with Magnet paint Chassis Saver. I then used 3M Rust preventer spray in all the cavities. Look on amazon for 3M 33591. It comes with a cool 360 spray tip. I want to say I used 4 cans for my LJ. It has held up really well and I drive it year round.
 
Unless it's in a pristine collector's vehicle kinda shape, there is a ton of emulsions to spray in and on and under your Jeep. If you live with salty air or salty roads, spray it.
Don't drive it in winter? Ppppbbbbtttt. Not everyone lives in the desert or can afford a vehicle for each season. .. drive it, enjoy it, they are great on icy, snowy and generally crappy winter road conditions. A TJ is also SUPER easy to wash properly - skip the drive-through shower - get that stuff rinsed off properly.
Point is that those emulsions work. Warmer climate, use thicker emulsions. Colder climate or seasons, use thinner ones, like Fluid Film. I added a hose and a sewer jet tip to my Schutz gun to spray the inside of the frame. I generally use spray can for the other parts/places I like to coat. 20 minutes twice a year. 1 gallon Fluid Film a year.
 
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