Lucky bastard. My 06 Rubicon with not even a qaurter of your rust has been without rear shocks since August of last year because I can't get the damned old upper mounts out.
Newbie needing advice on how to tackle rust
- Thread starter Wrangler91899
- Start date
Lucky bastard. My 06 Rubicon with not even a qaurter of your rust has been without rear shocks since August of last year because I can't get the damned old upper mounts out.
I lived in Havelock! On my '02 three of four upper bolts on rear shocks came loose, but that last one! Ended up (very carefully) cutting a small hole out of the drain hole in the cargo area floor to get at it and drilled out that last bolt. Stuffed a welding blanket as best I could on top of gas tank prior to cutting. Not the best idea but was very careful and it worked. New bolt and nylock nut, along with checking it when I'm down there and it's good. Left the cut as a flap and covered with that metal tape. Using those rubber anti-fatigue mats in the back for the pups so it's covered. Not recommending this, just how I did it. Kept picturing the Three Stooges episode where they put moonshine (?) in a Jeep and it blew up. Next scene was them as angels sitting on clouds playing harps. Not that that's where I'd end up. Much farther due south I believe.
Last edited:
Where I live a frame can fill up with sand in a few months. It's not always an indication of rust flakes.
You can de-rust the underside by using a sprinkler, sump pump and a 5 gallon pail of EvapoRust, just park the Jeep on a plastic tarp and create a sump for the pump. Takes probably 2 days or more to clean it up. The EvapoRust is enviromentally friendly and can be re-used.
Have watched this being done and it works quite well, just does not deal with inner frame issues.
I broke the first bolt I tried on the upper rear shock, moved to the other side and broke the first one there as well. Rather than drive with no shocks, I turned it over to my mechanic, he drilled them out a fitted new bolts on, worth the $150 he charged me.
OP
Ok, so after reading everyone's posts and giving it much thought, I have decided to sell the Wrangler.
I don't really want to but I've already put my upgrade budget into it just to get it back to operational standard:
Water pump
Manifold exhaust gasket
Shocks & steering stabilizer
New rotors and breaks all around
There's still more that can be done:
Bushings
Control arms
Not to mention removing/repairing the rust...
I wanted a Jeep I could toy around in and take off-road. I also drive about 3 hours per day and on sunny days I like to drive the jeep. I can't enjoy it thinking any minute the thing could break in half.
So, with reluctance, I am going to start the process of getting it ready for sale. Cleaning it up, freshen up some of the surfaces, cleaning the rims, etc...
I REALLY appreciate everyone's input!
When I owned my Commander I was a very active member of that forum and was looking forward to getting to know everyone here but at this point, I'm not sure when I will own a TJ again. It's in the plans but it will have to be a special circumstance for me to go that route again.
I'll probably be a lurker so it isn't goodbye but without owning a TJ there won't be much that I can offer.
Again, thank you all!
I don't really want to but I've already put my upgrade budget into it just to get it back to operational standard:
Water pump
Manifold exhaust gasket
Shocks & steering stabilizer
New rotors and breaks all around
There's still more that can be done:
Bushings
Control arms
Not to mention removing/repairing the rust...
I wanted a Jeep I could toy around in and take off-road. I also drive about 3 hours per day and on sunny days I like to drive the jeep. I can't enjoy it thinking any minute the thing could break in half.
So, with reluctance, I am going to start the process of getting it ready for sale. Cleaning it up, freshen up some of the surfaces, cleaning the rims, etc...
I REALLY appreciate everyone's input!
When I owned my Commander I was a very active member of that forum and was looking forward to getting to know everyone here but at this point, I'm not sure when I will own a TJ again. It's in the plans but it will have to be a special circumstance for me to go that route again.
I'll probably be a lurker so it isn't goodbye but without owning a TJ there won't be much that I can offer.
Again, thank you all!
Probably a good idea to sell and look for a new Jeep. Sorry it was such a pain in the ass for you. In the interest of helping future Jeepers, please disclose the rust issues in your advertisement—that way it will go to someone who knows what they are getting into and has experience making repairs. You don't want to sell to some teenager who doesn't know better. I know I couldn't live with myself if I knowingly sold an unsafe Jeep to someone who then had an accident on the highway.
There are too many a-holes out there who paint frames, use bondo, and other means to disguise rust issues.
There are too many a-holes out there who paint frames, use bondo, and other means to disguise rust issues.
Sorry to hear that you're done with that TJ. At least there are others out there.
I'm not sure if you know how much rust you actually have or how much work is really needed, if it's even possible.
Regardless of what anybody knows about their TJs, here's my comments of how to sell
Don't disclose the rust in an ad. At the best you'll get some ridiculous offers instead of anyone actually coming out to see it.
Make what is still in great shape look great but don't do much more than wash the frame while cleaning up the rest of the TJ.
Let people look as much as they want. If someone brings up the rusty frame, you can't deny it but I'd only point out the worst of what you know about to the youngest "kids" that really don't know what they are looking at.
Good luck selling and good luck finding another.
I'm not sure if you know how much rust you actually have or how much work is really needed, if it's even possible.
Regardless of what anybody knows about their TJs, here's my comments of how to sell
Don't disclose the rust in an ad. At the best you'll get some ridiculous offers instead of anyone actually coming out to see it.
Make what is still in great shape look great but don't do much more than wash the frame while cleaning up the rest of the TJ.
Let people look as much as they want. If someone brings up the rusty frame, you can't deny it but I'd only point out the worst of what you know about to the youngest "kids" that really don't know what they are looking at.
Good luck selling and good luck finding another.
I strongly don't believe this is an honest way to sell a TJ. If the frame is unsafe, he has to disclose that. Would you really be able to live with yourself if someone had a terrible accident and you knowingly sold them the Jeep in that condition?
True, we haven't seen up-close pictures of his frame, so we don't know the true condition. But this generally does not seem like ethical advice.
TJBob
TJ Enthusiast
Here’s a good example of what is to come with a rotted frame. Glad it happened when it was parked over night, and not while driving down the road! $1,000 at a local shop to fix my rust issues. Didn’t use safety caps, and the repair isnt pretty like the caps are, but it works for the time being.
The issue:
The fix:
I got lucky, and it was just the very bottom of the frame that was rotten. The sides of the frame are still in great shape. New frame coming in the future for this TJ.
The issue:
The fix:
I got lucky, and it was just the very bottom of the frame that was rotten. The sides of the frame are still in great shape. New frame coming in the future for this TJ.
OP
Thanks for the well-wishes @bromel & @JEEPCJTJ.
It wasn't an easy decision and a sale is not a given. I'm ok with that. If it sells then great. If not, I still have my TJ. Either way is good as far as I see it. If it doesn't sell then maybe I will eventually address the rust. That remains to be seen.
As to disclose/not disclose the rust...
It is far from conclusive whether the frame has irreparable damage. Some on here say yes it's irreparable, from their experience from a few pictures that I've posted. Others say no, it is repairable and some even say it is just a matter of surface rust. So there are varying degrees of opinion.
Here's what I know for a fact: I've crawled around under this Jeep more in the last week than I have in 2 years.
1) There is no visible rotting on the frame. (as such that I have seen online where there are small or large gaping holes in the frame)
2) There are no holes in the frame aside from the normal holes made by the manufacturer.
3) I have taken the hammer all the way around the frame and while rust has fallen off, in not one area has the hammer found a spot so weakened that it put a hole in it.
3) There are no cracks in the frame
4) There is a large amount of rust from lack of maintenance. Is it more than normal for a 2002 in the rust belt? I can't answer that question because I do not know
I am new here, so no one knows my background.
I can tell you this:
I have lived for the last 20 years in a house that should never have been sold to us because of all the underlying issues it had (Always, ALWAYS get a whole home inspection on real estate. I've learned the hard way)
Once I moved in and found all these issues I could have just sold it and let it be someone else's problems, but I couldn't have knowingly pawned that off on someone else. I vowed I would fix what I knew to be the problems before I sold it. Over the years, we have been making repairs, some have been fixed more than once. My wife and I have endured 4 lay-offs in those 20 years. (Thanks to IT corporate jobs involving mergers and acquisitions...
) Through all that, this summer we will complete the last and final portion of the renovations. (Yay for us! ha) At that point, I may decide to sell or I may keep it since it's all fixed now. I still haven't made up my mind...
Having said that, with the sell of this TJ, I'm pretty positive that I will make any and all ethical decisions moving forward...
It wasn't an easy decision and a sale is not a given. I'm ok with that. If it sells then great. If not, I still have my TJ. Either way is good as far as I see it. If it doesn't sell then maybe I will eventually address the rust. That remains to be seen.
As to disclose/not disclose the rust...
It is far from conclusive whether the frame has irreparable damage. Some on here say yes it's irreparable, from their experience from a few pictures that I've posted. Others say no, it is repairable and some even say it is just a matter of surface rust. So there are varying degrees of opinion.
Here's what I know for a fact: I've crawled around under this Jeep more in the last week than I have in 2 years.
1) There is no visible rotting on the frame. (as such that I have seen online where there are small or large gaping holes in the frame)
2) There are no holes in the frame aside from the normal holes made by the manufacturer.
3) I have taken the hammer all the way around the frame and while rust has fallen off, in not one area has the hammer found a spot so weakened that it put a hole in it.
3) There are no cracks in the frame
4) There is a large amount of rust from lack of maintenance. Is it more than normal for a 2002 in the rust belt? I can't answer that question because I do not know
I am new here, so no one knows my background.
I can tell you this:
I have lived for the last 20 years in a house that should never have been sold to us because of all the underlying issues it had (Always, ALWAYS get a whole home inspection on real estate. I've learned the hard way)
Once I moved in and found all these issues I could have just sold it and let it be someone else's problems, but I couldn't have knowingly pawned that off on someone else. I vowed I would fix what I knew to be the problems before I sold it. Over the years, we have been making repairs, some have been fixed more than once. My wife and I have endured 4 lay-offs in those 20 years. (Thanks to IT corporate jobs involving mergers and acquisitions...
) Through all that, this summer we will complete the last and final portion of the renovations. (Yay for us! ha) At that point, I may decide to sell or I may keep it since it's all fixed now. I still haven't made up my mind...Having said that, with the sell of this TJ, I'm pretty positive that I will make any and all ethical decisions moving forward...
Selling the Jeep is a good idea. That Jeep would probably take more time and money to get it to where you sound like you would want it than it would to find a rust free Jeep from a more forgiving climate. Don't get me wrong however, I have a totally rust free TJ and I am spending thousands on it. I don't want to ever add up all the parts invoices I have, I'd probably puke for days. I'll never get my money out of it, I don't think Jeeps are a financial investment, they are a fun investment. For me, much of the fun is the actual time spent working on it and improving it. I hail from Vermont originally and everything rusts there. I love twisting a wrench, I hate rust. I don't know how much $ you have invested in this one, but maybe you can find a rust free Jeep that sorely needs the driveline parts in your rust bucket that are good. Also if you have the time, parting it out might yield more money than you think.
OP
@Flivver250 thanks for the suggestion on parting out. It may eventually come to that but for now I'm good with selling it or keeping it either way
I believe my advise to be honest due to the amount of knowledge Wrangler91899 has regarding the current safety of his frame. Heck, nobody here knows based on pictures.
How is this really a question, and what does it mean? Terrible accidents can happen for many different reasons. What is "the Jeep" and how does it differ from any other vehicle I may, or may not, try to sell? What exactly is "that condition"?
Some close up pictures won't let us know the exact condition of the frame. It might look better, it might look worse. Neither one could be the true condition.
I think you're somewhat unethical by implying someone should disclose something they aren't even sure of IF it could be true.
Last edited:
OP
This is still on the subject of rust so I will ask it here...
There is a little bit of rust on the rear near the driver side tail light. It's all surface and is not bubbling up... Yet. Anyone tackled clearing out rust like this?
If so, the easiest and least difficult way for this newbie?
There is a little bit of rust on the rear near the driver side tail light. It's all surface and is not bubbling up... Yet. Anyone tackled clearing out rust like this?
If so, the easiest and least difficult way for this newbie?