Finding my old man a Jeep. Is this one too good to be true?
- Thread starter t00th
- Start date
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.
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 ! my 1st jeep was a 97 4cyl. 5sp. and it was from Ohio, frame was pretty eat up but body was good. drove it 50k miles and sold it for what i paid for it. 7800 for a sahara with 65k miles and good body and interior seems good to me if frame aint total shit
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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.
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 DEC
Obviously the inside of the frame and torque boxes have rust. 
That's basically every jeep up here. My TJ is the same I just spent many hours cleaning up the undercarriage, but you can still see the horrible contrast between the rust inside the frame and the shiny gloss black of my outside frame.
My thinking is the frame in op is painted, it isn't smooth everywhere but it is fairly smooth. In order to get to that level of flat and smoothness the frame had to have been already clean or ground down. If it was ground down it must have been thorough and fairly clean because there are no pits and only a few bumps. Even if you are just removing rust from the outside, if an inside section of the frame has gotten bad enough you will puncture the frame and create a hole just pounding from the outside. So my thinking is it can't be that bad. I would go through the whole inside of the frame and inspect it thoroughly with an endoscope. Even if it's a little rusty lets face it will be years before you actually have to worry about the frame and who knows what jeep you will have by then.
Here's another thing: this guy took the time to clean up the suspension as well and probably ground down the nooks and crannies you can't reach like behind the track bar bolt etc. He may very well have saved you a lot of time with basic maintenance. He also had enough guts to actually post a picture of his frame unlike all those rust buckets for sale on FB. So that's also a good sign.
That's basically every jeep up here. My TJ is the same I just spent many hours cleaning up the undercarriage, but you can still see the horrible contrast between the rust inside the frame and the shiny gloss black of my outside frame.My thinking is the frame in op is painted, it isn't smooth everywhere but it is fairly smooth. In order to get to that level of flat and smoothness the frame had to have been already clean or ground down. If it was ground down it must have been thorough and fairly clean because there are no pits and only a few bumps. Even if you are just removing rust from the outside, if an inside section of the frame has gotten bad enough you will puncture the frame and create a hole just pounding from the outside. So my thinking is it can't be that bad. I would go through the whole inside of the frame and inspect it thoroughly with an endoscope. Even if it's a little rusty lets face it will be years before you actually have to worry about the frame and who knows what jeep you will have by then.
Here's another thing: this guy took the time to clean up the suspension as well and probably ground down the nooks and crannies you can't reach like behind the track bar bolt etc. He may very well have saved you a lot of time with basic maintenance. He also had enough guts to actually post a picture of his frame unlike all those rust buckets for sale on FB. So that's also a good sign.
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.
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.
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.
Taking her sister for a test drive....
The suspension normally rusts way faster than the frame but unlike the frame that rust is usually not as big of a deal only matters in certain areas like mounts or perches. I don't think its a fluke he probably grounded some parts without removing but others you can see new bushings or boots.
I bought an endoscope meant for utility work on Amazon for 60$. If you live north of the Mason Dixon it pays for itself
This is one I picked up. Cheap, easy to use.
DEPSTECH Wireless Endoscope, IP67... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYTHWK4/?tag=wranglerorg-20
DEPSTECH Wireless Endoscope, IP67... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYTHWK4/?tag=wranglerorg-20
hardtailpan
TJ Enthusiast
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The ad lost me at "We recently did a ton of work to it and brought it back to life". Head towards Va.
the 1st 1 was better at least it still had it's own frame.
this 1 we know rotted away and it's hard to tell what's left under there or how long it will last. also appears there is not a single hole to allow anything that gets in out again in that new section.
i think you could do better for 10k.
this 1 we know rotted away and it's hard to tell what's left under there or how long it will last. also appears there is not a single hole to allow anything that gets in out again in that new section.
i think you could do better for 10k.
hardtailpan
TJ Enthusiast
Yup, I won't touch anything that is rusty, was rusty, or was repaired. I'll wait or travel for a better one.
hardtailpan
TJ Enthusiast
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.
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.
Heck ask on here you might find someone willing to look at one for you if is few states 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.
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?