Mike_H's 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Mike_H

autos are better - WRWD508
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
11,575
Location
Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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The good side...
 
Rolling again...3 long months of work including OME springs 2" springs, Bilstein Shocks, Generic rear track bar relocation bracket with a Currie reinforcement to the axle tube, Rough Country BPE's, JKS front track bar, JKS Body Lift, MORE motor mount lift...and a TON of rust repair. All to fit the JK wheels and Tires I have. It should be a nearly perfect set-up for the wheeling I do...Stoked to be back driving again, but bummed that there is still more rust to tackle...all in due time I guess.

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Hey, we’re practically neighbors! I’ll be sure to read your build thread. Your Jeep looks great. I. Sure I’ll learn a few things. I’ve got a couple minor rust areas I need to take care of before they get out of hand.
 
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Hey, we’re practically neighbors! I’ll be sure to read your build thread. Your Jeep looks great. I. Sure I’ll learn a few things. I’ve got a couple minor rust areas I need to take care of before they get out of hand.
You can learn a ton from this guy. He’s done some great stuff and has a ton of great insight and problem-solving ability. You got a good neighbor.
 
You can learn a ton from this guy. He’s done some great stuff and has a ton of great insight and problem-solving ability. You got a good neighbor.

Good to know. There’s so many knowledgeable folks on here. I’ve only been part of the forum for a short while and I spend tons of time so far reading builds and drooling over everybody’s rigs (like yours!).

The winter and eventual rust are a real and living thing here in Michigan. If I can find info and tips on how to prevent, combat or repair it in various stages I will be so happy lol.
 
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Good to know. There’s so many knowledgeable folks on here. I’ve only been part of the forum for a short while and I spend tons of time so far reading builds and drooling over everybody’s rigs (like yours!).

The winter and eventual rust are a real and living thing here in Michigan. If I can find info and tips on how to prevent, combat or repair it in various stages I will be so happy lol.
I think you’re on the right thread to learn about the repairing rust. Prevention is often accomplished with fluid film application, though there are other things people do additionally. Hate it that you live in a salt-state!Salt really sucks for our TJ’s
 
I think you’re on the right thread to learn about the repairing rust. Prevention is often accomplished with fluid film application, though there are other things people do additionally. Hate it that you live in a salt-state!Salt really sucks for our TJ’s

It’s a love/hate relationship for me. I love Michigan. Born and raised here the right way lol. Camping, hiking and enjoying the saltless seas often as possible. The season changes are great in my opinion. Really the salt is the only real complaint I have for living here. My wife and I play with the idea of moving to the Northwest one day and kids are out of school. The salt has me more than a little anxious. I’ve wanted a wrangler as long as I can remember. I’d hate to watch it rot away now that I finally have it.
 
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Good to know. There’s so many knowledgeable folks on here. I’ve only been part of the forum for a short while and I spend tons of time so far reading builds and drooling over everybody’s rigs (like yours!).

The winter and eventual rust are a real and living thing here in Michigan. If I can find info and tips on how to prevent, combat or repair it in various stages I will be so happy lol.
Best thing you can do is not drive it during the winter... But you know that. That is the route I take.
 
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Yeah. It’s my daily driver though. Im going to stay on top of washing it and hopefully in the spring I can treat it with something preventative.
That's tough. Get some fluid film and get it on everything, including inside the frame. Stay away from the rubberized undercoats, as they tend to create more problem than they solve. Do you have an intro post? I'd like to see your new-to-you TJ!
 
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So... It's not my TJ, but just in case you guys from outside the Midwest are curious why our vehicles rust so bad, here it is.

This is after a 500 mile journey through a winter storm. I went and washed it right after these pictures, but most of the people just let this stuff sit on their vehicles, because to get rid of it, you'd need to wash every day. The white stuff is dry salt residue, the brown is a frozen dirt/salt mix that was water in the road and kicked up by the tires.

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Shoot... This isn't my build thread... Thought it was. @Don Ashcraft if you want to see some of the issue with a midwest "clean" Jeep, check out my build thread... Link is in my signature. I have some more recent pictures in there too... Guess I should update this thread!
 
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That's tough. Get some fluid film and get it on everything, including inside the frame. Stay away from the rubberized undercoats, as they tend to create more problem than they solve. Do you have an intro post? I'd like to see your new-to-you TJ!

I’ll check out your build thread. Thanks! I don’t have an intro post yet. I apparently just stumbled in here all assbackwards lol.