Cleaning out frame

Serbonze

Serbonze

TJ Neophyte
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Messages
1,879
Location
USA
How do you all clean out your frame (if at all)? I've been hosing mine out front to back, then back to front. I keep ending up with a large mass of sand right in front of the hole before the back tire and scooping as much out as possible with my finger. I get it to where I think it's all gone, then flush again. When I come back after everything has settled, there is another large pile. Is there a trick to getting it all out at once, or is it just something that has to be done over time?

I tried rigging up a small tube to my shop vac, but that did nothing.
 
I found a post this morning that may prove helpful. It takes two people, one holding the shop vac to the large hole in the back and the other feeding a hose connected to an air compressor through the frame. That should stir up the dirt enough and allow the vacuum to get it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sancho
Drill four holes at the lowest point of the frame on each of the four corners.

I haven't done this but I've heard it's great for keeping the frame from holding water and rusting out.

I bought some plugs that fit the four holes on the frame but haven't installed it yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RussTJ
badlieutenant said:
Drill four holes at the lowest point of the frame on each of the four corners.

I haven't done this but I've heard it's great for keeping the frame from holding water and rusting out.

I bought some plugs that fit the four holes on the frame but haven't installed it yet.
Click to expand...

I only drilled two 1/2 inch holes.One on each side right in front of the rear axle arch. When I did my rebuild I found that was a major salt water collection point and it showed, even though I regularly flushed the frame
 
  • Like
Reactions: Serbonze
Shove a 6" - 12" piece of tubing onto the end of a bronze garden hose sprayer. Insert the tubing into various drain holes and let it flush the frame out for 5 - 10 minutes per hole, moving it around, front to rear, side to side. The first time or two you do this you'll end up with small pile of dirt / sand under the jeep from what's flushed out. After one or two goes, it runs clean (unless you go mudding ;-).

I got this from the owner of World Tour Off Road in Annapolis MD. I asked him about the need to drill holes and he said no, the water will run out fine on its own. It seems to, though I usually do a quick drive around the block afterwards for good measure.
 
The problem is that the only drain holes in the bottom of the frame are at the very front. I can (and already have) let water flow through until it's clear. Even though it runs clear, there is still an accumulation of sand/silt that sits in the bottom of the frame, because the holes are a 1/2" up on the side.

It looks like the Safe-T-Cap guys got it right by adding a large drain hole at the rear frame.

My driveway is at a slight angle, so tonight I going to try backing in and spraying from the back of the frame forward, in hopes of allowing that crap to flow out the two bottom holes in the front.
 
Serbonze said:
The problem is that the only drain holes in the bottom of the frame are at the very front. I can (and already have) let water flow through until it's clear. Even though it runs clear, there is still an accumulation of sand/silt that sits in the bottom of the frame, because the holes are a 1/2" up on the side.

It looks like the Safe-T-Cap guys got it right by adding a large drain hole at the rear frame.

My driveway is at a slight angle, so tonight I going to try backing in and spraying from the back of the frame forward, in hopes of allowing that crap to flow out the two bottom holes in the front.
Click to expand...

I wonder if that is an early vs. late model year thing? Mine is a 2005 and I think it drains to the rear too. I'll have to crawl under it and look again.
 
StG58 said:
My '99 has no holes anywhere in the bottom of the frame, and getting the crud to wash out is a pain. Never get it all out.
Click to expand...

This is the first time that I've checked the frame, so I assume it has 15 years of accumulated muck in there.

The backing up the driveway didn't help much, I think I'll just have to continue doing it over time. I don't want to coat the inside until it's all out, that doesn't make much sense.

I did drill two 1/2" holes today right in front of the rear control arms, that should help get the water out.

I also ordered frame plugs for the side holes next to the rear tires. I figure I'll just put them in before I go out on the trails. All we have here in Florida is sand, so I'm sure that's why the frame was full of it.
 
I used a shop vac and a long piece of stiff site bent with a hook on the end to pull as much scale and sand out as I could. It took a while but I got a bunch out. Now I hose regularly and will be spraying with rust proof soon. By the way I have a 99 with a frame that's in great shape. It took me a year to find it but it was worth it. So many I looked at were all rusted out.
 
I thought I would post an update for anyone that searches this topic in the future. Good news...the frame is now completely cleaned out and I didn't find any rust!

I ended up drilling the two 1/2" holes in front of the rear control arm brackets (and hit them with paint so they won't rust), then flushed it several times over a couple of days. I used my air compressor with a long blow gun extension to reach into the frame and break up the large deposits of crud, which helped it flow out the drain holes.

@Stinger - those two 1/2" holes were the key to getting it cleaned out. Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mikester86, RussTJ and Stinger
Sure. Here ya go.;)

image.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mikester86 and Serbonze
image.jpeg
This maybe more of what you were looking to see. Just in front of rear frame arch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StG58
Top Bottom
Back